Network EV6 comparo Ivy

With over two decades as a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), Michael Bettencourt has been writing about cars and automotive topics for over 25 years. A journalism graduate of Ryerson University, he has won multiple awards for automotive photography, vehicle testing, plus EV and green topics, and has owned various EVs since 2011.

The recent federal budget signalled a tripling of government rebates for new EVs over the next three years. It also hinted at expanded rebate parameters but didn’t spell out two key aspects of the plan: whether its current $45,000 price ceiling would be increased to help buyers of pricier electric SUVs and trucks, and whether the $5,000 amount per vehicle would be adjusted.

More details are expected to be released by Transport Canada about the broadened program in the next few weeks. In the meantime, those about to purchase EVs are in limbo, wondering whether to buy now or wait to avoid missing potential new incentives.

Early this month, the government issued a helpful release that stated the budget measures would help more Canadians adopt EVs by “continuing to provide purchase incentives of up to $5,000,” which suggests the top rebate amount wouldn’t change. However, it also noted it was extending funding to “broadening eligibility under the program to include more vehicle models.”

The easiest way to do this, and arguably the most helpful to drivers being hit by increased gas prices, is to extend rebates to used EVs, which has been the case in Quebec for years. (Up to $3,500 is available when a used EV is bought.)

The government has a pricing tightrope to walk here, too. Its $45,000 price cap has been shown to keep the base price of EVs down, especially compared to the U.S. Raising that $45,000 could make more vehicles eligible, but it might potentially increase the base prices on popular models.

As well, Kia has temporarily stopped taking orders for its new 2022 EV6 models in Canada and one recent CBC report had a dealer saying the wait time for a Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid was now three years.

The auto industry wants to see higher government rebates – up to $15,000 per new EV – but opposes the rules requiring that a certain percentage of its sales need to be zero-emissions vehicles. On the other hand, EV and clean energy groups have applauded the government’s efforts to increase the percent of these vehicles before all new cars are required to be emissions-free by 2035. The website roadto2035.ca, launched by a coalition of new vehicle dealers and automakers, sets out their positions clearly, while EV lobby group Electric Mobility Canada has asked for rebates for EVs of up to $70,000.

All of which leaves some potential EV owners wondering if now is the time to buy or if they should wait – and how long it will take for their ordered vehicles to arrive.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV Advice: What the recent budget means for EVs

Nissan solid state battery lab production facility

assb (3)

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a Certified Engineering Technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

Nissan has just unveiled a new plant that will build prototypes for its solid-state battery cells. The new battery technology could double energy density, cut charging times to a third, and result in EVs that do more for less money while eliminating the use of some hard-to-obtain and controversial metals like cobalt.

The automaker calls all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) cells "a game-changing technology," so we'll start with the tech before the benefits.

ASSB replaces the liquid electrolyte used to keep the anode and cathode parts of the battery cell separate (and allow the transfer of lithium ions, the thing that does the actual electricity) with a solid material electrolyte.

More complicated than simply using a known solid material, this requires finding a material that will behave in exactly the right way to allow the ions to pass through.

Nissan calls the desired ion movement "hopping," comparing it to a line of billiard balls striking from end to end. It allows faster lithium ion transfer, improving cell performance.

A new material found in 2011 helped Nissan get closer to its goals. The new coating material and a new precision mixing technique slashed the internal resistance that hurts cell performance and stopped the formation of dendrites. Lithium dendrites, like microscopic lithium hairs that grow in the cell, occur in Li-ion batteries over time and are what lead to reduced battery performance on older cells by reducing ion conductivity.

To help speed cell development and find even more ideal materials, Nissan has partnered with NASA to scan 131,000 materials using supercomputing calculations. Nissan is also working with major universities around the world on cell analysis, materials synthesis, and other parts of the equation that it says have cut the time to research a new candidate material from 5-20 years to 2-3.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/assb-2-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167523" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/assb-2-scaled.jpg" alt="Nissan solid state battery ambition 2030" width="2560" height="1708" /></a>

While the prototype plant has just opened, Nissan expects to start a lab-scale feasibility study of the ASSB tech this year, before moving on to a pilot plant launch in 2024 and EVs on the road with an ASSB by 2028.

Now for the benefits. Nissan says that new anode materials let the battery store more lithium ions. It also allows Nissan to use new anode materials that can massively increase power density. That means a battery cell the same size can hold twice the "power" of a current cell. This lets Nissan put more power in a lighter and smaller battery pack, which improves efficiency and lowers cost.

Current battery technology is somewhere in the US $130-150 per kWh range. Nissan's target for ASSB is $75/kWh at launch and $65 soon after. $100 per kWh is considered the parity point with gasoline engines, where an EV and gas vehicle would cost the same.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/assb-4-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167525" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/assb-4-scaled.jpg" alt="Nissan solid state battery pouch" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Because ASSB cells aren't liquid-filled, they can withstand much higher temperatures than conventional cells. 120°C vs 60, and can fast-charge at up to 100°C, Nissan says. This thermal stability lets the cell fast charge at the maximum rate all the way to almost 100 percent fully charged. Current EV batteries slow down charge rates significantly after it reaches about 80 per cent.

Maintaining its max charging capacity for more time (and at lower ambient temperatures) means faster charging in the real world and the ability to get more range in the same amount of time.

Higher thermal stability reduces battery cooling needs as well, helping to lower the cost of the pack outside of the cells themselves. ASSB cells can get rid of nickel and cobalt, instead using more readily available (and much cheaper) metals like sulphur and manganese. Cobalt is one of the more contentious metals used in EVs. Difficult to source, expensive, and resource-intensive, eliminating it is a key step in global EV adoption.

Using new materials like sulphur adds new risks, as does doubling energy density. So Nissan has added a host of new tests including one where they drive a large nail through the cell to make sure it remains stable and that no hydrogen sulphide gas is produced.

When asked if the end goal was to make an EV with more range or one with half the battery and the same range, Kazuhiro Doi, Corporate VP and Head of Nissan Research Center, said density, charge speed, and price targets are just milestones. "The final goal is to build a great EV," he said. "It will be a challenge indeed to delight the customers."

Nissan’s New Solid-State Battery Prototype Lab will revolutionize the EV experience

genesis speedium concept luc

For over half a decade, Dan Heyman has written professionally about cars and car culture, specializing in luxury/performance vehicles, 4 x 4s and pickup trucks, with a micro city car or two thrown in for good measure. If he's not striking a spacebar, he's likely out photographing cars on the twists and turns of the Coast Mountain roads outside his hometown of Vancouver, BC, or cutting a line on a racetrack.

Before we go any further: yes, the name of this ravishing concept from Genesis is a bit of a mouthful – but it is so-named for a reason. Is it a play on the term “Generation X”? The name of a yet-to-be-announced e-sports venue in Genesis’ hometown of Seoul, South Korea? Is it a sneak peek at a space program that Genesis or parent company Hyundai is planning because, well, they seem to be winning at everything else these days? Indeed, as of this writing, Hyundai has just won three of a six possible World Car of the Year Awards, announced the morning before the Speedium graced the stage at the new Genesis House in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district.

The answer to all of those is a resounding “no” (well, we’ll see about the space program) as it is, in fact, inspired by a racetrack situated northeast of Seoul in Inje. It’s affectionately referred to as “Korea’s Nurburgring” by the manufacturer and even the Speedium’s colour name – Inje Green – is borrowed from the racetrack because, Genesis says, it reflects the mountainous region the track inhabits. That may be the party line, but anyone who knows the Nurburgring likely knows that it is often referred to as the “Green Hell” and it seems too much of a coincidence for that colour name not to be a cheeky allusion to that.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_9896.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-167446 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_9896.jpg" alt="Genesis X Speedium Concept" width="2000" height="1333" /></a>

Of course, all that is secondary to the fact that the Speedium Concept, the brainchild of World Car Person of the year and Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke and his team of designers is gobsmackingly gorgeous. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Donckerwolke: he has helmed some of the most legendary car designs over the last few decades, including the Bentley Flying Spur, Lamborghini Gallardo and even the Audi R8 Le Mans prototype racer, to name but a few.

Surprisingly, though, it actually wasn’t one of those projects that Mr. Donckerwolke mentioned when we asked him what inspired him to design the Speedium, but something much further back in the automotive canon: the Shelby Daytona Coupe, a V8-powered road racer from the 1960s.

“I’m somebody who’s basically grown with a hunger I could not satiate about classic vehicles and race cars,” he said. “That’s why we have a lot of muscle in this car but it’s (done) in a way which is not exaggerated, but it’s very athletic.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_9838.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-167442 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_9838.jpg" alt="Genesis X Speedium Concept" width="2000" height="1333" /></a>

Sure, but I’m finding it hard not to label as “exaggerated” the wheels and the headlights that wrap all the way around the grille and through to the leading edge of the doors. The overall shape, though, is one of elegance and the kamm back and ducktail spoiler are very reminiscent not only of the Daytona, but of other classic designs such as the Ferrari 250 GTO or Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ.

Which stands to reason because while there are no plans yet for a production version of the Speedium, it does signal in which direction Genesis EVs are heading. In order to do that, you need some futuristic elements but at the same time since this is a luxury brand, it needs to have a certain stance or detailing, or general attitude about it that speaks to a luxury car buyer.

“We always start with what the customer wants and that allows us to differentiate (ourselves) from other brands,” remarked Donckerwolke.

