Driving

What's it like to own an electric car? Taking it for a test drive is one thing, but what's it like to live with 24/7? That's what you are going to find out as I write about my experiences living with one for the next 52 weeks.

I have driven some of the world's fastest cars. Today, I drive the most fuel-efficient one. With a combined rating of 2.1 litres per 100 kilometres, the 2012 Mitsubishi i MiEV is the most fuel-efficient mass produced vehicle in Canada today.

The 2012 Subaru Impreza's all-wheel-drive system means an end to blaming snow for hindering a commute - unless the commute is to a ski hill.

One of the most asked questions about electric cars is how much you can save by buying one. The answer is eye-opening. Switching from gasoline to electricity can shave a driver's fuel bill by as much as 82 per cent. In B.C.

While electric vehicles are green, some are greener than others. Electric cars differ because various manufacturers have their own idea about what consumers are looking for.

The 2012 Buick Regal GS is hoping to rekindle the interest of 30-somethings with performance and styling. The large, chrome-trimmed front air intakes visually separates this Regal from it's stablemates.

Electric cars are expensive -- that's to be expected for any new vehicle with new technology and limited numbers.

The Detroit Auto Show runs this week and electric vehicles are once again at the forefront. I drove and wrote about the Smart ED pictured above last week as a kick off a year of electrifying change in the automotive industry.

Follow me as I spend a year living with an electric car. For the next 12 months, I plan to write stories and keep a blog of my experiences living with and driving an electric vehicle.

The smart money is on electric cars these days. North America's smallest car, the Smart ForTwo, is poised to jump on the bandwagon as well, with plans for an electric drive version - the Smart ED (Electric Drive) - sometime this fall.