Changan, Electrovaya teaming up to release electric cars onto Canadian streets?
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted November 6th 2008 4:26PM
posted November 6th 2008 4:26PM
According to a report leaked by someone at Canadian electronics manufacturer Electrovaya, the company is teaming up with China's Changan Auto Group to bring a new electric car to our northern neighbor -- and it might be on the street as early as this year. Electrovaya is set to distribute the car (based on Changan's popular Ben Ben five-door) possibly making this the first automobile from the People's Republic to tap into the lucrative North American market. Of course, wheels like this won't make you any more popular with the ladies (you'd probably want a Linc Volt for that), but we're just happy that there are more green options out there.
[Via Autoblog]
[Via Autoblog]
Asian Car Comparison Guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ3oyo-irJ4
great... more turds driving around the streets.
I'd rather them be driving in the streets; it keeps them from fornicating out of boredom and conceiving more turdlings like yourself.
I’m assuming that an electric car will work about as well at -30c as my cell phone does if left out in that temp over night. FAIL.
agreed. One of my teachers in highschool said that once a teacher(american one) came for afew days to Canada in the winter, and when he left he did a speech infront of the school. He said how impressed he was that everybody drove electric cars. the whole auditorium laughed. What people in warmer climates don't get is that if you don't have a block heater, chances are your car won't start half the time in winter (though i guess it depends where and which province you're in). Hell Ive had afew days that it was so cold that even with a block heater my car wouldn't start the next day (it was -64ºC with windchill, so something like -80ºF)
That story is even more terrible because I know it's totally possible. Come on though, electric cars? And people wonder why our high school kids are under prepared for life.
well, when it's 30 below, us Canadians typically use engine block heaters so that they'll start in the morning. Considering an electric car has to be plugged in anyway for charging, I think it's pretty safe to say that keeping the critical components sufficiently warm wouldn't be that tough.
Though I'm probably wrong...after all you clearly know more than the engineers who design all this shit.
There is nothing wrong with the look of this vehicle!!!
"wheels like this won't make you any more popular with the ladies" I totally disagree there are tonnes of chicks that love guys that think about the environment, they associate it with sensitivity, and they love the fact that we are helping to save furry little animals.
But, most of us don't meet chicks in libraries. Or, at all.
The article says it's a green car, but the one pictured is blue. Truth in advertising???
I never realized until now that your name was supposed to be taken with a ton of sarcasm.
lol, LR you're on fire today man
Drink at work. It helps.
The Ben Ben crash test
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2008/01/04/ben-ben-crash-test/
Chinese car test results on a Chinese car. Lovely. No mention of standards. I wonder what the impact speed was and the force. Let's see the NHTSA and IIHS tests for the car.
Asian Car Comparison Guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ3oyo-irJ4
I wonder. When trouble reports about this car start rolling in, will the factory simply close shop like Chinese factories are wont to do and relocate under a different name? Seriously, folks. They poison our pets, spike their own milk(on purpose, mind you, not by accident), fake UL stamps on electric products, put lead into children's toy and clothing paints and give us respiratory diseases that they refuse to acknowledge. Would anybody feel safe driving one of their cars based on their excellent product safety record so far?
i'm always happy to see electric cars, even when they are as ugly as this one
Debuting something like this in Canada is a good idea - smaller market to test it in first (vs the U.S.), plugs are already readily available in the midwest (blockheater users) and the Canadian auto sales industry is actually holding up (for now). Of course to really 'make' it they'll have to eventually sell well in the U.S. with its 10x market size.
To whoever said taxes are 60%/15% - what are you smoking? I live between California and Alberta and spent my first 25 years in Nova Scotia - I pay WAY more taxes in California (and Arnold is planning on increasing the sales tax to a combined 10.5% in L.A.!)...
Prince Edward Island does have 15.5% sales tax tho lol. for me in the South Bay the sales tax is going to go from 8.25% to 9.75%. I better get some donuts or something for this shit.
Asian Car Comparison Guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ3oyo-irJ4
Nothing really new here and Canada already has a resident electric car industry, such as the ZENN -
http://www.zenncars.com/
- and I understand the Company is investing time and money on a US Company with the hope of improved battery technology, too. Thing is, while the vehicles are built in Canada, we can't buy them here.
Now granted, it is, like the Changan product, no Camaro or Escalade (for which we can all be eternally grateful) but the bigger issue for products like the ZENN is the apparent protectionist laws favouring gas-powered vehicles over electric cars.
Consider: The ZENN, by law in the US and Canada, has a governor limiting its speed to 25 mph (40 kph) and because the car can not exceed this, Transport Canada has refused to clear the ZENN for public street use nationally, its argument it cannot keep up with faster traffic nor manage a freeway. Other speed-limited gas-powered vehicles (like small scooters and mopeds) are licensed without issue and the argument above is not used.
High speeds are often unachievable in urban environments (where vehicles like the ZENN shine) anyway, but its likely the top speed could be increased if needed - if allowed. But Transport Canada, the NHTSA and other industry lobbyists see no value in permitting these vehicles on our roads, despite the consumer interest.
If you hope to use your car as a chick magnet, this may not be the most obvious choice. On the other hand, if this electric member enhancement doesn't work for you or the ladies you're out to attract aren't impressed with your Green intent, maybe the money you save on purchase and fuel savings and able to spend on them will make you more appealing....