The electric car: a sustainable and ecological solution

Adopt an electric car to reduce your carbon footprint

In Quebec, 95% of the electricity we use comes from renewable sources. Yet 55% of the greenhouse gases produced by a family living in the suburbs come from their transportation habits.

A number of environmentally-friendly alternatives are available on the market, but it’s important to be informed, as some specificities apply. For example, the use of an electric car becomes ecological and environmentally advantageous only after 2 to 3 years of use. Although fuel consumption is zero, certain environmental costs are associated with the construction of the car, especially the battery. We therefore recommend keeping your electric car for several years in order to achieve the desired environmental benefits.

If we look at CO2 emissions alone, it’s worth noting that a fuel-powered car emits 50,330 kg of CO2 over 150,000 km, whereas an electric vehicle emits 18,050 kg. Still not convinced? Read on.

The carbon footprint of an electric car

We often hear that electric cars are just as polluting as fuel-powered cars, but is it true? For Quebecers who keep their vehicle for more than 3 years, the answer is… no! In fact, despite the environmental costs of manufacturing the car, building the battery and extracting the minerals, its long-term carbon footprint is smaller than that of a gasoline-powered car. Here’s why.

Electric cars emit far less CO2

Electric cars emit 51% less CO2 than fuel-powered cars. For example, a person who lives a little further away from work, but drives to work in an electric car and recharges at their home station, can reduce their emissions by over 50%.

Electric cars produce fewer greenhouse gases

Over a distance of 150,000 km, an electric car produces 65% fewer greenhouse gases than a gasoline-powered vehicle. The disappearance of GHGs is not total, but according to Catherine Morency, professor at Polytechnique Montréal and holder of the Mobility Chair, it remains a good alternative for someone who can’t do without a vehicle.

Purchasing a charging station

If you own an electric car, you can purchase a charging station to be installed directly at your home. Turnkey solutions are also available, from purchase to installation. Take advantage of high-quality products and expert advice to guide you through the process. This kind of service also offers you solid warranties so you can take part in the changeover with complete peace of mind.

Drive more and pay less

To make your electric car a pleasure to use, it’s important to get a home charging station that you can install at your home. This way, you can plug in your car when you arrive home at the end of the day and leave with a full battery the next morning, without having to depend on the availability and proximity of public infrastructures. A residential charging station eliminates the headaches and unpleasant surprises of an empty battery.

What’s more, recharging your electric vehicle at home adds virtually nothing to your total electricity bill. A full charge takes between 12 and 16 hours and costs around $1 (which may vary slightly depending on the model of your car and that of your charging station). Over a year with a mileage of around 20,000 km, the cost of recharging is close to $300!

Conversely, the cost of operating a gasoline-powered vehicle for a similar mileage of 20,000 km varies according to the type of vehicle. Here are a few examples with a gasoline cost of $1.20/L.

A Hyundai Elantra consumes an average of 6.8L/100km, giving an annual gasoline cost of $1,632. For a larger vehicle, such as a Hyundai Tucson AWD, which consumes 10.1L/100km, the average expense is $2,424 per year. The savings are therefore calculated in hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year.

Choosing the right charging station

Electric cars require charging stations – ecological ones are best. To choose the right charging station for your home, you need to assess which one best suits your needs and the model of vehicle you’ve chosen. Level 1 charging stations are portable and can be used just about anywhere, while Level 2 charging stations offer much faster recharging, with a time of 1.8 hours for 100 km, compared with 10.5 hours for a Level 1 station.

At HydroSolution, we offer high-quality, ecological charging stations made in Quebec.

The FLO G5 home charging station offers the following features:

• Parts and labor warranty
• CSA certification and UL safety standards
• NEMA 4X-certified 100% aluminum housing
• 7.63 m (25 ft.) commercial-grade cable resistant from -40°C to 50°C
• Integrated safety features

The FLO X5 model offers the same features, plus :

• Energy management features
• Automatic software updates
• Remote configuration via online portal or mobile app
• Power-sharing technology included: add a second terminal to the same circuit breaker
• Real-time support and monitoring

Our experts are available to help you assess your needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

Level 2 terminal: more power, same consumption

The advantage of choosing a level terminal is that the complete recharge time is almost 6x shorter, and power consumption is similar. In fact, for a 100 km recharge, the electricity consumption is 20 kWh in both cases.

To summarize