Emission Free Motoring with EVAA

• Sponsor: Calgary.isGreen
• Author: Sam Fordham

One of the biggest contributions made to greenhouse gasses the world over – is the car. We all love the convenience, not so much the cost, but the damage it does to the environment and the world we live in is something that we need to take into our own hands and change.

The Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta are determined to show us all there is a better mode of transport than fossil fueled vehicles, by helping us explore electric cars.

We spent some time with them at their National Drive Electric Week event in Calgary:

Considering electric vehicles as your major source of transport is the way to go forward. As they get more affordable, there’s more choice and they get more efficient, electric will become the driving force in transportation.

Test your knowledge of Electric cars here:

• Some models of electric cars switch to a gasoline-powered engine once the battery is drained
• The Chinese government wants to have 500,000 electric cars and public transportation vehicles on the road by 2the end of the year (as reported by The Economist, June 30, 2011)
• The average electric vehicle can travel up to 100 miles per charge.
• Some states offer rebates and tax credits to residents who purchase electric vehicles
• The baseline cost of an electric vehicle is about $30,000
• 100% Electric-powered vehicles don’t require exhaust or emissions tests
• The battery in an electric vehicle can last several years (generally the lifespan of the car for lithium-ion batteries)
• All electric cars are not “small.”
• A study conducted by two PhD students at Columbia University found that electric vehicles could be used for 95 percent of daily trips in North America. This is to say that most people drive under 30 miles in a given day, and could easily rely on the charge of just one night in a garage.
• The top three electric cars include the Nissan LEAF, Ford Focus Electric, and the Mitsubishi i (fromCleanFleetReport.com)
• Your chances of running out of charge when stuck in traffic are about the same in an electric car as in a gasoline-fueled car.