First by train, then vehicle and now electric car, Canadians have a new way to travel coast-to-coast.
When the Last Spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway on Nov. 7, 1885, marking the first efficient way to travel coast-to-coast, it would have taken a Jules Verne-like imagination to predict that 127 years later you would be able to make the same trip in a personal vehicle run on electricity.
But that day is here, as evidenced by Kent RathwellB次元官网网址檚 trip from the shores of Newfoundland to the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Victoria in his electric Tesla Roadster.
Rathwell drove the length of the Trans-Canada Highway, juicing his car along the way at charging stations installed across the country by his company, Sun Country Highway.
Rathwell stopped at one of those charging stations in Colwood just before Christmas. The station at the Royal Bay Bakery was installed in March. Bakery owner David Grove owns a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle and had the station installed so that he and customers could B次元官网网址渇uel upB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址淭he inspiration has come really from talking to EV owners across Canada,B次元官网网址� Rathwell said during the local stop. B次元官网网址淭he way that you guys have spread the word has made it easy for us to get this done. ItB次元官网网址檚 a pleasure being in Colwood, definitely one of the leading communities in the country and probably North America, for that matter.B次元官网网址�
Rathwell left on his trip from St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, Newfoundland on Nov. 17. He took his time, stopping in communities along the way to talk about his journey and, of course, to recharge the car.
The Tesla Roadster can travel 245 miles per charge, about 394 kilometres. A second electric car was towed in a trailer for the trip as a backup, but it was never necessary. Rathwell always managed to get to a charging station in time and the little car managed to make it through any weather thrown at it.
B次元官网网址淪omebody needed to take it and get it done, itB次元官网网址檚 been waiting way too long,B次元官网网址� Rathwell said.
B次元官网网址淲hy not have Canada become the leading country? WeB次元官网网址檙e recognized in this country as caring people and with one of the most difficult climates and geographies to conquer and if we can do it here, we can do it anywhere.B次元官网网址�
Fred Wissemann, Leaf Club president, welcomed Rathwell to the bakery, along with Mayor Carol Hamilton, Coun. Judith Cullington and electric car vehicle owners from the Victoria Leaf Club. The Leaf Club presented Rathwell with itB次元官网网址檚 newly created 2012 ECO Award in recognition of his accomplishment.
B次元官网网址淧eople had the vision to put a railroad to connect the country,B次元官网网址� Wissemann said. B次元官网网址淎nd then they paved a road right across the country. And now we have a man that has a vision to do the same with electric cars. B次元官网网址� He created the worldB次元官网网址檚 longest green highway and weB次元官网网址檙e very happy and excited about his accomplishment.B次元官网网址�
