A Gatineau man keeps his food cold for more than 24 hours after losing power, thanks to his electric car, which he uses as a generator.
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“It’s odorless, pollution-free and noiseless,” rejoices Guy Bonhomme, who lives in the Aylmer sector of Gatineau.
“I have several neighbors who have gas generators and it’s deafening, even disturbing,” adds the 41-year-old man.
Owner of a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, he purchased an inverter, a device that he can plug into his vehicle’s battery. Inverters work on both electric and gas-powered cars and provide power to other electrical devices.
“That’s my backup plan,” he explains. His home lost power on Wednesday afternoon.
Guy Bonhomme points out that he has access to 1500 watts with the inverter. A “limited” amount, but of which he only uses a tiny part to keep his fridge and freezer supplied with electricity.
Both of his devices have been plugged in since noon Thursday, he says, except for last night, when he stopped the process.
His electric car, which had a charge of about 50%, is now at 30%. He also made a few trips during the day, he says.
“The rule when you have a car is normally to charge it before a storm,” he says, smiling, because he did not respect it. He intends to continue to give electricity to his two household appliances, as long as his car does not drop beyond 15% autonomy.
He hopes to regain power by then, but if not, he plans to recharge his car. “There is a working fast-charging station less than 10 minutes from my house,” he says.
