Performance is excellent. Lively acceleration, smooth power delivery and whisper-quiet in operation
I want to congratulate Mazda for fitting their 2021 CX-5 compact SUV with the most unco-operative stereo system I’ve encountered in 35 years of testing automobiles. It’s so difficult to access and use it might as well not be there. I couldn’t figure out how to change stations without having to consult the owner’s manual…
More greenhouse gases are released when making an EV than a comparable internal combustion engine
I’m not a climate skeptic. As an environmental scientist/engineer by training, I think climate change is real. But it’s like every other environmental issue: a more-or-less routine engineering challenge, rather than a world-altering disaster justifying the fever-dreams of the radical greens. I am, however, an electric vehicle skeptic. Or, more broadly, I’m skeptical that electric…
We need a national mining strategy so Canada can supply the global market with the lithium needed for electric vehicle batteries
Political pundits, politicians and talking heads in the media for the most part spend very little time watching for disruption and innovation in the marketplace. A global consensus has formed that oil as a form of transportation energy should become a stranded asset. Alberta’s vast lithium reserves mean the province can forget about yesterday and…
Manitoba can quarterback an economic resurgence in Western Canada, with a focus on electric vehicles
The slogan on licence plates reads, “Friendly Manitoba” but it might need to be changed to “Powerhouse Manitoba” over the next decade! Manitoba has a combination of the Hudson Bay seaport in Churchill giving access to an Atlantic Ocean channel, world-class nickel deposits, and a rail line allowing other precious metals such as lithium and…
We are beginning a serious transformation from fossil-fuel transportation to electric vehicles
Canadians generally have no idea that Tesla’s fancy battery technology has mostly been developed in Halifax. Dalhousie University has partnered with the American electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer and created what’s commonly referred to as the Tesla Dalhousie battery lab. The new 4680 dry-cell battery is going into Tesla vehicles sometime between February and April 2021.…
Loblaws will be able to move food from automated picking facilities multiple times a day to support its online grocery service
Loblaws is partnering with Gatik, an autonomous vehicle provider from the United States, to launch the first autonomous food delivery fleet. This is a solution to the ‘middle mile,’ assuring links between distribution centres and stores. Consumers won’t see autonomous vehicles drive up to their homes yet but that day will surely come soon. These…
Who’s responsible for an accident needs to be considered now rather than when we’re scrambling to implement laws
We haven’t reached the point where driverless vehicles ply our roadways. However, as a recent incident on an Alberta highway demonstrates, we might be edging closer. How close are automakers to producing such a vehicle and, more importantly, how close are lawmakers to allowing an artificial-intelligence-driven vehicle on city streets? The industry has a six-tier…
But range anxiety remains an issue if you want to use this electric car for longer trips
In California, they recently introduced an amendment that will make it illegal to sell or purchase new fossil-fuel-powered automobiles after 2035. You will apparently still be able to buy a used gas-powered car, but in California the writing is on the wall when it comes to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. Battery-powered cars are certainly…
This sport utility is arguably one of the safest vehicles on the road and it’s loaded with luxury features
One of the things that cemented Volvo’s presence in Canada was the company’s reputation for building cars that seem to run forever. For example, despite being out of production for some 25 years, the 240 is still a fairly common sight on city streets, at least where I live. The same seems to be true…
In every respect, the 2020 Aviator is truly a luxury vehicle. Ford hasn’t missed much when it comes to pampering its occupants
Much like General Motors with its Cadillac division, Ford has decided to funnel a substantial portion of its resources into its flagship Lincoln line. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a kind of renaissance from this previously low-key marque. Lincoln has six models in its lineup, four of which are SUVs. Clearly, the powers…