The motor and drive system technology of the vehicle was developed specifically for fleet applications by REV, or Rapid Electric Vehicle Technologies Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia. (Earlier post.) The REV ACX features a 160-kilometer range (99-mile), and a top speed of 144 km/h (89 mph).

The REV ACX drive train uses a 125 kW AC permanent magnet motor and single speed eGearDrive system. Charge time is 3.8 to 5 hours at 240V. REV will also provide on-board smart-grid and wireless telemetry capabilities, integrated data management and charging infrastructure.

The University of Waterloo will also develop assessment and management tools to assist with the integration of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) into the electricity grid. The study will be supervised by Roydon Fraser, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Michael Fowler, Associate professor of Chemical Engineering, over the period commencing February 2010 and ending February 2011. The findings of this study will be useful to designers and prospective operators of electrified fleet vehicles.

Burlington Hydro believes “hub and spoke” fleets, like the one it operates, potentially represent the best opportunity for initial widespread vehicle electrification. Hub and spoke fleets typically operate from a central point and deploy vehicles within a fixed region, or geographic boundaries, with predictable usage patterns. They are therefore ideal in respect to the opportunity to centralize re-charging infrastructure. The electric vehicle will join Burlington’s hub and spoke fleet for the duration of the demonstration project.

There are thousands of fleets of this kind in southern Ontario alone. Fleets like these represent a significant proportion of vehicles on our roads, most of which are in daily, constant use. They include couriers, mail and other delivery vehicles, municipal vehicles and many other kinds of fleets. Therefore, using electric vehicles in these fleets could deliver major, immediate environmental benefits. This demonstration project is an important first step in unlocking that potential.

— Gerry Smallegange, President of Burlington Hydro

Transportation accounted for more than half the growth in Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2005, contributing 17 megatonnes, out of 26 megatonnes of total GHG emissions growth. It is also a significant contributor to smog in southern Ontario.

Pioneer Petroleums, Ontario’s largest independent petroleum marketer, will install and operate a recharging station at its Burlington location at 4499 Mainway.

The charging station was developed by Eaton Corporation, which is also providing electrical infrastructure and systems support. Elster Canada, a leader in Smart Metering, will assist by facilitating key learnings through its EnergyAxis technology. Other partners include: Union Gas, S&C Electric, Olameter, Stresscrete Group, Moloney Electric, Wesco Distribution Canada, Cisco, The Province of Ontario, the City of Burlington, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), the University of Waterloo and the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University.

Burlington Hydro Inc., established in 1945 as the Burlington Public Utilities Commission, is an energy services based company in the power distribution business. The company serves more than 58,500 residential customers, and approximately 5,500 commercial and industrial customers.

Burlington Hydro maintains 32 substations and almost 1,300 kilometers of low voltage distribution lines throughout the municipality of Burlington.