It doesn’t stop at the design, either, but also with the performance and handling of the cars.

“It would be easy to stay in the past, but we have to deal with it,” said Donckerwolke. “We have to admit that we have a new powertrain and that there’s a great advantage to it, something we could never have imagined.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/genesis-speedium-side-profile.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-167440 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/genesis-speedium-side-profile.jpg" alt="Genesis X Speedium Concept" width="2000" height="1333" /></a>

Like the low-slung look of the car itself, one of those great advantages he speaks of is the fact that EVs tend to have a lower centre of gravity than their ICE equivalents due to having their heavy batteries stuffed deeply into their floors. This is advantageous to SUVs and CUVs that need to have tall bodies to accommodate their passengers, but also to sports cars or grand tourers like this to keep the body in check as you move quickly through corners. Donckerwolke himself admits to driving more smoothly in an electric car – both on the track and on the open road – and keeping cleaner lines through corners.

“You will not compensate for not having a V8 resonating in your ears, (but) it’s all about transforming the way you drive in a more fluid way.”

So while we aren’t getting our hopes up for a production version of the extraordinary – and it is extraordinary, from its name on out – Speedium Concept, Genesis was very clear in illustrating that it does represent the next step in the brand’s stylistic evolution. It’s one that includes a symbiosis between Donckerwolke’s design team and the engineering team for the brand’s e-GMP platform as both teams were able to start out on the ground floor to ensure their ideas would flow together. This allows the design team to take certain liberties that otherwise might clash with the facts and figures, the nuts n’ bolts put forth by the engineers.

That also means each Genesis model can adhere to the brand’s stylistic identity, but get its own tweaks to differentiate, even if they’re riding on a shared platform.

So even if the Speedium remains a design study of sorts, it does represent a bright outlook for the fast-rising brand, one that’s on a trajectory we are very much looking forward to following.

Genesis X Speedium Coupe Concept blends classic car lines with road racer proportions

2022-Hyundai-Kona-02

Even with billions invested in electric vehicles by the federal government this month, which we’ll delve into next week, what caught my eye was a recent Canadian study on the cost of owning, using and maintaining an EV.

The Clean Energy Canada (CEC) study compared equivalent gas and EV versions of the same vehicle in terms of up-front costs (advantage gas vehicles), fuel, maintenance and repair (advantage EVs), and taxes, insurance and other costs (basically a tie). The six vehicles it compared included gas and pure EV versions of the Hyundai Kona compact crossover and the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup truck (the EV version, called the Lightning, will arrive in Canada later this year).

The pattern of higher initial EV purchase costs being recouped by fuel savings is common in many studies, with those savings adding up more quickly in Europe and Asia where gas prices are higher. However, this CEC study gave more country-specific details. It analyzed savings if gas was at the 2021 average of $1.35 per litre as well as at $2 per litre.

With the 2022 Kona, the CEC found that that the EV version cost $15,000 less to own over an eight-year period then its gas version. While the estimated cost of the gas vehicle was $71,131, the EV’s estimated cost was $56,038. The estimate was based on 20,000 kilometres of driving at a cost of $1.35 per litre. At $2 per litre, the different increased to $24,000. The gas version of the Kona starts at $24,055 while the EV’s base price is $45,851.

The study is worth a deep dive at cleanenergycanada.org to see how the Chevrolet Bolt EV compares to the Toyota Corolla Hatchback (a 37 per cent lower cost to own, use and maintain), the Nissan Leaf versus the Honda Civic (24 per cent lower), and the Tesla Model 3 with the Lexus ES 250 (cheaper, but with a recent Model 3 price hike, by just under $500 per year).

The F-150 models were the closest overall, with a total vehicle cost of 52 cents per kilometre for the Lightning versus 55 cents for the similarly equipped XLT SuperCrew 4x4 gas version. Keep in mind, this was with gas prices at $1.35 per litre and the EV having a $68,000 starting price.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV101: Study points to savings earned by electric-vehicles’ owners over years

wh-EnglishEVs-Lotus-April16

The British government in November 2021 announced aggressive electric-vehicle legislation: Beginning in 2022, all new home and business construction will have to be built with electric charging points installed. That means up to 145,000 new charging points per year.

Given that the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles in the United Kingdom will be banned beginning in 2030, mandating EV chargers will certainly help the forced march toward a battery future.

Considering that the high-end luxury and boutique British automakers want to sell as many cars as they can in North America, the all-EV movement in the U.K. has implications for luxury-cars buyers in Canada and the United States.

With that in mind, here’s what you expect to see in the next few years from across the pond.

<strong>Jaguar Land Rover</strong>

Buyers can already purchase the I-Pace, an EV hatchback that has been available on this continent since late 2018. While Jaguar is rolling out new versions of its conventionally powered XE sedan and F-Pace utility vehicle this year, the future is strictly battery powered for Jaguar as of 2025, with Land Rover to follow.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EnglishEVs-Jaguar-April16.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167416" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EnglishEVs-Jaguar-April16.jpg" alt="Jaguar" width="1600" height="765" /></a>

To help facilitate the conversion, the automaker announced a partnership with artificial-intelligence tech company NVIDIA to “jointly develop and deliver next-generation automated driving systems plus AI-enabled services and experiences for its customers.”

Also notable is that Jaguar Land Rover Canada’s president is Wolfgang Hoffman, the former Audi and Lamborghini executive, and he will be tasked with leading the move to EVs in the Canadian market.

<strong>Bentley</strong>

The maker of classic high-performance British luxury cars has developed what it calls its Five-In-Five plan, which will result in one new electric Bentley model for each of  the next five years, starting in 2025. All five will be designed and developed in the automaker’s facility in Crewe, England. To fund the EV switchover, Bentley is investing 2.5 billion pounds (about $3.25 billion CDN) at the site to transform it into what the automaker calls its Dream Factory.

Earlier this year, Bentley hosted a press event in Southern California to showcase its new Flying Spur Hybrid, which the automaker said ran purely on electric power about 30 per cent of the time. Bentley also offers a hybrid version of its massive Bentayga SUV, but both hybrids eventually will be replaced by full-on EVs.

<strong>Rolls-Royce</strong>

Another fabled British luxury car maker, Rolls-Royce is playing its future EV cards a little closer to its chest than rival Bentley at the moment. In February, the company confirmed it will build an EV at some point this decade. The automaker added, “It will be launched only when the time is right, and every element meets Rolls-Royce's technical, aesthetic and performance standards.”

Rolls-Royce does have some EV experience, having built its 103EX concept car in 2016. A full-size luxury sedan with a proprietary electric powerplant, the 103EX was never intended for production. The car was shown around the world for three years.

<strong>Aston Martin</strong>

After a false start three years ago when the electric version of the Rapide sedan failed to come to fruition, Aston Martin has pushed its EV plans back to 2025. That’s when the company plans to build an electric sports car in England and a utility vehicle is slated for production the following year at a new manufacturing facility in Wales.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EnglishEVs-Aston-April16.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167415" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EnglishEVs-Aston-April16.jpg" alt="Aston Martin" width="1600" height="1079" /></a>

Aston Martin will begin deliveries of its first plug-in hybrid — the mid-engine Valhalla supercar in 2024 — and by 2026 all of the company’s new models will have electrified options.

Aston Martin signed an agreement with British technology company Britishvolt to develop bespoke high-performance battery-cell technology. The goals of the alliance are faster charging times, great driving range and suitability for the racetrack.

<strong>McLaren</strong>

The supercar maker is taking a measured approach to the EV revolution. Last year, McLaren introduced its first plug-in hybrid, the Artura. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V-6 and a plug-in hybrid power unit, the Artura makes 670 horsepower, which is good enough to hit 200 km/h from a standing start in a mere eight seconds. As far as a battery-electric vehicle, though, McLaren has not yet announced specific plans.

<strong>Lotus</strong>

Another niche British automaker, Lotus dropped a bombshell in late March with the announcement that it would build what it calls “the world’s first all-electric Hyper SUV.” The Eletre was unveiled on live British TV on March 29. It’s the first of what Lotus promises will be three new EVs launched in the next four years.

According to Lotus, the Eletre will have a maximum range of 600 kilometres. According to business publication “Automotive News Europe,” Lotus will only produce electric cars by the late 2020s.

EV in the U.K.: Pushed by regulations, British automakers have big plans for electric vehicles

wh-BatterySize-April9

When you need to replace a battery for your remote control or clock, it’s as easy as heading to the corner store and picking from one of the standardized sizes available. Even car batteries in non-electric vehicles, while not universal, are pretty standard when it comes to how they work even though their specifications differ.

But, when it comes to electric vehicles, is there an ideal battery size? With advancements in EV battery technology, will there also be a standard that develops in the industry?

What size means depends on who you’re asking. To some, it means the footprint of the battery and how much space it takes up in the vehicle. To others, it is the electrical capacity of the battery; how many kilowatt hours of energy it can hold (and then release) to power the vehicle. For many consumers, it’s the driving range – and not what happens with the sparky bits inside – that really matters.

Mini and Mazda have both decided that around 35-kilowatt hours is ideal for buyers of their city runabouts, with Mazda’s battery taking up 240 litres of space and weighing 310 kilograms. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the GMC Hummer EV, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency test reports, has a battery capacity of 210 kilowatt hours, takes up 1,013 litres of space (equal to about three compact car trunks) and weighs 1,325 kilograms.

