The rate at which older combustion-engined cars are removed from the world’s roads will have to speed-up if air quality around the globe is to be tackled rapidly, the world’s car engineers believe. “Ultimately the speed at which we can changeover the fleet is the constraint on cleaning up air and I think we need a forcing function for us as an industry to work around,” said Paul Mascarenas, a board director of FISITA, which represents 200,000 global automotive engineers. Mascarenas, a former senior Ford Europe engineer, believes that even if battery electric vehicles were available in multiple model ranges and in free supply today, it would still take 10 to 15 years to substantially replace the world’s fleet of combustion-engined cars with cleaner alternatives. “There will be various constraints, including new car supply, and supply chain, but it is not clear when or how those constraints will be taken off,” said Mascarenas. “It is undetermined the time to change over the fleet, to get to one or 1.5 billion alternative fuel vehicles in service globally by 2040,” he said. European governments are aligned around banning the sale of solely combustion-engined new cars by 2040, with many setting targets for a reduced percentage by 2030. The UK government, for example, wants new cars sales to be “50 to 75 per cent electrified” by 2030 and is working on a definition of electrified, likely to hinge on an electric-only range of 60 miles. FISITA chief executive Chris Mason describes the switchover as a “significant challenge”, but believes it will be substantially pushed by “societal acceptance and demand” rather than “leverage” by politicians. “When enough models are in the market, car-buyers will make the changeover happen,” said Mason. Incentives to encourage UK car-buyers to move to electric vehicles have been boosted by this week’s announcement by the Treasury that company-car drivers of BEVs will be zero-rated for company car-tax. But the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has been angered that incentives for plug-in cars have been reduced, and sales of such models have fallen. However, others in the industry blame a lack of model supply for the drop-off. Macarenas and Mason were speaking at a FISITA conference in London entitled “Exploring the Future of Mobility
Origin: Changeover to greener cars needs to speed up, say world’s engineers
FCA boss sees a future of electrification for Dodge’s performance cars
2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat RedeyeNick Tragianis / Driving Dodge has always hung its hat on power and performance. With vehicles like the 797-horsepower 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye shouldering the legacy set by decades of angry, old-school American muscle cars, whatever comes next had better bring the grunt. If you ask Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger cars for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, what the future of Dodge looks like, the answer is simple: electric.“I think the absolute future is electrification of these cars,” Kuniskis said in an interview with Automotive News following the recent unveiling of the wide-body versions of the Charger SRT Hellcat and Scat Pack. “That’s not necessarily bad. It could be (battery electric), it could be (plug-in hybrid), it could be regular hybrid, could be e-axles, any one of the number of electric technologies. But I am a firm believer that electrification will be the key to high performance in the future.”While using the phrase “not necessarily bad” doesn’t exactly set the bar sky high, you can understand what Kuniskis is getting at. What’s keeping Dodge on the sidelines of the performance electrification race is the price. While high-end brands like Porsche, Ferrari and Acura are finding success in the segment, Dodge’s brand tenant of affordability has limited the pursuit of fully or partially electric Dodge performance vehicles. “We don’t have the price points of the batteries down to a place where, quite honestly, it’s a mainstream proposition,” Kuniskis said. “You do see it in the upper end. You see it in the new Ferrari that just came out, you saw it in the LaFerrari before that, you saw it in the 918, you saw it in the NSX.” “So there’s absolutely a performance advantage to it, it’s just a question of when the consumer acceptance is going to be for that. And I think it’s going to be as soon as the price points come down, it becomes a mainstream viable option.”But what would a Hellcat be without its angry howl? I guess we’ll find out sooner or later. Until then, rev it if you’ve got
Origin: FCA boss sees a future of electrification for Dodge’s performance cars
Tesla won’t be updating the Model S or X any time soon
Most vehicles get an “update” every few years, with brands making not-insignificant edits to the interior or exterior – or both – in order to keep models, well, up-to-date. But contrary to rumours circulated earlier this year saying Tesla was cooking up a fall 2019 interior update with premium seats, along with an improved higher-capacity battery, CEO Elon Musk said the company will instead just let the Model S and Model X ride another year.If you’ve been holding your breath for a refreshed model, go ahead and exhale. The 48-year-old exec Tweeted “There is no ‘refreshed’ Model X or Model S coming, only a series of minor ongoing changes” in a reply to a question from a Twitter user.There is no “refreshed” Model X or Model S coming, only a series of minor ongoing changes. Most significant change in past few years was to use high efficiency Model 3 rear drive unit as S/X front drive unit. That went into production 3 months ago. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2019When the same Twitter user – whose bio, we’d be amiss to point out, reads “Cat Walker | Dog Observer | Creative Director” – replied asking if the Model X would get an “interior revamp,” Musk simply said “no.”The last time the Model S got a considerable update was the first time it got a considerable update. It was born in 2012, and got a new air filtration system, an upgraded on-board charger, a new fascia and an additional pair of wood interior trims in 2016. Meanwhile, Tesla is on track for a record quarter, thanks to increased sales of the Model 3.
