In this series of articles, Propulsion Québec reviews the 2nd edition of the International Forum on Fleet Management, which took place as five virtual events from October 27, 2020 to April 27, 2021. This unique event in Quebec brought together professionals and suppliers around a common goal: updating vehicle fleets through new technologies and solutions available on the market to meet environmental, social, operational and regulatory requirements.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, Propulsion Québec chose to completely rethink the presentation format of this event in a virtual setting, offering five events each focused on a single theme.
A look back at the October 27, 2020 event, focused on the management and operation of vehicle fleets in land transport, which officially launched the 2nd edition of the IMPULSION MTL Forum and brought together nearly 140 participants.
Québecor: 100% electric goal
The president and chief executive officer of Québecor, Pierre Karl Péladeau, took advantage of his appearance at IMPULSION MTL to present the very ambitious Québecor's action plan, aimed at accelerating the electrification of its vehicle fleet in order to effectively combat climate change. This electrification plan will ultimately affect nearly all of its roughly 1,100 vehicles, already including nearly 30 electric cars, and will be built around the purchase of electric cars and the conversion of the gasoline engines of its light trucks to electric motors. Mr. Péladeau reminded participants of his commitment to electric mobility and emphasized the importance of being able to count on the commitment and will of various governments to electrify transport. "The green economy is an economy of the future!" said Mr. Péladeau.
Electrification objective: cities take the floor
To learn what is being done worldwide in terms of fleet electrification, representatives from the cities of New York, Chicago and Philadelphia spoke in a panel discussion that gave panelists the opportunity to take stock of the electrification of their respective fleets and to learn more about their short- and long-term mobility projects.
Keith Todd Kerman, Deputy Commissioner at NYC Citywide Administrative Services and the first general director of the City of New York’s fleet, spoke about New York's current transition to an all-electric vehicle fleet. "It didn't all happen that easily!" admitted Mr. Kerman. "Our first electric vehicles were taken from a batch of vehicles that were headed for the scrapyard. Little by little, we expanded our fleet. There was obviously a learning period on both sides. The lesson I take away is that electric vehicle manufacturers and fleet managers must work hand in hand for the transition to go well," said Keith Todd Kerman.
Kevin Campbell, Director of Fleet Services and Vehicle Acquisition, and John Wedel, Deputy Commissioner of the Fleet Office in the Department of Assets, Information and Services for the City of Chicago, presented the roadmap for the future of transportation and mobility in Chicago. "This roadmap includes, among other things, a map aimed at both residents and businesses, integrating all of the city's transport services and structures. The philosophy of this map regarding driving is safety and accessibility, equity, innovation, efficiency, reliability and sustainability, with an emphasis on public benefits. It fits into our on-the-ground strategy. The working group that developed the map was deployed across several sectors, directly affecting policies such as the promotion of sustainable vehicle fleets and the promotion of electric vehicles. The primary success factor is the installation of charging stations with large-scale deployment," emphasized Messrs. Campbell and Wedel.
Michael A. Carroll, Deputy Director General, Office of Transportation, Infrastructure Network and Sustainability (oTIS) for the City of Philadelphia, presented an overview of the electrification challenges in Philadelphia. "There are a huge number of challenges when working with large vehicles, especially garbage collection vehicles. In addition, the deployment of charging stations has become a parking irritant for neighbors rather than an incentive for the purchase of electric vehicles. We are currently assessing how the city could do more to lead by example. I hope to be able to present a concrete plan to you next year, but we are still in the learning process," said Mr. A. Carroll.
Martine Hébert, Quebec Delegate in Chicago, recalled the importance for large cities to collaborate with one another and to draw inspiration from what is being done elsewhere in the world in order to accelerate the electric shift.
Paving the way to an electrified future: the impact of telematics in the transition to sustainable mobility
Anthony Mainville, president of AttriX, GéoTab Integrated Partner, spoke to forum participants about the impact of telematics in the transition to sustainable mobility. A telematics solution makes it possible to plan a fleet's routes based on remaining battery level, to use data collected by vehicles to guide the purchase of electric vehicles according to the manager's needs, and more. "Telematics is a technology currently installed in most commercial vehicles. Commercial telematics allows, among other things, the optimization of vehicle energy consumption and the optimization of charging management and operations," explained Mr. Mainville. It is an essential tool for a green transition of commercial vehicle fleets.
Opportunities and challenges for the electrification of commercial fleets
Eric Hannon, partner at McKinsey & Company, shared with IMPULSION MTL participants his observations on commercial fleet electrification based on his extensive expertise and the studies he has conducted in his various roles. According to this expert, electrification will be the main path to decarbonizing commercial transport over the next decade. This will happen fairly quickly, as there are electrification plans worldwide, even if the current pandemic is slowing some processes.
City commitments and electrification strategies to minimize the environmental impact of vehicle fleets
The final panel of the day brought together experts from around the world. Mark Stevens, fleet manager for the City of Sacramento, explained that their sustainability goal was to increase from 50% to 75% by 2025 the number of vehicles powered by something other than gasoline. By reducing gasoline consumption by 5% per year, they reached that goal in 2020.
Next, Brad Salazar, Director of Fleet Management, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for the City and County of Denver, said that about 763 vehicles of the municipal fleet would be replaced by electric vehicles by 2029. 850 EVs save 1,500 tonnes of GHG per year.
Philip Saunders, Division Director, Logistics and Emergency Management, Green Fleet Program for the City of Seattle, noted that on their side, 11% of the sedans used for patrols have been replaced by electric vehicles and that officers now also ride electric motorcycles.
Large cities are using ingenuity to reduce their ecological footprint and initiate a sustainable green shift. France Lampron, Director – Transport Electrification at Hydro-Québec, highlighted the innovative ideas deployed globally but also in Quebec, where many innovative companies can be found.
To conclude this first of five virtual IMPULSION MTL events, Mr. Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec’s Minister of Economy and Innovation, spoke to our participants about the Quebec government’s priorities regarding transport electrification. He emphasized that despite the current economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Quebec government remains on course with its objectives: continue investments in innovation, attract companies to establish themselves in Quebec, increase exports and reduce imports. Economic recovery must go through transport electrification, including the battery sector. "The Quebec battery will have a low carbon footprint thanks to our hydroelectricity," the minister pointed out.
The minister also highlighted the contribution of numerous Quebec companies that are helping make Quebec a true leader in transport electrification.
Propulsion Québec wishes to thank all partners for their involvement in the success of this major event for the electric and smart transport ecosystem in Quebec: the Government of Quebec, Québecor, AttriX GéoTab Integrated Partner, Hydro-Québec, Effenco, ABB Canada, FLO, La Compagnie Électrique Lion, Boivin Evolution, and our partner cities: the City of Montreal, the City of New York – Department of Citywide Administrative Services (NYC DCAS), the City of Chicago and the City of Philadelphia.
Cover image:Raphaël Thibodeau
