Cielo Electric

08/09/2024

Shopping for groceries with an EV is about to get way more convenient... if you shop at Metro stores in Ontario and Quebec. More than 130 Metro stores will see charging stations roll out, with more than 500 charging ports planned to power on before the end of August alone. Hopefully, we can expect this trend to continue spreading!

https://pst.cr/4XzRK

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! There’s a ton of incremental progress in the electric vehicle and EV charging arena. One more EV charger here, two more there, another over there, three in the corner there. It all adds up. ... [continued]

08/08/2024

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) has released the long-awaited final report from its 2023 Run on Less demonstration. It involved the monitoring of 22 electric trucks from 11 manufacturers running out of depots in New York, California, and here in BC. In short: things are looking up, but there's a definite need for improvement in certain areas. Take a look here for more information:

https://pst.cr/qpgN3

A final report from NACFE Run on Less – Electric DEPOT finds electric trucks "perform well," but infrastructure and cost challenges persist

08/02/2024

Yeah, concept vehicles are just that: concepts. But, it's Friday. And Fridays are good for nothing if not to dream just a bit, and Cadillac is serving up a nostalgic dream of a concept EV convertible - with a fridge in the back seat.

Dare to dream, right?

https://pst.cr/HPdcs

It’s Cadillac’s sunny and mushroomy ride.

08/01/2024

If you're on the fence about getting public chargers installed on your property, CleanBC and Plug In BC are offering hefty - seriously hefty - rebates towards the installation! Find out how to apply here:

https://pst.cr/xdeuF

Rebates up to $200,000 per charger. The CleanBC Go Electric Medium- and Heavy-Duty Public Charger Program is a sub-program of the CleanBC Go Electric Program and is intended to increase the number of public Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) stations throughout B.C. to support the growing need for p...

07/31/2024

As rumblings about BYD's potential entry to the Canadian market abound, Ford is looking to try and get ahead of the curve by being just one in a line of automakers pledging to release cheaper EVs for the masses. They're hoping to get wheels to the road on their not-quite-luxury EV in 2026, but will be facing stiff competition in the race to the price-floor.

https://pst.cr/LWrwX

With the help of a former Tesla employee, Ford is hoping to bring an affordable small electric car to market by 2026.

07/26/2024

As the world gets more and more used to EVs and ZEVs, form is starting to be more important to some people, rather than function. This desire to not only do good, but look good, is being showcased right here in BC - with BC-based bespoke ZEVs starting to pick up steam!

https://pst.cr/g9VgC

The province’s nascent EV industry is benefiting from opportunities south of the border as global demand rises.

07/24/2024

If you're going to be taking your EV or ZEV on an American road trip, you'll be pleased to know that you'll have more chargers available thanks to Mercedes Benz and... Starbucks? Starbucks has partnered with the German automaker to have fast-charging sites set-up at locations all the way down I-5! You can fuel your car while you fuel your brain - a pretty good deal!

https://pst.cr/fbSpE

Sip coffee while your EV sips electrons.

07/23/2024

The Netherlands is a country known more for their cycling infrastructure and enthusiasm, but people there sometimes need cars to get around as well! And so far this year, close to half of new car sales in the Netherlands were electric! Progress is being made even in conventionally non-car-centric places.

https://pst.cr/nfDdS

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! In a negative month in the overall market (down 12% to 35,386 sales), June saw plugin registrations also drop by 15% YoY, to 16,089 units. As a result, the Dutch plugin vehicle (PEV) market ... [continued]

07/22/2024

BC Hydro unveiled a new suite of fast-chargers in Surrey, totalling 4 charging hubs with 40 new ports across them. The hubs began service starting in early June! For more information, check out the BC Hydro announcement here:

https://pst.cr/LgHNv

Jul 15, 2024 BC Hydro completes four EV fast charging hubs in Surrey, adding 40 charging ports EV charging hub at North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex. SURREY: BC Hydro opened four fast charging hubs in Surrey over the past six weeks, which feature a total of 20 new 180-kilowatt chargers, adding 40 ch...