Origin: Tesla won’t be updating the Model S or X any time soon
Nearly-new buying guide: Jaguar XF
The XF saloon under the microscope here plays the evolutionary card better even than a BMW 5 Series, being almost indistinguishable from the original XF of 2008-15 that preceded it. Look harder, though, and under its stylish body it marks a genuinely new chapter in the model’s story. Its aluminium-rich structure is lighter and stronger, its engines are a new generation of powerplants named Ingenium, the cabin is roomier and it features smarter infotainment and better materials. Prices for the first 2015-registered cars open at around £12,500 for the lowest-powered diesel, the 161bhp 2.0-litre, with around 60,000 miles. If mileage isn’t a worry, you can buy cheaper still, with a 112,000-mile 2016-reg example we found costing just £10,800. That’s from an independent dealer, by the way. At the time of writing, the cheapest official Jaguar approved used XF was a 2014-reg 2.2 TD, a Mk1 model, with 50,000 miles for £12,500. Given how similar the two generations look, it helps to know, when searching for an early Mk2 car, that its dominant engines are 2.0-litre diesels, whereas Mk1 cars are 2.2s. As with the Mk1, the Mk2 XF is bought new as a business tool. It’s why the 2.0-litre diesel engine – in 161bhp, top-selling 178bhp and, launched in 2017, 237bhp outputs – dominates the used car classifieds. It’s available in the three core trims, too. All have alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, powered leather seats and, depending on the power, a choice of manual or eight-speed ZF automatic gearboxes. If you want luxury, go with Portfolio, but if something more sporty is your bag, choose R-Sport, with its bodykit and firmer suspension. The rarer and less tax-efficient 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines also come in three power outputs (197bhp, 247bhp and 296bhp) but are all automatics. As with the more powerful diesels, some are available in four-wheel drive. For a low-mileage used car buyer, a 2.0i petrol has its attractions. However, the petrol engines arrived only in 2017, are fewer in number and tend to have lower mileages. As a result, prices start at around £20,000, or £25,000 for our pick, a 2017-reg 2.0i 250PS R-Sport with 15,000 miles. The big guns in the Mk2 lineup are 3.0-litre V6s. The diesel is turbocharged and makes 296bhp and the petrol is supercharged to the tune of 375bhp. Both come in S trim with a bodykit and adaptive dampers. We found a 2015 petrol 3.0i S with 35,000 miles for £22,995 but a same-age 3.0D S diesel with 70,000 miles for £16,745. Torquier and more economical, it’s the diesel we’d buy. Whichever version you go for, you need to understand that the XF isn’t the most reliable car. In the last What Car? reliability survey, it came bottom in the luxury car class below the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. If you buy one, make sure it has a belt and braces warranty. Need to know ‘Total Recall’ should have starred the XF. Alerts include a cracked inner sill, engine cutout, possibility of sundry fuel leaks, failure to achieve the CO2 emissions limit, problems with the safety restraint systems and the possibility of the instrument cluster going blank. There’s more… Among premium makers, Jaguar’s approved used scheme is unique in offering a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Certain consequential damages, where a failed component causes others to fail, are also covered. Look out for upgraded XFs. For example, shortly after launch, it was possible to upgrade the infotainment to InControl Touch Pro, and V6 cars could be specced with Adaptive and Configurable Dynamics that vary damping, steering and drivetrain responses. Our pick XF 2.0D 240PS R-Sport Auto: Expensive new but we’re talking used, so the powerful 240PS diesel gets the nod over the 180. R-Sport sharpens the looks but its stiffer suspension set-up doesn’t unsettle the XF’s ride. Wild card XF 3.0 V6 380PS S: New, it cost around £55,000 but you can pick up a 2018-reg example of one of these beauties for £35,000. If you have to ask about its fuel economy, you can’t afford it. Ones we found 2015 2.0D 163PS Prestige, 64,000 miles, £12,599 2016 2.0D 180PS Portfolio auto, 61,000 miles, £15,995 2017 2.0i 250PS R-Sport auto, 15,000 miles, £25,000 2018 3.0D 300PS Portfolio auto, 3000 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Jaguar XF
