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MTQ Pays $4.4 Million for 13 Electric Trucks

MTQ Pays $4.4 Million for 13 Electric Trucks

As part of a program to electrify its fleet of vehicles, the Quebec Department of Transportation (MTQ) has acquired the first electric truck.

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The Quebec-made side drop truck by MTQ will be used to spread orange cones on construction sites.

The ministry has entered into an agreement to deliver 13 electric trucks in the amount of $4.4 million with Lion Electric.

“It’s a vehicle that costs $335 thousand, which is a bit more expensive than a conventional car. We are also entitled to discounts from the federal government. We are talking about $100,000 for each car that the federal government gives us as part of the purchase of completely eco-friendly vehicles,” confirms Transport Minister François Bonardel .

Manufacturer Lion Electric, of Saint-Jérôme, estimates that MTQ will achieve 80% savings in energy costs and 60% in maintenance with its trucks that have a range of 240 km.

François Bonnardel believes that the Ministry of Transport has no choice but to lead by example.

“We are investing billions of dollars in urban buses as well as school buses, and today in the government fleet. We have a very ambitious target, if not the most ambitious in North America. The government fleet is close to 21,000 vehicles. Our goal is to electrify 12,000 of these light vehicles by year,” the minister said. 2030, so 100% of these vehicles and another 9,000 vehicles by 2040.

The goals of electrifying the government vehicle fleet are ambitious.

By 2030, 100% of light vehicles will be electric, 25% of light trucks, and by 2040, 100% of heavy trucks.

1.6 million light vehicles will be electrified by 2030 in Quebec. 2035, 100% of the cars to be sold will be green. “I think we are showing today to the people of Quebec that we also have an important target for the government fleet,” the transport minister said.

The government has less than 15 years to go green.

As of May 31, 2021, the Quebec government had 21,332 vehicles, more than half of which were light vehicles.

Of these, only 2,111 were supplied with electricity, or less than 10%.

MTQ will have to replace a fleet of 3,000 medium and heavy trucks, and the acquisition of Lion Electric trucks is the first step.

The Ministry of Transportation, which operates a fleet of 45 official vehicles for ministers, has only 19 hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The big problem that big companies, like Lion or others, have to tackle is the autonomy of these trucks and cars. I am currently using a Toyota Sienna Hybrid. We would like to have fully electric cars. The display is interesting, but it is not powerful enough to be able to reach a range of 400, 500, 600 km”, says Minister Bonnardel, who is confident that manufacturers will create vehicles that can cover longer distances without recharging.