The Proprietor Review

500 volt 120 amp quick charger

Electric cars are getting some attention again. The province wide Electrical utility BC Hydro in its latest newsletter is journalising the early adoption of EV Cars and hybrid electric vehicles.

Auto show recognizes B.C.’s big appetite for electric vehicles

British Columbians are among the early adopters of alternative-energy vehicles, including electrics. So it was no surprise there was an electric component to the Vancouver International Auto Show held at the Vancouver Convention Centre in March.

But who expected that more than 20 vehicles at the show — roughly five per cent of all vehicles there — had electric capabilities?

The latest models of some popular plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) were on the floor, including the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, the For Focus Electric, the Nissan Leaf, and Toyota’s plug-in Prius.

The current state of EVs in B.C.

There aren’t too many EVs on B.C. roads yet, but the demand is increasing. And BC Hydro plays an important role, developing guidelines for charging infrastructure and providing information for those who may be thinking about getting an EV, including:

Merritt has a number of charging stations,  in particular located with in a couple of blocks of the City hall complex on Voght Street, just before the right hand turn to highway 97 c that turns into highway 8 to Spences Bridge. The stations are on beside the downtown tourist info center, as well as in the city hall parking lot,behind the civic center and theree is one at the bus depot by Boston pizza on the way from town towards Kamloops on highway 5A.

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Brand new EVs from BMW and Kia

BMW and Kia announced new EVs, with the latter revealing the Soul EV, a zero-emission edition of its sporty urban crossover.

The German auto manufacturer shone the spotlight on two EVs. The BMW i8 is a sleek machine with scissor doors that is a plug-in hybrid. It’s a high priced, high powered sports car that can go from zero to 60 in 4.4 seconds.

While equipped with an electric drive on the front wheels and a turbo gasoline engine powering the rear wheels, the i8 can be operated using only the electric motor.

The BMW i3 is a zero-emission club car hatchback designed for everyday city use. The four-seater has two full doors and two coach doors that are hinged at the back and make it easier for rear-seat passengers to get in. It’s more roomy than you’d expect, in part because the electric engine doesn’t require as much space as a traditional combustion engine.

When plugged in to a Level 2 charger, the i3 can charge to full in about three hours, BMW claims. It only takes 20 minutes when connected to a DC fast charge station.

BMW also had its charging station, available for residential installation, at the show.

Taking alternative-energy vehicles for a test drive

Paul McGeachie, executive director of the show, said that some 850 people took the opportunity to test drive a variety of eco-friendly vehicles at the Green Ride and Drive showcase.

Vehicle manufacturers, he said in an interview, like to give people a chance to get into the cars, especially the models that have been developed in response to the growing call — by the general public and governments — for alternative energy vehicles.

Not all electric vehicles that are being manufactured were at the show, however. Among the missing models were the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid and the Volkswagen E-Golf. And California electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla wasn’t at the 2014 Vancouver Auto Show.

Third Eco-Run event taking place in B.C.

For the last two years, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has staged the Eco-Run, a “demonstration drive” involving energy-efficient vehicles.

The route for the third event, being held from May 6 to May 9, 2014, will be from Vancouver to Whistler and back.

Journalist Clare Dear explained to media at the opening of the 2014 Vancouver Auto Show that the Eco-Run is “not a race or a competition” but is designed to show consumers what vehicular options are available to them, as well as how “a few simple changes in driving habits will help reduce fuel costs”.

Dear, who leads the organization of the Eco-Run for AJAC, said that the B.C. exhibition will feature 20 vehicles from 12 manufacturers, and will include “pure electrics and hybrids, as well as fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered vehicles”.

Along the route to Whistler, the vehicles will be put on display and the Eco-Run ends with a consumer show at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where there will be a driving simulator to help consumers learn how to drive with fuel efficiency in mind.

First Canadian Green Car Award to be presented in 2015

At next year’s Vancouver auto show, the first Green Car Award will be presented as part of AJAC’s Canadian Car of the Year program.

Kevin Corrigan is an automotive journalist and chairs the committee that will make the selection. In announcing the award to media, he said that the award stems from changing fuel efficiency requirements for new vehicles, as well as the fact that most automobile manufacturers have eco-friendly vehicles that can be considered for the award.

The Green Car won’t necessarily be an electric vehicle, though. Corrigan noted that in Canada, a driver’s location and principal use mean that efficiency is a subjective determination. While a typical city dweller is a good candidate for a fully electric vehicle, for example, those living in rural communities may not be. And businesses operating a fleet of limousines in urban environments have different vehicle needs than someone employed in construction.

Corrigan defined a green car as being, “a vehicle which, for its size and purpose, provides the consumer with environmentally friendly returns favourable for its class”. The key, he said, was that vehicles to be considered for the Green Car Award offered fuel efficiency and addressed environmental concerns.

The existence of the award, though, indicates that electric vehicles are becoming more noticeable, and more interesting. And British Columbia is leading the way.

The assertion that BC is leading the way is important as the introduction of EV chargers and a commitment to a network in China Last week by principals in the Tesla network is sure to have results with in a reasonable time. Given the unprecedented success of all things technical in  the recent decades by the Chinese and its precarious position with pollution and carbon emissions it is bound to take up the interest.

At the recent delivery ceremony of Tesla’s first batch of Chinese orders in Beijing, two solar photovoltaic (PV) charging systems caught the eyes of the guests. The system was requested by Tesla Motors (Palo Alto, CA, U.S.), and designed and manufactured by Hanergy Solar Group Ltd. (Hong Kong).

Hanergy’s thin-film flexible PV system was Tesla’s first choice for the first PV Supercharger station in China. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, said at the ceremony, “In the future, Tesla will work with partners to build supercharger network. The first charging station in Beijing was built in cooperation with Hanergy Solar Group. Tesla will continue to invest in the construction of superchargers in China, aiming to quickly expand the network.”

Solar power combined with energy storage systems

In his interview, Elon Musk also stressed that the charging stations that Tesla is building in China can work 24 hours per day. Utilizing solar power and energy storage systems, the charging stations reduce the impact of electric coal on environment. The batteries are charged during the daytime with solar power; then can supply power for vehicles at night. In fact, under the double pressure of escalating oil price and increasingly strict emission standards, the electric vehicle industry has become a strategic industry all over the world.

Cross-industrial innovation

Combining the electric automobile industry and that of renewable energy, the cooperation between Tesla and Hanergy is an active practice towards cross-industrial technological innovation. It is a first step towards freedom from the traditional energy pattern and the plight of traditional fossil energy on which the current electric auto industry relies upon.Source:

2014-05-05 | Courtesy: Hanergy | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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Happy EV watching from the Proprietor review: KDG