Vancity and Modo are electric

Check out the positive charge at Kitsilano Community Branch. We helped Modo The Car Co-op with a pilot project that helped get the not-for-profit carshare on the journey to adding fully Electric Vehicles (EV) to its fleet.

What is Modo?
Modo, the car sharing co-op, previously known as the Co-operative Auto Network (or, CAN), is the largest carshare co-op, and the first English-speaking, in North America. Started in 1997 in Vancouver, it now has more than 27,000 members sharing 800 cars, trucks, vans and electrics throughout Metro Vancouver.

Modo offers a reliable alternative to car ownership, saving its members money, reducing impact to the environment and nurturing a healthy, vibrant local economy. In fact, as many as 41% of members report they got rid of a car within a year of joining the co-op.

As well, Modo is a recognized leader in the communities in which it operates across the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Squamish and the Okanagan, empowering residents to live more locally and sustainably through support to a variety of Community Partners.

The Modo-Vancity Partnership:
Vancity provided the grant for Modo’s first Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) – which also happened to be the first PHEV carsharing vehicle in Western Canada – as well as a designated parking spot with a charging station at our Kitsilano Community Branch, located at the corner of Waterloo St and W Broadway.

Thanks to the success of that pilot project, Modo has been able to bring more electrics into its fleet. Today, 32% of its growing fleet are hybrid or fully electric, as of May 2023.

The Modo-Vancity partnership plugs in perfectly to our Community Project Grant Areas of Focus: Acting on Climate Change and Growing the Social Economy:

• The PHEV is a low emission vehicle. Funded through our Shared Success program, a Vancity grant allowed Modo to convert one of their electric-gas hybrid vehicles into this rechargeable hybrid – which was a first step in Modo’s plan to add fully electric vehicles to its fleet within a year from launching the PHEV. Fast forward to 2023, when Modo is committed to a zero-emission fleet by 2030..
• It’s a great chance for Modo members to try driving electric and plugging in, and for Modo to learn more about the benefits of the PHEV, and charging stations.
• This project supports carsharing – a smart transportation option that takes cars off the road and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• It also supports Modo, a local not-for-profit, member-owned co-operative.
• And it gives our Vancity members the chance to be a part of the electric evolution – cutting edge technology designed to make a difference.