ROW

French Canadian electricity company Hydro-Québec has announced the launch of the largest yet trial of electric vehicles in Canada.

An agreement with Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi will see up to 50 all-electric i MiEVs on the roads in the city of Boucherville this autumn as part of a CAN$4.5 million trial.

The pilot project will examine the vehicles’ performance and charging behaviour, particularly during the harsh freezing conditions of a typical Québec winter.

It is the first such trial to bring together a car manufacturer, a public utility, a municipality and local businesses, which will integrate the i MiEV into their existing vehicle fleets.

“This new pilot project is part of our action plan for the electrification of vehicles,” says Hydro-Québec’s president and CEO Thierry Vandal.

“It will allow us to advance our knowledge of the technology and its integration into our grid, which in turn, will help us plan the necessary charging infrastructure for homes, offices and public places.”

Boucherville was selected because it is close to Hydro-Québec’s research institute, has a local Mitsubishi dealership and is already participating in Hydro-Québec’s smart zone trial.

The Mitsubishi i MiEV recently won the Japanese Car of the Year award for ‘Most Advanced Technology’ and is being launched in Europe this autumn as the Peugeot iOn.

For further information:
www.mitsubishi-motors.com/
www.mitsubishi-motors.com/special/ev/
www.hydroquebec.com/
www.hydroquebec.com/electrification-transport

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