Driveway’s Alexandra Straub will pilot an all-electric Nissan LEAF in the annual AJAC Eco-Run this week.
The all-electric sedan, which is also the prize car provided by the Scrap-It program for our Plug-In to Win contest, will glide silently from the Vancouver International Auto Show in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday. The route, devised by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, will then take the participating 19 eco-friendly vehicles to Victoria via the Nanaimo ferry. On Thursday, the vehicles will be put through their paces on a handling course in Langford to see how versatile they are. The EcoRun concludes that evening in Vancouver.
In addition to pure electric vehicles, the Eco-Run includes plug-in and conventional hybrids, as well as vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells, diesel-fuelled powertrains and highly efficient gasoline options.
There’s no limit to the size of vehicle showcased, as they range from subcompacts to pickup trucks. The participants include the 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell, 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel, 2015 Kia Soul EV, 2015 Ford Focus 1.0-litre, 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid and the 2015 Chevy Volt.
The purpose of the event is to inform consumers of these alternative options. These new vehicles are driven in real-world road conditions in order to fully test for fuel efficiency and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.