DonB次元官网网址檛 look now, but a new type of car is becoming more common on the streets of Greater Victoria.

Made available in Canada for the first time last year, electric cars are becoming a viable option for motorists looking to lessen their environmental impact.

B次元官网网址淚 was pretty committed to reducing my carbon footprint,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Wilson, an Oak Bay resident who bought a Nissan Leaf in December. B次元官网网址淚 actually sold my gas internal combustion engine car about three years ago, with the notion that I would wait and not get another car until I could get an electric vehicle.B次元官网网址�

Unlike hybrids, which operate on a combination of electric and gas power, the Leaf is one of a few different models of fully electric cars which are beginning to be rolled out in Canada. Mitsubishi delivered its first iMiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) last month in Winnipeg, and other automakers such as Ford and Toyota are readying their own models for release.

For Wilson, who spent the last three years taking public transit and participating in a car-share program, the wait was worth it.

B次元官网网址淚 was excited to finally bring it home.B次元官网网址� She is able to drive up to 160 kilometres on a full charge in ideal driving conditions.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 more than enough for getting around town. We can also make it to Vancouver and Nanaimo and thereB次元官网网址檚 charging stations in both of those cities.B次元官网网址�

The biggest adjustment for owners of electric vehicles is making sure the battery is charged. The cars can be plugged into a standard 120-volt outlet, which will give a full charge in 21 hours. Or, homeowners can have a 240-volt charging station installed, which reduces the charging time to around eight hours. A third, 480-volt option is available, which can charge the car in 30 minutes, but itB次元官网网址檚 typically only used for commercial applications.

More charging stations are appearing with each passing month. The Fairmont Empress Hotel, Parkside Victoria Resort and Thrifty Foods store at Quadra and Cook streets have recently installed stations. A website, www.plugshare.com, maps out charging stations across North America.

There arenB次元官网网址檛 any in Oak Bay at present, but Mayor Nils Jensen wants to see that change.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something we need to do given the growing popularity of electric vehicles,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 foresee eventually having charging stations at various locations throughout Oak Bay.B次元官网网址�

The provincial government is climbing on board the electric bandwagon. The province is offering a $5,000 rebate to residents who buy electric vehicles, as well as a $500 rebate for those who choose to install a charging station at home.

Since the Leaf became available late last year, Nissan has sold 10 in the Greater Victoria area. The demand locally for such vehicles will likely continue to rise.

B次元官网网址淲e had a test drive event in October, and just short of 140 people came down to try them out,B次元官网网址� said Andrew Mackintosh, Leaf sales consultant at Campus Nissan.

Early returns at Victoria Mitsubishi are equally positive.

B次元官网网址淲e sold three (iMiEVs) before theyB次元官网网址檇 even arrived,B次元官网网址� said sales manager Brad Shorter. He has another five in stock and plans to order three more soon.

Mackintosh noted that a large percentage of all electric vehicles sold in Canada to date have been purchased on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, thanks to shorter driving distances and the relatively temperate climate.

Realtor Philip Illingworth, who also recently bought an electric car, said his family will keep their Volvo wagon for longer trips, but he finds the new vehicle ideal for his work.

B次元官网网址淚 was worried that 160 kilometres wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be enough, and maybe some days I might be pushing that, but there canB次元官网网址檛 be many. Most days IB次元官网网址檓 home by six or seven, and by 10 itB次元官网网址檚 fully charged,B次元官网网址� said Illingworth, who owns a 240-volt charging station.

For Wilson, not only was buying the car important from an ecological standpoint, she recognizes the need for early adopters to embrace this type of technology.

B次元官网网址淟ike any new technology, there has to be a wave of people who are willing to take a chance on something new in order to build some momentum and demand,B次元官网网址� she said.

SheB次元官网网址檚 taken the movement one step further. On top of her electric bill, Wilson pays a company called Bullfrog Power to return the equivalent electricity to what she uses back into the grid from renewable sources. B次元官网网址淚 can say my car is powered by green electricity.B次元官网网址�

reporter@vicnews.com