07/15/2024

Hyundai has become a hot commodity with its recent EV offerings here in Canada, but one such offering seems to be - at this point - South Korea and Europe-exclusive. The Hyundai Inster is tiny and inexpensive, a potential salve for the large and pricey EV market here in Canada. While Hyundai has said nothing about it coming to Canada, perhaps it's only a matter of time until smaller, more inexpensive EVs come to market.

https://pst.cr/VCkCF

How does a 350-km range and a CDN$38,000 MSRP sound? The Inster just launched in Korea, but no word on us getting it here

07/12/2024

Here in the Great White North, we're more than used to being compared to our neighbours to the south. Sports, culture, politics, you name it - but in terms of EV sales, we're outpacing the Land of the Free. The US has seen EV sales shrink so far in 2024, but Canada's growth has remained relatively stable! Canada's leaders in EV uptake? Quebec, followed by Ontario and then BC!

https://pst.cr/6sGQG

American sales have been stronger in previous years, but apparently Canada is pulling ahead in 2024

07/11/2024

EV ownership across Canada has been increasing, but the charging network to keep it on the road hasn't been able to keep up. Right now, the ratio of EVs to chargers is about 20:1 while the global average is closer to 10:1. Canada has a lot of catching-up to do, but with steady investment and cooperation, we can do it.

https://pst.cr/FK55h

EV sales are taking off and EV charging needs to keep up

07/10/2024

A study out of the University of Calgary says that about 1/3 of EV owners could have all their charging needs satisfied by level 1 charging alone. On top of that, the study also argues that for more than 80% of people, relatively infrequent access to level 2 charging (a handful of times per year) is all that's needed. What do you think about this?

https://pst.cr/fo2RQ

Up to 83 per cent of EV drivers can fulfill their charging needs with Level 1 and "occasional" fast charger use, finds Calgary study

07/03/2024

Imagine being able to charge your EV from 0 to 80% in just 10 minutes - these are speeds verging on gas station speeds. Toshiba is hoping that its battery tech, developed with the help of Japan's Sojitz and Brazil's CBMM, will find its way into EVs sooner rather than later. While they say the tech is potentially better suited to fleets such as buses or trucks, could this lead to new breakthroughs for everyday EVs?

https://pst.cr/GgGpU

Toshiba Corporation together with Sojitz Corporation of Japan, and Brazil’s CBMM, unveiled a prototype EV bus with Toshiba's next-generation SCiB Nb batteries.

07/02/2024

As EV sales continue to fluctuate, we might be entering an entirely new phase of the market; a "Darwinian" phase. As cost and range, over speed and wow-factor, become the primary concern for most in the market, could this be a chance for traditional automakers like GM and Hyundai-Kia to play their roles and catch up? Could Tesla be in trouble due to their limited - and luxury - offerings?

https://pst.cr/HtyL4

Tesla will struggle to keep its industry-leading market share, which makes its stupendous stock-market valuation, currently about $825 billion to GM’s $75 billion — harder to figure with each passing

06/26/2024

Rivian is making waves thanks to a 5 billion dollar handshake with Volkswagen. As part of the investment, Rivian and Volkswagen will share technical details and software. This is a win-win; Rivian gets a huge cash infusion to stay afloat, and Volkswagen gets technical help that it has been needing following budget overruns and missed goals.

https://pst.cr/2PsDQ

Shares of Rivian surged 30 per cent in extended Nasdaq trade after the announcement, boosting the company’s stock market value by more than $3 billion

06/25/2024

The City of San Francisco is looking to make EV car owners' lives a whole lot easier - by installing curb-side vehicle chargers throughout the city. These could function similar to how meters do; pay for some time, get some electrons. And while nobody loves paying for parking, this would go a long way to alleviating EV charger availability concerns. What do you think? Would you be open to seeing a pilot like this here in BC?

https://pst.cr/gWx6p

Street charging could make owning an EV more affordable and convenient for apartment dwellers.

06/24/2024

The price cap on EV rebates here in B.C. is going down from $55,000 to $50,000. If you've been in the market for a new EV, this is something you should keep in mind, as the amount you might have been expecting back as a rebate could change based on its price!

https://pst.cr/qBZc9

Watch EV rebate program changes Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca

06/21/2024

One of the biggest issues with EVs are the big price tags - cheap EVs just aren't really a thing... at least in North America! Honda's bringing a new (and adorable) cheap EV model to Japan, starting at less than $20,000 fresh off the lot. Do you think something like this would succeed on this side of the Pacific? Would you buy one of these?

https://pst.cr/NUmUf

The N-VAN e: FUN promises fun—it's right there in the name, after all—but only for those outside of North America.

06/18/2024

According to Statistics Canada, ZEV (zero emission vehicle) registrations jumped more than 50% in the first quarter of 2024, over the first quarter of 2023. With more ZEVs on the road, there's a greater need for more accessible, available, and reliable charging infrastructure.

https://pst.cr/EJVGy

Significantly more Canadians were driving zero-emissions vehicles in the first quarter compared with a year ago.

