Car FYI

Photo Source: Walmart Canada/Tesla Operating 410 stores and directly employing 85,000, Walmart’s presence in Canada went from virtually nothing to being one of the country’s largest, most-influential retail businesses over the course of nearly 25 years. While there are varying positive and negative views of Walmart Canada by the population in general, there is no deputing in the fact that the company is currently the go-to physical destination for Canadians. Understandably, moving goods from coast to coast requires a great deal of energy. Even if dealing with e-commerce, large quantities of items need to flow often through the use of transport trucks. Walmart Canada maintains a massive logistical network that includes 8.75 millions square feet of total distribution space. Despite importance for moving goods across Canada, the retailer is now focused in reducing the amount of energy consumed and emitted for daily distribution. In a bold 10-year plan, Walmart Canada will convert t...

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy In the last days of 2015, many of us in Canada have spent a year negotiating various driving situations. Traffic, snowy winter roads, wet weather, fluctuating prices at the gas pumps and maintenance costs is just a sample of obstacles Canadian motorists have confronted over 12 months. As we prepare for 2016, new or changing driving-related laws and regulations are also a challenge climbing behind the wheel. While some governments have already rolled-out new rules or costs ahead of the upcoming year, 2016 will be the first time where the entire driving public will be impacted by new fees as well as different expectations. The following is a snapshot of changes affecting Canadian motorists in relation to the province or territory they inhabit: Alberta Distracted driving is a menace on today’s roadways. When motorists fail to consider the attention of driving a multi-ton vehicle at speeds far greater than any human can travel on-foot, the results ha...

Late last year, Hyundai pledged to become the first auto manufacturer to offer a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in Canada . An electrified powertrain vehicle already available in the United States in parts of California, the Tucson FCEV is based on Hyundai's conventional gasoline-powered crossover. Capable of driving up to 426 kilometers on a tank of hydrogen fuel, the Hyundai Tucson FCEV is propelled by 134 horsepower driven to the front wheels. This week, the first Canadian-destined models of the Hyundai Tucson FCEV arrived from South Korea on the at a Vancouver port. Sent onboard the "Kaijin" cargo ship, the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicles available Canada are apparently being greeted by an anxious group in British Columbia. Explaining that applications have exceeded the expectations of Hyundai Auto Canada Corporation, President and CEO Don Romano said, "We've seen a tremendous response to our call for applications. Canadians all over the c...

Photo Credit: CNW Group/Hyundai Auto Canada Corp Canadian motorists have been provided with some relief in the past few weeks as the correction of oil prices is bringing the prices at gas stations to a more tolerable level. While the immediate concerns for energy are being pacified by this drop, our future thoughts envision a world beyond the finite quantity of accessible oil. Hydrogen is seen as the most ambitious energy source. While dispelling safety and efficiency concerns with the plentiful gas, automakers are slowly spoon-feeding the driving public to hydrogen cars. Some vehicles burn hydrogen fuel in an internal combustion engine but a more active vision sees the gas sent through fuel cells creating electrical power. A handful of test vehicles over the past decade have been a prelude what is a limited production run. The hydrogen fuel cell powered Honda FCX Clarity was first sold in 2008 and Toyota is set to produce the Mi...