LONDON: Manufacturers and researchers from all over the world will come in Halifax this week for attending the Electric Vehicle Conference and Trade Show, showcasing the latest technology in electric cars.
Presenter Lukas Swan teaches at Dalhousie University’s mechanical engineering department and says Nova Scotia is primed for an increase in electric vehicles because the province currently relies on imports of gasoline and diesel.
“It’s a marvelous feeling. You hop in your car, you push a button and it starts up and then you drive away. Perfectly silent, perfectly smooth, there’s no warm up time, no bad smell,” Swan said.
Swan says because these cars are technologically advanced, there are usually many extra gadgets, including apps that can take care of temperature control before the driver gets into the vehicle.
He says there’s no gear shifting and just as much, if not more power than a gasoline-powered engine.
Swan’s own electric car is a Nissan Leaf and he drives about 75 kilometres a day before plugging in at night.
He recognizes that plugging into the grid in Nova Scotia more than likely means burning coal to generate energy, but he says all electric vehicles have a timer on them, so owners can set the charge for after midnight.
That time of day is when Nova Scotia power is getting more of its electricity generated from tidal and wind, rather than coal.
“I can categorically state right now that my electric vehicle produces less emissions or is associated with less emissions for driving than any normal, conventional gasoline vehicle on the road right here,” Swan said.
Swan’s research has been on time of day charging for electric cars and how it relates to renewable energy.
He says the average electric car can go 100 to 150 kilometres before needing a charge.
Swan says electric vehicles are great for the city, but may not be the best choice for rural Nova Scotians.
“I’m a very practical person. Electric vehicles right now, the majority that are produced, have about a 150 kilometre range, so that means they’re great commuter cars,” he said.
But, he says manufacturers are finding a way around that.
“What automotive manufacturers have done is come up with an alternative and it’s called a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle,” he said.
Trucks a work in progress
Those vehicles comes equipped with a gas generator that kicks in for longer haul trips and highway driving.
Electric trucks are another work in progress.
Swan says trucks are a difficult vehicle because they are relied on for heavy hauling and use a lot of energy. They also have to run long distances and the charging infrastructure isn’t there yet.
Swans sees the future of electric vehicles burning bright in Nova Scotia.
With Nova Scotia Power mandated to have 25 per cent of our electricity come from renewable sources by this year, and 40 per cent by 2020, he says it’s just going to become more and more practical to have electric vehicles.
The Electric Vehicle Conference and Trade Show starts today and runs until Wednesday at the Halifax Westin.