Canada’s 5 best-selling auto brands in the first half of 2019
Canadian auto sales volume remained high by historical standards in the first half of 2019. Yet compared to more recent results, the industry decline that began in March 2018 continued unabated in each of 2019s first six months.Year-over-year, auto sales volume tumbled by nearly 60,000 units in the first half of the year, according to Desrosiers Automotive Reports. That 5-per-cent drop produced a four-year low in combined first and second quarter sales.There are two ways to view the markets 2019 decline. First, passenger cars are, for the most part, the culprit. While SUV/crossover popularity expands, the car sectors loss of market share is staggering; down 3 percentage points to 27 per cent in the span of just the last year, and down by nearly half over the last decade.The second perspective requires, incidentally, a look at the automakers presumed to be least affected by a car decline: Detroits homegrown brands. Combined, the traditional three domestic manufacturers combined for a 9-per-cent drop in first-half sales, a decrease valued at nearly 47,000 sales. The cause? In part, its the pickup trucks that power the Detroit marques. Full-size pickups arent matching the otherworldly pace generated back when the industry exited the last great recession with a boom.Nevertheless, a truck-heavy brand remains Canadas most popular auto brand in 2019, and Japanese brands that dominate whats left of the passenger car market position themselves high in the rankings, as well.These are Canadas 5 best-selling auto brands in the first half of 2019.5. Nissan: 65,959, down 7 per centWith Hyundai hot on Nissans heels thanks to the huge success of the Kona subcompact crossover, its Nissans Kona competitor the Qashqai thats allowing Nissan to maintain its position in the upper echelon. Qashqai volume is up 10 percent in 2019 with 10,294 sales year-to-date, its Nissans No. 2 seller while sales of 14 other Nissan nameplates are in decline. That includes every member of Nissans car lineup, which is collectively down by a third, year-over-year.4. Chevrolet: 74,868, down 18 per centAs the Cruze and Sonic disappear, one would hope that Chevrolets lacklustre car effort would be offset by traditionally strong pickup truck sales and rising utility vehicle volume. Yet compared with the first-half of 2018, Chevrolets pickups even with a new Silverado on the market are down 9 per cent. (Combined, the new Silverado and its corporate GMC Sierra twin have lost more than 5,000 sales already this year.) Meanwhile, Chevrolets SUV/crossover performance has been a let-down this year. The Equinox, Suburban, Traverse, and Trax are all in decline.3. Honda: 87,298, down 4 per centHonda is by no means late to the SUV party, nor does the brand enter the crossover gun fight with a dull knife. The CR-V is hugely popular in fact, its consistently one of Canadas two top-selling utility vehicles. But CR-V sales are slowing of late as a new RAV4 exerts control. Plus the once subcompact-segment-dominating HR-V is now distinctly less popular than rivals from Hyundai and Nissan.Then theres Hondas insistence on a distinctly premium price point for the Passport, which will keep the newest Hondas volume low. These shortcomings become more noticeable when the Civic, Canadas most popular car in 21 consecutive years and Hondas top seller, suffers a 9-per-cent decrease during a period in which the brands utility vehicles cant make up the difference.2. Toyota: 108,047, up 3 per centRare among auto brands in 2019, Toyota volume is on the rise. In fact, Toyotas current pace could result in record calendar year performance for the brand. It helps that Toyotas car sales arent falling, but rather are slightly-better-than-flat so far this year. And it also helps that, while numerous Toyota utilities and both Toyota pickup lines report decreased volume in 2019, an all-new RAV4 is