For automakers, volume and weight matter. The size of a battery pack is limited to what can fit inside the wheelbase, and that has already changed how automakers package vehicles. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is an example. It has a wheelbase 104 millimetres longer than the full-size three-row Palisade but an overall length identical to the compact Tucson.

More weight means more expensive metals, but it also means you need more energy to move the weight of the heavy battery. That Hummer’s battery pack weighs as much as a Honda Civic and is dragging that weight around every drive.

“I would say that there’s no ideal size,” said Professor Olivier Trescases, the Canada Research Chair in Power Electronic Converters and director of the University of Toronto EV Research Centre. “What we expect in the future is a wide variety of options from automakers.”

Putting a higher capacity battery into a car currently has diminishing returns due to the ecological footprint and the cost, along with needing a larger and heavier vehicle just to move the battery pack, he said. "You really have a hard limit on the weight and volume,” said Trescases.

He said that weight and volume make it tough to expand beyond 100 kilowatt hours and extra-large battery packs will likely continue to be limited to premium vehicles rather than mainstream choices. Most buyers wouldn't benefit from an extra 500 kilograms or more of battery cells for the few times a year they could use the extra range.

“The whole point of this shift in transportation is to reduce emissions,” Trescases said. “It’s quite emissions-intensive to make batteries in the first place.”

Trescases said that when it comes to the goals of EV battery technology, consistency is more important than reducing size, increasing capacity or cutting cost. It is the ability of battery technology to offer real-world driving range figures that matched the window sticker rating, especially in the cold of winter, where range drops dramatically.

According to consulting firm Deloitte's 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Survey, Canadian drivers said that they want an electric vehicle range of at least 600 kilometres, a number that surpasses what all but the longest-range EVs offer today.

The real solution, Trescases said, is the addition of more fast charging stations for drivers to use. “Most people that have an EV are going to have access to overnight charging,” he said, so they will have their full range available every morning. “Strategically located fast chargers are really what enables extended driving range.”

If EV owners know they can charge their vehicle in a few minutes so they can travel a few hundred more kilometres, than having a car battery capable of ultra-long ranges become less important, he said.

So, is there an ideal standard EV battery size? Yes and no. It is, “The typical size that we have now,” Trescases said. That is around a 60-kilowatt hour battery, a size commonly available in EVs today. Not much more than that is needed, he said.

What's the ideal EV battery size?

wh-EVPolicing-Main-April2

As elected officials are often known to do, Bridgewater, N.S., Mayor David Mitchell recently took to Twitter to share some exciting news. In mid February, he posted that the town had approved the purchase of a new police vehicle.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EVPolicing-Tweet-April2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167007" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EVPolicing-Tweet-April2.jpg" alt="EV Policing Tweet" width="597" height="453" /></a>

While that seems rather mundane, it’s not as ho-hum as it sounds. That’s because what the town agreed to purchase was a fully electric Tesla Model 3.

The decision by the community of just under 9,000 people, located west of Halifax in Lunenburg Co., meant that it became one of the first police forces in Canada to buy an electric vehicle specifically for patrolling. While the Vancouver Police Department has been using a fleet of Ford Focus EVs since 2018, they operate as unmarked vehicles for undercover detective work and not regular patrols.

Going with an electric vehicle is consistent with the overall goals of Bridgewater to increase its sustainable practices, Mitchell said. But the decision came only after it was concluded that any electric vehicle used for policing would still meet the same basic performance and capability requirements of its current fleet of five Dodge Durango Interceptors.

Mitchell said selecting the Tesla Model 3 Long Range came after a two-year search process where the town looked at what EV options are available and how they are performing as a police vehicle where already is use.

“Before the Model 3 had any tried and tested police use, there were no EVs out there that would have been suitable,” said Mitchell. “The Chevy Bolt was too small, and we needed something with all-wheel drive, so the Hyundai Kona, for example, wasn’t suitable either.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EVPolicing-Tesla-April2.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167008" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/wh-EVPolicing-Tesla-April2.png" alt="EV Policing Tesla" width="1249" height="549" /></a>

The vehicle cost $72,000, about $10,000 more than what was being paid for the Durango. The price tag does not include the cost of converting the vehicle for police use, but that cost would also have been incurred had they decided to purchase another Dodge.

Despite the premium, Mitchell said that based on its estimates, the town will save $5,000 to $6,000 per year, mainly due to the cost of gas, with the switch. This Tesla Model 3 has a battery range of 576 kilometres, and Mitchell said it should be patrolling Bridgewater’s streets this month, driving about 150 kilometres per day. Bridgewater is just under 14-square-kilometres in size.

At present, Telsa does not offer a specific Model 3 police vehicle, but the automaker did design a customized vehicle as part of a policing experiment in the United Kingdom. Model 3s have also been purchased and custom fitted by other smaller police services in the U.S., such as those is Westport, Conn., and Bagersville, Ind.

While the Model 3 has drawn praise from the police departments using them, it isn’t the only EV currently being evaluated.

Like Tesla’s initiatives in the U.K., Ford recently customized a Mustang Mach-e and then submitted it for consideration in the Michigan State Police 2022 Model Year Police Evaluation program. It took place in September 2021, and the Mach-e passed the program, making it the first EV to do so. It was a significant milestone as the Michigan State Police is one of only two police departments in the U.S. to annually review vehicles for police suitability. Its results are then shared and often used by other police agencies to assist in their purchasing decisions.

Proof of this came at the end of December, when the New York City Police Department announced it was purchasing 184 Ford Mustang Mach-e vehicles as part of its fleet renewal program. It also announced that it would purchase 250 Tesla Model 3s. This might be the watershed moment that will lead other police agencies to consider implementing EVs into their fleets. All EV purchases for policing today have involved stock vehicles that need to be adapted for use.

For a long time, Ford has offered a dedicated police interceptor model, which is currently derived from its Ford Explorer. When asked if it was considering a Mustang Mach-e variant of the interceptor, a spokesperson was non-committal.

“Law enforcement demand for all-electric vehicles is growing worldwide,” said Megan Joakim, communications manager at Ford Canada. “Ford is exploring all-electric, purpose-built law enforcement vehicles as part of its more than $30 billion investment in electrification through 2025, however, we have no additional news to share about future electric police vehicles at this time.”

Joakim said that Ford has released a police modifier bulletin which provides an overview of the electrical system of the Mustang Mach-E and included recommendations on which model to choose, as well as advice on installing aftermarket accessories including auxiliary lighting, radios and computer equipment.

The Mach-e has drawn interest among Canadian police departments. In Repentigny, Que., a suburb of Montreal, police recently began a six-month trial using a customized Ford Mustang Mach-e in its regular operations.

“We are extremely proud to have walked the talk, not only on the environment by reducing our ecological footprint, but also by demonstrating our desire to take care of our employees and ensure their health and safety” said Repentigny Mayor Nicolas Dufour in a release to announce the project. The Mach-e was modified by Cyberkar Systems of Trebonne, Que., which has experience in converting stock vehicles for policing.

<strong>Testing EVs</strong>
<ul>
 	<li>Peel Regional Police announced in February that it is conduct tests and trials to ensure that EVs would be suitable for its use. The force’s fleet already includes the Ford Interceptor Hybrid Utility.</li>
 	<li>In Toronto, where the city has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 65 per cent by 2030, the police service began testing hybrid versions of the Ford Interceptor Utility in 2021.</li>
</ul>

Greening the blue

X-Ice Energi clean 4

The arrival of spring in Canada means the removal of winter tires for many drivers, including EV owners. And changing those softer and generally stickier winter tires to all-season tires featuring lower resistance that sometimes come with plug-in vehicles (or are purchased for them) means owners will usually see an increase in their driving range.

Exactly how much is difficult to calculate, because tires are only one of the factors – others include warmer temperatures and a reduced need to heat the interior of the vehicle – that helps improve range.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has reported that gas-powered vehicles generally use four to 11 per cent of their fuel just to overcome rolling resistance. And, in more efficient all-electric EVs, the figure cited is 25 per cent. Low rolling resistance (LRR) tires still create drag, especially on the highway, but the DOE reported that a 10 per cent reduction in rolling resistance leads to a roughly three per cent decrease in fuel consumption. If the same ratio of improvement applies to EVs, these numbers suggest there are worthwhile range benefits to choosing LRR tires.

For us, we tried all-weather tires on our Ford C-Max PHEV a few years back, specifically Kuhmo Solus HA31s, which have the snowflake symbol stamped on them. We found them great in the first winter, and super convenient for avoiding tire swaps twice a year, but far from great during the second winter.

Admittedly, we hadn’t rotated them in those two years – we were used to rotating when the winter tires came off and on – so they had travelled roughly 25,000 kilometres at that point.

We were happy to find ourselves back on true winter tires the past two seasons, on Michelin X-Ice Xi3s, and found that purchasing a separate set of wheels is more costly up front but will save you money over the life of the tires. And we honestly didn’t notice much of an EV range difference with either tire.

There are now a new generation of EV-specific tires, such as Goodyear’s new ElectricDrive GT and the Michelin Pilot Sport EV, which have stiffer sidewalls to better support the weight of heavier EVs, lower rolling resistance and feature special sound-deadening.

