Friday, May 9, Whistler, BC — yesterday was the close of 2014 Eco-Run, a rolling demonstration of greener auto tech in 18 new vehicles along BC’s Sea to Sky Highway from Whistler to Vancouver. For who wants to buy a new vehicle that leaves less on a carbon footprint, it’s a wealth of good information. The variety of advances is impressive. Note today’s photo: the Mitsubishi iMiEV dances with the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid.
Diesels have truly arrived, making cheaper and cleaner driving an attainable possibility. (Most new diesels are holding their value exceptionally these days too.) Hybrids are continually improving. Electric vehicles delivery massive immediate torque, making them the ideal urban alternative. Their range is improving, fast. Soon, they may also be ready to make the leap to rural tootle.
The event was staged by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada but was only made possible with the participation of the twelve different manufacturers and data-nerds MyCarma, plus support of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Which benefits you.
And that majority of us not shopping for a new ride?
The greenest thing you can do is keep the car you already own, rather than junk it, and drive it more consciously. CAA has created this half-hour interactive seminar, which all Canadians should be forced to take five years after getting their license when poor habits have congealed. Rich with tips you can immediately implement to change those habits, it’s your metaphorical breath of fresh air. The gist of the lessons, loosely translated? Stop driving like such a putz.
Visit ecodrivingonline.ca and enter the access code, ecorun — it’s free.
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Though a co-owner and former editor of DailyXY, Steven Bochenek is actually an advertising writer who does some journalism on the side. In 2011 he was accepted into the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada. His other interests include playing music, long-distance running, skiing and writing in the third person.
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Photo courtesy of the author.
