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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Harsh winters and high costs are to blame for the nearly non-existent hybrid vehicle market in Yellowknife, according to auto dealers and a green energy enthusiast in the city.

Then-energy efficiency incentive program co-ordinator Dean Green, right, meets with Jordan James-McQueen, who purchased a brand new Toyota Yaris in 2007. - NNSL file photo

In the past two or three years, Yellowknife Motors and Yellowknife Chrysler have sold only a handful of energy-efficient vehicles.

There is the odd customer interested in buying a hybrid, but often once they see the price difference between it and a standard fuel-engine car they question whether they want to invest in one, said Greg Boucher, owner of Yellowknife Motors.

A hybrid Toyota Camry, for instance, is about $4,000 more than the standard Camry, while the hybrid version of the Toyota Highlander is an extra $7,500.

The price difference seems even more significant given that hybrid performance has not been formerly evaluated in the territory, added Louie Azzolini, executive director of the Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA). Residents have questions, he said, about the reliability of the batteries during the cold months as well as the weather's affect on fuel efficiency.

The AEA will soon be able to answer those questions. The organization has hired a third party to find out if it makes sense to own a hybrid vehicle in the territory.

"I think there is still some uncertainty in sort of the extreme climates we have in the Northwest Territories and Northern Canada in general and that's one of the areas we're looking into specifically," Azzolini said, adding the results are expected next month.

But resident Jan Adamczewski doesn't need a report to tell him whether or not hybrids are cut out for Yellowknife's climate.

In 2006, Adamczewski took the plunge and bought a 2003 Honda Civic hybrid. He has driven it in the Yukon and Northwest Territories with few issues.

"It's been good most of the time. It needs a really good warmup in the cold weather like below -25, -30," he said. "I've got a block heater, oil pan heater and a battery warmer and if I plug those things in for an hour or two it starts fine."

Other than that the car works great, he said, adding it's even performed well on long trips to Edmonton and Calgary. Also, it goes three times as far on a single tank of gas than his old pickup truck did.

Adamczewski said he wouldn't hesitate to buy another hybrid.

"They're good vehicles. They're very economical on gas," he said. "I'm fortunate in the sense that where I'm currently living is about seven minutes walk from my office so most days I don't need to drive anywhere. In the summer I buy gas every six or eight weeks, so that's definitely an advantage."

The GNWT Department of Transportation (DOT) has also had a good experience with its hybrid. In 2006, the department purchased a Chev half-ton hybrid for fleet use.

According to a report on its website, the vehicle starts well even in the cold, has good acceleration and reduced emissions. However, when the vehicle is used primarily for highway use the fuel savings are not sufficient enough to offset the extra cost.

As a result, the DOT would likely only consider purchasing another hybrid if it was needed for mostly city driving, said Earl Blacklock, spokesperson for the department.

The same can't be said for the Mercedes Benz Smart car DOT tested during the same time period. The car failed miserably in the cold weather.

"Winter starting was a regular problem, even when plugged in," the DOT report reads. "It could take up to two hours to thaw the windshield and side windows, and when driven, the windows would quickly fog over. And the vehicle was difficult to drive even in light snow. For that reason, the evaluators did not consider the Smart car suitable for year-round fleet use in Yellowknife."

The Smart car is now only used in the spring and summer months.

There is still a ways to go before electric cars will be an appropriate choice of vehicle for residents in the north, said Chris Hill, president and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada. For now, hybrids are the more practical choice given the climate and the lack of infrastructure.

Hybrid drivers, he continued, don't have to worry on long journeys because they have the gas tank for back up and a pilot program in Quebec suggests the vehicles can handle cold weather although, just like a standard fuel-engine car, its fuel economy worsens. Additionally, with more than 40 different hybrid versions (compared with about five varieties of pure electric vehicles) available in Canada, there is lots of choice.

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