Montréal, January 12, 2012

The founding partners of The Electric Circuit, Québec and Canada’s first public charging network, announce the locations of its charging stations

This morning, the founding partners of The Electric Circuit – St-Hubert Restaurants, RONA, METRO, the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) and Hydro-Québec – announced the locations of the first 90 240-V charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles (see appendix for detailed list). This announcement was made at the Montréal International Auto Show, which officially opens tomorrow at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal.

Powered with clean renewable energy, The Electric Circuit’s first 90 charging stations will be available to the public in spring 2012. An additional 30 charging stations will be added by summer, bringing the total to 120. Electric vehicle users will be able to drive worry-free, knowing that a public network of charging stations is available to meet their needs.

There are two main objectives: to provide accessible recharging to the greatest number of drivers and to offer a simple method of payment. The charging service for the Electric Circuit will cost $2.50 per use, or $25 for 10 charges, regardless of the duration of the charge.

"We are very proud to officially launch The Electric Circuit today. The locations announced mark an important step in the development of this network and its roll-out in the greater Montréal and Québec areas," said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Senior Director, Strategic Planning at Hydro-Québec, on behalf of the founding partners. "The automotive industry is rapidly evolving and we want to be ready to meet our customers’ needs by providing easy access to practical services and clean fuel."

Launch of The Electric Circuit Web site: www.theelectriccircuit.com

The Electric Circuit Web site allows electric vehicle drivers to learn more about public charging stations. The site features a charging station locator service provided by Hydro-Québec. Users of The Electric Circuit's charging stations will also have access to a 24-hour telephone help line run by CAA Québec.

Quick charging

Hydro-Québec will conduct tests this winter on the first certified quick-charge station at over 400-V. It will be installed in Boucherville this spring and tested on a daily basis in collaboration with the local St-Hubert restaurant. With Hydro-Québec’s oversight, The Electric Circuit will then deploy quick-charge stations along Québec’s major roads over the course of the next year.

The Electric Circuit

Launched on June 16 of last year, The Electric Circuit is Québec and Canada’s first public charging network for plug-in electric vehicles. This initiative marks a major step in the deployment of the charging infrastructure required to support the operation of plug-in electric vehicles in Québec and is in line with the 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles announced by the Québec government on April 7, 2011.

Given that the vast majority of recharging needs will be met at home and at work, this public charging network will play an important role in meeting drivers’ backup or emergency needs.

Appendix

List of the initial public charging station locations in Québec and Canada

Charging stations will be located on commercial sites of the founding partners of The Electric Circuit, in a number of AMT park-and-ride facilities and in some of Hydro-Québec's parking sites. A total of 120 charging stations will first be rolled out in the Montréal and Québec regions:

• 20 charging stations by RONA
• 20 charging stations by METRO
• 20 charging stations by St-Hubert Restaurants
• 40 charging stations by the AMT
• 20 charging stations by Hydro-Québec

Here is a list of the locations of the first 90 charging stations:

RONA (RONA L'entrepôt  and Réno-Dépôt) – (*) Projected sites

St-Hubert Restaurants – (*) Projected sites

METRO

Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT)

Hydro-Québec