A first electric motor vehicle in Témiscamingue

The municipality of Moffet and the adapted and collective transport of Témiscamingue (TACT) are associated to offer an alternative to citizens for their trips.

The municipal vehicle is accessible to residents who wish to travel to the Témiscamingue territory, whether they are already owning a vehicle or not.

Using a key card system, it is possible to unlock and start the electric vehicle. To use it, it costs 10 cents per minute or $ 6 per hour.

The typical case will be a round trip to Ville-Marie, which is 120 kilometersillustrates mayor Alexandre Binette.

For a short visit to the city city, including the journey starting from the East, we are talking about an invoice of less than $ 20. It is an amount that is often cheaper than just the essence that you would put in your vehiclehe adds.

Samuel Parent-Baillargeon, owner of the La Hutte restaurant, knows something about it. He is the first citizen to have used the vehicle and quickly realized that he will save hundreds of dollars a year by leaving his truck at home.

Me, it costs me about 40 and 50 dollars in gasoline to make my commissions in Ville-Marie. There, for 2 h 30 with the electric car, it cost me $ 14.

The one who has to make the journey of two to four times a week as a restaurateur praises the ease of the service. I arrived at 8:59 am, I booked for 9 a.m. At 9 a.m., the car was rid ofsays Mr. Parent-Baillargeon.

Reservations are made on the Sauvér online car -sharing platform, which exists in other regions such as the Gaspésie.

Open the way

Two years will have been necessary to set up this project. The municipality acquired the Chevrolet Bolt EV in January 2024 in an attempt to reduce high gas costs that Moffetois complained.

We said to ourselves: Could the municipality set up a self-sharing system, Communauto style, as we see in town, but in a deeply rural environment?questions Alexandre Binette.

A few pitfalls stood on the road.

Sometimes we think we have good ideas, but the question is: are they assurable? joke the mayor. We had to negotiate with our municipal insurance company to see a little how we could add an amendment.

The question 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 to take advantage of a garage.

Now that the way is drawn thanks to the work of Moffet and the Tact, the director general of the organization, Anne Villeneuve, is delighted for the other municipalities. The whole-pilot project process, it will have been madeshe said.

Operation

You have to be at least 25 years old to take the car and provide your driving file during registration, which requires a $ 50 depot for the key card.

The municipality will be responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle and the tact, the administrative component and the customer service.

Having statistics with this platform, we help us to develop and after that going to see donors saying: Look how it is relevant to have different, innovative optionsindicates Anne Villeneuve.

The revenues generated by the cable service will be used to cover operating costs. We hope that in a few months, or a few years, what we aim is to have the net zero dollar. We are not wanting to trade itsays Mayor Binette.

For the completion of the project, $ 129,000 was necessary. An amount that was 75 % covered by the Region and Rurality Fund and a DESJARDINS AID FUND.

Elsewhere in the region?

The director of the tact does not hide it: to develop mentalities is difficult.

It is probably my biggest battle horse. Everyone tells himself that it takes a second car, but sometimes she stays parked in the courtyard for a long timepoints out Anne Villeneuve.

An autoparting service in other municipalities could also contribute, according to her, to avoid the purchase of a second or third vehicle. A young driver could, for example, take the car from a parent, while the latter uses cars.

She dreams of the establishment of such a service in all the municipalities of Témiscamingue. The Moffet model will allow the organization to better present the idea to other municipalities.

I would like us to always go one or two [voitures en autopartage] In addition each yearshe says.