We haven’t sampled any of these yet, but for now, we’re looking forward to the annual bump in temperatures that comes in spring, and the increase in our vehicle range, no matter what the precise reason is.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV Advice: Changing tires and battery range

a6 avant etron main header

Whether it’s a first-drive feature from the sun-soaked California coast, a quick news story about an off-road pickup that may (or may not) be coming to your local dealership or a review of a hot new sports sedan, somewhere Lee Bailie is writing about cars and car culture, something he’s been doing for almost a decade. A car guy to the core, he went on his first automotive plant tour at age seven.

Following the reveal of its sedan sibling last April, Audi has pulled the sheet of its latest EV, the A6 Avant e-tron concept, a sleek wagon that could see production in the near term.

Like the A6 e-tron concept, the A6 Avant e-tron concept is built on Audi’s all-new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, a modular system being co-developed with Porsche that will underpin a host of future electric vehicles in a variety of segments. Audi has indicated the first PPE production cars will be in the C segment, which includes mid-size models, which is where the current A6 family resides.

PPE cars will have variable battery sizes and wheelbases, but Audi has indicated they will also have common features. Among them are relatively long wheelbases and short overhangs with a larger interior and more legroom in both rows of seating. Additionally, as electric vehicles the interior space of PPE cars will benefit from the absence of a transmission tunnel. They will also have a flat battery layout which will allow for both a lower (A6 Avant e-tron concept) and higher ride height.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-outdoor.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-166974" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-outdoor.png" alt="Audi A6 Avant E-tron" width="4961" height="3307" /></a>

As for the A6 Avant e-tron, two caveats to note before I get into specifics. Its reveal was conducted online, so assembled media were not able to evaluate it in person. Secondly, the car’s cabin was not shown, so I cannot comment on its interior design, features or space utilization.

I can comment on its exterior, however, and, as the photos reveal, it is quite striking. At 4.96 metres (16.3 feet) long, 1.96 metres (6.4 feet) wide, and 1.44 metres (4.7 feet) tall, the A6 Avant e-tron concept possesses a sleek, yet wide and commanding stance. Its sloping rear roofline, bulging quarter panels and sharp character lines, along with massive 22-inch wheels and short front and rear overhangs, provide a clearly defined sporting character.

Additionally, its finer details are in keeping with other members of Audi’s e-tron family. Among these are a closed Singleframe grille and an OLED (organic light emitting diode) taillight array that form a continuous strip that runs the length of the car’s hatch and rear quarters. This display also offers a wide variety of lighting signatures and displays. Up front are slim Digital Matrix LED headlights that, like the OLED taillights, come with customizable light signatures.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-rear-2-scaled.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-166976" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-rear-2-scaled.jpg" alt="Audi A6 Avant E-tron" width="2560" height="1706" /></a>

Like its e-tron GT sibling, and the Porsche Taycan, the A6 Avant e-tron is equipped with an 800-volt charging system, which allows it to be charged with up to 270 kW of charging power. To put its fast-charging capability in context, Audi claims the car’s 100 kWh battery can achieve a range status of 300 kilometres (186 miles) in about 10 minutes, and it will take roughly 25 minutes to go from five to 80 per cent charged.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-charging.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-166973" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/a6-avant-etron-charging.png" alt="Audi A6 Avant E-tron" width="4961" height="3720" /></a>

As for maximum range, the A6 Avant e-tron concept checks in at 700 km (435 miles), with the caveat that the figure is based on the World Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) standard used in Europe and other global markets. North American range figures based on EPA and NRCan testing are not available.

Other chassis details include electric motors on both axles that, “use electronic coordination to deliver all-wheel drive on demand and achieve a perfect balance between driving dynamics and energy efficiency,” according to an Audi press statement. Also present is a five-link front axle up front, a multi-link axle in the rear, along with an air suspension and adaptive dampers.

On the performance front, the A6 Avant e-tron concept is rated at 350 kW (469 hp) with 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque, which delivers a 0-100 km / h time of less than four seconds for high-performance models. That figure drops to less than seven seconds for lower-level efficiency trims, according to Audi.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/audi-a6-etron-rear-.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-166975" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/audi-a6-etron-rear-.png" alt="Audi A6 Avant E-tron" width="4961" height="3720" /></a>

As for its production prospects, Audi AG spokespeople indicated during the reveal that the A6 Avant e-tron concept will likely see production, but it wasn’t confirmed, nor was the time horizon regarding an official announcement.

I asked an Audi Canada rep if such a production car would be sold here, and he said the A6 Avant has been a “staple” of the company’s product lineup in Canada for 30 years, so if the car is greenlit for production, it would be offered here.

Parenthetically, I’ll add that Audi currently sells two gas-powered A6s in Avant form, Allroad and RS 6, and that as of this writing the A6 Avant e-tron concept is on the landing page of the company’s consumer website.

I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about all that, but I think its fair to say that the A6 Avant e-tron concept has intriguing production potential.

Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept is the electric wagon we all need

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Edition in White Pe

<h3><strong>Windsor Getting Stellantis Battery Factory</strong></h3>
The big news for this week's Weekly News Roundup is a new battery plant coming to Windsor, ON. Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles/FCA) has announced that the Ontario city will receive a $5 billion investment to build more than 45 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries every year. The plant, a venture with LG Energy Solution, is set to open in early 2024 and could supply more than 600,000 EVs every year. “Our joint venture with LG Energy Solution is yet another stepping-stone to achieving our aggressive electrification road map in the region, aimed at hitting 50 percent of battery-electric vehicle sales in the U.S. and Canada by the end of the decade,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. The CEO indicated that help from all levels of government as part of the project but didn’t detail individual contributions. Stellantis has had operations in the city since 1925 and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens calls the company the area’s largest employer. The new plant is expected to create 2,500 new jobs.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-166777 size-full" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/news-3-28-4-2048x1362-1.jpeg" alt="Weekly News Roundup, Canada's FIrst EV battery Plant" width="2048" height="1362" />
<h3><strong>Quebec Cuts EV, PHEV Incentives</strong></h3>
The Province of Quebec is cutting its maximum incentives for electric vehicles, though even the reduced amounts are still the highest in the country. The new provincial budget cuts the maximum for an EV from $8,000 to $7,000 as of April 1. More significantly, the maximum rebate for a PHEV, which topped out at the same $8,000 as an EV, is cut to $5,000. Used EVs will drop from $4,000 to $3,500. Further changes may come for 2023 and beyond, and are expected to be announced at a later date.
<h3><strong>Hurricane I6 Offers Big Power, Small Consumption</strong></h3>
Weekly News Roundup learned that Stellantis revealed an all-new inline six-cylinder engine that it says will improve power while cutting fuel economy and emissions in its largest vehicles. Dubbed Hurricane, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo I6 will be offered in a Standard Output variant designed to optimize fuel economy and a High Output engine aimed at offering more performance “while maintaining significant fuel economy during heavy use, such as towing.” The SO engine will make “more than 400 hp/450 lb-ft of torque” and the HO “more than 500 hp/475 lb-ft.” Both figures are more powerful than the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 that is commonly found in current Ram, Jeep, and Chrysler models. Stellantis said that the first Hurricane-powered models will arrive at dealers later this year.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-166778 size-full" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/news-3-28-3-2048x1366-1.jpeg" alt="Weekly News Roundup, Hurricane, 3.0-litre twin-turbo I6" width="2048" height="1366" />
<h3><strong>Chevrolet Teases Electric Equinox</strong></h3>
Chevrolet teased a new Equinox electric crossover this week. In a video posted to Twitter, the brand showed a look around the outside of a rendered 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV. It is styled much more like the Bolt and Bolt EUV than a gas Equinox, with sleek LED lights running across the nose and tail of the crossover. Chevrolet also said in the teaser that the RS model would come first in the fall of 2023, with an LT to be announced later.

<a href="https://twitter.com/chevrolet/status/1505546073779093511">https://twitter.com/chevrolet/status/1505546073779093511</a>?
<h3><strong>2023 Chevrolet Corvette Priced</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
Big Weekly News Roundup also from Chevrolet, the 2023 Corvette Stingray will see a slight price increase. The base model of the sports car will start from $71,998 before destination and fees, with order books open now. The highlight of the 2023 changes is a 70th Anniversary Edition trim for $7,995 on top of 3LT cars that adds special badging, custom luggage, and is offered only in two special paint colours with a two-tone interior. Chevrolet has added more total paint and interior colour choices as well.
<h3><strong>Two Years Free Charging for Lucid Air</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<a href="https://www.wheels.ca/five-new-exciting-evs-we-cant-wait-for/">Lucid</a> and Electrify Canada have just announced that any buyers who put down a reservation for a Lucid Air by June 30th will get two years of free fast charging on the Electrify Canada network. The luxury electric Air’s 350 kW charging means adding around 350 km of range in 15 minutes on the fast chargers. EC currently has 30 charging station locations and expects that number to grow to more than 100 by 2026.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-166779 size-full" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/news-3-28-2-2048x1365-1.jpeg" alt="Weekly News Roundup, Two Years Free Charging for Lucid Air" width="2048" height="1365" />
<h3><strong>Maserati Reveals All-New Grecale</strong></h3>
<a href="https://www.wheels.ca/edizione-ribelle-maseratis-coming-to-north-america/">Maserati</a> revealed its all-new Grecale crossover. The luxury performance model will come with a 296 hp or 325 hp 2.0-litre turbo-four with a 48V mild-hybrid “e-booster” or a 530 hp twin-turbo V6. It will also become Maserati’s first EV crossover when the Folgore (Italian for Lightning) arrives next year. Maserati touts the model’s large interior and luxury trimmings including standard leather as well as wood, carbon, and other materials. Top models will also feature air suspension and a 21-speaker Sonus Faber audio system will be on the list of creature comforts.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-166780 size-full" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/news-3-28-5-2048x2048-1.jpeg" alt="Weekly News Roundup, Maserati Grecale Crossover" width="2048" height="2048" />

&nbsp;

Weekly News Roundup: Windsor Battery Plant, Hurricane I6, 2023 Corvette

wh-EV101-March19

Electric vehicles are not fans of the cold. They don’t travel as far in winter temperatures, plus they need to keep their passengers warm, which uses up more of their battery range. The colder it gets, the more work the battery needs to do.

