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 the pilot study is a success, 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 the social, economic, and environmental aspects of these practically greenhouse gas–free 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.”

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest integrated cooperative financial group in Canada, with overall assets of $144 billion, as at December 31, 2007. It comprises a network of caisses, credit unions and business centres in Québec and Ontario, and some twenty subsidiary companies in life and general insurance, securities brokerage, venture capital and asset management, many of which are active across the country. Drawing on the expertise of its 40,000 employees and the commitment of more than 6,500 elected officers, Desjardins offers its 5.8 million individual and corporate members and clients a full range of financial products and services. Its physical distribution network is complemented by leading-edge virtual access methods.

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Information :
James Eaves
Faculty of Business Administration
Université Laval
Phone: 418-656-2131 ext. 3679

André Chapleau
Director Information and Media Relations
Desjardins Group
514-281-7229
1-866-866-7000, ext. 7229

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