The electric car in Quebec: an ecological choice
The technological advances of the last ten years have made electric cars more and more interesting for individuals. The rising price of oil, the growing pollution of our planet, as well as increasingly powerful batteries are some of the reasons that drive us to electric vehicles. However, many uncertainties are still present in the minds of consumers before taking the plunge. Are they affordable? Can we drive as long as with a classic model? Can I easily recharge my battery? Here, we take a look at what is happening for the 2018 electric car in Quebec.
Today’s electric car
Quebecers are the most likely to replace their gasoline vehicles in Canada, since there are approximately 11,000 fully electric cars in Quebec, against only 24,000 in the rest of the country. The autonomy of these vehicles is more and more comparable to a conventional car: after the full charge of the battery, an electric car can travel between 100 km and 500 km, depending on the model. In addition, the batteries of today’s vehicles are durable and allow cars to operate beyond 200,000 km. The cost of these cars remains expensive, even if they become more and more accessible: a new model now costs between $30,000 for most basic cars and up to $150,000 for more luxurious cars. However, it is about eight times cheaper to charge an electric vehicle than to fuel a conventional car; it costs between $200 and $300 in charge to cover 20,000 km.
A cleaner environment
The ecological impact of the electric car depends on the mode of energy production of each country. Here in Quebec, since the vast majority of energy comes from a clean source, the electric vehicle becomes an extremely advantageous ecological choice. An electric car produces a lot less greenhouse gas than a gasoline vehicle. Indeed, the production of these gases (such as carbon dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, etc …) is involved only during the manufacture of the battery. If we consider the entire cycle of an electric car, from manufacture to end of life, it produces 65% less greenhouse gas than a conventional gas car after traveling 150,000 km.
What about Quebec?
It is possible to obtain subsidies from the Quebec government for the purchase of a new or used electric vehicle; a discount of up to $ 8,000 (new car) and $ 4,000 (used car) will be available upon purchase of the vehicle. Charging your car in Quebec is made extremely easy: there are more than 1,500 charging stations in Quebec, free or paid. It is also very simple to locate them, thanks to mobile applications (for example « Electric Circuit »). In addition, it is possible to install a charging station at home or at work. Quebec offers refunds that allow users to offset the costs of the installation. In 2018 alone, the Quebec government granted more than 900 rebates on the purchase of an electric vehicle and reimbursements for the installation of a charging station.
Par Caroline Foucher
Sources :
Cedric De Cauwer et al., « Energy Consumption Prediction for Electric Vehicles Based on Real-World Data », Energies, 8, 8573-8593, 2015
http://www.vehiculeselectriques.gouv.qc.ca
http://www.hydroquebec.com/electrification-transport/voitures-electriques/
http://www.aveq.ca/meacutedias.html
https://www.connaissancedesenergies.org