Unlike with gas-powered vehicles, these cars also take longer to charge in colder temperatures. The difference is noticeable even when temperatures are at or slightly above freezing. Admittedly, by Canadian winter standards, that is not extreme.

Even at ideal temperatures, EV quick chargers, just like the vehicles, have different max charging speeds.  How fast of a charge they provide, from older 50-kilowatt units to 150 units and state-of-the-art 350 units, vary widely – and colder temperatures affect them, too. At home, when charging overnight, this increased time is often barely noticeable. But when you’re on a longer drive, and quick charging is necessary, the speed is key.

I recently got to test drive a Kia EV6 that tops out at a very impressive 250-kilowatt quick charging speed on its spec sheet. But I didn’t hit anywhere near that in early March. In temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, I managed to charge the Kia faster at two Ivy quick chargers rated at 150-kilowatt than I did at a pricier 350-kilowatt Electrify Canada charger.

In theory, the Electrify Canada charger, with a higher speed capability, should have charged the vehicle much quicker. But it didn’t. When I charged the Kia at two different Ivy chargers, the speed reached the max capabilities of those units, and even exceeded them – I recorded a brief 179-kilowatt charge rate even though the maximum is said to be 150. Did Ivy sneakily install more powerful chargers?

“We are aware that some vehicles experience a temporary spike in charging speeds during sessions, which is common with fast-chargers, but this is not indicative of an increase in charging speeds,” said Adam McClare, who manages brand and marketing for the Ivy Network. “Currently, our standard max charging speed across our Ivy Charge &amp; Go fast-charging network is 150 kW.”

This all highlights that quick charging an EV in the winter can have more variables than ever-changing fuel prices. It can cause potential frustration for EV owners but occasionally surprises.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV101: Quick charging and the cold

wh-EVRentals-One-March12 (1)

For Emma Jarratt’s first vehicle purchase, the mother of two bought her 2019 Nissan Leaf sight unseen. “Some people I told basically thought I was a lunatic for buying a car online,” she said.

But Jarratt didn’t make her decision without some practical experience. She originally booked and test drove a Leaf over a weekend last summer through the EVnet.ca website. That helped her confirm the all-electric hatchback could fit well with her family and her driving patterns.

Jarratt test drove a Leaf with a 40-kilowatt hour battery – which is rated to have a 243-kilometre range – through the Electric Vehicle Network, a Toronto-based used EV dealer that runs the website. It is a portal that gives potential buyers the opportunity to rent a used EV to see if it fits their lifestyle, experience different vehicle options and purchase one.

After her test experience, Jarratt decided to order a 2019 Leaf Plus, with a 62-kilowatt hour battery and a range of up to 363 kilometres. The Electric Vehicle Network was able to source and import one for her from California, and it arrived roughly two months after she placed her order.

“I didn’t sit in the car before I bought it, but I felt very confident since I had that experience with it already,” said Jarratt.

Jarratt works for ElectricAutonomy.ca, an industry site focused on zero emissions transportation, infrastructure and legislation in Canada. “I think all vehicles should be purchased this way.”

Darryl Croft, president of the Electric Vehicle Network, said allowing people to experience an EV is important when it comes to educating them about these vehicles.

“We’re not trying to rent just to do a deal later,” he said. The company realized that moving folks from gas vehicles to EVs involved a whole new set of questions around range (especially in winter), fuel costs, road trip and maintenance differences, Croft said.

“Sometimes people have 50 or 60 questions,” Croft said from his office in Etobicoke, where the showroom is located (currently by appointment only). The network has a fleet of five to eight plug-in vehicles available to rent at any one time.

“Our philosophy is that by experiencing a vehicle through a rental, it provides that reassurance.”
<h3><strong>Renting options</strong></h3>
Another way to experience driving an electric vehicle in Canada is through Turo, an Airbnb-style website and app where privately owned vehicles are available to rent. Cedric Mathieu, Turo’s vice-president in charge of Canada, said the main benefits of renting through it is the wide choice of different EVs available on its platform. Turo also offers the optional of having the vehicle delivered to your door.

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/wh-EVRentals-Two-March12-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165931" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/wh-EVRentals-Two-March12-2.jpg" alt="EV" width="2000" height="1500" /></a>

He said there are about 750 active EVs on the platform in Canada, which range from smaller city-focused cars to brand new luxury models. Mathieu said the company doesn’t formally track how many renters on the platform use it to test drive vehicles, but he notes it’s something that’s often mentioned in the user reviews of their overall experience.

“Electric car owners are early adopters, so they’re often happy to evangelize about the car,” he said. “It’s the most effective education strategy, as it’s (coming from) a person that owns the car and helps get people over that technology barrier.”

People curious about EVs in the Greater Toronto Area also have the opportunity to test drive a variety of new vehicles through Plug ‘n Drive, a non-profit organization that makes them available at its Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre. It houses an ever-evolving fleet of new EVs for consumers to try and learn about. It doesn’t sell vehicles but can refer interested buyers to dealerships. Because of the pandemic, it is also running by appointment only.

Plug ‘n Drive founder and CEO Cara Clairman said the vehicles are not available to take overnight, but it does offer a chance to try different makes, models and battery ranges back-to-back. Clairman said she bought her first EV in 2011 after testing it through an early car share program. She also knows people who have purchased theirs after renting through EVNet.ca.

Rental car company Hertz announced last October it has ordered 100,000 Tesla Model 3 sedans to be delivered by the end of 2022. The company currently doesn’t offer EVs to rent in Toronto, but Hertz said it has non-Tesla EVs in Vancouver, but only available onsite and not through its website or by telephone booking systems.

For Leaf owner Jarratt, the appeal of an EV goes beyond its extra-quiet driving feel and how much lower her fuel costs are.

“It’s not just about cars, it’s about science, about technology, about the environment, there’s just so many aspects to it that really makes EVs exciting,” she said. “I never thought I’d be one of those people passionate about my car.”

Renting an EV can help you decide if it's right for you

wh-EV101-March12

On Dec. 27, 2011, this photograph of a sign was posted online by an early electric vehicle adopter. Snapped at an ONroute station, it promised this was the “Future home of electric vehicle plug-in charging stations.” The first of those chargers finally opened in late February 2022, in time for March Break road trips.

The popular rest stops on Ontario’s 400-series highways are obviously logical places for quick charging stations.

For any EV owner who has driven up to one of these signs, the news of the first six ONroute quick charging stations opening is not only a technical achievement, but also sociological: recognition that EVs and their drivers are finally entering the mainstream motoring conversation.

Nine more stations are slated to open by the end of March, and 17 additional ONroute locations are planned for summer 2022 on the Ivy Network.

Even if the gas pumps still vastly outnumber quick charge points, and will for years more, these stations notably have chargers available for all quick-charging battery electric vehicles, including Teslas.

The fact that it took so long for the ONroute charging stations to appear speaks to the difficulty of making money from a tiny fraction of the driving public that largely “fuels up’” at home. Still, this is welcome news for many EV owners, and I can’t wait to plan my next road trip around them.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

ONroute with the EV program

Rolls-Royce-Spectre-1

Stephanie Wallcraft is a multiple award-winning automotive and motorsport journalist, and she is also a parent who daily navigates living and driving in Canada's largest city. Stephanie is President of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.

When it does not exist, design it.

This is a quote from Sir Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. This and several more of his quotes, to this day, define the ethos of the brand he helped establish.

Strive for perfection in everything we do.

Take the best that exists and make it better.

It’s no empty gesture that sees these words scrawled across the side of a prototype seen skidding across ice-covered Swedish lakes in -40 degree Celsius temperatures this past March. That prototype is the Spectre, the first all-electric car from Rolls-Royce, which is currently 25 percent of the way into its 2.5-million-kilometre testing program ahead of a full reveal to take place sometime in 2023.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Spectre-2-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168221" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Spectre-2-scaled.jpg" alt="Rolls Royce Spectre" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

The Spectre is said to be the spiritual successor – see what they did there? – to the Phantom coupé that was last sold by the brand in 2016. It also kicks off a period of Rolls-Royce development being dubbed “Rolls-Royce 3.0”: if 1.0 was the start of the Goodwood era in 2003, and 2.0 was the launch of the aluminum spaceframe adaptable architecture, then 3.0 will denote the start of the electric epoch.

Technical details remain sparse, but so far sales don’t appear to be: with 18 months to go until the start of production, 100 Spectres have already been presold and 120 deposits placed as of late March 2022, according to Martin Fritsches, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America. Fritsches shared the details of the brand’s electric vision with Wheels.ca at a recent event in Banff, Alberta.

This early interest is unsurprising, Fritsches said: the brand has been clear about its strategic vision to go fully electric by the end of the decade, and he said customers are prepared to come along for an even quieter Rolls-Royce signature Magic Carpet Ride.

