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DEPARTMENTS

WATT’S UP DOC? - Canada has ambitious plans to go fully zero emission by 2035. Has it bitten off more than it can chew?

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT - Transportation issues for First Nations people on the table during multi-level ministers meeting.  More!

NEWS OF THE WEIRD – Would you believe the world’s oldest operating vehicle has been going strong since 1884? Neither could we - Compiled and edited by Kirk Mathieson.

FEATURES:

A MATTER OF TIME - Kristen Lipscombe takes a deep dive into the impact electric vehicles are having–and will have–on the Atlantic Region and beyond.

THE OTHER SIDE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION - Contributor Sebastien Dorelas turns a critical eye to issues facing Canada’s less-than-perfect transition to all things electric.

POWERING CANADA’S TRANSPORTATION FUTURE - With the rapid national spread of charging infrastructure, Canadian drivers are voicing their anxiety about the actual and fair distribution of said chargers, writes Alexander Johnson.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE ALTERNATIVES - Would you believe salt water batteries as an alternative choice to electric vehicles? Our very own mindful trucker Dana Smith offers up alternatives for the skeptics.

MANAGING ECO ANXIETY - Yes it’s a thing and EVs have a role to play in managing it. Emilee Musgrave  explains.

ETC:

INDIANAPOLIS HOSTS WORK TRUCK WEEK - William Kaprelian travels far to get the job done, all the way to Indianapolis in fact.

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERRED WORK ENVIRONMENT? - They can be hot, cold, busy and agile, but too many job seekers fail to take stock of their preferred work environments. Carter Hammett asks why.

FAMILY MATTERS: Traditional Positive Values Define Success at CSN Keizer’s Collision Centre in Halifax - Family is the driving force in this guy’s professional and personal lives says writer Kristen Lipscombe

CARWASH DOOR TRENDS - doors provide security, keep chemicals and heat in the bay, among other things we take for granted says Josh Hart.

WATT’S UP DOC?

By Carter Hammett

THIS ISSUE OF ATA FOCUSES ON EVS WITH PERSPECTIVES SHARED THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES. THE JOURNEY TO ELECTRIFICATION IS COMPLEX AND MULTILAYERED AND JUST MIGHT BE BEYOND THE TARGETS ESTABLISHED BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

In March eyebrows were raised after the Ford Motor company announced that it was going to delay electric vehicle (EV) production by two years from 2025 to 2027.

The reason given was that it would enable the company to embrace emerging battery technologies while letting the number of potential buyers expand.

Around the same time, Tesla reported a sales decline in quarterly deliveries for the first time in several years. The company blamed the shortfall on logistics, but pundits hinted that a decline in demand for EVs may have also been at fault.

Events like this suggest that perhaps

Canada’s well-intentioned goal of having 20 per cent of all new vehicles zero-emission (ZEV) by 2026 may be stumbling. Ambitiously, Canada’s plan aims to make all new vehicles 60% ZEV by 2030 and 100% by 2035.

Companies like Ford position themselves to respond to market demand, but this potentially sets up a conflict between government targets and the realities of a fickle consumer profile.

ZEVs have been making their presence felt in the Canadian market place. In 2023, ZEVs clocked in at about 10.8 percent of all registrations, representing close to a 50 per cent increase over 2022.

And while this may sound like great news, the pace of sales has been cut in half states J.D.Power, a global data and analytics firm. It takes about 55 days to sell an electric vehicle compared to 51 days to sell a gas-powered car. The end result is that Canadian EV sales have slumped more than double. Reasons for this include the probability that wealthier consumers jumped on the ZEV bandwagon early, but the transition to mass market has been slow, with consumers identifying costs and performance as issues.

EV owners identified 79 per cent more issues with their powertrains during the past three years than owners of gaspowered vehicles. Concerns about winter performance were also high on Canadians list of concerns about EVs. The issue of charging stations are addressed elsewhere in this issue, but this remains a huge concern for consumers as well.

Canada has a goal of installing 442,000 public chargers by 2035, which means at least 100 new chargers need to come online daily. Is it any wonder if the public is questioning whether or not the charging infrastructure will be present when the leap to ZEV is made?

Since 2016 residential electricity usage has been steadily increasing, and this just happens to coincide with the increasing presence of ZEVs in the Canadian marketplace. Not surprisingly, most ZEV charging occurs at home during off peak hours when electricity demands slows. But the integration into residential behaviour only adds to an increase in home electricity consumption. When regional population growth and housing increases are factored into the mix, the impact of ZEVs is easier to ascertain. While Canada calls for 100% of new vehicles to be ZEV by 2035, projections estimate that 10 million ZEVs will be occupying Canadian roads by then. That means that additional electricity consumption would represent an increase of 30-to-60 million MWh.

The majority of Canada’s electricity is produced by hydraulic turbine, combustible fuels, nuclear with wind and solar coming up last. This is a pretty diverse infrastructure and appears to position Canada for increased energy demands. Regional differences where hydro or fossil fuel reliance is prominent, require reduction strategies. There’s no question that EVs, as this issue of ATA demonstrates, are here to stay. But without incentives like increased rebates, and more consumer confidence in charging infrastructure, the journey to 2026 will most likely be longer than anticipated.

A MATTER

ARE YOU BEHIND THE WHEEL OF

MATTER OF TIME OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) YET?

By Kristen Lipscombe

EVEN IF EV SALES STALL, THE ROAD TO THE FUTURE REMAINS ELECTRIFIED, EXPERTS SAY

Have you been thinking about making the switch from gas to electric, or maybe even about testing out a hybrid vehicle before jumping completely onboard the EV bandwagon?

No matter how environmentally conscious you may be, can you even afford to think about buying an electric vehicle (EV), or any vehicle right now, considering the continually rising costs of living these days, including fuel and repairs for really any car?

A lot of average folks have a lot of common questions about electric vehicles, from how they could ever possibly afford those hefty Tesla price tags to how they’ll be able to charge even more affordable EVs vehicles if their particular province doesn’t yet have enough infrastructure in place to get them from home to final destination safely.

Well, governments at all three levels, along with EV advocates across the country, are still very much encouraging Canadians to eventually make the move simply because the current state of the automotive industry isn’t sustainable environmentally or economically in the long run – or perhaps on the long road to the future.

In the short term, the successful adoption of EVs by average Canadians still faces many challenges, but positive changes can

still be made one car – and one stretch of road at a time.

In late December, just before the holiday season, The Government of Canada announced that it “has finalized the new Electric Vehicle Availability Standard to increase the supply of clean, zero-emission vehicles available to Canadians across the country. “The standard complements additional actions underway by the federal government to develop a robust electric vehicle supply chain and infrastructure that creates good, middle-class jobs and ensures a cleaner, safer environment,” the federal government news release reads.

The objective, according to the release, is for Canada to reach a coast-tocoast-coast “target of 100 per cent zeroemission vehicle sales by 2035,” with interim targets calling for at least 20 per cent of all car sales by 2026 and 60 per cent by 2030.

This new standard “will channel supply to Canadian markets instead of going abroad, reducing customer wait times and making sure Canadians have access to the latest affordable and technologically advanced vehicles that are coming to the market in the next few years,” the news release states.

These moves will help Canada keep up with EV technology being used in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union “and other major economies which are all taking action to lower emissions and put more electric vehicles on the roads.”

Fair enough. We all want to protect our environment, not just for ourselves, but for future generations.

But let’s take a look at how the electric vehicle industry is evolving in Atlantic Canada.

In July 2021, Steele Auto Group, the biggest auto dealership in Atlantic Canada, announced its acquisition of All EV Canada, a motivated company that specialized in selling pre-owned Teslas and other EVs. The local company opened up a successful storefront in Halifax, N.S.,

back in 2019, then expanded to Moncton, N.B., in 2022 – with more locations then being scouted across the region. The All EV Canada owners were passionate about their business venture, leading education, and training initiatives to help kept both the industry and drivers alike excited –and electrified.

But in June 2023, Steele Auto Group announced in a short statement that it had “made the difficult decision to discontinue the All EV business,” citing a lack of demand for electrical vehicles under current market conditions, which have “made it increasingly challenging for us to sustain operations and remain profitable.”

SO, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED THERE?

“All EV was awesome,” said Kurt Sampson, executive director of the Electric Vehicle Association of Atlantic Canada (EVAAC), which has a mission of “accelerating the adoption of sustainable electric transportation in Atlantic Canada.”

That innovative company didn’t just start selling EVs to make money; the owners themselves were also invested in making sure citizens, partners, companies, communities, stakeholders, and governments alike understand why adopting electric vehicles sooner rather than later is the best road forward.

However, one of the barriers that Steele Auto Group faced soon after acquiring All EV was the fact that Tesla quickly started dropping its own prices, as they “were able to produce the vehicles more efficiently and cheaper,” to an average price drop of about $20,000 per vehicle within a year, Sampson explained. That makes it hard for pretty much any other company to compete in the EV market.

