Canada/A first car-sharing electric vehicle in Témiscamingue
The Municipality of Moffet and Transport adapté et collectif du Témiscamingue (TACT) have joined forces to offer residents an alternative way to get around.
The municipal vehicle is available to residents wishing to travel on the Témiscamingue territory, whether or not they already own a vehicle.
Using a key-card system, the electric vehicle can be unlocked and started. To use it, it costs 10 cents a minute or $6 an hour.
The typical case is a 120-kilometre round trip to Ville-Marie," says Mayor Alexandre Binette.
For a short visit to the city center, including the trip from the east, we're talking about a bill of less than $20. That's often cheaper than just the gas you'd put in your vehicle," he adds.
Samuel Parent-Baillargeon, owner of La Hutte restaurant, knows all about it. He was the first citizen to use the vehicle, and quickly realized that he could save hundreds of dollars a year by leaving his truck at home.
It costs me about $40 to $50 for gas to do my errands in Ville-Marie. For 2 hours 30 minutes with the electric car, it cost me $14.
A quote from Samuel Parent-Baillargeon, restaurateur in Moffet
A restaurateur who commutes two to four times a week, Samuel Parent-Baillargeon praises the ease of service. I arrived at 8:59 a.m. and made a reservation for 9. At 9 a.m., the car was unloaded," says Parent-Baillargeon.
Reservations are made via the SAUVéR online car-sharing platform, which exists in other regions such as Gaspésie.
Paving the way
It took two years to set up this project. The municipality acquired the Chevrolet Bolt EV in January 2024 in an attempt to reduce the high gasoline costs Moffetois were complaining about.
We said to ourselves: could the Municipality set up a car-sharing system, Communauto style, like we see in the city, but in a profoundly rural environment?" asks Alexandre Binette.
There have been a few pitfalls along the way.
Sometimes you think you've got good ideas, but the question is: are they insurable? jokes the mayor. We had to negotiate with our municipal insurance company to see how we could add an endorsement.
The matter was settled in November, but to avoid leaving the car outside in winter, the Municipality preferred to wait for the construction of the new municipal building before taking advantage of a garage.
Now that the way has been paved thanks to the work of Moffet and TACT, the organization's general manager, Anne Villeneuve, is looking forward to seeing other municipalities follow suit. The whole pilot project process will have been completed," she says.
How it works
You must be at least 25 years old to borrow the car, and provide your driving record when you register, which requires a $50 deposit for the key card.
The Municipality will be responsible for vehicle maintenance, and TACT for administration and customer service.
The fact that we have statistics with this platform helps us to develop and then go to financial backers and say: look at how relevant it is to have different, innovative options," says Anne Villeneuve.
The revenues generated by the car-sharing service will be used to cover operating costs. We hope that within a few months, or a few years, our goal will be to have a net zero dollar balance. We're not trying to turn it into a business," says Mayor Binette.
The project required $129,000 in financing. This amount was 75% covered by the Fonds Région et Ruralité and a Desjardins assistance fund.
Elsewhere in the region?
The director of TACT makes no secret of the fact: changing mentalities is difficult.
It's probably my biggest battle horse. Everyone thinks they need a second car, but sometimes it's parked in the yard for a long time," notes Anne Villeneuve.
Car-sharing services in other municipalities could also, she believes, help avoid the purchase of a second or third vehicle. A young driver could, for example, borrow a parent's car, while the parent uses the car-sharing service.
She dreams of implementing such a service in all Témiscamingue municipalities. Moffet's model will enable the organization to better present the idea to other municipalities.
I'd like to see one or two more [car-sharing cars] every year," she confides.
Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/
