The Electric Circuit suppliers—AddÉnergie Technologies and AeroVironment — work together to offer an integrated management solution

AddÉnergie Technologies, the new Electric Circuit supplier, and AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV), the company that supplied the first 150 stations and network services for the public charging infrastructure, will work together to develop an integrated management system for all charging stations in The Electric Circuit. Currently, each supplier has its own system for managing customer and technical services as well as payment.

The goal is to make the two systems compatible so that users of The Electric Circuit can use both types of charging stations with their Electric Circuit cards, managing one account on a single Web site where they will have access to all of their usage statistics.

“We are striving for an interoperable system that is completely transparent to Electric Circuit users,” said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Senior Director – Strategic Planning at Hydro-Québec, on behalf of the founding partners of The Electric Circuit. “In the coming months, users of The Electric Circuit will be among the first to have access to a vast network of public charging stations made up of charging stations from two distinct suppliers.”

The innovative technological solution to be developed by AddÉnergie Technologies and AeroVironment for The Electric Circuit will be among the first in North American, confirming Québec’s role as a leader in public charging.

“As pioneers of this initiative with Hydro-Québec, we look forward to participating in the ongoing expansion of The Electric Circuit,” said John Kim, AeroVironment General Manager, Electric Power Systems. “This project will simplify the use of electric vehicles and pave the way for promising collaborative opportunities between Canada and the United States.”

“This agreement is another step towards the mass adoption of plug-in electric vehicles and we are delighted to be a part of it,” added Louis Tremblay, President of AddÉnergie. “We salute the avant-garde initiative of The Electric Circuit that will make Québec shine on the international stage and we are delighted to join forces with AeroVironment to pool our expertise.”

The Electric Circuit
The Electric Circuit is a major milestone in the development of the charging infrastructure needed to support the arrival of plug-in electric vehicles in Québec.

The Electric Circuit offers nearly 150 charging stations (240-V) in parking lots of the AMT, as well as those of many RONA hardware stores, METRO grocery stores and St-Hubert restaurants throughout Québec. Since its launch on March 30, 2012, 24 more private and institutional partners have joined The Electric Circuit. It will continue to expand in order to provide greater geographical coverage and serve more EV drivers in several regions of Québec.

While EV owners do most of their charging at home and at work, drivers can travel worry-free, knowing they can top up their batteries on the road if they need to. Electric Circuit users also have access to a 24/7 telephone help line run by CAA-Québec, as well as a charging station locator service. The Electric Circuit Web site, www.theelectriccircuit.com, is updated as new stations are installed or commissioned.

About AeroVironment Inc.
AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces, operates and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Its power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. AeroVironment’s industrial electric vehicle charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. The company’s comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s electric-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.

About AddÉnergie
AddÉnergie is the only builder-operator of charging stations for electric vehicles in Canada. The company’s charging stations are designed, developed and manufactured entirely in Québec. The city of Québec is where the company’s manufacturing partner, Gentec, assembles the charging stations that AddÉnergie markets across the country. The charging station stands out because of its ability to withstand extreme weather conditions—it is the only one in the world certified to operate at temperatures ranging from -40ºC to 50ºC. It is also extremely robust, standing up to rigorous weather and vandalism thanks to its aluminum structure, developed by partner Rio Tinto Alcan.

For information:

Nathalie Vachon
Hydro-Québec, for The Electric Circuit
514 289-2441
vachon.nathalie@hydro.qc.ca