“So, can you imagine if you’re holding on to an inventory of like 100 used EVs to sell,” Sampson said. “It’s really hard to sell it at more than the price of a brand-new Tesla. The wait times to actually get a Tesla shipped to you here in Atlantic Canada also dropped pretty significantly, down

from several months to just a few weeks,” Sampson added. “So that’s a double hit.

But business plans changing doesn’t mean the demand for electric vehicles has gone down, Sampson added. “It’s not a lack of demand for EVs,” he said, “it’s lack of demand for used EVs at prices higher than new EVs.”

The market will continue to evolve, and it’s possible Steele could one day bring back All EV since it owns the rights, or perhaps another EV company will start competing with Tesla again when the timing is right, he said, but for now the company’s former owners are focused on other impressive ventures within the automotive industry.

Former All EV co-owner David Giles, for example, worked with Steele Auto Group on its expansion of electric vehicles until the company pulled back on its plans. He then decided to open up a new company this past July, PoweredEV Consulting, which Giles said “deals on a global market for consulting with electric vehicles, whether it’s manufacturing, infrastructure, or even adoption.”

As President of Powered EV Consulting, Giles told Auto and Trucking Atlantic

he is now working directly with countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, and even presenting to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to help educate not just Atlantic Canada – but the world – on the importance of getting more EVS in motion.

Giles is also an EV Education Specialist with Consulab Educatech Inc., in Quebec City, Que., which is developing specialized training materials for technical schools so that they can teach the next generation of electric vehicle experts. “We’re developing some new innovative products for students to learn how to test and diagnose and work safely on high voltage vehicles.”

Additionally, Giles recently travelled across the country for the Powered EV Conference, where he presented to members of the automotive industry ranging from insurers to collision specialists to explain what they can expect in their own industries when electric vehicles, he believes, inevitably take over our roadways.

Closer to home, Giles helped build and create the curriculum post-secondary institutions are now using to teach first responders how to work with electric vehicles in emergency situations, with the help of a grant from the Government of Nova Scotia. According to Giles, “the world of EVs is changing rapidly,” with incentives to buy accelerating at a rapid rate and new brands entering the market at record speeds. Manufacturing is ramping up with more facilities opening around the world – including right here in Atlantic Canada.

mouth, N.S. Tesla Halifax officially opened its doors to the public in early 2024 and is now set to become one of the automaker’s largest locations in Canada.

Drive Tesla originally started posting jobs seeking sales advisors and technicians during the pandemic, with Chapman Autobody in Halifax currently serving as the only official “Tesla certified” collision repair centre in Atlantic Canada.

For EV advocates such as Sampson and Giles, electric vehicle education remains key to the industry’s success.

They certainly get the hesitancy people feel about getting behind the wheel of an EV and both the economical and infrastructure-based barriers that still exist but “understanding the fundamentals really helps,” Giles said.

“There’s only a certain population that can really truly afford EVs in the beginning,” Giles said, pointing out that’s because most people can’t afford the upfront costs involved before they get back any financial incentives or grants available to them.

But over the course of a vehicle’s lifetime, Giles points out, a driver actually often ends up paying much more in fuels and repairs for the gas-powered versions of their vehicles.

In fact, Tesla set it sights on Atlantic Canada some time ago, leasing a more than 60,000-squarefoot-building at 236 Brownlow Ave. in Burnside Industrial Park, nestled in Dart-

In fact, new facts and figures release in late April from Consumer Reports shows “the first real long-term objective analysis of maintenance costs over 10 years that includes electric vehicles,” Sampson pointed out. The updated information “confirms what we’ve been saying regarding main-

tenance savings,” including for more expensive performance luxury EVs such as Tesla. The report numbers show they’re “cheaper to maintain than your average fossil-fueled vehicle,” he said.

That’s why companies such as Tesla are looking how they’re actually selling cars, Giles said. For example, instead of owning a $100,000 car, you could perhaps pay only a monthly fee, “like a lease almost,” but at a reduced cost knowing the cars will be recycled and resold in the end. “We’ll probably see some changes in the future of ownership,” Giles said, pointing to Norway as an example where different options based on people’s ability to afford EVs are already being put into place to speed up electrification.

“This is part of the evolution of electrification of transportation,” Giles said. “By All EV starting up, it created a whole movement within the industry to start adopting it – and people started to recognize Tesla in Atlantic Canada.”

“So even though we didn’t sell for Tesla, we helped their brand,” Giles said, adding we can expect the road to electrification to start moving fast.

As of January 2024, there were currently about 850 Teslas on the road in Nova Scotia, up about 100 from a year ago, according to Sampson.

Nova Scotia Power says there are more than 1,900 EVs total currently registered in Nova Scotia, and more than 200 public charging stations available across the province. Those numbers were from more than a year ago, though, which means some are unaccounted for in the stats.

As of early 2024, global EV sales – including hybrids – were at about 17 per cent, Sampson said.

“We’re still definitely behind the curve here,” he said,” but that’s one in five cars globally with a plug.”

Like his colleague Giles, he too expects that in a post-pandemic world, the demand for electric vehicles will rev up again quickly within Atlantic Canada. He points to initiatives such as Halifax Regional Municipality’s Electric Vehicle Strategy already being set in motion. Its expected the city will add significant charging infrastructure across the city this summer, with the chargers themselves to be installed by summer 2025 across urban, rural and suburban areas to help meet HRM’s HalifACT climate action plan.

Meanwhile, just last year, the Government of Nova Scotia announced a $500,000 investment to help install more charging stations across the province. That’s in addition to the $1.2 million fed-

eral Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program being administered by the Clean Foundation to install Level 2 electric vehicle chargers for light-duty vehicles. The same national foundation is also running EV Assist, which helps drivers “skip the gas station,” offering provincial rebates to help drivers reduce emission “with an exciting new driving experience.”

It seems that as far as EV advocates

such as Sampson and Giles are concerned, along with all three levels of government, the domination of electric vehicles on our roads will only take a matter of time.

But will education, advocacy and investment be enough for our cities, provinces and country to reach promised and hopeful government targets? Only time will tell. So, when will you getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle?

ATLANTIC ROAD (AND WATER) REPORT

BITS AND PIECES OF NEWS AND VIEWS COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE ATLANTIC REGION SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO! (YER WELCOME!)

NEWFOUNDLAND

TANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAY SAFETY PRIORITIES

DISCUSSED AT MEETING OF FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL MINISTERS

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure (Photo below), attended a meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety in Montreal February 22-23. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together to ensure Canadians can benefit from safe, reliable, efficient and modern transportation infrastructure.

Ministers highlighted the impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure throughout the country, as well as the need to increase the resiliency of infrastructure when replacing or rebuilding. The Council agreed to continue to collaborate on addressing the transportation infrastructure gaps that exist in northern and rural regions, understanding the importance of strong transportation services and infrastructure in northern, remote and rural communities.

Ministers also explored ways to strengthen supply chains and trade corridors in an effort to make life more affordable for all Canadians and support Canada’s economy, as well as enhancing transportation safety and security.

The transportation sector in Canada is facing critical labour and skills shortages resulting in disruptions in the movement of goods and people across the country. Ministers highlighted the need for a strong

transportation workforce in supporting resilient supply chains. Within their transportation mandates, ministers support continued collaboration on this issue as well as working with their respective counterparts in labour-market development and skills training.

An important topic of discussion at the meeting for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador is the changing environment in the air transportation sector, including the proposed changes to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations under the Canada Transportation Act, and their impact on connectivity.

This matter was also recently addressed at the Council of Atlantic Premiers meeting in January. Minister Abbott reiterated that these potential changes do not recognize the issues that are associated with flight availability and frequency in smaller market centres such as Atlantic Canada and could hinder efforts to add capacity.

Ministers also continued the dialogue with Indigenous Peoples. They agreed to ongoing engagement with their respective Indigenous partners to better understand the transportation challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada and take responsive actions whenever possible and appropriate. Ministers also encouraged the federal minister to report back on progress achieved.

“Connecting our country and our communities is essential, and modern, reliable infrastructure is necessary for the movement of both goods and people from coast to coast. Meetings like this one are critical to our collective efforts to ensure safe and reliable transportation networks, as well as finding ways to work together to tackle challenges that are facing the transportation sector in every province and territory.

I was particularly pleased with the collaborative commitment to address transportation concerns facing our northern, remote and rural communities such as those in northern Labrador,” said the Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

NEW BRUNSWICK

SPRING WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS FOR ROADS

Spring weight restrictions for truck traffic took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 4, in southern New Brunswick, and at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 11, in northern New Brunswick. Restrictions will continue until Sunday, May 12, in southern New Brunswick and Sunday, May 19, in northern New Brunswick.

“These weight limits are put in place each spring to protect our road infrastructure from damage during the annual frost-and-thaw cycle,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames (photo above). “We provide this notice to the trucking community so they may prepare to reduce their loads or plan for alternate routes during this period.”

The duration of the restriction period is determined by monitoring weather conditions and tracking the progress of the thaw, using sensors located around the province. The dates are dependent upon weather conditions and are subject to change.

