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DRIVE CONTINUED
charge took less than an hour and lasted
about 325 kilometres, allowing the family to plan charging stops to coincide
with food and bathroom breaks.
Of course, not all road trips are
adventures in Tomorrowland—even in
an electric car. Alberta winters pose a
challenge regardless of what’s under
the hood. One of the main roadblocks
to EV adoption here has been battery
performance and range in sub-zero
temperatures, a.k.a. “range anxiety.”
It’s a concern Tesla’s new Calgary
dealership hears frequently, but one
easily quelled by news that an electric
car (the Tesla Model S) is now the topselling vehicle in Norway, which has a
wintry climate comparable to Alberta.
“Inevitably cold weather has an
impact on range,” Petti acknowledges.
“So if you are driving long distances
in extreme cold, you might need more
stops for longer periods.” But he adds
that for city driving, his EV is much
easier and more comfortable in the
winter than his more traditional car,
which is powered by an internal combustion engine. EVs heat up instantly
and boast enough battery power to
operate the car and keep its interior
comfortable in below zero conditions.
Beyond battery life, the next barrier
to EV adoption has traditionally been
price. But there’s good news there, too.
As manufacturers like Ford, Tesla,
Nissan, Chevrolet and Kia invest more
in electric technologies and rollout
their EV fleets, sticker prices are coming down. But like their fossil-fuelled
counterparts, prices range from
affordable to aspirational. For
a compact commuter car, consumers can expect to pay around $28,000.
However, a premium extended-range
sports car could top $100K.
Though Subasic steers clear of the
gas-versus-electric argument, he is
happy with the vehicle’s low maintenance costs and emissions. Based on
these factors and his annual average
of 65,000 kilometres on the road, he
projects the car will pay for itself in
five years. Electric cars are here—
and they’re ready to take on Alberta
roads today.