On the trip on the ferry from Newfoundland I had lots of time (about 6.5 hours) to read “The Guide to Electric Hybrid & Fuel- Efficient Cars written by Daniel Breton and Jacques Duval.
Daniel Breton had very generously gifted the book to us when we had met him in Trois-Rivières.
I am the passenger in the Bolt Across Canada adventure, I don’t drive and I would say I am not a car person. That does not mean I do not have opinions on what a car should be or what it should do. I believe in electric vehicles because I am deeply concerned with the environment and the future of the planet.
Driving across the country for the last 5 weeks, each day I have marvelled at that big blue sky. I have seen the clear blueness but especially driving in to our larger city centres with multi-lanes of vehicles frantically spewing out exhaust I have almost instantly cried out about the smog enveloping the vista. Landmarks fade out into an orangish-grey hue.
Travelling with our dog, Piper who likes to stick her head out the window of the car as we are on the road has given us a gift. Piper has shown us that you don’t just see the wonderful countryside; you also smell the country side. Each new scene also had a scent. You could smell the trees and the water.
In an exhaust filled road system the air is the aroma of pollution.
I am making this road trip because I believe that everyone is capable of making changes that will be more beneficial to our planet and I would like to help support others to do so.
I was drawn into reading the book with Jacques Duval describing his career driving race cars and writing about sports cars to his shift for future generations by helping individuals make the change to less polluting cars. Then I read how Daniel Breton loved cars but prefers a viable planet and I was committed to reading this guide for people looking for solutions on how to reduce their reliance on oil and all the pollutants we are pouring into the environment because of our transportation choices.
Did I say I am not a car person? Well that means that reading super techy car prose makes my brain freeze and it becomes a chore.
The greatest compliment that I can give the authors is I enjoyed the read and I found it easy to understand and it kept my interest. As a guide I found it very user friendly and full of human experience.
Imagine a car guide that asks you if you really need a car? This one does because this guide is about helping individuals to find the right fit for them with their circumstances. That is a reason the guide also covers more fuel efficient vehicles as well.
The guide very concisely dispels the fears associated with many of the myths, misinformation or misconceptions about electric vehicles.
The guide continues with a selection of road tests with both Daniel and Jacques and sometimes other drivers writing about their experiences and impressions. The guide covers a wide range of vehicles including offerings from Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan, Toyota and Tesla and includes hybrids and fuel efficient as well as electric.
The book also has a section about subsidies and rebates.
This book is well laid out and it is very easy to find information and is a great reference book. It is a both drivers and non-drivers can read and learn from.
Daniel told me that they will be working on a second edition with updates on newer models coming out.
The Guide to Electric, Hybrid & Fuel- Efficient Cars by Daniel Breton and Jacques Duval is published by Juniper Publishing.