“I would like to thank members of industry for their co-operation and patience each year while these restrictions are in place,” said Ames.

For the purpose of these restrictions, northern New Brunswick includes:

all areas within the counties of Northumberland, Gloucester, Restigouche, Madawaska and Victoria:

the portion of Route 108 within York County:

the portion of Gordon Vale Road and Holtville Road within York County:

the portion of Route 123 within Sunbury County and Queens County:

the portion of Bloomfield Ridge Road between Holtville Road and Route 625 and:

the portion of Route 625 between Gordon Vale Road and Route 8

NOVA SCOTIA

NEW GREEN FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN BEDFORD AND HALIFAX

People who live in and around the Halifax area will have a new, environmentally friendly, high-speed ferry service for travel between Bedford and downtown Halifax (image below)

The Province, along with the federal government and Halifax Regional Municipality, announced March 4, a joint investment to build the Mill Cove Ferry Service, which will include five electric ferries, two terminals and a maintenance facility.

“This project addresses road traffic in the area and helps us plan for future population growth,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman, on behalf of Public Works Minister Kim Masland. “The new ferry route will also encourage people to use public transportation and help us meet our climate change goals by using fast zero-emission electric ferries.”

The new ferry terminals will be netzero – one at Mill Cove, and the other will replace the aging Halifax ferry terminal. A bridge will also be built over the CN rail line in Bedford to connect buses, cars, pedestrians and cyclists to the Mill Cove terminal.

This project aligns with the Joint Regional Transportation Agency’s Regional Transportation Plan. The agency is taking a regional approach to growth by looking at the safe, efficient and co-ordinated movement of people and goods.

The Province will contribute $65 million, the federal government is investing $155.7 million and Halifax Regional Municipality will provide more than $38 million

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in our commitment to helping Nova Scotians get where they need to go quickly and sustainably. By investing in state-of-the-art net-zero ferry terminals and zero-emission electric ferries, we’re not just enhancing connectivity; we’re paving the way for a cleaner, greener future. The Halifax Transit Mill Cove Ferry Service is a direct response to the priorities that the people of Halifax West have raised with me. It’s going to get more people out of traffic and put less pollution into our air,” said Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS INVEST IN ROADS IMPROVEMENT IN

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Improvements to local roads will benefit Islanders and their businesses, with

work taking place thanks to the combined investment of more than $21.4 million from the federal and Prince Edward Island governments.

Announced by Minister Lawrence MacAulay, Member of Parliament Heath MacDonald, Minister Ernie Hudson, and Chief Roderick W. Gould, four projects will extend the life of local roads and help connect the communities.

Investing in modern transportation infrastructure is critical to connecting communities, helping businesses move their goods to customer markets, and building a strong economy for all Canadians.

The projects in Kings County, Queens County and Prince County consist of upgrades to approximately 149 kilometres of roads. Work will include asphalt resurfacing to smooth out the roads quality and support the needs of growing communities. This investment will provide better roadways to farms, fishing harbours, processing plants, tourist destinations and rural communities that contribute to the economic success of the province.

The Abegweit First Nation Route 2 Highway Upgrades project consists of upgrades and support infrastructure along Route 2, with a reduced speed limit to encourage lower vehicle speeds that will enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists within the community.

“Here in PEI, we depend on our roads every day - from driving our kids to school, to folks going to work, and getting our goods to market. Investing in road infrastructure is vital to ensure that we meet those demands, maintain the quality of our roads, and ensure the safety of Islanders,” said The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

Compiled and edited by Kirk Mathieson

THE MACALLAN HORIZON. AS WE ALL LEARNED IN ECONOMICS CLASS, THE MORE EXCLUSIVE A THING IS THE GREATER ITS PERCEIVED VALUE; HIGHLY ESTEEMED AND ONE-OF-A-KIND COMMODITIES ARE ALWAYS THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER.

Only a few companies throughout history have been able to master the necessary combination of heritage, craftsmanship and brand prestige that transforms an ordinary product into a household name. Rolex, Ferrari and Gucci are just a few examples. These products may be out of reach for many of us, but then again it’s that very elusiveness that makes them all the more fascinating and desirable. What happens when two luxury brands join forces?

One possibility is the Macallan Horizon, a rare, limited edition single malt whisky developed by Macallan distilleries in collaboration with Bentley Motors. What makes this item unique is both the choice of components and the overall design, both of which aim to evoke excellence and forward movement. As a tribute to both companies’ commitment to creativity and innovation, the bottle sits inside a unique horizontal sculpture crafted with the same materials found inside a

Bentley automobile.

“Our prototype for the Macallan Horizon is truly pioneering in both is design and use of materials. It’s a fusion of the sharply defined yet curvaceous Bentley design DNA, the Macallan’s innovation and recycled materials from both iconic British brands,” comments Bentley’s Head of Design Collaborations Chris Cooke. “The form of the design has allowed us to almost treat light as another material in itself, and the interplay between light and the wood, aluminum and copper materials is extraordinary. In being both an object of beauty in itself and demonstrating such innovation, it’s a representation of

Bentley Continental GT Convertible starting at $230,000 (image below), the whisky sounds like a bargain. No word yet on whether buying both items will get you a discount.

THE NISSAN ‘SNEAKER’ CAR

Speaking of collaborations, Nissan has paired up with sportswear company New Balance to create a car (image below) that looks like a giant sneaker, complete with a rooftop shoe tongue and collar and intricate bodywrap that simulates suede and laces.

The car is called the Kicks 327, named after the 327 Trainer running shoe. It

what’s coming next from our partnership.”

The Macallan Horizon retails for $50,000 per bottle. But with the price of a

picked up media attention upon its debut in 2023, being dubbed one of the most unusual cars of the year by several auto

publications.

“327 is a model born from the design inspiration of New Balance’s road, trail and race running shoes in the 70s,” said New Balance Japan marketing director Ken Suzuki.

A shoe inspired SUV is sure to put some spring into your morning commute. This unusual tie-in may be merely a novelty to some, but with an all-electric engine it’s also a good choice for the future.

1980S ROCK MEETS 1930S STYLE

Volumes have been written about album covers and the inspiration behind them, with some of the more iconic ones becoming culturally as well as artistically

Lovin’ music video and quickly became a legend on MTV, cementing electric guitar solos to hot rod action and introducing classic cars to a new generation. The car has found a permanent home at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, but Gibbons still takes it out for a spin whenever he’s in the area.

According to Street Muscle magazine, “With its debut came a whole new era of custom cars, radical enough to set them apart from the mainstream but traditional enough to unite hot rod and street rod enthusiasts alike. Few other hot rods have had such a lasting impact on the industry!”

significant across generations – Abbey Road and Dark Side of the Moon come quickly to mind. But how many cars do you see fronting your favourite bands?

Enter ZZ Top and their 1983 Eliminator album. If you guessed that was a 1933 Ford Coupe looming over you, you’d be right. The car was custom built for lead singer Billy Gibbons, at a reported cost of $50,000.

The inspiration behind the car was a 1974 movie called The California Kid, starring a young Martin Sheen and a 1934 Coupe from which the movie gets its name. Gibbons was so captivated by the car that he contacted its designer, Pete Chapouris, to build a similar vintage car for his collection, and the Eliminator was born.

The car starred in the Gimme All Your

THE OLDEST WORKING CAR

How many collectors would pay five million dollars for a classic car? Even for those with the determination and the means, the item would have to be pretty

special.

last year at a Sotheby’s auction in Monterey, California.

But what about the world’s oldest stillrunning automobile?

Meet the De Dion Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos Steam Runabout, known more familiarly as simply La Marquise. Built in 1884 by Georges Bouton and Charles-Armand Trepardoux after being commissioned by wealthy French Count Comte de Dion, the steam powered car featured front wheel steering and seating for four passengers, both of which were major strides forward in auto design at the time. The engine ran on rudimentary fuel such as coal, wood or even paper that was fed automatically to hoppers located in a compact bunker near the steering shaft. It took around 45 minutes for the water tank to reach sufficient pressure to get the car moving, but once started it could reach a top speed of 60km/hr and run for 30 minutes or more.

La Marquise has another distinction as well: The first car to ‘win’ an automobile race. De Dion entered it in an 1887 exhibition race, where the car ran the 20 miles from Paris to Versailles and back in 1 hour and 14 minutes with an average speed of 16 mph. Although it turned out to be the only car in the race, it was an opportunity for Bouton and his partners to showcase its capabilities, as well as the possibilities of steam powered personal transportation.

La Marquise was sold to its most recent owner in 2011 for $4.62 million.

