The electrification of transportation is speeding up, and Elmec, based in Shawinigan and led by its Swiss-born founder Jean-Marc Pittet (who arrived in Canada in 1980), has positioned itself as a key player in the electric vehicle charging market.
Founded in 1998 in electromechanics, Elmec began developing and selling charging stations in 2013. The company has grown quickly, with about 70,000 chargers now installed across Canada. In 2024 alone, its 18,000 smart chargers delivered 40 million kWh of energy.
Technical Expertise: Multi-Residential and Power Management
Elmec’s main competitive advantage lies in its solution for multi-residential buildings (apartments and condos). To address limited electrical capacity, Elmec developed a current sensor/meter installed at the main service entrance to measure total demand. This smart system can reduce the amperage of active chargers down to 6 amps when necessary, to avoid exceeding the building’s maximum current—without ever stopping the charge.
In addition, their chargers offer an intelligent power-sharing function, allowing two or even three units to share capacity without upgrading the main electrical service. Full power is restored to the remaining vehicle as soon as one is fully charged.
Industry Perspective and Mechanical Shops
On Chinese electric vehicles, Jean-Marc Pittet is optimistic, calling them “excellent vehicles” that are “ahead technologically on batteries.” He expects that, just like Japanese and Korean vehicles before them, these models will be adapted to the North American J1772 charging standard before arriving in Canada.
For Auto-Gestion’s audience of mechanical and body shops
Elmec chargers are installed by certified electricians. For a shop starting to service EVs, installing charging stations (indoors and outdoors) is essential for diagnostics and testing.
Jean-Marc points out that electric vehicles age better after ten years because of their low maintenance needs (no oil changes, exhaust, and almost no radiator) and fewer wear parts. EV workshops, he notes, are “very clean.” This low maintenance requirement is both a challenge and an opportunity for shops that must adapt their business model. Looking ahead, accredited charging stations like Elmec’s could allow vehicles to act as energy storage units—and even “profit centres” for their owners.
For more information, contact Jean-Marc Pittet at [email protected]
