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Launching of a Major Study on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Quebec City, April 22, 2008—Université Laval rector Denis Brière together with Secretary general of Desjardins Group Pauline D’Amboise, Enersys president and CEO John D. Craig, and Quebec City mayor Régis Labeaume celebrated Earth Day by announcing the launch of an innovative joint study project on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). If this pilot study is successful, a second phase of the project could integrate up to 50 PHEVs into Quebec City streets.

Thanks to the financial, technical, and professional participation of Desjardins Group, Canada’s largest integrated cooperative financial group, and Enersys, the world’s largest producer of industrial batteries, a multidisciplinary team of Université Laval researchers will begin a series of studies looking at technological improvements under real-world conditions as well as social, economic, and environmental issues related to the use of these vehicles.

The test vehicle in this pilot project will be a Prius-type hybrid with its standard battery replaced by a high performance lithium ion battery providing a range of over 70 km. This battery can be plugged in and recharged using household current from a regular outlet.

Researchers at the Faculty of Business Administration will study, under the leadership of professor Michel Gendron, various economic, environmental, and social impacts of the use of this type vehicle. In particular, they will investigate the financial viability of such vehicles for consumers, evaluate the costs of installing power ports together with methods of imposing fees for recharging, and together with Desjardins develop innovative financial contracts for this type of vehicle.

Researchers at the Faculty of Science and Engineering will assess the vehicle’s performance in urban environments as well as look at ways to optimize output and performance, improve recharging techniques through the development of power ports, and test technologies for connecting the battery with the power grid.

Université Laval Security and Prevention, which has already integrated a first PHEV into its fleet of conventional vehicles, considers progressively replacing all its vehicles with this type of hybrid.

“Sustainable development is a top priority at Université Laval,” stated rector Denis Brière at a press conference. “That’s why we plan to implement concrete measures to support projects such as the one presented today, which features a promising strategy to tackle the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gases.”

“Desjardins Group is pleased to be associated with Université Laval in conducting this study, which will allow us to develop unique expertise here in Quebec City,” declared Ms. D’Amboise. “Desjardins is more than a mere financial partner—it is contributing its know-how as a financial institution to explore such matters as what kind of financial product could make this type of vehicle more available to consumers.”

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Information:
James Eaves
Faculty of Business Administration
Université Laval
Phone: (418) 656-2131 ext. 3679
james.eaves@fsa.ulaval.ca

André Chapleau
Information and Media Relations
Desjardins Group
Phone: (418) 835-2253
andre.chapleau@desjardins.com

Source:
Jean-François Huppé
Media Relations Officer
Université Laval
Phone: (418) 656-7785