SOURCES:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/themacallan-and-bentley-motors-unveil-first-product-collaboration-prototype-the-macallan-horizon-301609413. html (Whisky)

https://www.dezeen.com/2023/02/08/kicks327-new-balance-nissan-car/ (Sneaker car)

https://www.domusweb.it/en/news/gallery/2023/02/15/nissan-kicks-327-its-a-big-trainer-withwheels.html (Sneaker car)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliminator_(album) (Album cover)

https://www.hotcars.com/a-detailed-look-at-the1933-ford-coupe-from-zz-tops-gimme-all-your-lovin/ (Album cover)

https://www.streetmusclemag.com/features/hot-rodsyou-should-know-billy-gibbons-1933-ford-eliminator/ (Album cover)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_cars_sold_at_auction (Auctions)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/reviews/classics/the-oldest-working-car-in-the-world/article4099175/ (La Marquise)

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/hf11/hershey/ lots/r153-1884-de-dion-bouton-bouton-et-trepardouxdos-a-dos-steam-runabout/190071 (La Marquise)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marquise (La Marquise)

https://www.classiccarpassion.com/fr/magazine/ articles-historiques/1884-de-dion-bouton-et-trepardouxdos-a-dos-steam-runabout (1887 race)

Like the Bugatti Type 57 and Ferrari 275GTB that each sold for $5,395,000

INDIANAPOLIS HOSTS WORK TRUCK WEEK

By William Kaprelian

INDIANAPOLIS, HOME TO THE FIRST-EVER DIESEL INDY RACE CAR (POWERED BY CUMMINS) WHICH PLACED 13TH IN THE 1931 RUNNING OF THE INDY 500

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and to this day holds the record for never stopping during the entire race once, again hosted a “first-ever” during Work Truck Week this time involving commercial engines. Ford showcased two autogas/propane hybrid engines; a 7.3L V8 engine nicknamed “Godzilla”, horsepower in the 335 – 440 range with torque in the range of 468 – 475 lb-ft and RPMs in the 3,900 – 4,500 range and a Roush 7.3 L V8 with static 335 HP, 468 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpms. Designed as drop ins to update your commercial fleet for today and tomorrow powerplants.

Many nameplates at the 4-day event were touting lithium battery-powered commercial trucks – Isuzu, this year celebrating a 40-year milestone for selling trucks in North America, commented that when they consider range of an EV truck

they apply a ratio of one kilowatt to one mile. Hence if you want a 400 mile+ electric vehicle per charge you need a power source of 400 kilowatts riding with you. For local delivery/last mile use there were several Class 4 brands showing.

Lion electric offered class 5 and class 6 all-electric commercial delivery chassis with up to 218-mile range @ 65 mph ready to upfit with many alternatives including passthrough between cab and chassis. Check them out at: thelionelectric.com. Green Power Motor Company, from Canada offered several adaptations to all electric commercial trucks; cargo refrigerated vans, passenger vans and cab and chassis options. Learn more about them at Greenpowermotor.com.

Dhollandia was showing a range of power liftgate products designed for sprinter class vans (side and rear access) upwards to Class 6 and semi-trailer applications. One of the strong benefits to Dhollandia is stowage that allows ramp use without engaging the liftgate making it easier for loads at the dock or street level.

Ketchel Axle Systems with their eRHINO electrified axle system designed for fleet re-power and new production reaching across class 3 – 8 vehicles. In an era of rapid EV deployment, Ketchel offers an added fleet-savings with eRHINO, 20% reduction in battery consumption without compromising range or incurring additional costs!

Ranger Designs with its roots squarely in serving the needs of tradespeople/ trades vehicle unveiled a new upfit system designed with EV in mind. “We already have one of the quietest, most vibration free shelving units on the market, but composite partitions help to make it even quieter because they do a great job of dampening the sound and reducing the sound that comes in from the cargo hold,” Diaz said.

“It’s even more prominent when you’re driving an EV, so that’s an added benefit for driver comfort.” (Michael Diaz, Director of Fleet Upfit Solutions, Ranger Design, michael.diaz@rangerdesign.com

Lastly, BOLT, breakthrough one-key lock technology, or as I like to say lowtech meets high-tech and like bratwurst I dunno how it’s made but I know it tastes good.

This technology doesn’t seem real... your key, their lock and together they become a unique bond. As this manufacturer says, “convenient security” for your truck, trailer and gear. Amen.

But let’s not forget about paying for it all, enter Mitsubishi HC Capital. They have many programs to help with new and used truck (2013 or newer) financing, loans and leases.

They leave no doubt what they can do for business/fleet by their own description, Mitsubishi HC Capital America is the largest non-bank, non-captive commercial lender in North America.

THE OTHER SIDE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION

By Sebastien Dorelas

WHILE

CANA -

DIAN PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) KEEPS BREAKING RECORDS EVERY YEAR CONSUMERS’ ADOPTION RATE CONTINUES TO BE SLOWER THAN EXPECTED.

With the federal government pushing for a national target of 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, the gap between the target and current sales indicates a significant disconnect between how well companies think the government and industry are doing versus how fast customers are jumping on this trend. Why is there such a huge gap between

manufacturers and consumers? Several reasons explain why drivers seem to be reluctant and express concerns over EVs.

AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC VEHICLES

With the dual challenge of a stagnant Canadian economy and inflation, the amount of investment in EVs by consumers will remain limited even with the government’s funding of battery manufacturing and charging infrastructure. According to Canada Drives, the cheapest electric vehicles sell for an estimated $50,000. This price doesn’t include the $5,000 incentive rebate from the federal government. That said, interest rates are at an all-time high of five per cent1 and most likely will remain at that level as the Bank of Canada attempts to slow down inflation this year.

Therefore, consumers looking to finance an EV have to take into consideration how much they will pay when financing a brand-new vehicle. Experts are encouraging Canadians to hold on to their current vehicle until it’s on its last legs. Given the difficult economic times we’re going through, it is clear that only

a few segments of the Canadian population are part of the early adopters of this trend based on affordability. The question remains whether price points will allow more Canadians to afford EVs.

PRICING AT PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS

Aside from the price of vehicles, uneven pricing at public charging stations seems to be a major inconvenience for Canadian EV drivers.

As time progresses, the number of stations should significantly increase. In a 2023 survey from Pollution Probe2, 50% of EV drivers expressed concern over the pricing of EV charging stations nationally. It’s understood that public charging stations might be more expensive, however there seems to be no clear benchmark for what that cost should reflect.

Billing practices are not even from coast-to-coast. Some stations charge per minute while others have an hourly rate. Some stations are also free of charge. Those stations are operated by a network of private operators which include Ivy,

Flo, ChargePoint and Petro-Canada. All four are testing the marketplace in provinces like Ontario. In La belle province, Hydro-Quebec operates the most extensive charging networks (Le Circuit électrique). But the ideal solution would be to offer Canadians a standardized regulated pricing structure.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Yet another deterrent for early adopters are the locations of these stations. There is an obvious need to provide more charging stations across the country. Since 2021, the number of charging stations has increased by 30%. 3 Canada aims to have 33,500 charging ports by 2026 thanks to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure Program4 and recently passed the 27,000 mark in early 2024. Some provinces and cities have operational chargers available in dense urban areas. However, when it comes to rural and remote communities, the situation is quite different. The program isn’t identifying key regions and municipalities which should be determined a priority. This creates a challenge for anyone traveling long distances.

CHARGING AT HOME

Most drivers will charge their vehicle at home because it’s the most convenient and cost-effective method. While EV drivers have to pay to install a charger, the price is often cheaper than going to the pump regularly.

Electricity rates are different from one province to the next. For instance, the rate is 8.4 cents per kWh in Quebec, but is as high as 19.4 cents per kWh in Prince Edward Island.

The cost for charging an electric car on your monthly electricity bill will vary based on a number of factors such as battery size and vehicle model to name a few. There are two types of EV home charging stations. Level 1 is the most economical one. It offers up to 8 km of range per charging hour. It also needs a standard 120V wall outlet.

In comparison, Level 2 is the fastest option for your residence. It is highly recommended to use an electrician for installation. It requires a 208V or 240V for your wall outlet. This is similar to outlets that dryers require.

Charging your EV becomes more complex for people living in apartments and condos in urban areas. If you live on the tenth floor of a building in downtown Toronto, it becomes impossible for you to install your own charging station. Yes,

there are spaces available around the city, especially around malls, but keep in mind that not every vehicle charges at the same speed and the limited number of stations in a location can easily annoy even the most patient EV drivers looking to commute to work or pick up the kids after sport practice.

AND FINALLY…

Despite several challenges such as affordability, locations and options to charge from home, the potential for EVs remains fairly strong on the Canadian automotive market horizon.

If the government and industry can work on improving the gaps, Canada will definitely step up and rise to the numerous challenges with this transition ahead of its 2035 target.

POWERING CANADA’S TRANSPORTATION FUTURE

By Alexander Johnson

EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS SPREADING RAPIDLY ACROSS CANADA, BUT DOES THE ACTUAL DISTRIBUTION OF THESE ESSENTIALS ADD UP? OUR WRITER WEIGHS IN.

Transport Canada’s target of having all light-duty vehicles sold by auto manufacturers as zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035 shows that a new generation of cars can no longer be seen as societal fad: they are now the future.

In the third quarter of 2023, 457,836 new vehicles were registered in Canada with 12.1% of them being zero-emission and 76% of those vehicles being batterypowered vehicles (BEV). The current rise in popularity of ZEVs, make public charging stations an essential part of Canada’s transportation structure.

