Ongoing
Vélovolt encourages Quebec citizens, organizations and policy makers to learn about and to try out Electrically Assisted Bicycles (EABs), a new and sustainable mode of human-powered transportation.
A third of Quebecers live less than 5 km from their workplace. In smaller cities, the proportion of people who live in close proximity to their work is even larger (1). And yet, nearly 75% of Quebecers who commute to work do so in their cars (2).
To help reduce GHG emissions from transportation, bikes have enormous potential to replace solo driving for certain daily commutes. This potential is even greater with Electrically Assisted Bicycles (EABs), especially in cities that have lots of hills or in areas that are poorly served by public transit.
However, EABs have yet to become mainstream because of several challenges, including a high initial purchase price, the lack of secure parking facilities and the lack of information about EABs among the general public and among decision-makers.
(1) Vélo Québec, L’état du vélo au Québec en 2020(2) Statistics Canada, 2016 Census on journey to work
36%
1/3 of Quebecers live less than 5 km from their workplace
“ We need innovative alternatives to solo driving. Through research, promotion, and by providing opportunities to try out electric bikes, Vélovolt seeks to demonstrate how EABs are a viable solution for daily travel ”
With the Vélovolt campaign, Équiterre is seeking to understand how EABs could replace cars for daily trips among Quebecers, and what conditions are necessary to make the transition easier.
To create more awareness about the potential of electric bikes, Vélovolt is making EAB trials available to 40 organizations in 10 regions of Quebec. During these trials, research data will be gathered to help gain insight into how to make EAB use more attractive.
Vélovolt will also create a series of tools and reports to help municipalities and organizations encourage electrically-assisted active transportation.
pdf - 0.44 mb Velovolt one pager EN
See documentpdf - 9.92 mb Presentation velovolt EN
See document60 organizations and mobility players in 10 Quebec regions.
1,300 participants in EAB trials
100,000 workers aware of the campaign
8 new organizations offer EAB trials.
Launch of the first edition of the flash trials, in partnership with Hydro-Québec.
8 organizations in 10 Quebec regions offer EAB trials during spring. 162 people were able to test a EAB for 2 to 4 weeks.
L’Université de Montréal and the City of Trois-Rivières were the first organizations to test out the Vélovolt EAB trials with their employees.
Vélovolt was officially launched with the support of the Quebec government and in partnership with the Association des Centres de gestion des déplacements (ACGDQ) and Quebec’s 8 Centres de gestion des déplacements (CGD).
“ I like biking to work because there’s no traffic, I know how long it’s going to take me, plus it’s a great way to get in some daily exercise ”
“ I’m taking part in the trial because I’m looking for a fun and smart alternative to solo driving ”
“ By introducing municipal employees to active transportation, the program is contributing to their well-being and positively influencing their planning work within the city ”
Chargée de projet en mobilité
