To facilitate and support the electrification of commercial vehicles, Hydro-Québec is launching smart charging technology for EV fleets, to be offered by its subsidiary InnovHQ.

This should help carriers and charging service providers go electric by providing them with independent expertise, customised support and a smart charging management platform.

There are two types of services based on each company’s needs:

• An all-inclusive charging service that fully supports the company for every step involved in successfully transitioning to electric vehicles, from selecting and installing charging infrastructure to operating and maintaining it, as well as smart energy management.
• A smart charging management platform made up of a cloud application that ensures the optimal charging of EVs and integrates into fleet operators’ existing activities. The platform, which optimises energy costs, is compatible with all types of existing vehicles, charging stations and software.

“We are pleased to act as an ally for carriers to accelerate and facilitate their energy transition,” said Jeff Desruisseaux, CEO in residence at InnovHQ. “Our innovations help ensure they can reliably charge their vehicles while reducing their energy costs and minimising the impact of the electricity demand on Hydro-Québec’s grid.”

This service offering is being launched following a pilot project in recent months with Autobus Groupe Séguin, which enabled that company to integrate electric school buses into its fleet while benefiting from the required technology and support.

These offerings meet the needs of many types of vehicle fleets, in particular those used for urban transport, school transportation, parcel delivery, utilities, freight services and municipal services.

Hydro-Québec’s team of charging experts plan to collaborate with as many players as possible in the electric road transportation ecosystem, and subsequent announcements will be made in the coming months in this regard.

Canada’s largest electricity producer Hydro-Québec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. The Québec government is its sole shareholder. It uses mainly renewable generating options, in particular large hydro. Its research facilities, collectively called Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec (IREQ), conduct R&D in energy-related fields, including energy efficiency and storage.

InnovHQ is a Hydro-Québec subsidiary whose mission is to stimulate innovation and develop business opportunities designed to accelerate the energy transition. Hydro-Québec’s breakthroughs in R&D have given rise to the creation of several subsidiaries that actively help support the energy transition by developing value-added products and services.