Transport electrification | Exprolink: the electric starts slowly, but surely

The price of fuel infuriates motorists and road hauliers, but we are not complaining at Exprolink, which launched an electric version of one of its Madvac vacuum carts in the spring.

“In the beginning, our customers were told that the higher price of the electric Madvac LN50 VEV [90 000 $ au lieu de 60 000 $ en version diesel] faded after four years of use. At the price of diesel in recent months, the buyer returns to his money at least nine months faster than before,” explains CEO Jean Bourgeois.

This new equation in return on investment is good news, because the path to electrification is not a straight line.

“Adoption is slower than expected. Changing habits takes a long time,” says the other shareholder, Louis-Martin Durand, vice-president of sales and engineering. Since the launch of the first electric model last March, green models represent only “5% of the 150 units sold”, says Jean Bourgeois. “But the proportion will increase to between 10% and 15% over the next 12 months. We already have pre-orders for the LS125 VEV electric model, which is not yet in production. »

Sales of diesel engines up sharply

On the other hand, sales of diesel versions of the Madvac are up 25% over one year and the company is expanding, says Louis-Martin Durand. Exprolink’s workforce has grown from about 20 people before the pandemic to 46 in September 2022, he says.

Exprolink is preparing the launch of its new range of Excelway street brooms, bigger machines. “We are coming from the PWX congress [de l’Association américaine des travaux publics)] in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they were introduced. The interest is there, there is no doubt,” continues Mr. Bourgeois. Some models will have a traditional engine, others electric.

“We’re the only manufacturer of compact exterior cleaning equipment in North America,” he says, pointing out that Exprolink’s proximity to the United States gives it an advantage over overseas competition. With its two small LN50 electric and LR50 (electric or diesel) models, Exprolink is taking advantage of the void left by American rival Tennant, which has stopped producing its smallest vacuum cleaner cart.

Grants in the US, but not here

Exprolink is taking steps to have its current and future electric vehicles eligible for the federal subsidy program under the US Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA).

“We expect an announcement very soon. That would make replacing an old diesel machine [années 2010 et avant] by an electric machine would be subsidized up to US$36,000,” says Jean Bourgeois. Another incentive for municipalities and shopping centres, which constitute the bulk of Exprolink’s clientele.

The company is also taking steps with the Government of Quebec, because in the industrial cluster of electric transport, a grape has been forgotten.

Eligibility for such a program would be more important to Exprolink than just its financial value: “When we launch new products, which we also want to export, it’s practical to be able to make the first adjustments [post-lancement] close to the factory, not abroad”, emphasizes Jean Bourgeois.

New factories

Exprolink is actively shopping for US land to set up a “lightweight assembly plant”, where partially assembled machines would be shipped. “It will be in North Carolina, Indiana or Texas,” says Jean Bourgeois.

But the bulk of production will be in Quebec, where Exprolink wants to build a new plant and hire 40 to 50 new employees within three years. That said, society “has the same problem as everyone else,” says Louis-Martin Durand. “We have six welders, we would hire six more if we found them. »