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CKS Electric Truck ProjectAs we look to the future, we have a responsibility to promote clean, sustainable energy. Dawson’s remote northern location results in high fuel prices and the emissions we produce contribute to climate change, having an impact on the global ecosystem - including the North’s delicate permafrost and wildlife habitat. One way to reduce our emissions and increase our energy independence is to adopt more sustainable forms of transportation. In October 2009, CKS received funding from Yukon College and the Northern Climate Exchange to build an electric truck. The overarching objective of the electric truck project is to determine how to best design, operate, and construct an electric vehicle (EV), and to study the feasibility of increasing the use of sustainable transportation in Dawson. Data (distance covered/charge, charging costs, problems encountered, etc.) will be collected and analyzed in order to better understand electric vehicle technology. The CKS electric truck will be built by local mechanic and EV enthusiast Doug Cotter in the winter of 2009/2010. Until it’s finished, CKS has partnered with Peter Menzies, another local EV enthusiast, to use his EV for data collection and a commercial paper collection service. Electric vehicles produce no emissions at the tailpipe, as they are powered by an electric motor. However, there can still be emissions when EVs are recharged with electricity generated by a non-renewable resource such as diesel or coal. In Dawson, our power is generated by hydroelectricity, a clean power source, allowing us to run an EV with almost zero emissions. How much does it cost to drive these cars?Not only do electric vehicles provide savings where environmental costs are concerned, they are also significantly cheaper to operate and maintain: Gas-powered carA gasoline engine converts energy in gasoline into mechanical energy at an efficiency of approximately 25%. This is typical; the rest of the energy is lost in extraneous motion, friction, and heat. If a gasoline engine were 100% efficient, the same car could go over 50 km on a litre of gas, instead of only 13 km. Let’s assume that a typical gas-powered car gets approximately 13 km/litre, and gas in Dawson costs $1.24/L. Cost of operation: $0.095/km Electricity-powered carHere’s the wonderful news. A battery will recharge and discharge kilowatt-hours from the power grid at an efficiency of 90%. An electric motor will convert electricity into mechanical energy at an efficiency that is also about 90% (the larger the engine the better the efficiency). This means a battery powered electric car will convert kilowatt-hours from the power grid into mechanical energy at over 80% efficiency (90% x 90%). An EV can take the energy equivalent of one litre of gasoline (8.68 kWh) and go over 40 km, more than 3 times what a gasoline powered car can do. The current price of electricity in Dawson is approximately $0.16/kWh. For $1.39 worth of electricity (8.68 kWh x $0.16/kWh), you can drive an EV about 40 km. That equates to 4.6 km/kWh, or $0.034/km... only 35% of the cost of operating an equivalent gas-powered car. Electric cars (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery powered) use far less energy to drive the same distance, and consequently cost far less to power. Cost of operation: $0.034/km What next?Electric vehicle technology is gaining popularity in Dawson, with the CKS truck being the third in town. CKS is very excited about the electric truck project, and believes that the technology represents a viable option where emissions reduction is concerned. If interest continues to grow, Dawson could have the highest number of EVs per capita in Canada! Want to know more about electric vehicles? Visit these sites:
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