“We were hearing also from (our customers) that many of them were interested and asking, when is the electric Rolls-Royce car coming?” Fritsches said. “Because we are very intimate with our customers and we listen to them, they are already prepared. … They not only trust us, but they already understand what is coming.”

By what’s coming, he means the benefits of the conversion to electric as well as the challenges. On the positive side, many of the well-known advantages of electric driving align with those already associated with the Rolls-Royce brand.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Spectre-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168222" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Spectre-3.jpg" alt="Rolls Royce Spectre" width="2000" height="1334" /></a>

“Seamless driving, less noise, pure acceleration — many elements are already there that people link with Rolls-Royce,” Fritsches said. “When we started to put all these things together, we have to not only follow that trend, but for the ultra-luxury segment we should be one of the leading brands. [We will] try to come up with the Rolls-Royce of the electrics. That is the ultimate goal.”

From the outset, the bar is high. However, the potential downside is the challenge of electric vehicle charging, which can be an inconvenience for all of today’s EV owners no matter how much they paid for their vehicles. For the ultra-luxury buyer whose time is money, whiling away hours at a charging station outside a rural Tim Hortons might seem like an unacceptable compromise.

Although no details were provided, Fritsches hinted at attempts to put charging infrastructure in place that would meet the expectations of a Rolls-Royce owner.

“Whatever change you drive, it doesn’t happen overnight, particularly in bigger, radical projects,” Fritsches said. “You have to adjust, and also you have to reinvent yourself. That process, for sure, is challenging.

“We are already having conversations when it comes to charging stations or services, and we are already packaging it all together.”

At this stage, not much is known about Spectre. It will have two doors, more than 1,000 electronically controlled functions through 7 kilometres of cabling, 23-inch wheels — making it the first Rolls-Royce coupe to be so equipped since 1926 — and a 700-kilogram battery pack.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Martin-Fritsches.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168223" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rolls-Royce-Martin-Fritsches.jpg" alt="MArtin Fritches" width="1001" height="751" /></a>

Beyond those details, we’ll need to wait until closer to the car’s full reveal. At its heart, though, Fritsches said the Spectre will still be a Rolls-Royce.

“What will (make it) unique is that it’s still going to be a Rolls-Royce, more than ever,” he said. “You will have the 100-percent pure craftsmanship in it, and all these unique bespoke features as only Rolls-Royce can do it, present in a fully electric car.

“It will be, at the end, the perfect combination of innovation, new technology, (and) electrification, with still the traditional craftsmanship at bespoke levels of Rolls-Royce.”

One final detail for the Spectre still to be announced is its price. However, of all those named so far, this may be the least important. To the Rolls-Royce buyer, cost is less of a factor than desire.

After all, as Sir Henry Royce said: the quality will remain when the price is forgotten.

Rolls-Royce leads ultra-luxury down the road to electrification

wh-Vehicle5G-BMW-May7

You might not realize it, but many modern vehicles on the road today are essentially computers on wheels.

From multiple sensors to reduce emissions, to automated safety features and performance enhancements, roughly 50 different computer systems all help manage what’s going on under the hood and in the cabin. No wonder computer chip makers and software companies are setting their sights on powering tomorrow’s vehicles.

And just like any computer, it works best when it can communicate with other machines, which is why the latest in cellular technology, called 5G, is making its way to vehicles.

Prevalent in major cities across Canada, 5G is already available on many of today’s smartphones, such as the iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 6. Some laptops and tablets support 5G, too, as well as portable “hotspot” devices for internet access in homes and cottages.

This fifth-generation cellular technology offers several advantages over the last generation of 4G LTE. This includes much faster data speeds, lower latency (the time required for data to travel between two points) and higher connection density (how many devices the network can support at one time in a geographic area).

“5G is the next evolution for connectivity across a multitude of devices and not just mobile phones,” said Kristin Kolodge, vice president of auto benchmarking and mobility development at J.D. Power. “Just like it reduces lag or latency when you’re searching for or downloading content, or perhaps video chatting, these benefits will help enable new kinds of connections in vehicles, too, or significantly enhance services we have today.”

Drivers and passengers in a 5G-enabled vehicle will be able to quickly connect to various online services – for information, entertainment, navigation and communication – but it will also allow fast over-the-air updates to the vehicle’s various computer systems.

Just like Apple, Android and Microsoft push updates to phones, tablets and laptops, car owners will be able to benefit from new features and software “patches” to fix issues. 5G also helps facilitate a faster and more reliable connection between a driver and their vehicle, even when they are not inside of it, such as accessing the car’s systems remotely on a companion app.

“5G networks’ near instant response times and capacity to connect millions of devices means vehicles will be connected in a technology ecosystem like never before,” said Neel Dayal, senior director of innovation and partnerships for Rogers Communications.

Dayal said Rogers partnered with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network last month to launch a <a href="https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fabout.rogers.com%2Fnews-ideas%2Frogers-and-ovin-launch-5g-transportation-challenge%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CZac.Carreiro%40rci.rogers.com%7Cf89e88907abd479746fe08da22f18d03%7C0ab4cbbf4bc74826b52ca14fed5286b9%7C0%7C0%7C637860718082030173%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=QoGvxaVFjCGqkte7Dq0U3YvkW4f2UZSCGEcUTbO3Vs0%3D&amp;reserved=0">5G Transportation Challenge</a>. “Right now, we’re encouraging mobility and transportation SMEs (small and midsize enterprises) to share how they might use the Rogers 5G network for automotive use cases, and winners will be invited to demonstrate and showcase their applications on site on the Rogers 5G-enabled testbed at the University of Waterloo later this year,” said Dayal.

In the long run, smart cars powered by 5G could communicate with several other devices, said Kolodge. “We’re going to start seeing things like vehicles connecting to infrastructure over 5G, such as a stoplight or a construction sign, or perhaps a construction worker wearing a vest that has a sensor in it that tells the driver of the car there is a work zone ahead.”

Kolodge said 5G could also enable vehicle-to-vehicle communication. “If a car drives across a patch of ice or a pothole in the road, it can communicate that to other vehicles in that vicinity,” said Kolodge.

In March, BMW launched the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50, the first 5G-equipped car in the U.S. It is supported by T-Mobile’s Magenta Drive, a $20 per month service that provides high-speed connectivity to the car, for both for calls and data services, and includes an internal Wi-Fi hotspot to connect up to 10 devices to the internet in or outside the vehicle.

In Canada, BMW’s first 5G vehicle will be the all-new 7 series, including the all-electric BMW i7, to go on sale in the country in the fourth quarter of this year.

“5G connectivity in this vehicle will open up a whole new level of user experience,” said Jonathan Thomson, national manager of product planning at BMW Canada. “Not only will software updates be completed much quicker, but in-vehicle entertainment will also reach new heights, (which) can be equipped with a 31-inch, 8K ultra-wide screen for second-row passengers that runs Amazon Fire TV.”

Thomson said the baseline focus for vehicle connectivity is over-the-air updates. “This allows our compatible vehicles, and their software, to remain as up-to-date and relevant as possible. This applies to system functionality upgrades, map updates, and so on.”

Other automakers, like General Motors, are also betting big on 5G. “As GM moves to 5G, the company will introduce a range of new convenience and entertainment features as well as new driver-assistance technologies,” said Natalie Nankil, director of product communications at General Motors Canada.

“These network improvements will be foundational for the future of GM’s growing over-the-air update strategy,” said Nankil, who confirmed the first GM vehicles with built-in connectivity to 5G are expected to be introduced in 2025. “With more advanced features, robust and secure software, and faster download speeds, more data per second is accessible to provide a more convenient and safe customer experience.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-Vehicle5G-Tower-May7.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-168074 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-Vehicle5G-Tower-May7.jpg" alt="5G" width="1626" height="1200" /></a>

<strong>Autonomous technology</strong>

When it comes to driverless cars, 5G could help augment other autonomous technologies, including radar and lidar sensors, and onboard cameras.  J.D. Powers’ Kristin Kolodge said it will allow for both vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication.

“This is essential for automated vehicles to understand what’s going on around it, whether it’s gathering and processing info from sensors or cameras, or from other devices across that connectivity band,” said Kolodge.

Rogers Communications’ Neel Dayal said 5G will help facilitate autonomous vehicles in the near future, “Including cars and taxis, but also autonomous public transportation systems, delivery systems and assisted driving for seniors and people with disabilities.

“Advanced sensors like cameras and lidar across vehicles and roads will help navigate by allowing cars to communicate with their environments and create more accurate maps,” said Dayal.

5G is soon coming to your car

Polestar 2 charging and Model 3 6

If you happened to order your Ford Mustang Mach-E, Polestar 2 or Audi Q4 e-Tron in 2021 and received delivery of it after April 25 of this year, then congratulations. You are one of the fortunate new buyers who can take advantage of the new federal EV rebate.

If you bought or received it before, then you are out of luck. This latest round of federal government changes, which took effect in late April, increased the rebate price cap on EV purchases from $45,000 to $55,000 for cars, and $60,000 for all-electric or long-range PHEV minivans, pickups or sport-utility vehicles – including those mentioned above. Buyers of those vehicles who pre-ordered and then picked up their cars once the increase was in place will receive a $5,000 discount.

But the reality is that most new electric vehicles available today, aren’t available today. They were all pre-ordered many months ago.