Electric Vehicle chargers are available in three different levels. Level 1 is a slow 120V power unit that charges at a rate of 8-10km/h, Level 2 is a 208V-240V unit with a rate of 20-130km/h, and Level 3 (DC fast) carries a 480V unit and charges at a rate of 5-32km/min. Despite having three charging options, Level 2 and DC fast are commercialized, while Level 1 and Level 2 are available for residential use.

As the world’s second largest country, the geographical size of Canada presents the question of whether there will be enough charging locations and whether they will be easily accessible. Canada currently has 11,031 public charging locations and a total of 27,133 electric vehicle sup -

ply equipment (EVSE) ports. Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, launched in 2019, has a target of 35,000 EVSE ports by the end of 2026, and in July 2023 33,887 ports were built or funded. However, the completion of an audit found that the spacing of the locations was not ideal. According to the office auditor, of the 33,500 foreseen ports, 87% would be located in Ontario, British Columbia, or Quebec, while the remaining 13% would be spread throughout the remainder of the country. Highly populated provinces are not the only areas being given a generous amount of chargers, those provinces with well-developed urban areas are also being rewarded with charging stations. According to a Tesla M3 owner who lives and works in an urban environment, “when I’m going to work, I see a lot of public charging locations, but when I’m going to rural places like my cottage, I have to be more organized because there are very few.”

The clustering of the chargers has affected the ability to sell electric vehicles to more skeptical consumers. Considered to be best used as vehicles for those who travel 200 km or less per day, those in more dispersed areas suffer from the fear of not knowing whether the car’s battery will reach the next charger. This fear is referred to as “range anxiety”.

Our next questions may be focused solely on the safety of self-driving cars or the invention of George Jetson’s flying car, but for now, the distribution of chargers will remain the issue until rural areas are allocated their fair share.

Alexander Johnson is a writer living in Peel Region west of Toronto.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE ALTERNATIVES . . .

By Dana Smith

WE HAVE ALL BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES THESE DAYS. SOME PEOPLE ARE FOR THEM AND SOME PEOPLE AREN’T. DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE OF THE FENCE YOU ARE ON.

teries, to name a few.

HYDROGEN POWERED:

What is hydrogen power, and how does it work? Hydrogen is a clean, lightweight compressed gas and one of the most abundant gases. When you burn hydrogen, it produces heat energy which can have a variety of uses. One of them being for powering vehicles.

This form of fuel is already being used in vehicles around the world. Filling your vehicle with hydrogen is exactly the same as filling it with gas or diesel, and takes the same amount of time. Because of its lightweight, it makes a great fuel alterna-

Some say that they are great for the environment, that they produce less carbon emissions on the frontend. As true as that may be, it takes a lot of energy and resources to produce an electric vehicle on the backend. Does it really help to lower emissions and be a better deal for the environment? Looking at the history and reliability of gasoline and diesel engines, does electrifying our automotive industry really make sense. Is it about the environment, or money? Diesel and gas engines have been around since the 1800’s.

Now, we have the accelerated development of electric vehicles, which are not a new concept. Electric vehicles have been around for the same amount of time. So why now? Electrification was tried before, and wasn’t received very well. Now, in a new age and generation, we are giving it a go again. Time will tell if it will be well received this time. Did you know there are other alternatives to electric vehicles? Some have been tried and tested, and others have been in use for quite awhile. Such alternates are hydrogen powered, steam, solar powered, and saltwater bat-

tive to gas and diesel. It works by feeding an onboard fuel stack that transforms the fuel’s chemical energy into electric energy, thus powering the electric motors on your vehicle. Hydrogen fuel cells are generally 2.5 times more efficient than gas engines.

STEAM POWERED:

Did you know that steam powered vehicles dates back to the 17th century? It’s a concept that has been around for awhile. You may remember steam powered locomotives used on the railways. Fast forward to present day to modern steam powered vehicles. Back in the day steam was produced by mostly coal. Today a closed loop system is used to heat and cool, which makes the engine much more efficient, and produces less waste byproduct. The steam gets so hot that it actually mimics a liquid, which in turn produces more power. It’s also less expensive to make because it eliminates the use of a catalytic converter, muffler, oil, or a transmission, like you would find in a normal engine and vehicle. The benefit of the new modern steam engines is that you

can use any fuel to produce the steam.

SOLAR POWERED:

Mostly, we have heard of solar panels for use in powering our homes and businesses. But they also power vehicles. They have been used for that application for many years. For example, you may have seen them on the top of heavy trucks as a way to power accessories in the trucks. Solar energy is harnessed from the sun by converting it into electricity. This electricity fuels the batteries that power the electric motors on your car. Some solar vehicles direct the power straight to the electric motors on the car. This sounds like a great alternative, until there is no sun. But due to the battery system, it can store the energy until needed for a period of time.

SALTWATER BATTERIES:

Have you heard of saltwater batteries? Most people have heard of lithium-ion batteries. There are many being used today, such as your cell phone. Lithium-ion batteries primary ingredient is lithium. Lithium is mined at a great cost to the environment, and they do have limits. Saltwater batteries store electricity for use at a later time.

The primary ingredient in saltwater batteries is sodium (salt). The same stuff you find in table salt. Imagine that! Creating electricity with salt. There is a lot of salt in our oceans, which makes this product easily attainable. Saltwater batteries are safe as there is no fire risk with them.

They are easily recyclable. Saltwater batteries have a very long life span. This would actually save money as they wouldn’t need to be replaced as often. But there is a downside to them. Because they have a lower energy density, which means that they store less energy in the same amount of space as a lithium-ion battery, they cost more to produce. This is a problem as you can well imagine for large scale production, and applications. While all these alternatives have their pros and cons, they can be very useful in reducing the use of fossil fuels. So, the next time you buy a new car, you may very well have a lot more fuel options in the way your vehicle is powered. To read more of Dana’s articles, visit themindfultrucker.com

Choose wisely!

MANAGING ECO-ANXIETY

By Emilee Musgrave

AS RECORD WILDFIRES AND FLOODS HARMED AND DISPLACED HUNDREDS OF NOVA SCOTIANS IN 2023, THE HARSH REALITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE SETTLED UPON MANY IN OUR PROVINCE.

While this time allowed us to once again experience the resilience of our communities, witnessing the safety of so many become compromised due to a rapidly changing climate creates a sense of uncertainty for the future. Uncertainty and fear of the unknown are commonly associated with anxiety, and as a new practitioner it felt important for me to investigate how climate change may influence the mental health and well-being of Atlantic Canadians, and what can be done to manage this distress. What I learned is that not only is there already an awareness in the mental health industry of the impact of climate change on well-being, it has a name: eco-anxiety.

WHAT IS ECO-ANXIETY?

Though It is not something that can be officially diagnosed, the American Psychological Association has defined ecoanxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental doom”. The severe language used in this definition may lead some to believe they are not experiencing eco-anxiety, but like other forms of anxiety, it can present in varying levels of intensity.

The symptoms that manifest from eco-anxiety are not unique from other types of anxiety, however the context in which it arises is unique; our understanding and awareness of climate change has evolved from warnings that fell on deaf ears starting back in 1965 to now being

acknowledged as a clear, tangible threat. According to the Canadian Climate Institute, three-out-of- four Canadians believe that climate change impacts their mental health and reasons for eco-anxiety appear to differ among the generations. For younger generations, eco-anxiety consists of a sense of helplessness stemming from an inability to influence climate change policies, increased negative perceptions of the future and a fear of natural disasters. For older generations, eco-anxiety can show up as a fear for young people in their lives , or can stem from the grief they experience witnessing the loss of natural habitats over their lifetime. It can also manifest from a sense of responsibility for the planet’s current condition.

MANAGING ECO-ANXIETY

One benefit of identifying climate change distress as eco-anxiety is that clinicians already have a wealth of tools that can be adapted to support those experiencing it. The following are approaches Nova Scotians can take to manage the experience of eco-anxiety.

One approach is to attempt a shift in perspective. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a well -known therapeutic modality that operates on the principle that it is not the event itself that causes distress, but our perception of it. This may lead some to argue that there is no “positive way” to look at climate change, which brings to light another principle within the theory: we are not looking for a positive way to view the issue, but rather a more productive, adaptive perspective. As noted earlier, much of the anxiety related to climate change stems from entertaining “what ifs” and imagining the worst possible outcomes, known as catastrophizing. These concerns are valid, but allowing them mental space in day- to- day life can become draining. A common approach to combating “what if” thoughts is to shift to

a “then what” attitude.

Anxiety is often rooted in an individual’s disbelief in their ability to cope with a situation, therefore shifting to a “then what” perspective allows one to focus on how what we can control and how to cope, and take action rather than sitting with uncertainty. As we here in Nova Scotia have already experienced some of the “what ifs” involved in eco-anxiety, determining a way to cope going forward can be beneficial to combating continued distress.

THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

One potential way we could do this is to consider the switch to electric vehicles (EV). By driving an EV, you are actively participating in environmentally-friendly behaviour and contributing to mitigating climate change by reducing your carbon footprint. Some may argue that it may not make a large difference overall, but for many, driving an EV and actively engaging in sustainable practices can instil a sense of purpose.

Driving an EV can further encourage the action needed to combat the feeling of helplessness experienced by those living with eco-anxiety as it provides the opportunity to promote sustainable practices, advocate for change, and connect with like minded individuals. The Electric Vehicle Association of Atlantic Canada is one of many organizations uniting those who care about contributing to change and providing access to over 3000 like-minded individuals hoping to see change happen.

Managing eco-anxiety requires acknowledging its existence, employing effective coping strategies, and embracing initiatives such as transitioning to EVs. By taking proactive steps, individuals can address their anxiety while contributing to broader efforts to combat climate change.

‘HAPPY TO BE BACK’:

NAPA AUTO PARTS IN ELMSDALE, NOVA SCOTIA RE-OPENS DOORS TO FLOOD OF SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY

By Kristen Lipscombe

AFTER QUITE LITERALLY WADING THROUGH SEVERAL CHALLENGING MONTHS, THE NAPA AUTO PARTS SHOP IN ELMSDALE, N.S., IS FINALLY BACK IN BUSINESS, MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALIKE.

NAPA Elmsdale manager John Marshall can’t help but vividly recall the day the shop’s old location at 601 Highway 2 shut its doors for good. The date was Saturday, July 22, 2023.

“It’s etched in our memories forever,” Marshall said of that fateful day, when the deluge of summer rain that affected homes and infrastructure across the province flooded its way into the former NAPA shop, with about $1.1 million written off in inventory alone.

“It was that crazy 100-year rainstorm,” Marshall said, adding the old location also happened to be nestled on the side of the highway closest to Shubenacadie River, which certainly didn’t help with the amount of ground water surrounding the shop.

The new and improved version of the NAPA Auto Parts store – which officially opened its doors Monday, April 8 – is located about two kilometres away from the old location, at 550 Highway 2, “across the road and on higher ground,” Marshall said.

Parts specialist Kayla O’Grady, 25, who grew up in the East Hants area, first noticed during the evening of Friday, July 21, that the amount of rain coming down was more than the community had experienced in quite some time.

“So, when we went to close up Friday night at 6 p.m., we actually sandbagged our garage door, our shipping and receiving door, as well as our front primary door that people walk in and out of it, just

because we were expecting water levels –but not as high as they were.”

Later Friday night, while the rain continued to pour, Marshall received a message about a car getting stuck on the sidewalk right by the shop. “There was a Honda Civic that had been pushed right up on the curb,” Marshall described.

“It turns out this car had flooded out trying to drive through the water on the road in front of the store,” he said, “so they pushed on to our sidewalk in front of our store to try and get it restarted because it was dry there (at the time).”

“Long story short, they were never successful,” Marshall said. “So, that poor car sat there through the whole flood, and was flooded up passed the driver’s door and was a total write-off. It ended up sitting at our store for months until it went to the scrap yard.”

When the weekend crew walked in Saturday morning, it didn’t take long for the flooding to progress rapidly. By the time O’Grady arrived shortly after 9:30 a.m. that day, there was already about “two feet of water in the parking lot and about a foot of water in the store.”

NAPA Elmsdale’s dedicated staff members acted together to quickly to move as much inventory as possible up to higher ground but by about 11 a.m., “we noticed the water levels were getting too high for us to even be in the store,” O’Grady said.

Marshall, who could see what was happening through the shop’s security cameras the entire time, said “you could see the water filling in the parking lot, getting closer to our door, starting to come in the door, (then) it’s on the floor a couple of inches, now it’s a foot – so I made my way into the shop.”

By the time Marshall arrived midmorning, the water levels went from inches to “over our waists.”

“I’m six-foot-tall and it was over my waist,” he said. “Everything was floating off the shelves, floating around, and our dumpster floated from one end of the parking lot, past us. It was literally just floating away.”

Fortunately, staff members had already moved their own cars, and were quick-thinking enough to save the shop’s computer server and safe. “We had tried

to move stuff around to the higher part of our warehouse thinking it wouldn’t flood, but that ended up being under water as well.

“So, we weren’t able to save anything,” Marshall described. “Our giant garage bay, where our forklift usually sat, became a big swimming pool – it was crazy.”

As more bad luck would have it, as the rain started to slow down, the Shubie River’s tide started to come in and overflow.

“There was so much water with no where to go that it broke the bank of the railroad tracks behind us, so it flooded our parking lot and that whole area, and then it could not recede because of the railroad tracks and the bank there,” he said. “And with all of the ground water, the storm drains were shooting up out of the ground.”

It took about four days total before any car or truck could move through the area on that part of the highway.

“We went from trying to save stuff to resigning ourselves to the fact that we’re only going to be able to save a few things,” Marshall said, but added his NAPA staff were able to find at least some humour in the midst of a difficult time for everyone.

“A resident who lives a couple of houses down from the store was kayaking by, and he did have a couple of beer in his kayak and was feeling good, and he said, ‘hey, if you guys need to use my kayak, go ahead.’”

So, Marshall and staff spent some time kayaking back and forth from dryland back to the store to pick up whatever they could bring back to safety, but of course had to put a stop to “the fun” once water started nearing the shop’s electrical panel.

From that point on, it was time to report the incident to NAPA Canada and its insurance company, with it not being until more than a week later until anyone could check out the unfortunate final damage.

“It was a total loss,” Marshall said. “Everything was recycled and destroyed and sent to the scrappers.” Unfortunately, products that have been exposed to water, moisture and potential mould simply aren’t safe for use by any vehicles. NAPA Canada is committed to being environmentally, ethically, and socially responsible.

Nevertheless, Marshall and team were determined to continue serving its clients – the garages and shops that have traditionally relied on them for any and all parts. So, NAPA Elmsdale moved temporarily across Halifax Harbour, to the NAPA Auto Parts shop at 202 Brownlow Ave. in Dartmouth, which welcomed their stranded colleagues with open arms.

“We wanted to keep the business going and keep our shops loyal,” Marshall said. While that meant some larger expenses for fuel, longer delivery wait times for clients, and a few other minor business inconveniences, each and every staff member was able to keep working full hours and the vast majority of clients stuck with the committed Elmsdale staff.

After coming together as a true team to ensure NAPA Elmsdale’s success, the shop signed a new lease in January and spent the next several months getting the new location ready to open its doors to

the public.

“We were able to fill our store in four days,” Marshall said. “We brought in a team of managers and salespeople from all other Atlantic Canada, got all the product delivered and went crazy. We literally put away four 53-foot trailers that were full in those four days and stocked the store completely.”

For Marshall, O’Grady and the eight additional NAPA Elmsdale employees –including Kayla’s younger brother Kyle O’Grady, 22, also a parts specialist, “it’s a huge sigh of relief and a weight of our shoulders to be back in our home.”

“It’s easier for the team because everyone lives closer to the store and is from the community,” Marshall said, noting the flood impacted more than just his team’s NAPA location.

“It really effected the community out here. The Elmsdale Legion is still not reopened from it and all of the other busi-

nesses in our area were closed for quite a period of time,” he said. “It was just such a historic storm.”

Next up for NAPA Elmsdale is celebrating with its surrounding community, from continuing to help with local fundraisers and donations for local schools, sports teams and race car drivers; to holding special incentives and promotions for its loyal customers.

The shop’s re-introduction to the East Hants community will be capped off with an official grand re-opening in conjunction with the NAPA Auto Parts World Series of Monster Trucks at Scotia Speedworld in late July.

“We like it to feel like a family in here. When people come in, they’re seeing friendly faces they’ve known for awhile and it’s a good, light-hearted atmosphere,” Marshall said.

“We’re happy to be back.”

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERRED WORK ENVIRONMENT?

THEY CAN BE HOT, COLD OR COMPETITIVE BUT YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT CAN HAVE A NOT-SO-SUBTLE IMPACT ON BOTH YOUR CAREER CHOICES AND WORK PERFORMANCE, SAY PUNDITS.

By Carter Hammett

IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH JOB SEEKERS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES, I FIND ENVIRONMENT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT.

During career planning I find it’s an area that many people fail to take into consideration. The question is simple.

What’s your preference? Many employers described their workplaces as “fast-paced” but that doesn’t jive if you start your day in the afternoon or your medication makes you drowsy.

Preferred Working Environments

With an invisible disability (epilepsy, diabetes), it’s important to be mindful of what self-care regimens need to be upheld (e.g. regular mealtimes, adequate sleep, medication dosages); and what working conditions can aggravate your condition (e.g. overnight work, irregular hours, heights or high altitudes), says Denise Feltham of DICE Assessments.

“This is particularly important when applying for “safety sensitive” positions

(e.g. air traffic controller, bus driver, trucking) where there is a risk of injury to yourself or others. In terms of workplace communication, you may experience prejudice by coworkers who misjudge your access to accommodations as preferential treatment given that you show no outward signs of a disability. If the position is not safety sensitive, a deciding factor in whether or not to disclose is the degree to which your condition affects the duties of the job you are applying for.”

