I'm quite certain that when most people think of British Columbia, the colour green comes to mind. Our lush landscape and naturally beautiful surroundings give us a very close connection to nature and the environment. So maybe it's no coincidence that I've noticed many more Vancouverites doing their part to protect our fragile ecosystem, particularly when it comes to lowering vehicle emissions. And the solutions I'm seeing on the roadways aren't always what you'd expect.
Hybrid vehicles have been on the market for a few years now and their popularity has really started to take off. Although Honda was first to market in Canada with its Insight (and later hybrid Civics and Accords), Toyota is the recognized worldwide leader in hybrid vehicles, with its Prius, Camry and Lexus SUV hybrids. Not long ago I read that the head of Toyota's North American division stated that his company "sold more U.S. hybrids so far this year than Cadillac, Buick or Mercedes-Benz has sold cars.'' That's quite an amazing statistic, especially when you consider that hybrids are still a relatively recent innovation. Hybrids reduce fuel consumption by yoking an electric motor and battery to a regular engine, which allows the cars to run on battery power at low speeds. But, since hybrids run on a combination of fuel and electricity, they still create harmful emissions — though significantly less than that of a standard car.
The popularity of Toyota's hybrids has impressed other manufacturers, and has encouraged them to explore hybrid and other environmentally friendly technologies. Although BMW have been researching the viability of environmentally friendly cars since the '70s, they've only just announced that they will launch their own sort of hybrid to the consumer market next spring. BMW is taking a different tack, with an enhanced combustion engine that can use either of two fuels: standard gasoline or liquefied hydrogen gas, with the latter producing only water vapor as its byproduct. Unfortunately, it will be so expensive and so exclusive that it will only be available for lease to select clients. And though hydrogen is one of the most plentiful substances on earth, hydrogen filling stations are almost impossible to come by.
For the less wealthy among us, I've noticed an interesting alternative on the streets of Vancouver. It's an electric scooter known as the Motorino. It can run for 50km on a single charge and a single battery. Add a second battery and it can last for up to 80km. Sold in Vancouver by E-Ride, the Motorino is designed and manufactured in partnership with local company Greenwit. President Steve Miloshev admits that selling people on the idea of an electric scooter as alternative transportation wasn't easy at first. "People were very skeptical in the beginning and associated them with something for the elderly," he says. Now though, more than 50% of Miloshev's clientele are young urbanites, looking for an economical way to commute. Higher fuel prices didn't hurt Greenwit's business either, and though they were on the verge of bankruptcy in 2004, today there are E-Ride stores in Vancouver, Hope, and Ontario. There are also 10 independent dealerships that sell the Motorino.
You might also be surprised (as I was) by the electrical efficiency of these scooters. Using only one kilowatt-hour per 100km, it would cost you only six cents to ride a Motorino 100km. But the bigger pleasure comes from waving to people stuck in traffic as you speed by and then park virtually anywhere you please. Plus, since the Motorino is classified as a bicycle (thanks to its pedals), there's no need for a driver's license or insurance. With electric scooters, electric motorcycles and even electric skateboards in his line-up, Miloshev clearly believes electric transportation is the way of the future. Especially with new technology on the way that he says is reliable and practical enough to be used for everything from picking up groceries to getting to work. "It's only a matter of a few years," Miloshev says of electric vehicles, "but first it takes time for people's mentality to change."
Another manufacturer looking into the future of electric vehicles is Mini, who recently unveiled an electric car that can out-accelerate an Aston Martin. This little unassuming hatchback has a top speed of 150mph and can accelerate to 60mph in 4.5 seconds. Completely redesigned by the UK's PML Flightlink, a standard Mini One was rebuilt to be propelled by four 160bhp electric motors (one per wheel) that also act as brakes. As each motor slows the car down, it grabs the energy from the braking process and charges the batteries that power the vehicle, much like hybrid vehicles. The result is a Mini that can go for up to four hours or 250 miles with no emissions (save for those used to generate the electricity in the first place). Chris Newton of PML Flightlink says that the achievement is "probably the biggest technological leap forward for the automobile in the last 100 years."
With that in mind, my guess is that it won't be long before a new generation of electric vehicles hits the streets. Better make sure your garage has a power outlet.