absolutely tearing up the sales charts.After a record sales year in 2018 (which succeeded record years in each of the previous six years) RAV4 volume is up a staggering 20 per cent so far this year. With 31,933 sales already in 2019, its Toyotas top-seller; accounting for three out of every 10 Toyotas sold in Canada.1. Ford: 155,570, down 3 per centLet there be no doubt: with 74,905 sales so far this year, Fords F-Series truck lineup is of paramount importance to the Blue Oval. Virtually half of the buyers who walk into a Ford showroom drive away in an F-150 or Super Duty truck. But the F-Series, on its own, isnt going to instantly cancel out a shrinking car lineup thats down by more than a fifth this year. Nor is the F-Series able to overcome a transitioning SUV/crossover lineup that reported nearly 4,000 fewer sales in the first half of 2019 than in the same period one year
Origin: Canada’s 5 best-selling auto brands in the first half of 2019
Home on the Range Anxiety
Vancouvers Regina Chan poses for a photo op at Drumheller, Alberta during the first day of the 2019 EcoRun.AJAC/John Walker CALGARYOn the face of it, AJAC choosing Alberta as the location for the 2019 EcoRun seemed a little like setting up a Beyond Meat concession at the Calgary Stampede.A hyper-miler challenge deep in the heart of oil country? Why, we might as well have just plastered We Love Justin bumper stickers on the 20 vehicles taking part in the 877-kilometre, two-day event and really stick it to our friendly host province. But when the dust had settled, and the green jersey awarded to the most miserly of the 19 automotive journalists taking part, it turned out that holding the 8th annual EcoRun in Wild Rose Country underscored both the advancements made and the challenges that remain in terms of electric vehicle adoption.Five of the 20 vehicles in the challenge were plug-in EVs, one was a hydrogen-powered EV, and three were plug-in hybrids. The remaining dozen were a mix of hybrid and gas-powered vehicles, including a diesel pickup truck. That latter group caused no issues for event organizers. It was the former one that provided, quite literally, some near-sleepless nights. Ambitious was a word that crossed my mind when I received the two-day drive itinerary ahead of the event, the first day a 485-km odyssey that began bright and early in Edmonton, with the first leg taking us south to Red Deer, the second heading east then south to Drumheller, and the final leg of the day southwest to Calgary. Likewise, day twos 392-km route was broken up into three legs, taking us on a path from Calgary to Longview, Longview to Canmore and Banff, then a blast east on the TransCanada Highway back to Cowtown.The average advertised full-charge range of the five all-electrics was 390-kilometresfrom a low of 377 (Jaguar I-Pace) to a high of 415 (Hyundai Kona EV)so it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that each days drive would need to include an extended stop at charging stations. That wouldnt pose much of problem if the event was staged in and around Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal as those big urban centres have an established charging network. Turns out Alberta doesnt.Such is the lack of such infrastructure in the province that EcoRun organizers had to rent and truck in portable chargers to Drumheller and Banff to ensure the EVs could go the distance. And even then their best-laid plans went sideways, first when it was discovered that just a third of the nine charging stations at Edmontons Rogers Place secured for overnight charging actually worked, and then the next night when a thunderstorm caused a flicker of power outage that disabled the chargers powering up the I-Pace and Nissan Leaf Plus. Meaning each needed to be pulled from a scheduled leg from the next days drive to ensure they had enough battery power to make it back to Calgary. A more dire situation, though one that was known by EcoRun organizers from the start, was that the hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo wouldnt be available for the second days drive, to be replaced by a gas-powered Elantra. Turns out there are no public hydrogen stations in