Combining the best of both internal combustion engine (ICE) and battery electric (BEV) technology
Just when you think you’ve settled on the perfect mate for your daily commute, a new love interest shows up. Canadians have slowly started to accept that electric vehicles (EV) will replace good old fashioned gasoline-powered cars as their daily driver. But industry leaders say EVs could eventually be eclipsed by a more convenient technology:…
This all-electric car offers range, jump, comfort and practicality – but it’s not cheap
The first thing that occurred to me when I picked up the all-electric 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric were the two words: range anxiety. It’s the paranoia of driving more than a block or two for fear of running out of battery power and being stranded. Part of the reason for this is that most electric…
A buyer makes the leap into an all-electric vehicle world and discovers that the obstacles are relatively easy to overcome
The EcoRun test of the Bolt that never happened PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Each year, automotive journalists from across Canada assemble to road test the latest in ultra-efficient vehicles on the market. This year’s Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) EcoRun was held in Alberta and one of the featured vehicles was the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV.…
There are two important facts you need to know about the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. About 500 km. Eleven bucks. Yup, if you nerd it up and stick close to home, you can slash your fuel costs like crazy. I proved it in a week of city-only driving involving a series of trips that rarely…
Driver input these days, it seems, is decreasing incrementally
It all started with cruise control. It was, arguably, the first modern automotive convenience readily available to buyers that didn’t fundamentally involve the operation of the vehicle. When it became readily available – in the 1970s, initially in the RV industry – it was something of a sensation: a feature that allowed you to drive…
The 2019 model can be plugged in overnight and then travel up to 40 km on battery power
The federal government recently announced funding in this year’s budget for incentives of up to $5,000 for Canadian buyers of zero-emissions vehicles. That’s good, but why not extend the funding to hybrid cars? Given the current technology, a hybrid car makes much more sense than a fully electric one. And if the hybrid is a…
The Toyota Prius C is small and basic, but it's also relatively cheap. However, it just may disappear from the market shortly
One the problems with being environmentally responsible is that, for carmakers and consumers, it doesn’t come cheap. Electric and hybrid cars, for the most part, are more expensive than their internal combustion-propelled counterparts. Mitsubishi and Nissan, for example, are both actively immersed in electric/hybrid vehicle technology. They also sell affordable, non-hybrid econoboxes priced in the…
Construction on more than 50 stations in coast-to-coast fast-charging network to begin this spring
A network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations is being launched across the country by Petro-Canada, which is part of Calgary-based energy giant Suncor. The company announced on Wednesday that more than 50 of these stations will be located along the Trans-Canada Highway at Petro-Canada stations from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. It said construction is…
The 2019 model has great safety features, plenty of space, good performance – and it’s fun to drive
Honda’s 2019 Accord Hybrid is another example of the evolving gasoline/electric power vehicles that are changing the automotive scene for the better. It was a pleasure to drive, with plenty of power and roomy comfort inside. One of the surprising features I discovered in the Accord (and a few other test vehicles recently) is the…
It may be a contradiction in terms, but this hybrid offers a certain value with its performance
The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is a four-wheeled contradiction in terms. Introduced in 2009 at a Florida auto show, appropriately enough, it was the only full-size luxury hybrid in General Motors’ stable. If ever there was a vehicle that demonstrated how going green is mainly for the rich, this is it. Still, if you can find…
Just when you think you’ve settled on the perfect mate for your daily commute, a new love interest shows up. Canadians have slowly started to accept that electric vehicles (EV) will replace good old fashioned gasoline-powered cars as their daily driver. But industry leaders say EVs could eventually be eclipsed by a more convenient technology:…