Work environments can generally be divided into four areas: location, physical conditions, hours of work and yes, your colleagues.

The first question is where do you

want to work? How far are you willing to travel? Consider how much time you’re willing to travel back and forth. Shortly after graduating college years ago, I was offered a job in a small non-profit that helped people with disabilities. I lived in Toronto but the job was in Richmond Hill, in York Region, an hour-and-a-half commute north of the city. A decision had to be made. Do I settle on someplace smaller where I’ll have opportunities to bring my creativity and ideas to the workplace, or consider a larger place in the city that might be more structured?

I opted for small. And for the next four years, I travelled back and forth, 90 minutes each way. For a time it was worth it because I got to implement all kinds of ideas, some of them successful, some not, with the blessing of a supportive supervisor. After several years however, the novelty wore off, and travelling 60 hours a month to and from work lost its appeal. Still, a lot of experience had been accumulated, skills developed and this improved my employability.

There’s many variables to consider here. Are you a parent who perhaps wants your work to be close to services like hospitals and shopping? Do you perhaps need to work from home as an accommodation?

The next question to consider is what kind of physical conditions are important to you? Is the environment busy? Cold? Hot? Safe? Is it noisy? If you have auditory processing issues, perhaps you might need a quiet place in the office. Do you like a busy environment? Do you value privacy or shared spaces?

Next, what are the requirements of the job? Is there a lot of bending? Lifting? Are you standing for long periods of time? Are you sitting at a desk all day? Are you required to balance on a ladder or engage in climbing? What accommodations might be required under circumstances like this? Following this, you should be considering work hours? Is the job full-time or part time? Are you required to work shifts? Weekends? Holidays? Are you required to travel? Some people with mental health issues feel they can’t function very well because of the sedative qualities created by their meds. Likewise, some folks with epilepsy are re-

quired to take medication at specific times and so a dependable time frame is important to them. On the other hand, some people living with ADHD however, might thrive in an environment where shift work is required.

Your colleagues are also an important consideration. What kind of people do you want to work with? Do you prefer to work with folks who are creative? Helpful? By the book? Liberal or conservative? If you want to enter a helping profession, what kind of community would you like to work with? Don’t forget your colleagues are also part of the people you serve. “Inside and outside customers”

Agile Work Environments

During the last decade, agile work environments have been gaining a lot of traction. Simply put, an agile work environment is about optimizing the use of space by adopting a non-assigned seating model. It means transitioning from dedicated workstations for each employee to shared spaces that workers use on an as-needed basis. Pundits suggest that

as much as 60 percent of traditional office space goes unused on any given day. The agile work environment provides the means for an organization to optimize the utilization of workplace and significantly reduce cost. Many companies are moving to activity-based working (ABW) at the same time as they implement the agile work environment. ABW gives people the freedom to choose the type of space they want to work in based upon the type of work they need to do that day. ABW spaces are designed for efficiency, productivity and collaboration. The current thinking is that these spaces are catalysts for creative thinking and stimulating ideas because they provide comfortable areas for people to interact. This idea sounds great in theory, but again, may not be conducive to the needs of people with invisible disabilities, especially if cognitive processing is expected to be quick. It could have quite the opposite impact on productivity. Think carefully about these variables and add them to your list of considerations when mapping out your career.

FAMILY MATTERS:

TRADITIONAL POSITIVE VALUES DEFINE SUCCESS AT CSN KEIZER’S COLLISION CENTRE IN HALIFAX, N.S.

By Kristen Lipscombe

FOR JORDAN KEIZER, FAMILY IS THE DRIVING FORCE WITHIN BOTH HIS PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES.

In his work life, Jordan manages 16 employees at CSN Keizer’s Collision Centre on Hobsons Drive in Halifax, nestled in the always-busy Bayers Lake Industrial Park. He’s committed to treating all of his staff members with the same kindness and respect that he gives to his own relatives, which is no surprise, considering the impressive family history behind the well-respected Keizer’s brand, which spans more than four decades in the automotive industry across Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

“Everyone works really hard in our family,” Jordan said while taking a brief break from working right alongside his team members on car repairs in the large Bayers Lake back shop.

“I don’t know if it’s a trait or you’re brainwashed at a young age,” he said with a chuckle.

While Jordan, 29, runs the Keizer’s location in central Halifax, his older brother Justin, 33, runs OK Tire and his father Dale, 53, heads up CSN Keizer’s Collision, both located on Sackville Drive in Middle Sackville, which is the same area where patriarch grandfather John worked his way up from sweeping shop floors to owning his own body shop, kick-starting his family’s shared passion for everything automotive.

John, 74, is in fact still running Keizer’s Auto Sales, also in Middle Sackville, while grandmother Carol, 72, takes care of all the accounting for the various Keizer-run businesses. “She’s been saying she’s going to retire for the last six years,” Jordan said, “but she just keeps showing up to work.”

The family also owns Keizer’s Tire Auto Service on Cow Bay Road in Eastern Passage, a smaller shop that is wellrespected by the local community there.

“Everyone in the family is still very

involved,” Jordan said, adding he imagines that tradition will be passed down to his own three small children, and a fourth now on its way, with wife Morgan managing the home team while Jordan is busy at work from sunrise to sunset.

“I have a great wife,” Jordan happily admitted. “And that is a big part of it. By March, we’ll have four children under the age of four; I have two boys, a girl and another boy on the way.”

Brother Justin is also married, with two kids, so it looks like the Keizer commitment of strong family values and business ethics will continue to be passed down for many generations to come.

“You wear a lot of pride when you come to work every day and that’s your name on the building,” Jordan said of how the importance of family motivates him in every aspect of his life.

“I take full accountability for everything that goes on in the business,” he said of why he keeps himself not just aware of but involved in every aspect of CSN Keizer’s Collision Centre, from greeting customers with a warm smile and handshake at the front desk, to mentoring his apprentices and technicians in the garage, to ensuring everything is running smoothly operationally.

“I want to make sure that everything with our family’s company goes great,” Jordan said. “We’re very process driven, and to be honest, I’m probably harder on myself than I am on anybody else in our company, and I think it needs to be that way, especially from a manager’s point of view.”

It’s a positive business philosophy that has clearly been passed down through three generations – and more to come.

“So, I’ve got to to show up every day with the same mindset of… putting my best effort in and leading by example,” Jordan said. “I’m thankful for the team that I have here.”

Jordan’s enthusiastic attitude and dedi-

cation to hard work clearly does rub off on his employees, who are just as welcoming and friendly as their boss, a vibe that can be immediately felt by any customer who walks through the front doors of CSN Keizer’s Collision Centre, formerly known as The Coachworks Limited. The Keizer’s bought the business about ten years ago.

“It took a while to build the team,” Jordan said, explaining he kept some employees from Coachworks, moved some from other Keizer locations, and hired others along the way – with each and every staff member adding something special to his work family. “It’s created a great environment to work in.”

The passion that Jordan and his team have for their jobs at CSN Keizer’s Collision Centre have even recently resulted in national recognition. The shop falls under a network of companies called CSN Collision, which according to its website carefully selects automotive shops across the country “based on their business practices and high-quality repair standards.”

“It is the promise that you receive from your CSN Collision Centre that guarantees that your vehicle has been repaired to like-new condition so that you can get back on the road with confidence,” the website says.

In 2023, the Keizer location run by Jordan won both the Customer Experience Award, based on excellent reviews over the course of the year, and the award for Sales Growth of the Year across Atlantic

Canada, marking the second year in the row for that nomination.

“We’ve had awesome back-to-back years of very large sales growth in Halifax,” Jordan said, adding “there’s been a lot of work that has gone into that.”

Keizer’s Halifax was also nominated for Shop of the Year nationally and the Consumer Choice Award for Business Excellence in the Halifax region under the CSN Collision Centre umbrella, with an awards ceremony held in Muskoka, Ont., this past September.

Father Dale, of course, couldn’t be prouder of his son’s automotive accomplishments.

As a fairly new and young general manager, Jordan has faced and overcome industry learning curves in a short amount of time, coming out on top quickly, his father said. “He has been able to diversity his workload and organize floor production to increase sales and service values with staff.”

“We are extremely proud of his work ethics and continued growth in his leadership skills,” Dale told Auto and Trucking Atlantic. “He has accomplished an amazing amount of industry knowledge that is helping to keep all of our stores on the leading edge.” But Jordan in turns passes that credit back to his father, whose leadership and mentorship over the years has inspired him to be the very best professional and person he can be, from shop life to home life.

Much thanks to his father, collision repair became a natural career path for Jordan. Growing up in Middle Sackville, he would go to school during the day and then walk to the body shop down the road “to hang out with the guys.

“And when Dad was off work, I’d jump in the truck with him and we went home,” he said. “And that was pretty much my days. Jordan “didn’t even think twice” about what he was meant to do in life. “It was second nature.”

“I have a true passion for fixing vehicles,” Jordan said. “I took the trade out of high school, became an apprentice, worked on the floor and I’m red seal certified.”

