"Our partnership with The Electric Circuit is in line with the direction First Capital Realty FCR undertook in 2006, when all new construction projects became subject to LEED MD Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. We want to reduce our environmental footprint by making our shopping centers more ecological and energy efficient. With the addition of these charging stations, we will be able to better serve our environmentally-conscious customers," said Hélène Roy, Construction Director at First Capital Asset Management.
The Electric Circuit is Canada’s first public charging network for plug-in electric vehicles. This initiative is a major milestone in the rollout of the charging infrastructure needed to support the arrival of plug-in EVs in Québec and is in line with the Québec government’s 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles.
Thirty 240-volt stations are already available in parking lots of RONA hardware stores, Metro grocery stores and Rôtisseries St-Hubert locations in the greater Montréal and Québec areas. Another 20 stations will be installed in AMT park-and-ride facilities over the next several weeks, and there will be at least 120 stations operating in and around Montréal and the city of Québec by this summer. After that, the roll-out of 240-V and even faster 400 V charging stations will expand as more electric vehicles hit Québec roads.
Electric vehicle owners do most of their recharging at home and at work, but The Electric Circuit allows drivers to travel worry free, knowing they can top up their batteries on the road. Users of the public charging network also have access to a 24/7 telephone help line run by CAA-Québec as well as a charging station locator service. Of course, The Electric Circuit Web site, www.theelectriccircuit.com, is updated as new stations are deployed.