QUEBEC CITY, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, AXSO, an innovative subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, unveiled Eddie, a cutting-edge electric vehicle energy management system (EVEMS) destined to transform the electric charging market in Quebec and beyond. Eddie, a technological system unlike any other in North America, uses energy intelligence to meet the key challenges posed by the exponential growth in the number of electric vehicles on our roads.

Designed and developed entirely in Quebec, Eddie offers an optimized, economical, efficient solution for vehicle charging in multi-dwelling units, where more than a third of the population of Quebec and Canada live today. What sets it apart from other EVEMS on the market is its ability to integrate connected charging stations with real-time measurement accuracy. After a successful testing phase in several buildings over the past few months, AXSO is planning to roll out the new system across Quebec by the end of 2024, followed by the rest of Canada and the USA. The company is also targeting the public and corporate charging markets.

The rapid growth in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on Quebec's roads, which is expected to rise from 250,000 to 2 million by 2030, is putting increasing pressure on Hydro-Québec's power grid. At the same time, in cities across North America, the installation of charging stations in multi-dwelling units faces major challenges such as space restrictions, limited electrical capacity within buildings and high installation costs. By combining its EVEMS with shared charging infrastructure, Eddie has come up with a solution to both these challenges.

On average, an electric vehicle is hooked up to its charging station for 12 hours a day, whereas just two to three hours of charging are enough to increase the range by 60 kilometers and meet the needs of the typical EV driver.  Using intelligent power distribution, Eddie ensures that all EVs plugged into the system are fully charged every morning, without exceeding the building's power capacity. It also supports Hydro-Québec's network during peak periods without any impact or compromise for consumers.

In addition to these energy considerations, Eddie also offers significant financial advantages for users. By hooking multiple charging stations up to a single commercial meter, this system allows residents to take advantage of interruptible tariffs that can provide savings of up to 30% in winter. Eddie also makes it possible to avoid the substantial costs of connecting a charging station or upgrading the electrical capacity of buildings, which are sometimes split very unevenly amongst co-owners.

Finally, Eddie offers condo managers and residents real-time monitoring and remote control over charging station usage via a centralized mobile application. Each resident pays his or her own bill according to the very simple "user-pays" principle. To make drivers' lives even easier, the same application can also be used on the Circuit électrique, whose application and management portal were also developed by AXSO.

"The exponential growth in the number of electric vehicles is great news for the decarbonization of our economy, but it comes with its own energy and logistics challenges. Today, we're proud to be able to offer a unique technological solution, designed and developed here in Quebec, that overcomes the challenge of accessibility to charging stations in multi-dwelling units and will transform the North American electrical vehicle charging market."

                                                                                                             -Alexandre Bérubé, President and CEO, AXSO

"Together with the Electric Circuit public charging network, the Eddie EVEMS meets the biggest needs of electric vehicle owners who require multi-dwelling and on-the-road charging solutions.  Over the coming months, we'll be working on integrating the two solutions to optimize customer experience for Quebec electric vehicle owners. Eddie will be ideally positioned to enable electromobilists on a massive scale to adhere to Hydro-Québec's power management programs, and contribute to an efficient energy transition for our transportation."

                                                                               - France Lampron, Director - Development of Customer Offers,
Energy and Mobility, Hydro-Québec

AXSO, a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, a world leader in clean energy, helps charging station operators monetize the electric vehicle charging experience while simplifying the process for drivers of electric vehicles. To learn more about AXSO: https://www.axso.io/ and Eddie: https://www.eddie.eco

SOURCE AXSO