FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press release

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Montréal, April 12, 2011 – Hydro-Québec is pleased to announce that 13 Boucherville businesses will soon start testing 15 all-electric i-MiEV cars. The vehicles will be delivered to their respective drivers in June 2011.
Selected through a request for proposals process launched at the beginning of 2011, the 13 participating companies are:

  • Danone Inc. (2 vehicles)
  • La Rôtisserie St-Hubert de Boucherville (2 vehicles)
  • Association des gens d’affaires de boucherville
  • Les Autobus Boucherville inc.
  • Caisse Desjardins de Boucherville
  • Elka suspension
  • Les Fleurs de l’artiste Florist
  • The Grand défi Pierre Lavoie
  • Canam Group
  • Universal Promotions
  • Rona inc.
  • TM4
  • Uni-Select inc.

Employees of the selected companies will test the all-electric i-MiEVs as part of their daily activities. Participants will be required to drive an average of 50 km per day, both on the highway and on local streets. They will have access to charging stations installed at home and at their workplace.
”Hydro-Québec is very happy that businesses of this caliber have agreed to participate in its field trials. The diversity of participants and their needs will provide us with valuable information,” said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Senior Manager – Strategic Planning at Hydro-Québec. ”The data collected from these 15 new participants will give us greater insight into users’ charging habits and needs.”

In the initial phase of this major demonstration project, five i-MiEVs were delivered last December to the city of Boucherville, the Centre de santé et de services sociaux Pierre-Boucher and Hydro-Québec. Ten additional i-MiEVs will be delivered in October as part of the third phase of the project. This initiative ties in well with the Action Plan for Electric Vehicles unveiled by the Québec government last week.
i-MiEV, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, is based on the Japanese i-Car platform. It is an all-electric, highway-capable, charge-at-home commuter car with zero tailpipe emissions. Capable of traveling 120 km on a single charge, Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV can be recharged in 6 hours using an 240-volt outlet or 13 hours using a 120-volt outlet. Alternatively, it will be possible to replenish 80% of the battery in 30 minutes using a quick-charge station.

Coordinated by Hydro-Québec, the road trials will extend over a three-year period and involve up to 50 i-MiEVs. The project is designed to study user charging habits, driving experience and overall satisfaction as well as vehicle behavior when interfaced with the electric grid.

About Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. is committed to green technologies, and Mitsubishi Motors, Japan, is a world leader in electric car research and development. For more information, visit www.mitsubishi-motors-pr.ca.

About Hydro-Québec

Hydro-Québec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. Its sole shareholder is the Québec government. It uses mainly renewable generating options, in particular hydropower, and supports the development of wind energy through purchases from independent power producers. It also conducts R&D in energy-related fields, such as energy efficiency. For more information on Hydro-Québec, please visit www.hydroquebec.com. For details on its electric transportation projects, visit www.hydroquebec.com/transportation-electrification/.

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Information:
Hélène Laurin
Advisor – Media and Public Affairs
Tel.: 514 289-3227
E-mail: [email protected]