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Believe it or not, the electric car is nothing new. The electric car was developed over 100 years ago, but lost the competition for dominance to the internal combustion engine. As the world becomes more aware about the causes of global warming, people are looking for ways to reduce our impacts on the environment. The electric car is a critical part of the solution to global warming.

The internal combustion engine that drives all our vehicles today uses technology that was developed a century ago. It is simply an explosion that drives a piston, fueled by gasoline or diesel. The output is not only power, but also greenhouse gas emissions in the form of carbon dioxide. These greenhouse gasses are driving an increase in global warming.

To tackle global warming, we must change the way we travel. We cannot continue to generate the vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and to make that change, we must move away from oil and gas. The solution is the electric car (combined with renewable energy).

Hybrid vehicles have been gaining popularity in the marketplace due to their fuel efficiency. This fuel efficiency is gained by either and electric motor assisting the engine or providing all the power at low speeds with the internal combustion automatically turned off (full hybrid). Mild hybrid cars are less fuel efficient than full hybrid cars. The full hybrid is more fuel efficient as the internal combustion engine no longer idols when stopped. While hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular, it is really a stepping stone on the path to the electric car.

The electric car is not outside our reach. Today, conversion kits are available to transform a Toyota Prius, which is a gas and electric hybrid, into a plug-in electric car. This allows the car to travel over 100 kilometers on a charge, without using a drop of fuel. To build a sustainable future, we must transition to the electric car to reduce our effects on global warming.

The 100% electric car is also being produced in Canada. The advantages of the electric car are:

  • No carbon dioxide emissions produced
  • Energy costs for these cars are about 10% of a gas vehicle
  • Lower maintenance costs (i.e., no more oil changes)

Where to Buy an Electric Car

This is a new market and there currently isn't a major automotive manufacturer that produces a plug-in electric car (there's a story behind this... see the movie trailer for `Who Killed The Electric Car`). The ZENN Motor Company is a new car company that sells their electric car around the world. The company name stands for Zero Emissions No Noise.

As the electric car is a new breed of vehicle, Provinces must update their transportation laws to accommodate them. ZENN cars are now legally sold in Quebec (a leader in climate change action), and are being evaluated for sale in Ontario. Currently ZENN vehicles are legal in 46 states.

We clearly see the electric car as the future for the automotive industry. It's the only way to create a sustainable future for transportation.