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Updates – January 5, 2010
Toronto has formally launched their EV300, which will create a buyers club offering electric vehicle repair services, charging infrastructure and performance monitoring. The plan has a strong emphasis on peer to peer technical support and will be informed by heavy analysis of EV fleet potential, as well as the impacts of weather on battery and vehicle performance.
Toronto Hydro will conduct vehicle-to-grid studies by deploying smart meters and analyzing grid interaction on a “Time of Use” pricing structure.
Updates – 10/15/09
The Toronto Atmospheric Fund’s EV300 Initiative aims to get a critical mass of at least 300 electric vehicles on the road in the Greater Toronto Area by 2012, putting the region on the path to full-scale electric mobility. By participating in the EV300 initiative, public and private fleets, local electricity distribution companies and municipal partners can gain access to electric vehicles, secure servicing and technical support, establish charging infrastructure, better understand vehicle-grid integration, monitor performance and advance EV-friendly policies.
This program is a great way for organizations to explore the potential benefits of electric vehicles without the risks of a “go it alone” approach. Economies of scale and knowledge sharing are just some of the benefits of our joint approach to procuring, maintaining and monitoring electric vehicles. The EV300 Initiative will also give us the influence to address practical and policy barriers to electric vehicle procurement and use, thereby significantly leveraging the value of each organization’s individual investment.
For more information or to get involved in EV300, please contact Ben Marans at 416 393 6367 or bmarans@tafund.org
The Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF) is an independent agency of the City of Toronto with a mandate to finance and advance greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction strategies and technologies. TAF leverages the Mayor’s and City Council’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 below 1990 levels, and has been a key part of the City’s leadership in the area of climate change.
Established in 1991, TAF was the world’s first municipal climate agency dedicated to financing initiatives that combat global climate change and improve air quality, with three main tools to advance our GHG reduction mandate:
1. Grants to community and public sector projects;
2. Investment in transformative private sector projects; and
3. Direct program delivery in strategic areas in a manner that leverages our position in the City, our resources and our partners.
TAF’s FleetWise Program focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with cars and light trucks, recognizing they contribute more than a quarter of the City of Toronto’s emission profile. In keeping with TAF’s experience in incubating, field testing and evaluating technology options which address climate change and air pollution, the FleetWise Program activities to date have included:
➢ Financing the Toronto Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Pilot, designed to test the fuel economy and emissions performance of PHEV technology in public and private fleets (report due July 2009).
➢ A grant to the Associated Toronto Taxicabs of Toronto for a Hybrid Taxi Pilot to develop the business case for the adoption of hybrid taxi cabs in Toronto, with the results to be shared amongst industry stakeholders and municipal policymakers (report due July 2009).
➢ A multi-year grant to the City of Toronto Fleet Services to develop a Green Vehicle Evaluation & Selection Tool in collaboration with other fleet managers. This decision-making tool will help to monitor and evaluate the performance of low-emission vehicles and assist with purchasing policies and decisions.
➢ A grant to Pollution Probe, a local ENGO, to work with experts and stakeholders to identify the main elements that would comprise an effective Electric Mobility Master Plan for the City of Toronto.
➢ Active participation in several federal, provincial and municipal consultations on EVs, smart grid applications and green fleet planning.
TAF joined the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready initiative in April 2009 as the first Canadian municipality to publicly commit to a plug-in future. PGR offers Toronto leadership and access to technical, policy and fiscal expertise as public and private fleets and individual Torontonians to explore and begin to welcome plug-in vehicles.
Going forward, TAF’s FleetWise program will continue to demonstrate Toronto’s commitment to integrating electric vehicles into our sustainable transportation vision. By working initially with public and private fleets, we will build knowledge and capacity regarding charging infrastructure, grid connectivity, EV servicing/maintenance, performance monitoring and reporting and we will actively identify and address policy barriers and work to secure favourable incentives and financing tools to further position Toronto as a welcome, active and supportive market for plug-ins.
Contact
Ben Marans
Manager of Grants & Special Projects
bmarans@tafund.org
416 393 6367
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