(Québec) The first ever electric taxi in North America, claims Tesla Motors, will be active in Québec city. The owner, Christian Roy, a 13 year taxi driver veteran, hopes other taxi drivers will follow his example.
«I don’t want to be unique, I want to show the example», says Mr Roy, who has been inspired by others in Norway. He admits that the economical advantages made him think about leaving the gas motor before the environmental advantages. «Taxis are big polluters because our vehicles engine are always running. In winter, we need cabin heating, while in summer, we need air conditioning. So, I believe we have to do our share to minimize our ecological footprint.»
So far, Mr Roy was spending almost 8000 $ in gas yearly, on top of investing 10 000 $ every year in maintenance and repairs on his old 2005 Subaru Legacy. He says having been convinced about the Tesla Model S when he heard that the automobile critic, Jacques Duval, for whom he has a lot of admiration, owns one. «As everyone, Jacques Duval was scared about the electric vehicle at first. But when he made the move, I told myself it was worth it.»
Christian Roy, who works for Taxi-Coop, had to purchase Tesla Model S for more than 70 000 $. In optimal condition, the electric vehicle can be on the road for over 400 km. He thinks he will accomplish over 250 km with a «electric top-up», which he will need about five hours from his home charger. In his opinion, his Hydro-Québec bill will be about 150 $ a month, which is a lot less than the 625 $ monthly gas consumption.
The company 4Degrees, a green Data Center in Québec city, accepted to sponsor Christian Roy’s new acquisition. «I also own a Tesla. The electric vehicle community is small, which contributed to the development of a one-year partnership», explains Martin Bouchard, 4Degrees President. He encourages his employees and clients to go electric by installing at least two chargers to his future buildings.
An ambassador
Christian Roy sees himself as an ambassador testing the 100 % electric vehicle reliability. Adding over 65 000 kilometers every year on the odometer, he knows the ultimate test will be at the moment he surpasses 180 000 kilometers, the manufacturer’s prolonged warranty. He will definitely keep notes in a logbook to share his own experiment.
His adventures already started before he even could go officially on the streets with his taxi. Since it is the first ever Tesla -Taxi in North America, he was not aware it would be difficult to find a functioning taximeter for his Model S. «My new taximeter has been shipped from England last Friday, I am confident to receive it soon.»