“For most vehicles it’s six months to three years (wait),” said Daniel Breton, the CEO of industry group Electric Mobility Canada. This has pushed many folks who want to buy a new EV into the used market, pushing up their prices.

There was hope a national used EV rebate – like those in Quebec and British Columbia – would be announced by the federal government in its recent budget, but it was not included.

“We were expecting a federal rebate for used EVs because it was part of the mandate letters,” said Breton, about the yearly public mandates issued to government ministers by the prime minister. “It’s been part of the mandate letters for two or three years, so we’ve been really surprised not to see any used EV rebates.”

When you look at the base price of EVs in the U.S., their costs, even with the exchange rate, are generally higher than in Canada, which start just under $45,000 for some manufacturer’s base models. But there are concerns a wave of price increases is coming.

Breton said that even though most manufacturers have a model under $45,000, “97 per cent of the vehicles (actually) sold would be more expensive models.”

So, while the new rebate cap can be used on more vehicles, which is a good for EVs overall, the new changes won’t help many new buyers for some time.

<em>Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV Advice: New rebate won’t help buyers, yet

wh-ConvertingCars-Main-May7

While the global automotive industry is steering toward manufacturing electric instead of internal combustion engine vehicles, a lifelong car lover from Canada has found a way to make the switch without scrapping the chassis and frame.

In February of this year, Dean Kneider, a 51-year-old Toronto native now living in B.C., launched Riise EV. Riise is an acronym for “The Realization of Innovative and Integrated Sustainable Energy,” and the company retrofits gas-powered vehicles into electric ones.

“We have 1.5 billion vehicles on this planet, we shouldn’t be throwing everything away to buy new electric. We should be converting,” Kneider said.

There are companies, many based in California, that are converting classic cars. Kneider looked into buying one of those vehicles but found the cost would have been extremely expensive. There was also a three-year waiting list because of the demand. Instead, he began discussing the idea of starting his own similar business two years ago. His family, friends and business partners encouraged him to do so.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-ConvertingCars-Conversion1-May7-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168060" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-ConvertingCars-Conversion1-May7-scaled.jpg" alt="Converting Cars" width="2560" height="2295" /></a>

“They thought the concept was inspiring, the right idea at the right time. Very unique, logical and the name Riise EV had a purpose of changing the world for the right reasons,” he said. “I wanted to build a business plan that was impactful.”

Along with retrofitting cars, his plan includes a way to scale the operation by converting buses, shuttles and utility fleets. They usually feature the same models and years of vehicles, so they can all be switched to electric using the same parts, or what he calls “rev kits.”

He will be targeting governments and companies for prospective orders. He said only doing conversions with one-off vehicles does not work because his company might be able to do only 24 conversions a year. With fleets, he said the company could do thousands.

“A new electric bus today costs about $400,000 and we’ve got the bus conversion kits down to about $200,000,” he said. “We’re taking a five-year-old bus that is off its powertrain warranty and have the ability to convert it. We figured this was an economic business model that a lot of people would get behind. I'm not trying to squash new buses. I want the school boards to buy new buses, but I don’t want them to get rid of their fleet.”

Kneider researched his idea for about a year and figured he could convert a car, truck, bus or van from gas-powered into electric in three months. He then began to circulate his plan to investors, who are eligible for environment-related tax benefits.

He said the provincial government in B.C. has structured it so there are $675,000 in tax breaks for the first $1.5 million raised. Kneider said there are also grants available from the federal and provincial governments, which he said would provide additional financial resources to use for research and development and growing his staff.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-ConvertingCars-Conversion2-May7-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168061" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wh-ConvertingCars-Conversion2-May7-scaled.jpg" alt="Converting Cars" width="2114" height="2560" /></a>

“I’ve got paper stacked up like the Rocky Mountains in my office. I know every scrap of DNA that you can about electric cars,” he said. “Unless somebody’s going to write a check for $20 million so you can buy a ton of inventory and equipment or parts and accessories, it's really hard to get going. If it was so easy, everybody would be doing it.

“If I’m going to get investors to invest in the company, which I have, they will want a return (on their investment),” he said. “Profits is not a dirty word. I'm doing it in a way where I'm still making money, but I'm doing right for the environment.”

<strong>Changing the focus</strong>

Kneider said the automotive world is consumed with companies such as Tesla, Rivian, Lucid and Canoo, that are building new electric cars and trucks. He said what he is doing has a bigger and more practical purpose in terms of sustainability.

“I’m trying to preserve from an environmental standpoint, things that are important,” he said. “My kids challenged me every day on what I am going to do better for the environment, because this is how our kids are being brought up. I don't want to be a throwaway society.

“It's a tough space to get all the parts and equipment to do it,” he said. “It’s not as easy as it looks. If it was, everybody would do it, but I wanted to give it a go.”

He also looked at a way to start a business with his 14-year-old son, William, whom he said thought the idea of transforming classic sports cars into electric vehicles was “cool.” Growing up, Kneider wanted to work with his own father, George, who worked as an architect for more than 50 years and whose clients include premium automotive manufacturers. He sees Riise EV as a company he can develop into something where his son could join him one day.

So far, his team has converted one car and is close to finishing another. It has also converted one bus. He said he could sell them, but the plan is to convert at least 10 examples that he can show to interested clients.

“I’m finally doing it, but I’m just starting to go out and sell it because I can show it,” Kneider said. “People don’t want to buy something they can’t see. People want to buy something they can feel in touch. I’ve already had people wanting to buy the car and the bus. I’m trying to utilize this to show people it is possible and then they can start putting orders in. It takes a little time because it’s a new way of thinking.

“I’m just blazing a trail, and I don’t want to sound like when Elon Musk started Tesla. He started with a roadster and all the oil and gas companies and car companies like Ford, GM, Jaguar, Porsche and all the others didn't want him to do it because he was changing something. He was a disrupter. He had a lot of money backing him to be able to create tests and look at what it’s done?” he said.

“It’s paved the way for guys like me to now come in and do different things, along with probably a slew of other electrical companies.”

He said his idea is different because rather than building a new product, he is converting older vehicles to keep them on the road longer.

“The new car companies want to sell new cars. They don’t want me doing this. The bus companies don’t want me doing this,” he said. “Legislation regulations could hurt me for a little while, but I’ve proven that we can do it in the bus and the shuttles and the high asset equipment.”

Stuffing lightning under the hood: this Canadian converts gas-powered vehicles into electric ones

EQS kommt 2021 und ist erstes Modell auf der neuen Elektroarchitektur: Sechs neue EQ Modelle: Mercedes-Benz erweitert Elektroauto-PortfolioEQS arrives in 2021 and is the first model built on the new electric architecture: Six new models from EQ: Mercede

As the head of the Mercedes-EQ electric sub-brand, Christoph Starzynski’s job will only become increasingly important in the years to come.

Starzynski is vice-president of electric vehicle architecture for Mercedes-Benz Group. His team has overseen the launch of the EQS sedan on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, and the upcoming EQE sedan and just-announced EQS SUV. And there’s much more to come: Starzynski says the S-Class, E-Class, and C-Class currently being sold are in their final life cycle as internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-2-scaled.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-167918" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-2-scaled.jpg" alt="Ercedes EQ" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

“Everything we are developing from now on will be EV only,” Starzynski says. “The next S-Class will be fully electric only. There will be no ICE or hybrid version anymore as of right now.”

The AMG performance sub-brand is also undergoing this shift. A new dedicated platform solely for electric AMG vehicles will be ready by 2025. Electric Maybach products are coming as well, Starzynski says, and they are “not years away.”

Canada is one of the top markets in the world per capita for AMG sales, so the question of whether AMG owners are ready for this change is an especially important one here. As the AMG platform is developed, Starzynski says, one of the goals is to keep as much of the drive experience on par with that of ICE AMG vehicles as possible.

“It’s not only about the classic engine sound,” he says. “I think it’s more the dynamics, ride, handling, stiffness of the suspension, steering. … I don’t think there is going to be a big convincing [of buyers to adopt AMG EVs], unless someone really, really needs a V8 sound, which we somehow can incorporate through our speakers.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-3-scaled.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-167919" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-3-scaled.jpg" alt="Mercedes EQ" width="2560" height="1708" /></a>

Range is another important hurdle in the switch to EVs, particularly in the luxury segment where buyers have high expectations. The EQS SUV being released in Canada toward the end of this year will be offered in 450 4MATIC and 580 4MATIC variants. North American estimates are not yet available, but European range estimates for the EQS SUV are topping 600 kilometres for some models.

“I think there is a specific bar in a segment which you have to jump over,” Starzynski says. “Otherwise, in my opinion, customers will not accept the product.”

Starzynski has been with Mercedes-Benz for more than 20 years, starting in support roles and gradually moving into management and regional executive positions before being named Chief Engineer for Electric Vehicle Architecture in 2017. Today, he oversees Mercedes-EQ from the head office in Stuttgart, Germany, where he says the corporate environment is different from what it has been in the past. There’s much more emphasis on constant evolution and change, as opposed to the predictable cycles that have been traditional in the automotive industry.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-4-scaled.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-167920" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mercedes-EQ-4-scaled.jpg" alt="Mercedes EQ" width="2560" height="1440" /></a>

“We've changed the way we're working in R&amp;D now from model year to model year moves, which we were used to, into small, incremental changes and improvements,” he says. “That comes with the assistance of how our Formula 1 colleagues work. They basically have to be better every two weeks to beat the competition. We realized, in this transformation and disruption, we have to change our processes as well.”

