SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
After going for a spin when the Arctic Energy Alliance's fully-electric car first hit the streets in November, Yellowknifer checked in to see how the green vehicle is faring as temperatures take a dive.
Nick Walker, energy management specialist with Arctic Energy Alliance says the organization's electric car is taking the Yellowknife winter in stride. - Elaine Anselmi/NNSL photo
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"It seems to be doing as well, if not better, than a regular car," said Nick Walker, energy management specialist with Arctic Energy Alliance.
"That's a good sign because this is the worst time of year for electric cars, so in the summer it will do a lot better."
The silver Chevrolet Volt was leased through Yellowknife Motors in the fall, and is powered by an on-board battery that charges when the car slows down and stops. The battery is backed up by a gas-powered generator, which extends the mileage from 60 kilometres on electricity, to more than 500 kilometres on a full charge.
Due to the cold temperatures, Walker said lower fuel efficiency is causing the car to use up its charge in about half the time, and therefore rely on the backup generator more heavily. The cold's effect on fuel efficiency isn't unique to electric cars, Walker noted - anyone who saves up their gas bills will recognize the change - but it is increasing the operating cost of the Volt.
"It's costing maybe about the same or just a bit better than a regular car," said Walker.
"It's about 9 cents per kilometre. For a regular car, it might be about the same or 10 cents or more per kilometre, but in the summer we shouldn't be using any gas whatsoever when we're just driving around town."
In warmer months, the Volt will use less energy to charge and produce minimal emissions, said Mark Bell, sales and leasing consultant at Yellowknife Motors.
"It will use less electrical energy in the summer for sure but you're going to be carbon neutral and not burn any fossil fuel unless you run low and have to use the generator," said Bell.
From the start
For many cars in the North, Walker said the startup can be difficult but other than two days where the car required an extra hour plugged in, it has fired up without a problem.
"We have noticed that on the very coldest days, it's been hard to start and it will tell us the battery is too cold, and to plug it in,"said Walker.
"On -40 days, you make sure it's plugged in correctly and give it an extra hour before you leave. Any car in -40 gives you trouble. Other than that it's been doing pretty well."
Having had many a car returned to the dealership due to failed starts in the winter, Bell said, in all honesty, the Volt has surprised his whole team.
"It's doing better than we all thought. The mechanics were pretty worried and thinking they wouldn't want to be working on this when the temperature got down," said Bell.
"We've had other vehicles come back two or three times because of cold weather and this one has all the mechanics surprised. They haven't had to bring it back once."
Considering the costs
With a charging station mounted on the Arctic Energy Alliance's building, Walker said there wasn't a significant spike in energy costs - particularly since other vehicles also require electricity for block heaters.
"It's probably 100 kilowatt hours per month that the car uses; more probably than what a car block heater uses but that's powering the car, plus keeping the car warm," said Walker.
But the value of electric cars isn't all about dollars and cents, Walker noted.
"Even if it's comparable to other cars for the cost of driving it, it's going to be saving greenhouse gases because we use hydroelectricity here in Yellowknife for the most part, so by using electricity in vehicles, we're saving on quite a bit of greenhouse gases," said Walker.
One of the interests in bringing the Volt up was to spark interest in this sort of alternative vehicle. Since acquiring it, Walker said they have had people come by the office to ask questions about the car and take a look under the hood.
One resident's interest has even led to another order at the dealership. Bell said they have had one customer place an order for the 2016 Volt, and have ordered another 2015 model to keep in stock.
The car has a data tracker in it that logs every trip taken and the amount of fuel and electricity used. After a year of driving, Walker said they would be compiling the data to get a clear understanding of how the car is performing.
Bell has been in touch with the engineers who worked on the Volt, and is hoping to open communication between them and the Alliance, to go over those diagnostics.
"Up here, electricity is a bit more so want to see how viable it is to have an electric car," said Bell.
"But you have to plug in you're vehicle any way in the winter, so you may as well plug in something that doesn't pollute the earth."
