Connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicles are at the heart of tomorrow’s mobility. This is true in Quebec and elsewhere in the world. There is currently genuine excitement in this sector, and our rich Quebec ecosystem of electric and intelligent transportation contributes to this borderless enthusiasm.
It is in the specialized vehicle sector that Quebec entrepreneurs stand out and assert their global leadership.
Our innovative companies design and manufacture shuttles, buses, outdoor maintenance vehicles, snowmobiles, garbage or delivery trucks — urban electric vehicles that spend their days traversing our roads and those of other world metropolises. Thus, large-scale electrification of vehicle fleets and the development of intelligent, connected technologies represent a golden opportunity for economic development for Quebec and an extraordinary chance to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting local businesses.
In the same way that we encourage our fellow citizens to choose an electric car, we must focus on bold measures to encourage more public entities, transit companies, industries and businesses to favor zero-emission vehicles now, while continuing to vigorously support sustainable mobility, including traditional and innovative public transit options.
This large-scale shift to electric and new mobilities is made possible by technological advances and demanded by environmental imperatives.
Yet, much work remains to be done to encourage companies to move forward. The SAQ recently chose to acquire fully electric urban delivery vehicles designed by a company from Saint-Jérôme. This announcement, in addition to supporting quality jobs and stimulating the metropolitan and regional economy, provides a terrific technological showcase to demonstrate the effectiveness of electric vehicles developed here, to share our successes and to alleviate range anxiety and concerns about recharging. It also has the potential to convince other companies to dare to adopt the mobility of the future right now.
Our actions must not stop there: we must invest in our electrical infrastructure, deploy the network of charging stations throughout the territory and support research and development in order to sustain the rise of new technologies and key sectors, such as the lithium battery sector. The goal is to encourage a growing number of players to embrace innovative technologies, many of which emerge here.
Modern regulation: the key to supporting our ecosystem of innovative entrepreneurs
In order to see bold projects born in the electrification and automation of transportation, the government apparatus must be proactive and evolve regulation at the pace of technological advances. Competition is fierce in this sector: cities around the world hope to welcome the companies that build the mobility of tomorrow.
The establishment of a modern, adaptable and competitive regulatory environment is essential so that our companies dare, innovate and thrive here.
Beyond support programs for companies, we must ensure that our startups and our flagship companies can create, test, implement and bring their innovations to market from here.
This ability to quickly adapt our regulation may have the effect of encouraging world-class players in artificial intelligence or in electric and intelligent mobility to choose Quebec to continue their development. This is essential to stimulate innovation.
Across the globe, countries and cities set targets to reduce the number of combustion vehicles on the roads and deadlines after which electric transportation will, strictly speaking, become the norm.
Furthermore, the autonomous car is at our doorstep. Our companies know this and deploy their expertise and creativity to establish themselves in these promising niches. The situation is ideal. It is up to us to seize this economic, technological, social and environmental opportunity by allowing local innovations to be tested here, then brought to market from here to ensure the success of the inevitable transformation of the transport market while benefiting from the fruits of this technological revolution.
Many Quebec companies focus on technological innovations and the changes required to revitalize the country’s electrical grids and take part in the inevitable energy transition. These investments simultaneously help energize the country’s economy and create jobs to position ourselves at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution. Let us all be proud to take part.
This text has already been published on the blog of the Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce as well as in the HuffPost.