“And I still work on them here and there where I can,” said Jordan, who was doing shop work the very day Auto and Trucking stopped by to chat with him about his business success.

Much like his grandfather and father, Jordan is always looking toward the future. He’s now hoping to connect with post-secondary institutions such as Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to encourage, mentor and teach young automotive professionals who may be interested in pursuing collision repair as a career path.

“We need to find fresh young people coming into the trade from school,” Jordan said. “It would be great to set something up with them, and have them in, and maybe show them through the shop,

and get to know the kids while they’re in school, and maybe set up an opportunity to have them work with us.”

Jordan’s advice to young people considering the automotive industry as a career?

“Just put your hands on cars,” he said. “As soon as you start taking something a part or figuring something out on your own, in your own way, it’s something you become proud of very quickly.”

Jordan said collision repair remains a growing trade “on the insurance side.”

“The work is there; it’s not going anywhere,” he said. “It’s quite busy with great opportunities for people to come in and make some good money within our companies.”

Beyond the Keizers and the work team he has built in his Bayers Lake collision shop, Jordan also looks at his customers as important members of his business family.

“At the end of the day, we’re here to serve a client,” Jordan said, “and give you the best experience possible.”

With over 35 years of experience in Halifax, NS, CSN Keizer’s Halifax (formerly known as CSN Coachworks) has been dedicated to producing top quality auto body repairs and providing personalized service to our clients in HRM. We take pride in our highly-qualified technicians and the work they do to make sure you get back on the road safely in a properly repaired vehicle.

117 Hobson Lake Drive, Halifax, NS, B3S 0E4

Shop Hours: Monday to Friday | 8:00am – 5:00pm

Saturday / Sunday | CLOSED Phone: 902-450-5100

Email: coachworks@eastlink.ca |

Owner: Dale Keizer |

EPA CERTIFIED BI-FUEL CONVERSION SYSTEMS FOR PROPANE AUTOGAS

EPA CERTIFIED BI-FUEL ENGINES THAT OPERATE ON PROPANE AUTOGAS AND GASOLINE PROVIDE FLEET OWNERS WITH IMPROVED RANGE, COST SAVINGS, AND EMISSIONS BENEFITS.

The conversion system starts with a Ford 7.3L V8 gasoline engine. A propane autogas tank is then added to the vehicle along with a conversion system to modify the engine so it can run on propane autogas but have a reserve tank of gasoline for emergency situations. Drivers only need to flip a switch on the dashboard to easily transition between the two fuels. The conversion includes 46 gallons of propane stored in concealed twin pro -

pane fuel tanks. Fleets that operate with propane autogas report up to a 50% savings in fuel costs compared to gasoline or diesel. By being able to primarily run on propane autogas, fleet owners using a bi-fuel engine start to see cost savings benefits during their first trip to the pump. In fact, one reason many fleet owners transition to propane autogas is because it provides the lowest total cost of ownership of any fuel.  Additionally, propane autogas is a clean energy source. Today’s engine technology is 90% cleaner than EPA standards. Propane autogas ve-

hicles can produce up to 22 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline vehicles throughout the full fuel cycle.

Fleet owners also experience increased range with the bi-fuel engine. With both a propane autogas and gasoline tank, some fleet owners report being able to travel up to 400 miles on the propane autogas tank alone.

There are several companies who can help convert a gasoline fleet to a bi-fuel engine using a certified conversion kit. More information can be found here: Propane.com/vehicle-conversions.

CARWASH DOOR TRENDS

By Josh Hart

WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT CARWASHES, DOORS ARE ALMOST NEVER THE FIRST THING THAT POPS INTO PEOPLE’S MINDS.

However, doors play a very important role in a successful carwash. They are literally the access point to your business. Doors control traffic flow, provide security, keep chemicals in the bay, keep heat in the bay, block wind, let natural light into the bay, and enhance the appearance of your building.

Airlift Doors has been manufacturing doors for car washing for 40 years so we have seen it all when it comes to trends and changes in the market. Going back 40 years if you had doors on your carwash, they most likely consisted of a steel insulated door with some type of electric opener. No products at this time were designed or engineered for the extreme wet conditions and constant opening and closing between cars.

To combat some of these issues, the air powered garage door opener was introduced. This style opener was designed to withstand the corrosive environment and operate at high daily cycles to accommodate high volumes of vehicles passing through the bay.

Although this was a great improvement to the openers in a carwash, the doors the openers were operating were typically still the steel insulated model. Over time, the steel doors would absorb the water from the wash and would become heavy and unbalanced. On top of this, the hardware would corrode and break down and doors would require constant maintenance and repair or break down completely.

The introduction of the polycarbonate door virtually replaced the steel doors in a matter of a few years. At one point, just about every wash you saw had a polycarbonate door and an air powered opener. That was until the introduction of the vinyl style roll up door. Vinyl roll ups have been utilized in the carwash market for almost 15 years now. Vinyl roll ups became popular because they have less wear parts, operate at higher speeds, and can take the impact of a vehicle and reset in the tracks to continue operating

after impact. The interesting part is that the vinyl roll up door is operated with an electric opener. The big difference is that the new electric openers are modified to withstand the corrosive environment of the carwash.

Modifications such as stainless-steel components, coated internal windings, and waterproof housing are a few of the improvements that have been made to electric openers resulting in IP65 rating. The IP65 rating is given to motors that have been tested and passed the standards based on dust and moisture protection. Currently, about half of the carwashes in the industry have polycarbonate doors and the other half is the viny roll up style.

One of the newer trends in the carwash door industry is utilizing electric jackshaft openers on overhead doors. With the new modifications to the electric opener, it has become an equal alternative to air powered openers.

There are a lot of different options when it comes to choosing the correct electric operator for your overhead door. Many controls have a basic model and then upgraded versions.

Some of the key features available with electric operators and controls are listed below. My recommendation is to discuss your specific application with your door provider to determine what type of system is best for you.

CORROSION RESISTANCE:

This is one of the most important things to consider when choosing an electric operator for your carwash. Make sure to verify that the op-

erator has an IP65 rating and that all your controls are Nema 4X rated waterproof enclosures.

POWER SUPPLY:

This can vary, but most models require 110V power supply with a designated 20amp breaker. Many controls convert the 110V power to 3 phase 240V to the motor through a variable frequency drive.

OPENING AND CLOSING LIMITS:

Some models have built in limit switches to determine open and close positions. These are easy to set and can also be used to monitor door position and act as a floor cut off so the door will not open if the safety eyes are blocked when the door is in the closed position. Other control models offer electronic limits. This allows you to set the limits from the open and close buttons without using the internal limit switches. Some models of controls also have a programed adjustable cushion built in where the speed will be reduced prior to final open and close positions.

CONTROLLING THE DOORS:

Many carwash doors are controlled entirely through the carwash equipment. Signals from the equipment at various stages of the wash process let the door know when to open and when to close. You should consult your carwash provider to determine what the carwash is capable of and then determine what you need your door controller to do.

Many people use closing timers in the door controller to close the door after the vehicle has passed through the safety eyes. Some door controllers have this as a standard feature and with others it is optional. Temperature control options are another option with door controls. Using temperature probes, the controller can hold the door open when the external tem-

peratures rise above a designated level.

The doors will then automatically close and operate normally if the temperatures drop below the designated level.

Time of day is another feature with some door controllers. Simple programming can activate your doors at a specific time in the morning and shut the door off at night if you are not a 24/7 operation.

EMERGENCY OPEN:

All overhead doors are balanced with either torsion springs or a Strapeze Counterbalance System. My recommendation is to make sure your electric opener has a quick release system in place to disengage the motor from the shaft allowing you to manually operate the door.

One example of this is a pull cord release on the motor. If someone were to become trapped in your bay for any reason, the customer could easily pull the cord on the motor to disengage it and

then manually open the door to exit the bay safely. Another option to provide an emergency exit option is to install a battery backup system tied into the door controller. This type of system has reserve power to operate the door temporarily in case of power failure.

REMOTE MONITORING:

Newer style door operators and controls have capabilities to monitor your doors remotely from a computer, phone, or tablet, or any internet connected device. There are a lot of different variables to consider with this type of system and you will want to discuss with your carwash equipment provider as well as many carwash controllers provide this option as well.

With this type of control option, you can monitor door position, bay temperatures, safety eye communication, and general error codes.

SELF DIAGNOSTICS:

Newer controls have self diagnostic capabilities. They are constantly monitoring the performance of the operator and will diagnose and display any errors on the screen. These touch screens allow you to change control settings on the screen without accessing the internal controls.

In summary, whether you are using a polycarbonate overhead door or a vinyl style roll up door, there have been a lot of advancements in the operator and control options associated with carwash doors. Talk with your door supplier or the manufacturer of the product to customize a control package that best fits your wash application.

Josh Hart has been with Airlift Doors, Inc. for 23 years.  He has held positions in production, service and installation, and sales.  He spent the majority of his career with Airlift in sales prior to taking over as company president in 2014.