Thirteen. Thousand. Dollars. Since last Wednesday, that’s how much you can get in government rebates for buying a new electric car in Quebec. Want to shop for yours? Good timing: this weekend, Place Bonaventure welcomes the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show’s third edition. Can’t make it? No problem: there’s a repeat in Quebec City at the end of May. Last year, the second edition of the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show drew almost 25,000 people in a weekend. That is no less one-tenth of all the visitors the Montreal International Auto Show generally attracts… in 10 days. And last year, the MEVS – get used to it: that’s what they called the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show – was the scene of 2,000 road tests of electric and plug-in hybrid cars and other electric-powered vehicles of all types. The show would have proposed e-boat rides right in Métropole de Montréal’s biggest pool if the event would have been held at the Stade Olympique, instead of the downtown Place Bonaventure. Yeah, that’s how crazy we are in Quebec. Remember, la Belle Province is the first and still the only one in Canada with an adopted ZEV standard. Since last summer, when Ontario’s Doug Ford government cancelled its electric incentive program, Quebec is back to being the province with the most generous electric rebates, up to $8000 from the provincial level. Add the $5,000 from the federal level since May 1st and that $13,000 slashed off a $41,700 Nissan Leaf or on a $44,800 Chevrolet Bolt gives a nice little jolt. How many wheels do you want: 2, 6 or… none? MEVS, in its third year, opening today (May 3) and going until the end of Sunday (May 5) at Place Bonaventure, is a one-stop shop to learn everything about current electric options, no matter if it powers two, four, six or… no wheels at all. Indeed, beyond the cars we already know, there will be e-motorcycles, e-ATVs, e-karts, e-surf boards, e-buses, e-forklifts… even e-fat-bikes (that one could well become our favourite!). MEVS organizers claim it is the largest EV show in Canada, with 110 exhibitors ranging from solar energy equipment manufacturers to portable battery charger makers, as well as e-insurance and e-financing companies. You don’t want to miss… MEVS also features a bunch of conferences that you don’t want to miss if you are EV-Curious, EV-committed, EV-enthusiast or even EV-uncertain. CAA Quebec, one of the major partners of the event, and if you only have half an hour to sat through a (French…) exposé, you want it to be from Jesse Caron, the automobile expert from the Quebec’s Automotive Association who will Tell it like it is while presenting: EV à la portée de tous: mythe ou réalité? The two other (French, again) conferences you may want to attend are Simon-Pierre Rioux, president of the Association des véhicules électriques du Québec (AVEQ), will go back into a century of EV innovation; and Bruno Marcoux, consultant for e-Racine, will discuss about the pros and cons of buying a used EV (remember that Quebec offers provincial rebates up to $4,000 for those as well). What: Montreal Electric Vehicle Show Where: Place Bonaventure, Montreal, 800 de la Gauchetière Street W. When: Friday, May 3: 1pm – 9pm Saturday, May 4: 10am – 6pm Sunday, May 5: 10am – 5pm General Admission: $15 ($10 for CAA-Quebec members) Parking… free: Electric autonomous buses Kelios will shuttle the visitors for free between the P-10 field of Casino de Montreal and Place
Origin: The biggest Electric Vehicle Show is this weekend – in Montreal
weekend
5 weekend driving getaways in Atlantic Canada
The Cabot Trail is a winding two-lane highway along the coast of Cape Breton, many parts of which are solid double lines.John Chalmers As you’re contemplating your getaway plan for the upcoming travel season, know this: you don’t have to organize some grand trip that involves a plane or a train in order for it to be memorable. There are countless driving getaways for you East Coast folks to enjoy, ones that can be done over a weekend, too, if you don’t have much vacay time to burn. We’ve picked five weekend driving getaways — each one within a two-hour drive — from five cities in Atlantic Canada. Fill up the tank, pack your bags and hit the open road. Stay tuned for more suggestions of great day trips across Canada. From Charlottetown, PEI Visit: Tignish, PEI Time: 1:50 Tignish is a tiny working fishing town not far from North Cape (read: epic beaches) and is about a two-hour getaway from Charlottetown. If history is your thing, you’ll appreciate the hidden gems dotted throughout the village. For example, the St. Simon St. Jude church is home to one of the first tracker pipe organs in North America that dates back to 1882 — it’s a big deal in the music world. Stay at the Tignish Heritage Inn Gardens, a stately brick building erected in the 1860s that has since been converted into a 17-room hotel. It’s located near mile-marker 0 of the Confederation Trail, so is ideal for anyone planning to cycle or hike. View this post on Instagram Because fares are usually lower in the autumn, it’s a great time to see the #BestOfCanada. Photo via @alexgdouglas ✈️ #WestJet A post shared by @ westjet on Sep 24, 2018 at 4:02pm PDT View this post on