the province.The lesson? Without a robust, and reliable, charging network, EVs will never be more than daily urban transportation. Clearly Alberta isnt there yet, but the good news is that plans are underway to begin stringing together a charging network along the well-traveled east-west corridor of the province. By years end the Peaks to Prairies EV Network will see 20 public fast charging stations installed across southern Alberta. The stations will be owned and operated by ATCO, a Calgary-based electric utility company, and will run on the FLO network, Canadas largest EV charging network. Better still, 100 per cent of the electricity supplied to the stations will be from renewable energy sources. So, if the EcoRun was held in Alberta again this time next year, the charging logistics that challenged organizers would be minimized greatly.Despite those challenges, and the expected grumbling of some of the, lets just say less-EV-enthusiastic journalists (insert Drumheller dinosaur joke here), the 2019 EcoRun was a big success from the one true metric that matters: fuel economy.For the first time in the eight-year history of the event, the 5.0 L/100km overall average fuel consumption threshold was broken. The Natural Resources of Canada average for the 20 vehicles is 5.59, but the assembled drivers managed a thrifty 4.7, from a low of 1.8 equivalent for the Chevy Bolt to a high of 8.0 for the Ford Explorer Hybrid (for full results visit ajac.ca/ecorun).The highly coveted Green Jersey went Michel Crepault of Montreal, with myself and Torontos Jim Kenzie rounding out the podium. And one final note. As a first-time competitor I was struck by how different the drive portion of the EcoRun is to other drive events I take part in. Typically, fuelled as they are by equal parts ego and
Origin: Home on the Range Anxiety
Watch: Australian gender reveal burnout ends with explosion, car fire
Australians love burnouts its almost like its in their blood, something imbued in them from birth. That goes double for this one kid, whose gender-reveal-via-burnout turned out even more memorable than his parents had planned when it ended with an explosion and car fire.Police in Australia are using a gender reveal party that took place on the countrys Gold Coast in April 2018 as an example of how these sorts of stunts can go way wrong way fast.The reveal was supposed to happen via a giant smokey burnout in the revealers V8-powered Holden Special Vehicles Senator, a rear-wheel-drive muscle car. As he spun the tires, the blue smoke gave away the baby would be a boy.Unfortunately, the hoonigan at the wheel got a little overzealous and ended up causing a big explosion that burned the car to the ground. Nobody was hurt, but according to CNN, the 29-year-old driver was convicted of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.Police have stepped in after a gender reveal ceremony took a turn for the worst.The explosive finale was captured on video, with the daredevil driver slapped with a hefty fine: https://t.co/V7DkwMkN2l @njkelly9 #9News pic.twitter.com/voh5QeTRqy Nine News Gold Coast (@9NewsGoldCoast) July 9, 2019This isnt the first time a gender reveal has sparked flames the its-a-boy!-burnout party is actually part of a growing trend in Australia, apparently which is whats got police increasingly concerned.On top of it all, gender reveal parties are starting to see a lot of push-back generally, especially over-the-top ones. Our thoughts? At the end of the day, just dont be dumb,
Origin: Watch: Australian gender reveal burnout ends with explosion, car fire
Mad scientist 3D-prints his own Lamborghini from scratch
