Driving

The engineers at Porsche obviously wanted to disprove the old saying "You can't have your cake and eat it, too.

To car lovers, auto shows are like candy stores, and there was lots of candy on display at the recent Vancouver International Auto Show. Manufacturers were well-represented at the show, one of the largest in Canada.

I have a reader who insists my electric car - and presumably all electric cars sold today - is powered by coal and natural gas, not electricity generated by hydro. His argument is that the province's hydroelectric generation is fixed.

The B.C. government announced it will spend $2.74 million for 570 car-charging stations across the province at the Vancouver International Auto Show last week The move is part of the government's Clean Energy Vehicle Program.

Honda has added "made in Canada" as another reason for buyers to choose the redesigned 2012 Honda CR-V, its popular compact SUV. As of January, the CR-V is assembled alongside the Civic, which has been manufactured in the Alliston, Ont.

Chrysler adds S model to the 300 line. The S gives the 300 a factory "bad-ass" attitude, with revised grille, 20-inch rubber and killer sound system. New German-sourced 8-speed transmission gives it fuel economy and silky-smooth shifts.

How green is your fuel? I have had a number of letters questioning the wisdom of using electricity. Some people don't seem to buy into how clean an electric car is for the environment.

There's a new mileage champ in town and it comes from a family well-known for offering some of the thriftiest vehicles on the road. The 2012 Toyota Prius C is the newest member of the Prius family of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.

How long does it take for the price of an electric vehicle to equal the cost of driving a vehicle with an internal-combustion engine? We all know that an EV is much more efficient than a comparable gasoline-powered car.

2013 Mazda CX-5 The compact crossover market just got a bit more competitive with the introduction of the 2013 Mazda CX-5, the long-awaited replacement for the aging Tribute SUV.