Instagram Take me back to where I belong . . . #tbt #throwbackthursday #pei #princeedwardisland #travelpei #visitpei #iotd #potd #seascapes A post shared by victorialapp (@victorialapp) on Aug 17, 2017 at 9:00pm PDT View this post on Instagram #stillstandingtv #church #tignishpei #pei A post shared by Chuck Power (@chuckpower76) on Oct 21, 2017 at 8:13am PDT From Halifax, NS Visit: Blomidon, NS Time: 1:00 Avoid the throngs of tourists in Peggy’s Cove, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg and head west. Highway 101, which runs from Bedford to Yarmouth, is the fastest route, though heading south to Chester and then taking Highway 12 west will get you there, too. The latter is more scenic, but will add a full hour to the drive. Blomidon Provincial Park and surrounding area offer sweeping views of the craggy coastline, much of which can be taken in from one of the many hiking trails. Camping inside of the 1,875 acre park is a must for anyone who’s comfortable sleeping under the stars, but there are quaint accommodations in neighbouring Wolfsville, too, like the Blomidon Inn, which is a former sea captain’s mansion-turned-hotel. Aside from exploring the provincial park, pay a visit to the Blomidon Estate Winery or play a round of golf at Ken-Wo Golf Club, which has been a fixture in the region since opening in the ’20s. View this post on Instagram Views 👀 . . . #novascotia #blomidon #views #annapolis #annapolisvalley #explorecanada #explorenovascotia #explorens #novascotia #canada #oceanplayground A post shared by Jenny Bauer (@jennybbbau) on Aug 8, 2016 at 9:12am PDT View this post on Instagram “In these parts, hotels aren’t hotels, they’re mansions…” If the Blomidon Inn, a restored sea captain’s mansion turned hotel, looks like the perfect place to recharge during your next holiday (it does to us), then head to Wolfville, just one hour from Halifax. Expect a gorgeous room furnished and decorated in the Victorian tradition and a fantastic restaurant serving dishes crafted with the freshest Annapolis Valley ingredients, including the chef’s own garden. During your stay take time to smell the roses at the Blomidon Inn Gardens, a photographer’s delight. 📷: @handluggageonly📍: @blomidoninn, @visitnovascotia #ExploreCanada . « Ici, les hôtels ne sont pas des hôtels, mais des manoirs » Si le Blomidon Inn, cet ancien manoir ayant déjà appartenu à un capitaine de marine aujourd’hui restauré et transformé en hôtel, vous semble, comme à nous, l’endroit rêvé pour refaire le plein d’énergie durant vos prochaines vacances, prenez la route de Wolfville, à une heure seulement de Halifax. Des chambres magnifiquement meublées et décorées dans le plus pur style victorien vous y attendent, de même qu’un fabuleux restaurant qui propose une cuisine du terroir exploitant les produits frais de la vallée de l’Annapolis (certains viennent même directement du jardin du chef!). Prenez le temps pendant votre séjour d’aller humer l’exquise odeur des roses peuplant le jardin de l’hôtel – et n’oubliez pas votre appareil photo! 📷 : @handluggageonly 📍 : @blomidoninn @visitnovascotia #ExploreCanada A post shared by Explore Canada (@explorecanada) on Sep 8, 2018 at 8:38am PDT View this post on Instagram
Origin: 5 weekend driving getaways in Atlantic Canada
This wild record-setting twin-turbo BMW M1 will be sold this weekend
A record-breaking BMW M1 LPG land speed racer, built by Harald ErtlCoys Auctions The builder? Harald Ertl, an ex-F1 driver who was looking for a new motorsports endeavor. The reason? When British Petroleum released Liquid Petroleum Gas (that is, propane) as an automotive fuel, Ertl jumped on the chance to set a world record with the stuff. BP sponsored the attempt along with brands such as VDO, Ronal, Blaupunkt and Sachs. And of course, the car: according to Hemmings, the starting point was a used BMW M1, which at the time was a vehicle that had not seen much action in motorsport beyond its own one-make spec race. The stock BMW M88 straight-six put out 277 horsepower, but that number would change once the car was converted to the LPG required to try for the record. The M1 was already good for 160 miles per hour (257 km/h), but it would have a hill to climb with different fuel. Once two turbochargers were added to the 3.5-litre engine, it produced an estimated 410 horsepower, but there was a knob that allowed Ertl to turn up the boost if needed. Three of the specialty cars were built with the aerodynamic bodywork, reported to be designed by ex-F1 team owner (and Canadian) Walter Wolf, who, coincidentally, also built three special Lamborghini Countachs that inspired the flared bodywork of the 1980s production models. Ertl beat the record, but unfortunately, it was never recorded by the FIA, so it remains off the books. Ertl died a few years after the attempt in a plane crash; the vehicle then sat outside at various car dealership lots until it 1993, when it was stored inside and not touched until now. This car is the actual record-breaking car that nailed the record at 301.4 km/h (187.3 mph) with Ertl at the wheel. It will come up for auction at the Techno Classica auction at Messe Essen in Essen, Germany on April
Origin: This wild record-setting twin-turbo BMW M1 will be sold this weekend
All about car 