David Booth in the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S A just-posted video is giving car enthusiasts a behind-the-scenes look at the work pulled off by a mad scientist who decided to 3D-print his own Lamborghini from scratch.Okay, hes not actually a mad scientist, but Stephen Backus isnt far off from one. The PhD physicist designs lasers for research purposes and teaches at Colorado State University.The decision to build his own Lamborghini Aventador or AXAS Interceptor came after a Forza Horizon 3 gaming session with his son.My son said he loved the Aventador and wondered if it was possible to build one. He did not need to twist my arm too much! Backus tells MOTOR.Since Backus works out of his residential garage, he doesnt have access to massive 3D printers; instead, he relies on a smaller machine that prints smaller patches he then sititches into a sort of Lamborghini-shaped quilt.The plastic itself isnt particularly strong and the seams are pretty apparent, so to make it all look like one piece, Backus wraps each body piece in a carbon-fibre wrap, then vacuum-wraps it.I had no prior experience in 3D printing or encapsulating the parts. The encapsulation was based on skinning techniques I saw on YouTube, says Backus.Underneath the custom body wont be a V12, unfortunately, but the next best thing: a twin-turbo LS1 V8 from a 2003 Corvette, mated to a Porsche six-speed transaxle. The whole process is being documented on his %7B%22provider_name%22:%22YouTube%22,%22provider_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/www.youtube.com%5C/%22,%22object_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/www.youtube.com%5C/watch?time_continue=20v=>%22,%22type%22:%22oembed%22,%22channels%22:%5B%22desktop%22,%22tablet%22,%22phone%22%5D%7D>YouTube channel, and so far its taken 18 months to get to the stage it is now.We have a long way to go in finishing the car. We have had our ups and downs, but the journey has been a ton of fun! said Backus. He says the cost of the car when finished should be about
Origin: Mad scientist 3D-prints his own Lamborghini from scratch
Mini’s first all-electric Cooper debuts, arrival date in North America uncertain
Mini took the covers off its all-electric Cooper SE early July, showing off a hatchback designed to make city driving emissions-free.Sporting classic Mini styling, you probably wouldnt notice at first glance that the Cooper SE is an all-electric vehicle.The EV makes a respectable 181 horsepower and 199 lb.-ft. of torque from its 135-kW electric motor; thats enough to dodge and weave through downtown traffic.Its also enough to get the small hatch to 96 km/h from zero in 7.3 seconds, which is about the same as a turbocharged three-cylinder Mini.The Mini is based on the older i3 platform, which BMW says fits perfectly where the engine used to be. The 32.6-kWh battery will help the SE reach a range of about 183 miles, which is slightly down on what were seeing with other brands recent EVs. The battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in 35 minutes or less when using a fast charger, and can also be charged using a standard 120-volt house outlet or Level 2 charger. Inside the cabin, the Mini is standard fare: not much has changed in here except for some colour-matched switches and lights. The large central information screen is still there, with touchscreens available in 5.5-, 6.5- and 8.8-inch sizes. Apple CarPlay and wireless charging are also available.While Mini has said we should expect the Cooper SE to show up on North American shores, it hasnt released a timeline for when thatll happen. As for the price? We arent sure yet, but we expect it to be a little more expensive than the Cooper S. Think of all the money youll save on
Origin: Mini’s first all-electric Cooper debuts, arrival date in North America uncertain
Mary Ann’s Electric Drive
Harvey Soicher, photographed here last weekend outside his Kitsilano home, embarked on a cross-country adventure a few days ago in his brand new and all-electric Audi e-tron 55 quattro Technik. The 20,000-km journey is a tribute to his wife Mary Ann, who passed away from cancer just over a year ago.Andrew McCredie Keep busy. Thats the best advice to give someone grieving the loss of a loved one.Harvey Soicher lost the love of his live and wife of 27 years Mary Ann just over a year ago to cancer, and on Tuesday embarked on a two-month adventure that should keep him very busy indeed. The Vancouver man is driving his brand new Audi e-tron 55 quattro Technik across Canada and then back home through the States as both tribute to his beloved and as tonic to his broken heart.Now, many people drive across the continent and back in the course of an epic summer