WHISTLER, BC – Day One of the third annual Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) EcoRun concluded with all 18 entries arriving in this former Winter Olympics venue after being waved off with the green flag by Ian Jack of the CAA National Office earlier in the day at the Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver.
The day's run demonstrated the capabilities of the impressive infrastructure system being developed in B.C. to support EVs. For example the town of Squamish recently installed a high-powered Level Three charging unit, which was able to bring the batteries of the EVs back up to charge in less than 90 minutes.
The EcoRun participants spent the night in Whistler before attending a media conference at the Whistler Olympic Plaza, then getting back on the road for Day Two.
The second day's agenda, was scheduled to include dynamic evaluations at the Pemberton airport.
The three-day EcoRun is intended to showcase to the public the latest advances in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions being offered in today's vehicles.
The fleet of participating vehicles includes pure EVs, plug-in and conventional hybrids and high-efficiency gasoline- and diesel-fuelled internal combustion powertrains.
The entries include 2014 and 2015 model-year compacts and subcompacts, family sedans and crossovers, even a premium sports sedan and a pickup truck.
Twelve automobile manufacturers are participating in the event, with the vehicles driven by 18 AJAC journalists from across Canada who have undertaken special training in eco-driving techniques.
They are sharing their expertise with consumers as they demonstrate to Canadians more fuel-efficient ways to drive their own vehicles and reduce their pain at the pumps.
In addition, each vehicle has been fitted with a special monitoring device that records the vehicle's fuel consumption, as well as the driving techniques of the driver. The results reflect fuel consumption in real-world driving conditions and that data along with photos and video will subsequently be posted on the AJAC website (
The vehicles participating in this year's AJAC EcoRun include:
2014 MINI Cooper
2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel
2014 Ford CMAX Energi
2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
2015 Cadillac ELR
2014 Chevrolet Cruze EcoDiesel
2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
2014 Hyundai Elantra
Kia Optima Hybrid
2014 Mazda3 2.0L
2015 Mazda6 i-ELOOP
2014 Mercedes-Benz GL 350 4MATIC BlueTEC
2014 Mercedes-Benz E 250 4MATIC BlueTEC Sedan
2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV
2014 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV Tech
2014 Nissan Leaf SL
2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid
2015 Volvo XC60 Drive-E
www.ajac.ca) so consumers can compare those results and make informed decisions when deciding on their next vehicle purchase, whether it's a small car, a typical family sedan, or even a light duty truck.