06/17/2024

This may not be something you've thought about before, but the tires on your EV are a special kind. EV tires need to be able to handle the weight of batteries, the instant torque provided by EV powertrains, and even dampen noise. The next time you go to change out your tires, it might be worthwhile to ask if you're getting the right ones!

https://pst.cr/tG6Tu

EVs have more mass and lots of torque, but the tires need to be efficient and quiet.

06/14/2024

Go-karts might not necessarily be your standard fare on local roads, but a team of secondary school students from Chilliwack's Sardis Secondary school have earned some prized accolades. First place overall, one of the best-designed go-karts, and a 2nd place finish in the final race - it's always super fun to see young people take to electric vehicle construction, tinkering, and experimentation - especially with bragging rights across Western Canada on the line.

https://pst.cr/YRCWf

Over 20 schools from across Western Canada participated in the event

06/13/2024

The federal government has put forward a $10 million investment into two battery recycling plants based in Sudbury, Ontario. As EVs become more and more prevalent, the problem of what to do with them once they've reached the end of their service lives will begin to loom larger. As other investments here in B.C. have shown, supporting metals and materials recycling specific to EVs is a huge part of making EVs a more environmentally appealing option.

https://pst.cr/GmFuX

The two companies will each receive $5 million from the federal government to help finance the development of new technologies designed to recover valuable nickel, cobalt, copper and other minerals from the “black mass” of shredded flat batteries.

06/12/2024

Who remember when the Chevy Bolt made its entrance to the wider market? While the days of the Bolt being one of the only EV options are long gone, GM has made history - posting its best month of EV sales in May all without the venerable Bolt. Signs are pointing to a broader uptake on EVs across different makers and market segments.

https://insideevs.com/news/722280/gm-ev-sales-record-may/

06/07/2024

On the other side of the country, some Metro grocery stores across Quebec and Ontario will be playing host to EV chargers. Flo - the same folks who you may remember as the company bringing chargers to Co-op here in BC - announced that they'll be working to install more than 500 of their Ultra branded fast-chargers. These chargers will be able to charge most EVs to 80% within about 15 minutes - pretty nifty!

https://pst.cr/X5WHs

EV charging company Flo is partnering with Metro to build fast chargers at 130 grocery locations in Quebec and Ontario. Read more

06/06/2024

How would you feel swapping out normal EV charging for... swapping out the battery itself? Ford has filed a patent application for a battery swapping system - not a world first, as China's Nio has started using this among others. How does getting a whole new, fully charged battery sound over charging yours up? Do you think there's much to this idea?

https://pst.cr/f9XQG

The automaker has considered battery-swapping methods using a vehicle's own power to complete the swap.

06/03/2024

If you live in, or travel through, BC outside of the Lower Mainland, Co-op is a chain you're familiar with. Operating dozens of gas stations and convenience stores, they're now going to be adding 100kw fast chargers to more than 20 of their locations. The chargers will be operated by Flo, and reliability and up-time are front-of-mind for the more small-town-oriented nature of Co-op locations.

https://pst.cr/P35mV

The move more than doubles the size of Co-op Connect, adding 41 100 kW fast chargers at 23 sites in B.C., including 12 on Vancouver Island

05/30/2024

ICYMI: Greater Victoria is going to be seeing a lot more in the way of EV charging ports over the coming months and years! As announced back in April, close to 600 new spots, including 20 fast-chargers, are in planning stages to be rolled out in and around the province's capital.

https://pst.cr/XdvWz

Hundreds of EV charging ports will be installed in the Greater Victoria area after an investment of more than $8.7 million.

05/29/2024

Let's face it, EVs aren't the most up-front affordable options out there. One of the holy grails sought after by EV makers is a good quality, low-cost vehicle that might get folks down the income ladder to finally spring on an EV. Kia has been at the forefront of some striking vehicles, but their new entry - the EV3 - might be a sign of what's to come in the reasonably priced end of the spectrum.

https://pst.cr/JS4rN

Tesla's plans for a cheaper EV have been all over the place. Kia just revealed its mass-market EV3.

05/28/2024

As the EV market becomes more and more crowded, simply existing is no longer a good enough strategy for EV makers; you have to stand out, now. Tesla has led the pack for years, it feels, but could the not-so-long-ago beleaguered Ford Mustang Mach-E be a firm challenger? Matt Farrah thinks so, check out some thoughts here:

https://pst.cr/45XTf
-e

The host of The Smoking Tire YouTube channel said he would “absolutely” buy or lease another Mach-E.