22 - Wednesday, July 16, re ee Electric 1986 - North Shore News vehicles: A current topic THE ELECTRIC Vehicle Associa- tion of Canada is planning a rally of Canadian and U.S.-owned elec- tric vehicles this summer. The owners plan to rendezvous for the annual air show in Abbotsford, B.C. Then, on August 11, the elec- tric cars will hum their quiet way north to Vancouver where they wili be on display at Expo 86 for sev- eral days. rhe queen of the display will be a’ converted Canadian Chrysler minivan powered by a lead acid battery. Powerplex of Toronto sent the van to Germany to be converted to an electric drive suit- able for the newly developed BBC High Energy Battery. The BBC is Brown Boveri & Cie of Europe, a company in Mannheim develop- ing new high energy, rechargeable traction batteries that will be si umufactured in Canada by Powerplex. The prototype Powerplex bat- tery will weigh about 275 kg and replaces the need for a vehicle gas tank. A small electric motor replaces the gasoline engine. The battery generates energy through a chemical reaction between sodium and sulphur. One charge will take an electric vehicle about 200 km — about four times the distance attainable frorn a lead battery of the same weight. Generally, this is more than sufficient for local daily use. At night, when demand for electric power is low, the battery is simply plugged into a nearby outlet. The MONEY-SAVING tips on how you can reduce your vehicle’s fuel consumption and lengthen its life span will be available free-of- charge in The Car Economy Book from Energy, Mines and Resources Canada. Since 1978, The Car Economy Book (previously known as The Car Mileage Book) has provided thousands of Canadians with sim- ple guidelines on how to buy, drive and maintain new and used cars in an energy-efficient, money-saving manner, The book demonstrates how improved driving habits and com- mon sense maintenance routines can result in substantial savings for vehicle owners. Did you know, for example, that underinflated tires wear out faster, waste fuel and are potentially dan- gerous? According to The Car Econom; Book, tire pressure should be checked at least twice a month, before you drive, and should be inflated to pressures specified in your car owner’s man- ual, This simple procedure alone could reduce fuel costs by four per cent. batiery requires no maintznance other than recharging. This new, high-energy battery will last for about 1,000 recharging cycles, or 200,000 km, which is certainly comparable to the life expectancy of an internal combus- don engine. Harsh Canadian weather has often been the stumbling block in development of electric vehicles. Lead acid batteries operate satisfactorily as long as the temperature remains relatively mild. But in winter, dead car bat- teries can be a problem in Canada. The BBC battery operates at 360°C and outside temperature poses little problem. A dealer heats the insulated battery before delivery, after which it keeps warm through use. It can maintain its heat for five days without recharg- ing. In addition to low-cost opera- tion and maintenance, electric vehicles offer other attractive features. First, they are remarkably energy efficient. Research has shown that an elec- tric vehicle uses between 75 and 90 per cent of the energy it consumes for propulsion, compared with an efficiency of 25 to 37 per cent in the internal combustion engine automobile. One reason is that an electric vehicle uses energy only when moving. In fact, at traffic lights no energy is used. When the car is braked, energy is not dissipated in heat: it is used to charge the battery! Removal of snow tires early in the spring and the use of radial rather than bias ply tires are also proven methods of reducing fuel consumption, Another money-saving tip is to use the car’s flow-through ventila- tion instead of windows or air conditioning. Use of air conditioning in stop- and-go driving increases fuel con- sumption by 8 to 10 per cent, ac- cording to The Car Economy Book. Furthermore, air condition- ing units affect fuel consumption even when not operating, as they add weight to the vehicle. Careful planning of trips can also reduce fuel costs. Often sev- eral errands can be accomplished in a single trip. (An estimated 30 per cent of fuel costs is spent on trips of less than 8 km.) And why not share the ride and costs with others? Ride-sharing decreases fuel consumption, traffic congestion and exhaust emissions. Planning also allows a driver time to reach a destination. Driv- ing ‘against the clock’ leads to speeding, sharp braking and un- necessary acceleration — all of Tran Second, electric vehicles are completely emission-free. They produce no noxious fumes to con- taminate the atmosphere. Finally, they are amazingly quiet. Patrons of a dairy in England were so pleased with the electric truck that brought the milk every morning without waking them up that the company con- verted all its trucks to electricity. The savings in gasoline and maintenance ultimately paid for the conversion. International interest in this technology is increasing. The re- cent Seventh International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Versailles was attended by 215 delegates from 27 countries. The 1986 sym- posium will be in Washington, D.C. and a meeting is planned for Canada in 1988. Many countries which increase fuel consumption and wear and tear on the vehicle. Maintaining posted highway speeds, accelerating strongly but smoothly when merging with traf- fic, avoiding sudden starts and steps and anticipating changes in traffic flow will all contribute to fuel and cost savings. The best advice in the book, however, is to drive only when necessary. Walking, biking and public transit are all viable alter- natives to the family car. As The Car Econonty Book notes, ‘‘The car may be a necessity for you, but even a necessity can be used ad- vantageously.’” Also available from Energy, Mines and Resources Canada is the Car Economy Calculator. This easy-to-use device features a car economy log in which distances travelled and fuel purchased can be recorded. The new Car Economy Book will be available in September 1986. For a free copy write to the Communications Branch, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, 8th Floor, 580 Booth Street, Ottawa, Ontario KIA 0E4, have fleets of light commercial vehicles that use electric power. With these and other Canadian initiatives to develop low-cost trac- The Honda Civic G.L. Sedan eats up less yas per mile than almost any other car. Yet it still satisfies your appetite for fun. [t serves up a generous amount of power thanks to its efficient 1500cc engine, 5 speed manuz! or Hondamatic transmission, front wheel drive and steel-belted radials. isportation Energy, tion batteries that are not affected by low temperatures, electrically powered vehicles may be just down the read. Combine its immense, sports- styled interior plus Honda's new 5 year/B0,000 kilometre warranty on major components, — and we know you'll be pleased with the results. Come in soon and ask to see a Civic GL. The Civic G.L. 4 DR Sedan 199... * Retail lease plan based on 48 month, lease O.A.C. $9552 + tax MAJOR | COMPONENTS We also have many other new 1986 Civics, Preludes and Accords priced to sell. See us today at 725 Marine Drive North Vancouver 984-0331