Vehicle and fuel availability
Vehicle models available
Battery-electric vehicles
Most battery-electric vehicles in North America today are found in California, due to that state's stringent emissions standards and the availability of emissions credits.
Ford Ranger EV
A battery-electric pickup truck, now sold by about 50 certified dealers across the United States and Canada. The United States Postal Service has signed an agreement with Ford Motor Company to order as many as 6000 electric postal vehicles based on the Ford Ranger EV (the initial order of 500 vehicles will be concentrated in California). This is the single largest electric-vehicle order in history.
Hybrid electric vehicles
A limited range of hybrid electric vehicles are commercially available in Canada. More are scheduled to be introduced over the next few years.
Honda Insight
The Honda Insight was the first hybrid electric vehicle introduced to the North American consumer market. Offered in the United States in the 1999 model year and in Canada in the 2000 model year, it is available from any Honda dealership at a cost premium compared with similar conventional vehicles. It needs no external charging because it uses regenerative breaking. The Insight can travel more than 1100 kilometres on a tank of gasoline, with a fuel consumption rating of 3.9 L/100 km in the city and 3.2 L/100 km on the highway. The lightweight and compact two-seater has a small high-efficiency engine and an aerodynamic exterior design. Honda refers to its hybrid system as Integrated Motor Assist. The Insight's electric motor is coupled with the gasoline engine. The electric motor gives the gasoline engine extra power while the vehicle is in motion. This is especially beneficial when accelerating or climbing hills.
Honda Civic Hybrid
First offered in Canada for the 2003 model year, the Honda Civic Hybrid is available from any Honda dealership for about $10,000 more than a regular Civic. It has a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder engine. Its fuel consumption rating is 4.9 L/100 km in the city and 4.6 L/100 km on the highway. It is the same size and comes with the same features as a gasoline powered Honda Civic.
Toyota Prius
First offered in Canada in the 2001 model year, the Prius is available from any Toyota dealership at a cost similar to a comparably equipped Toyota Camry. The Prius has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine and uses a 500-volt system. Its battery is recharged using the gasoline engine and regenerative braking. The Prius reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 30 percent.
The Toyota Prius is designed to reduce emissions in urban areas because it can run solely on its battery at low speeds. This five-door liftback is similar to a Toyota Camry in terms of trunk and interior space. The Prius has also adopted a parallel hybrid configuration, but one that adds some of the benefits of a series hybrid system, called the Toyota Hybrid System. This system relies on the powertrain to achieve its emissions targets and optimize fuel use. The battery is used on its own until the speed of the car exceeds about 40 km/hr. (depending on how fast you accelerate), at which point the gasoline engine begins to assist.
Ford Escape Hybrid
Introduced in the 2005 model year, the Ford Escape Hybrid was the first vehicle to combine SUV capability with the fuel economy and low environmental impact of a hybrid electric engine. Fuel consumption equals that of a gasoline-powered compact or sub-compact car, but you gain some of the benefits associated with a larger vehicle.
General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Fiat Auto, Renault and Subaru all have hybrid models in the works.
Refuelling
Battery-electric vehicles
Electricity is the most widely available energy source in Canada, thus using it to power our vehicles makes sense. Most battery-electric vehicles can be recharged from a standard 240-volt, 40-amp electrical outlet (which is used for stoves and clothes dryers in most homes), and some can be recharged from a 110-volt service. Using a 240-volt service, cars, light-duty trucks and delivery vehicles can be charged overnight for about $2.40, given an average electricity price of 8 cents per kWh. Some areas even offer off-peak rates at night.
But once you have left home, it is difficult and time consuming to refuel. Researchers are aiming to develop the capacity to recharge a 150-kWh battery in less than 15 minutes. In the meantime, public charging sites have been set up in some U.S. states, including California and Arizona, often through cooperation between automakers and municipalities.
Hybrid electric vehicles
None of the commercially available hybrid electric vehicles need to be plugged in, because the motors use regenerative braking, coasting or the gasoline engine to recharge the batteries. Gas consumption can be less than half that of a regular gasoline vehicle.
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