Propulsion Québec, the cluster for electric and smart transportation, unveiled a brand new study entitled “Fleet electrification in Quebec: medium and heavy electric vehicles in commercial and institutional fleets.” In order to identify and prioritize strategies to accelerate the electrification of commercial and institutional fleets in Quebec, Propulsion Québec commissioned consulting firm Dunsky Energy Consulting to conduct an analysis of medium and heavy electric vehicle adoption.
Honing strategies to accelerate fleet electrification
The study shows that fleet electrification in commercial and institutional sectors still faces many barriers in terms of vehicle acquisition, recharging facilities, operational and internal issues, and expertise and skills, both in Quebec and across North America. These will have to gradually disappear before fleet operators fully embrace going electric.
The study reveals that Quebec has the tools it needs to accelerate fleet electrification and that some strategies need fine-tuning. A comparative review of barriers and incentives in other jurisdictions around the world shows that fleet size rather than fleet type is the most important differentiator in terms of adoption. Shortcomings and potential improvements are also identified, and different courses of action are recommended.
The study’s recommendations will have to be strictly applied if Quebec is to create a momentum for commercial and institutional fleet electrification, and special priority will have to be given to clarifying certain regulatory and financial issues. The case studies clearly show that such actions generate very positive results, such as in California, which can serve as a model.
Propulsion Québec’s recommendations
The study included 15 recommendations to address priority needs over the next decade, from 2020 to 2030:
- Enhance subsidy programs
- Support the development and marketing of electric vehicles from Quebec manufacturers
- Introduce a zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (VZE) policy
- Enhance support for recharging infrastructure and offer more demonstration programs to support the development of pre-market vehicles
- Develop an innovative financing solution
- Introduce regulations that enhance the advantages of electric vehicles
- Roll out a communications campaign for operators
- Build on the example set by government
In addition to the fifteen recommendations, eight specific actions were identified in the study to enable fleet operators to help accelerate the electrification of vehicles in Quebec.
This study was made possible thanks to the financial support of the government of Quebec, Hydro-Québec, and Fonds de solidarité FTQ.
