The Electric Car Is Still A Worrying Issue In Public Opinion

The electric car is still a worrying issue in public opinion

Introduction

The electric car remains a worrying issue in public opinion: a potential source of pollution during its production – materials, energy during manufacturing, infrastructure, road networks, accumulators, etc., and a mobility model that does not change – individual, almighty, expensive and promotes urban expansion.

It is still preferable to walk, public transport and cycling. On the other hand, the Quebecs love their car, many have no alternatives in terms of means of transport and seems unlikely to be neglected in the coming years. The electric option, without being the only response to climate change, seems therefore an interesting option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Developing

The answer is yes. After 2 years of use, but yes. This was revealed to the Pierre-Loivier Roy press, associate researcher at the International Reference Center on the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG) of Polytechnique Montréal and author of a study on the environmental impacts of electric vehicles in 2016On behalf of Hydro-Québec.

The study in question concludes that in Quebec: in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, an electric car becomes beneficial for the environment after about two years of use.(29.000 km). Because from kilometer 29.001, the ecological footprint caused during the manufacture of the electric car (and its famous batteries) theoretically falls below that of the oil fuel version.

Of course thanks to our renewable electricity source. In addition, Quebec has a lot of clean energy available in surplus practically all year. In fact, except during peak periods, the amount of hydroelectric energy produced in Quebec is more than enough to supply the current network, as well as the 500 fleet.000 electric vehicles expected by the Quebec Economics and Innovation Advisory Council. 2030.

Electric charge stations for housing from several units and on the road

Electric charge stations for multiple housing buildings and on the road © Service Flo

When electric cars rhyme with economic development

On September 25, the Economy and Innovation Advisory Council (CCEI) presented to the Government a report that contains 12 recommendations for the economic and sustainable development of Quebec. Focusing on innovation, recommendations aim to strengthen Quebec’s competitiveness and anticipate changes in the labor market.

ÉcoBITATION examined the seventh recommendation of the report. This recommendation aims to affirm Quebec leadership in clean energy by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and low emission transport to stimulate business development in this new value chain.

In this section of the report, the City Council proposes, among other things, to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles quickly adding 2.000 fast charging stations at 2.000 standard stations already planned and increase aid to buy, but reduce it over time to trigger a massive adoption.

The costs and benefits have not yet been evaluated, but in the coming months a second communication of the Government and the Council should appear for this purpose.

Therefore, facilitating the adoption of electrical models is fundamental and eco -bitation welcomes the CCEI initiative, but you would like to see more ambitious recommendations.

Ambitious actions … at a low cost

Écobitation sees housing as a solution to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. The Reference Housing Organization recently carried out a study that shows that releasing KWH in homes to recharge electric vehicles, taking advantage of the low rate of the Hydro-Québec heritage fund (below the threshold of the first 30 kWh) would allow the owner to heat upand move at a cost of around $ 6 / day

Savings made with a house with, for example, an energy rating of 87 and an electric car (compared to a typical house and a gasoline car) could ascend here to $ 1,596 per year. In terms of GHG, this combination would represent 12 times less emissions, or only 306 kg of CO₂ equivalents per year.

Specifically, the CCEI could propose the implementation of incentives for the purchase of a loading station during the construction of a new certified housing Novoclimat or Leed V4, carry out an informative campaign with backup figures and use our study that shows that it does not cost more,Neither for the owner nor for the environment, attach a house with high performance to an electric car.

Residential Load Station for Electric Vehicles © Service Flo

conclusion

It is clear that the State must play a role in the acceleration of changes in the market. Because structurally, the transition of the vehicle fleet will be done only in the long term: at least the time of the life cycle of a personal vehicle … that is at least 10, 12, or even 15 years.

And this figure depends of course on other parameters, such as the adaptation of the supply of load stations to demand or the diversification of the supply of electrical models of car manufacturers. Sidney Ribaud, CEO of Équiterre, announced on October 11 at its blog post electric vehicles: the invisible hand of the market will not be enough that according to the most optimistic forecasts, one third of the vehicles will be electric in 2040.