www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
COMOX VALLEY RECORD • Thursday, January 30, 2014
Predictions of Hybrid extinction
driveway
are premature Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently equated hybrid vehicles to early amphibians that hopped out of the oceans, learned to survive on land and eventually disappeared. Ironically, if the electric vehicle (EV) evolved in a similar Hybrid vehicles way, Tesla (an exclusively EV company) wouldn’t exist have never been right now and this would more affordable and probably be in a vibrant certainly well worth Hybrid Age! Despite the early birth of consideration, if production EV, hybrid (HEV) you’re thinking about and now plug-in hybrid buying a electric vehicle (PHEV) sales continue to rise, new modnew vehicle. els continue to arrive and at Bob McHugh least three all-new PHEVs are expected later this year. An HEV functions just like, or similar to, a conventional gas-engine vehicle, from a driver/owner perspective. It consumes substantially less fuel, especially in an urban environment, and a regenerative braking system can greatly extend the life of brake friction pads. A PHEV increases the energy saving, money saving, and greenhouse gas reducing advantages by tapping into an electrical source and pulling relatively inexpensive electrical power off the main grid. It then uses this energy to go farther on electrical power alone. How far depends primarily on the capacity (size) of its storage battery, but also on the drive system, the terrain and weather conditions and how the PHEV is driven. Lugging around a bigger battery obviously increases the weight of a PHEV and it takes up either passenger cabin or more likely trunk cargo space. The latest lithium-ion battery packs are lighter and more compact, but the space sacrifice
‘‘
’’
Picture
of the week
is something that a prospective owner must be willing to live with. Hybrid owner feedback is generally very positive and the fuel savings can be substantial. That said, you generally pay a premium for this technology, but that gap is rapidly narrowing. Last year, GM slashed $5,000 off the price of its popular Chevrolet Volt, the best selling PHEV on the market. While GM marketing promotes the Volt as an “extended range” electric vehicle, as its road wheels are always driven by an electric motor, it’s still classified as a PHEV. A small on-board gas engine generates electricity, when necessary. The new Honda Accord Hybrid (a HEV) further blurs the differences between HEV and PHEV, as it uses the same two-motor powertrain used in BCHD-September-AllLine-4CPD-8x11.786.pdf
9/6/13
$290. The price differential is almost non-existent. Choosing HEV or PHEV boils down to whether an owner can take full advantage of the plug-in electrical storage feature and normal driving commutes are within the electric-only speed and distance range of the PHEV. A low-speed urban driving commute allowing the PHEV to be charged at home overnight and topped-up again while at work, during the day, would be an ideal scenario. While the popularity of hybrid vehicles continues to grow, barring a sudden spike in the price of oil/gasoline, a meteoric rise in the popularity of alternatives to the old reliable gas engine vehicle is unlikely. Then again, who knows what the future, or the next twist in evolution, will bring? Hybrid vehicles have never been more affordable and certainly well worth consideration, if you’re thinking about buying a new vehicle.
the Accord Plug-in Hybrid (a PHEV edition that’s currently only sold in selected markets). At speeds under 80 km/h the road wheels are driven by an electric motor and its Atkinson cycle gas engine is only used to generate electrical power, when needed. The current list price for an Accord EX-L is $29,455 and the Accord Hybrid starts at $29,590, which is only $135 more. The top-line Accord Touring V6 sells for $35,400 and the Touring edition of Accord Hybrid is $36,690, just an extra
bob.mchugh@drivewaybc.ca
4:14:09 PM
16
Made in Island Honda wants toCanada’s thank the Comox Valley and the Canada! North Island for making Island Honda the Number 1 best-selling car Honda Dealer on Vancouver Island.
! u CIVIC 16 yearsaninka row o y Th
Over 40 COME TEST DRIVE AND SEE WHY! Fits & Civics to choose from!
Honda Civic
2013 Civic car LX #1 selling in Canada From ................ $20,940 Saveyears ...................$2,000 16 running
NEW AVAILABLE FEATURES FOR 2014 -Lanewatch Blind Spot Display -Continuously Variable Transmission -Improved Fuel Economy -Display Audio System with Hondalink -Proximity Key Entry System -Push Button Start
NOW ...... $18,940
To thank you Island Honda now has: 2014 Civic DX PAYMENT Lease for
$0 Down $0 $17,185 $ $ 00 Down 121 88 MSRP 0% for the first time EVER Now save up to on Honda Civic & Fit OR 2014 Honda CR-V LX AWD $2,000 on Fit or Civics Payments from $85 B/W+tax MSRP ............... $29,988 4
1
-4 Cylinder -5 Speed -Full Time Automatic AWD -Air Conditioning -Multi-Angle Backup Camera -Much Much More!
Cash Savings ...$2,000 NOW ...... $27,988
OR Own It For
$0 Down
178
2 $ Payments
2014 Cadillac ELR
A11
17430 - 1500 Fit DX-A 15930 - 500 $
2013 $Honda Fit DXA
19740 - 1500 $16,130 Civic LX 18240 - 500
incl. freight & pDI incl. freight & pDI -Automatic MSRP ............... $18,630 Green Car Journal has awarded the all-new Cadillac ELR -Huge Cargo Space with Magic Seats $ $ -Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control electrified luxury coupe its 2014 Green Car Technology Cash Savings ...$2,500 cash cash -Air Conditioning Award for the Regen on Demand system. -Power Windows & More! $ $ NOW ...... The technology allows the driver to use paddle shifters on the steering wheel to temporarily regenerate energy 5 Speed 5 Speed $ $ OR and store it as electricity in the battery pack for later use. consumer incentive consumer incentive “Putting regenerative braking at the driver’s fingertips $ supports the ELR’s 340-mile total driving range while Own It For$ + fees & taxes + fees & taxes also adding a fun-to-drive element to the premium 3 $ luxury coupe,” said Jim Vurpillat, director of emerging * 0% for maximum term of 48 months . . 0% in lieu $500 CID, 500 CID to buy. Rate from 0.99%, 0 payments subject to finance approval. Dealer may choose not to buy down rate markets at Cadillac. Payments in lieu of discount. Powering the ELR is a combination of pure electric drive and an efficient, range-extending 1.4L gasoline-powered electric generator. A T-shaped, 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is located along the centerline of the vehicle, 1025 Comox Road, Courtenay 1-877-398-2373 between the front and rear wheels to make the most of All photos are for illustrative purposes only. All payments bi-weekly, 96 months and 3.99% on approved credit. TP=Total Paid; CB=Cost of Borrowing. 1) TP=$25,035, CB=$3,685; 2) TP=$36,848, CB=$5,423; 3) TP=$21,345, CB=$3,142; weight distribution. keith.morgan@drivewaybc.ca
15430
103
$0 Down
CRA
from Campbell River
Lewis Park
Superstore
Highway 19A
Comox Road
from Comox
Comox Road
Island Honda
5th Street Bridge
4) Lease through Honda Financial Services, based on Civic DX MSRP $17,185, Lease @ 2.99% for 60 months bi-weekly. Total lease obligation $11,394, taxes extra.
17th Street Bridge
DLR # 30592
www.islandhonda.ca
17740