road trip. Its a right of passage, in fact. But very few would ever consider covering those 20,000 kilometres in an all-electric vehicle. The logistics alone are daunting, particularly with the northern route Harvey has chosen, where electric charging infrastructure is by no means established. But with the helpful assistance of plugshare.com, hes mapped out a route that hes confident will keep him charging forward.I know it sounds strange but I really feel like a pioneer of sorts, he said last weekend during final preparations of the trip, having just taken delivery of his e-tron a few days earlier. Im sure in a few years it wont be a big deal at allto drive an EV across the countrybut right now it still seems pretty adventurous. ‘Mary Ann’s Epic Journey of Love’It was April of 2017 when Harvey put in his notice for retirement with ONeill wetsuits, a company that hed worked as a travelling sales rep for nearly three decades. The plan was that he and Mary Ann would do a long talked-about road trip to Newfoundland. A week later Mary Ann discovered a lump on her neck, that turned out to be malignant.Then everything changes, Harvey says with a catch in his breath.An aggressive schedule of chemo treatments led to what he says was an amazing recovery, like nothing was wrong with her. They almost thought she was cancer free. We really thought there was a future.The couple enjoyed a trip to Banff with friends, a five-day trip to Chicago and a business conference in Montreal. Then in December of 2017 Mary Ann felt some pain in her hip, which got worse. The cancer had come back and had spread to her bones.It was metastatic bone cancer. Very painful, and she ended up in wheelchair, Harvey said very quietly, then pausing for some time before, It was brutal.When she passed away Harveywho describes himself as a road warriordrove his wifes ashes in her Audi Q5 from Vancouver to her hometown of Port Credit, Ontario. He called the trip Mary Anns Epic Journey of Love.I visited friends of hers along the way to talk about her and to visit with them, he said, adding that he told one of them he was thinking about writing little stories about whom he met along the way and what friends had to say about Mary Ann. And she said Do It!And so a blog was born.My brother is driving and Im on my laptop writing out some of the stories Id heard the day before, Harvey continued. I had an email group list set up from when I was sending out news about Mary Anns treatments and how she was doing, so I just used that to send out the stories.The response was overwhelming, and the entire experience helped pave the way for the sequel to Mary Anns Epic Journey of Love. Its called Mary Anns Electric Drive.Harvey Goes ElectricIve always been an alternative fuel guy, Harvey said. About 30 years ago I had a van and I had it converted to propane. Then I wanted a diesel so I got the VW Touraeg. Loved the power and the fuel economy, the durability and the look of it. Just loved it. Its not just the best car I ever had it is the best purchase I ever made.But then came the day in 2015 he watched the documentary The Revenge of the Electric Car. Before the end credits had finished hed decided he was going to get a Tesla and went online to the companys website.I became a huge Elon Musk fan, he said. I read his biography and was so enthralled I told Mary Ann I wanted to work for Tesla. She said to me, Harvey, I didnt sign up to marry you for you to become a car salesman. If that happens, Im outta here.Okay, but that didnt mean he couldnt buy a one. Only problem was he wanted an SUV, not a sedan, but the Tesla Model X was too expensive. He also didnt like the fact its gullwing rear doors meant you couldnt put a roof rack on it for a surfboard or skis. But then the Tesla Model 3 was announced and he put down a deposit for one, a day before the Model 3 was even revealed.I was number 80 in Vancouver on the wait list, he recalled, then laughed at his devotion to the brand. I went online to the Tesla store and bought a Tesla ball cap and some Tesla golf balls.At the time Mary Ann had an Audi Q5 and Harvey
Origin: Mary Ann’s Electric Drive
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