Environment and Sustainability:
Two exciting local initiatives are accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Saskatoon and in underground mines around the globe.
Earlier this year, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society in partnership with the Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative, launched Renewable Rides and brought 100 per cent solar-powered electric vehicles to the car-share’s fleet.
Also, in 2018, Prairie Machine and Parts (PMP), based in Saskatoon, created Rokion, a division dedicated to leading the mining industry toward fleet electrification. PMP is a global leader in the manufacture and supply of equipment, battery-operated electric vehicles and technical solutions for the heavy industrial and mining industries.
Renewable Rides
Renewable Rides is a first for Canada: a car-share program, with electric vehicles, powered by 100 per cent solar energy, for anyone to use.
Car-sharing programs are fast becoming useful ways for people to travel, especially if trying to cut the cost of expensive car ownership.
Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative members have 24-hour access to vehicles and only pay for what they use. Solar energy is delivered to five car-charging stations in neighbourhoods around the city from a 37.8 Kilowatt solar installation at Radiance Co-Housing (18th Street & Avenue L) owned by the SES Solar Co-operative. Delivery of the solar power uses a new metering technique called virtual net metering and is being piloted by Saskatoon Light & Power for this application across their electrical grid.
Rokion
Electric vehicles have entered the mining industry too. Battery powered vehicles have zero emissions translating to a safer, cleaner work environment in underground. Rokion’s newest series of trucks (the R100 series) went from conception to the first working prototype over a period of 12 months. This time was filled with finite element analysis, detailed design reviews and optimizations.
Another six months of rigorous testing, redesign and a second round of prototyping led to delivery to the Saskatchewan potash industry in 2017 and to the Ontario hard rock market in 2018. The light-weight vehicle design enables operators to complete a full shift on a single charge, regardless of elevation within the mine. With its hill descent algorithms and drive interlocks, the R100 brings a new level of safety, efficiency and usability to operators.
PMP has sold about 100 electric vehicles and consider battery-powered trucks to be the future vehicle of choice for underground mining. This could lead to safer and cleaner working conditions for miners everywhere through ongoing developments in batteries, motors and charging solutions. PMP is dedicated to bringing that future to life, in Saskatchewan.
The first electric vehicle in the province was registered in Saskatoon in 2011. Since then, the number of battery-electric vehicles in Saskatchewan has grown to 141 and they’re not just the Tesla – the list includes affordable models from Chevrolet, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota.
The year-over-year growth rate has been over 50 per cent for the past five years and if this same trend continues we could see over 18,000 electric vehicles registered in the province by 2030.
In a province with more vehicles than drivers, Renewable Rides and PMP are leading the charge to electrification of our transportation in Saskatchewan.