7 reasons to go electric

Over the next 10 years, the car market will change dramatically. Manufacturers are looking ahead and confirming their desire to increase the number of electric and plug-in hybrid models in the short and medium term. Do you want to take the leap? Here are 7 good reasons to do so.

Government incentives available

Provincial and federal governments offer incentives for the purchase or lease of plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles. For example, for a new 100% electric vehicle, the consumer can take advantage of a reduction of up to $ 13,000. For plug-in hybrids, the amount of the rebate varies between $ 4,000 and $ 8,000 depending on the capacity of the battery. Note that the incentives are applied directly to the dealership price.

The Government of Quebec's Roulez vert program also gives you access to financial support of $ 600 for the purchase of a 240-volt home charging station.

Less associated costs

Does the monthly payment for an electric vehicle seem high? We have to look beyond this simple figure. An electric vehicle will cost you less in associated costs.

Without an oil change and with less brake wear due to regenerative braking technology, electric motorists save approximately $ 237 over 20,000 km in basic maintenance. Some insurance companies offer up to 20% discounts to owners of electric vehicles. The advantages of the green plate should not be overlooked! You will be exempt from paying on certain bridges and tolls, including that of Highway 30.

The average trip Home / Work

The fear of insufficient autonomy still prevents some people from going electric. However, many tend to overestimate their daily needs. The average distance for the trip between home and work is between 20 and 50 km. By adding frequent trips of 50 km, and a margin of 30 km, a range of 130 km for daily trips is often quite sufficient.

Think about it; some models offer a 100% electric range of up to 420 km. Proximity trips can often be made entirely in electric mode, even with plug-in hybrid models that offer average electric ranges of 40 to 60 km.

Fuel saving

Did you know that on average, each Quebecer consumes 1057 liters of fuel per year? No more costly weekly stops at the pump while driving your electric vehicle.

For example, driving the Chevrolet Bolt EV will cost you around $ 320 of electricity to drive 20,000 km if you charge your vehicle exclusively at home. This amount will be approximately $ 440 annually if you use the public charging station network 15% of the time.

Comparing with a gasoline vehicle consuming 8 L / 100, we see that after 20,000 km and with a cost of $ 1.25 per liter, the electric motorist will have saved $ 1,600.

Environmental impacts

40% of emissions in Quebec are attributable to the transportation sector, which makes it the main source in the province. Since Quebec does not use fossil fuel to produce its electricity, the electrification of transportation is particularly interesting for reducing polluting emissions.

If one million gasoline-powered cars were replaced by 100% electric cars, or approximately 16% of the current vehicle fleet, Québec's emissions would decrease by approximately 4.37 million tonnes per year, without have to increase our electricity production. (Équiterre)

For its lifetime (approximately 300,000km), a 100% electric vehicle will produce 80% less emission than a gasoline model.

Improved access to charging station networks

In 2019, the federal government announced an investment of $ 5M for Hydro-Quebec to accelerate the deployment of 1,600 fast charging stations in the next decade in the province. Currently, there are 2,500 public charging stations, including 305 fast charging stations, deployed in all regions of Quebec. There are more than twenty of them in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.

To facilitate access to the network, the Circuit Electrique mobile application has been implemented. Tracking, digital payment, traffic data, recharge tracking and personalized notifications; The app is a must have for electric motorists.

A redesigned driving experience

Have you ever taken an electric vehicle trip? You may be pleasantly surprised by the driving experience.

You will quickly notice that at high or low speed, the cabin is completely silent and vibration-free. The many tools that allow you to monitor your electricity consumption are clearly displayed and easy to use. Worried that driving will be boring? Note that the Chevrolet Bolt, for example, offers an acceleration from 0 to 100km in 7.5 seconds.

Think again about the benefits of green plaque! You can speed up your journeys thanks to access to reserved lanes during rush hour (for example on Highway 20 between Dorval and Lachine).

*See promotion details here 

See complete Bolt Inventory here 

Sources

www.aveq.ca

Choisir un véhicule électrique qui répond à vos besoins, Roulons électrique, Gouvernement du Québec, 2020.

www.equiterre.org - Pourquoi l’électrification?, La voiture électrique en 5 questions.