GLOBE-Net, April 13, 2011 - Last week, Québec Premier Jean Charest unveiled Québec's first Action Plan for Electric Vehicles. "The 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles is a key element in our effort to change our transportation habits," said Premier Charest.

The announcement came as part of a process initiated by the Premier to provide Québec with an Action Plan for electric vehicles. In the coming years, the Québec Government will invest $250 million on the deployment and use of electric vehicles and the development of an industrial sector. The Action Plan provides for initiatives aimed at:

• encouraging Québecers to use electric vehicles;
  
  
• speeding up the introduction of electric vehicles, among other things by developing charging infrastructures;
  
  
• supporting transit corporations so that they are able to choose electricity as an energy source;
  
  
• supporting the production of electric vehicle products and components, so that Québec will become a world-class player in the new industry.

"We intend to transform Québec society into a North American leader in the field of sustainable mobility through the use of hydroelectricity. The ultimate goal is to create an individual and collective transportation chain fuelled by electricity." Québec Premier Jean Charest

Hydroelectricity: Québec's main asset

"As the world's fourth-largest producer of hydroelectricity, which is a green and renewable form of energy, Québec has a number of assets that will help stimulate the use of electric vehicles within its territory and make the shift towards a less oil-dependent economy," said Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife Nathalie Normandeau.

"We have already earned a reputation as a supplier of reliable, safe electricity. In addition, the difference between electricity and oil prices is one of the most competitive in North America, and the choice of electricity for transportation is therefore a given."

An ambitious target

The 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles sets an ambitious target: by 2020, 25% of all new light passenger vehicle sales will be electric vehicles (all-electric and rechargeable hybrids - in other words, 118,000 in all, or 5% of Québec's total light vehicle fleet.

In addition, by 2030, the Québec Government anticipates that:

• 1.2 million electric vehicles will be travelling on Québec's roads - in other words, 18% of the total number of light vehicles currently on the road;
  
  
• greenhouse gas emissions will have been reduced by 3.5 million tonnes;
  
  
• 1.5 billion litres of gasoline will have been saved thanks to the use of electric vehicles - in other words, 17% of our current consumption;
  
  
• 95% of all travel on the collective transit network will be powered by electricity.

"The Action Plan clearly illustrates the leading role played by Québec in the fight against climate change," said Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Pierre Arcand.

"It will play a fundamental role in meeting the challenge that we have set for ourselves between now and 2020, namely to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from their 1990 levels. This is the most ambitious emission reduction target in North America, and we are very proud of it. With this Action Plan, Québec will be able to transition towards a green economy by developing leading-edge expertise in the new technology."

Developing a new industrial sector

Québec's expertise in the production of electric vehicle components, including batteries, electric motor systems and light materials, is well-known. In all these fields, it has experts in research centres and private enterprise alike.

In some areas, firms from Québec have moved ahead of the pack and contributed to the development of new technology at a time when international automobile companies are making strategic choices.

The 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles is designed to develop innovative, structural products for the electric vehicle industrial sector. Its goal is to ensure that the new sector is world-class.

With the initiatives it has announced to stimulate investment, the Québec Government hopes to generate private investments of $500 million in the coming years, and increase the number of direct and indirect jobs in the sector from 1,500 to 5,000.

"In a context where decisions are being made and alliances are being forged, Québec must act now to seize the available business opportunities and stand out as a leader in the electric vehicle sector."  Minister Responsible for the Plan Nord, Clément Gignac.

"We are already committed to this path, and our expertise in this growing industrial sector is outstanding. We must continue to stimulate research and development of innovative products, so that our industry is dynamic and even more competitive. Together, we can continue to structure the sector and transform Québec into a reference for electric vehicle technology," said Clément Gignac,Minister Responsible for the Plan Nord.

"With the development of electricity-fuelled transportation, Québec society as a whole must take up the challenge of sustainable mobility and innovate to achieve sustainable development," said Minister of Transport Sam Hamad.

"The review of Québec's collective transportation policy will allow the Government to clarify its orientations in order to speed up the electrification of collective transportation."

A dedicated portal

The Québec Government has set up a new online portal dedicated to the 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles at: www.vehiculeselectriques.gouv.qc.ca