Some of those changes, Starzynski says, include developing open-concept collaborative workspaces, partnering more often with small technology start-up companies, and bringing people with a wider knowledge base in-house for new types of development such as battery chemistry testing. The advent of over-the-air software updates has made it possible to offer new features on an ongoing basis instead of at the time of the vehicle purchase, meaning that ongoing customization and evolution will become an expectation instead of a novelty.

“There's so much fast technology moving, and of course we want to be ahead of the game,” Starzynski says. “I can’t imagine that we will have the same style EQS for 20 years and just keep it fresh for software purposes. Obviously, the result is going to be model year changes, [but] the small, incremental changes and improvements will be disconnected from the model years.

“There is definitely a point of customization possible where the customer is really seeing a benefit.”

Today, SUVs are in higher demand than ever. Mercedes is touting the EQS SUV as the first electric luxury seven-seat SUV in the world, a position that Starzynski says makes it an extremely important vehicle for the Mercedes-EQ brand.

“It has maybe the potential, like the first M-Class, to say we’re setting a market,” he says. “This car is the ultimate luxury SUV, with a progressive interpretation of EVs.

“It will set, in my opinion, a main guiding star for the automotive industry.”

Mercedes EQS SUV leads the brand’s steady march towards electrification

PPrime charging 2

I’m constantly hunting for our next EV, either new or used. Most new EVs are often out of stock, especially the latest generation of models that are priced somewhat like mainstream cars, including the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Volkswagen ID.4.

There may still be a few floating around on lots, either because buyers cancelled last minute or dealers are selling their demo vehicles, but these (and likely other EVs) have largely sold out in Canada for the 2022 model year.

The lengthy wait – a few months to a year or longer – for many new EVs has pushed some buyers to the used market, which is swollen with buyers. Here are some useful ways to save some money when shopping for a used EV.

The first is to do your homework. Website plugndrive.ca has information about two non-government used EV incentives for drivers in Ontario: a $1,000 incentive for buying any used battery electric vehicle that costs less than $50,000 (before taxes), and another $1,000 if you scrap an older internal combustion vehicle.

Qualifying for the $1,000 purchase incentive requires you to take part in a one-hour Plug ‘n Drive webinar on EV ownership, charging and other key info. A non-profit education group, Plug ‘n Drive has been “cranking out the rebates,” said its president and CEO, Cara Clairman.

As it is privately funded, its incentive program could end at any time. “I went to the province and said, ‘You guys should pick it up,’” said Clairman, who added Quebec offers a government-funded $4,000 used EV rebate. “But I’m not holding my breath.” She also said the federal government has shown interest in a used EV rebate, but there’s no timeline or details on that plan at the time of writing this column.

The $1,000 scrappage incentive is not a lot of money for a still-working vehicle these days, so the wiser financial move may be to trade-in or sell your old car.

Another tip would be to see if you can find an EV lease you can take over, ideally one that only has a year or two of payments left. Its monthly payments may be low thanks to the $14,000 Ontario EV rebate that was cancelled in mid-2018 by the Ford government.

The residual value of the EV would have been set before any chip shortages, gas price spikes or interest rate hikes, so the purchase option at the end of its lease – and perhaps even the monthly payments – may be somewhat more attractive than you could find otherwise.

<em> Michael Bettencourt bought his first EV in late 2011 and has followed the Canadian EV scene ever since. Follow him on Twitter @MCBet10court</em>

EV Advice: Finding used EV bargains not easy

Power,Supply,Connect,To,Electric,Car,For,Add,Charge,To

Living in rural Nova Scotia, Matthew Guy has immersed himself in car culture for over 30 years and relishes the thought of a good road trip. A certified gearhead, he enjoys professionally writing about cars and is very pleased to contribute for wheels.ca.

His work has also appeared on Car Throttle, The Truth About Cars, and in CAA Magazine. Find him on Twitter @matthewkguy

This year’s federal budget saw an expansion of iZEV, a rebate program facilitated by the federal government and designed to sweeten the pot for customers buying or leasing an electric vehicle. Under the new rules, which took effect on April 25<sup>th</sup>, the price cap for rebate eligibility on all-electric passenger cars was increased to $55,000 for base models while SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks may qualify with a starting price $5,000 higher. Those sticker prices can rise by $10,000 in each instance for more expensive versions of the same vehicle.

While the feds can be notably deficient in some areas of record keeping (how’s that Access to Information Act working out on Parliament Hill, eh?), it appears they are on the ball with keeping tabs on the iZEV program since its inception in May 2019. Reams of data are publicly available – check it out <a href="https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/42986a95-be23-436e-af15-7c6bf292a2e1">here</a> if you wish to see for yourself. For readers who don’t wish to go blind staring at spreadsheets, we’re pleased to have parsed the data for you.

These numbers are current through to the end of March 2022. We selected that date since it is the final full month of the original iZEV program before the new eligibility rules came into effect in the last week of April. Our goal is to pluck a few notable details from about 150,000 rows of data – particularly information focusing on total expenditures, regional quirks, and popular vehicles. Buckle up, stats nerds; there’s no shortage of numbers ahead.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/battery-cell-production-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-167824 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/battery-cell-production-scaled.jpg" alt="EV battery production" width="2560" height="1668" /></a>
<h3><strong>Nearly 150,000 rebates given out</strong></h3>
A total of 141,873 rebates were doled out through iZEV since the program began, totalling just a hair over $611 million in government largesse. Not all those rebates were for the maximum amount of $5,000. Some Canadians were eligible for only $2,500. This smaller sum would have been calculated either by the size of a vehicle’s battery (less than 15kWh) or if the customer chose a short-term lease instead of an outright purchase.
<h3><strong>Summertime shopping</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
If you think Canadians like buying cars in the summertime, you’re correct. The month with the most activity was August 2021, when 7,099 rebates were requested. Sixty days later was equally robust, with 6,940 asks for iZEV funds. As one might expect, the pandemic’s onset saw a cratering of demand, though there were still 1,108 souls who managed to brave COVID and shuttered dealers for an EV in April 2020. Even with that dip, which carried on for several months, the program has seen an average of just over 4,000 applications per month since its commencement.
<h3><strong>Line Items</strong></h3>
For reasons known only to bed-wetting accountants, the iZEV program can be tweaked to provide an odd-numbered rebate depending on the terms of a vehicle loan or purchase. For example, while the $2,500 and $5,000 figures are widely known, some shoppers ended up with bizarre amounts such as $2,031 or $3,437. Most of the rebates were comprised of the so-called ‘normal’ figures, with 72.3 per cent getting five-grand in government money and 27 per cent receiving half that amount.
<h3><strong>Regional Differences</strong></h3>
Alert readers will not be astonished to learn Doug Ford’s decision to axe the Ontario provincial rebate on EVs had a massive effect on sales of electric vehicles in that region. Despite being home to the lion’s share of this nation’s residents (and their cars), the Loyalist Province counted for 17,931 rebate requests or just 12.6 per cent of the total since May 2019.

How does that contrast that to Quebec and British Columbia, two places which have provincial assistance on top of the federal monies? Try 76,836 and 41,382 – or 54.2 and 29.1 per cent respectively. Ford might have flapped his jaws recently that Ontario is set to be a hub of EV manufacturing in North America but the raw numbers starkly show EV sales are severely impacted by his policies. Perhaps he could pour money into such a program instead of free license plates stickers and a buck-a-beer campaigns.

Elsewhere, the Northwest Territories have counted for 17 rebate requests and Nunavut doesn’t rank at all. Combined, the four Atlantic provinces make up just shy of 2,000 iZEV recipients, with a recent uptick in their take rate thanks to BC-style provincial rebate programs in most areas down east. Truck-loving prairie dwellers have helped themselves to only 3,635 rebates since May 2019.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/tesla-model-3-ev-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-167826" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/tesla-model-3-ev-scaled.jpg" alt="Tesla Model 3" width="2560" height="1440" /></a>
<h3><strong>Tesla tops the list</strong></h3>
A total of 16 different brands have dipped a wheel into iZEV, running the alphabet from Audi to Volkswagen.

Given the sheer volume and popularity of Tesla, it should be unsurprising to learn those cars got roughly 40,800 handouts, equating to 28.8 per cent of the program so far.

Or perhaps it <em>should</em> be surprising. After a price increase in November 2021, the Tesla Model 3 no longer qualified for iZEV under the old rules. Yet, a total of 5,469 transactions for Model 3 sedans received rebates between December 2021 and March 2022. Tesla notes that orders for the car placed prior to the price hike were expected to remain eligible and it looks like that confidence was justified. In total, the government has splashed out more than $27.3 million on Tesla Model 3s since they were official removed from the eligibility list. We will refer you to iZEV’s new price cap for that car’s future admissibility to the program, Musk’s propensity to unpredictably fiddle with the prices of his fleet notwithstanding.

In other showrooms, both Hyundai and Toyota cleaned up, accounting for 26,742 and 20,807 rebate applications respectively. While the Japanese giant counts just two models in its numbers – the RAV4 Prime and Prius Prime – our Korean friends have had no fewer than nine models in the game since program inception, ranging from current models like the angular Ioniq 5 and other efforts like the Sonata PHEV.

Electric Car News and editorial from Wheels.ca

EV News