Vancouver’s all-electric vehicle was unveiled Dec. 4, with VFRS Chief Karen Fry referring to it as a “reinvention of the fire truck.”

The department said the truck is smaller and more maneuverable than a traditional truck, and can go 100 kilometres on a single charge.

At a cost of $1.8 million, it’s $300,000 to $500,000 more than a new diesel engine, but Fry said there are huge environmental and health benefits to an electric truck, as diesel fumes are a known carcinogen.

Trudeau did not say when the truck will return to service.

Hertz swaps out its CEO as it looks to revitalize business after failed EV push.

Hertz’s stock has struggled recently, falling 27% to start the year and 53% over a 12-month basis. The rental-car company recently made a pivot, saying it would downside its electric-vehicle fleet by about a third as customer demand didn’t live up to expectations and the vehicles were proving too costly to repair. Hertz emerged from bankruptcy in 2021.

Shares were down about 3% in Friday’s late trading.

BC Transit’s plan to buy 10 electric buses falls through after supplier goes bankrupt.

Fisker may not make it through 2024;

Fisker said that there is “substantial doubt” that it will have enough money to make it through the year, the company said in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday. As such, it’s embarked on a cost-cutting spree, laying off 15 percent of employees, while casting around for more investment. Fisker said it’s “in discussions with an existing noteholder about potentially making an additional investment in the company.”

“We are aware that the industry has entered a turbulent, and unpredictable period,” Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker said in a statement. “With that understanding and taking the lessons learned from 2023, we have put a plan in place to streamline the company as we prepare for another difficult year.”

WSMB4;

When a Tesla crashed and burst into flames in Scottsdale, it reignited on the tow truck. On a California highway, it took firefighters three hours and 6,000 gallons of water to stop an Electric Vehicle (EV) from burning. “Electric vehicle fires have become really a pain for us,” said Dave Folio of the Scottsdale Fire Department.

EV fires are dangerous, costly, and full of unknowns. “We’re still figuring out ways to deal with them; Everything from putting them in a dumpster and loading sand on top of them and possibly even burying them in some cases,” Folio said. “Right now, we’re all scrambling to come up with a better way.”

Rivian stock fell more than 27% in midday trading on Thursday.

Sooner or later, you run out of other peoples’ money.

Ford Motor Co. cut the price of its electric Mustang Mach-E by as much as $8,100 after its sales tumbled 51% in January when the automaker had to stop offering tax incentives on the plug-in model.

The automaker lowered prices on multiple versions of the 2023 model Mach-E by a range of $3,100 to $8,100, according to an emailed statement Tuesday. The battery-powered crossover SUV that Ford makes in Mexico now starts at $39,895, down from $42,995. The biggest discount is offered on several versions, including the high-end premium model with an extended range battery, which now starts at $45,895.

Related.

One bump wonders: The price tag of EVs and higher costs for repairs are likely to be key factors that could drive Canadian auto insurance higher in the coming years, similar to a trend seen in the U.K., the report published by Morningstar DBRS on Monday shows.

EV Pricing Could Go The Way Of Gasoline Pricing: According to Automotive News, combined net losses for three of the biggest charging companies (ChargePoint, EVgo, and Blink) exceeded $600 million last year. Something’s gotta give – and it’s likely to be reflected in the cost of public charging.

Ouch: “I couldn’t wait to get out of it.”

A rare sighting: Global News reports on the renewable freeze-up in Alberta

Via

Meanwhile, they’re idling in Washington…

Another brick sighted.

Daily Mail: Officials today launched an investigation after one of Sadiq Khan’s electric buses exploded during today’s rush hour.

Truth About Cars;

General Motors has issued a stop-sale order for the all-electric Chevrolet Blazer. As previously reported, the model has been criticized for presenting reviewers with electrical problems. That’s not what you want to see from any vehicle and absolutely intolerable on an EV. Even worse is the fact that the Blazer EV uses the Ultium platform GM claims is about to underpin its future lineup.[…]

The Fast Lane Truck noted electrical problems with the GMC Hummer that made it un-drivable, requiring help from the dealership and a software flash. Meanwhile, both Edmunds and InsideEVs recounted similar problems with the Chevy Blazer EV.

Automotive News reported the stop-sale order was issued late on Friday, when people would be preoccupied with the holiday weekend. “We’re aware that a limited number of customers have experienced software-related quality issues with their Blazer EV. Customer satisfaction is our priority and as such, we will take a brief pause on new deliveries,” stated Global VP of Chevrolet Scott Bell.

Those “quality issues” included repeat crashing of infotainment systems and problems charging. InsideEVs said it received feedback from readers claiming that they had likewise endured issues with Ultium-based products — including the Chevrolet Blazer EV, GMC Hummer, and Cadillac Lyriq.

Related: “When you’re dealing with a family emergency, the last thing you should have to worry about is your relatively new vehicle,”

A second IONIQ 5 owner in eastern Canada also has a battery protection cover scratched, the owner was also told the battery needed to be replace for more than the cost of a brand new Hyundai IONIQ 5.