The current (1) all weather limited range and slow charging of most BEVs (2) lack of very quick charge public facilities and (3) very high price of qualifying BEVs, like the TESLA Model S100D at over $125K CAN, are the main factors keeping sales low.

Interim PHEVs have better sales stats but they are using liquid fossil fuel and producing pollution and GHGs?

Improved (3X to 5X) lower cost batteries are required.

The rare (if not the only current BEV) with all weather extended range and quick charge possibilities was picked because others do not qualify.

Short range (100 to 200 Km) BEVs were disqualified because they are not practical and/or unsafe for use in our very cold snowy area. Haven seen one of those on the roads since late November.

Lower cost long range FCEVs would qualify but lack of or non-availability of local H2 stations disqualified them.

Harvey, in what way do you consider the Renault ZOE 40 to not qualify?

Harvey and sheldon arent crazy, it's more of a life or death situation.ICEs with near 70% waste heat have a hard time keeping windows clear or passengers comfortable in some situations.

Range can plummet in the cold for several reasons for BEVs, cabin heat, battery's capability in the cold, defrosting.

A rear defrost grid on a an ice car is 500w or more. Without sufficient cabin heat, this need becomes more, even more for the front windscreen.

I think passengers will tolerate only so much to drive thier zev, that's why Harvey's points are valid.

If i had a 50mile round trip, i wouldn't want anything less than 200mile range in the cold. In Canada outside of the cities, you'll need even more range because of longer trips

It's just a matter of time before cheap electric cars breach the 300mile range mark.

Even still, fuel cells have been seeing some interesting breakthroughs. Places with more than one season might just be the playground for FCs in the coming years.

FCs might struggle too, same as batteries with the cold, a typical stack might only have 23kw of heating potential at full tilt operation. Or more likely 2.3kw running down the road. In extreme environment it might be barely enough to keep occupants comfortable.

They could add special cooling loops, and heat pumps to maximize the heat to passengers. But the stack itself has to stay warm too, same for the battery and other temperature sensitive systems.

Lad, i can only imagine your pain. How's your range after 6years? The leaf, has been known to suffer some range loss.

Definitely mind your warranties, your battery falls under emission equipment, and if you're in certain states, that makes it easy for you to take legal action. I think even Canada has something similar too.

I arrived at client this morning at 0730 with the car's thermometer reading -18C. In my 2012 Leaf this would have been a 55-60km range day if I were to maintain a barely tolerable interior temp and an occasional swiping of foggy glass. The '13 Volt I drive now is getting about 3km/kWh while keeping me nominally comfortable and the windows clear, and that WITH some help from the engine. (In the 30-odd days of deepest winter temps the Volt is markedly MORE expensive to operate than a pure ICE of equivalent size and performance, and certainly not nearly as good as a Prius. So was my Leaf, actually -- UCS average figures be damned. Wind producton on most of these days is de minimus and good old Coal is the predominant source.)

In northernmost climes BEVs have some serious challenges, and for God's sake don't any Tesla fanbois start with the "what about Norway" business. When a country has shorter average psgr-km, exemptions from a gigantic confiscatory vehicle tariff, massive fuel taxes, abundant hydropower, and a laundry list of special privileges bestowed on buyers of US$120k+ automobiles, yes, the most expensive and highest-range EVs make sense.

HD, maybe I wasn't clear, but I AGREE with you.

I'm not a Quebecer so this doesn't effect me and as I live on the west coast cold weather range isn't that big of an issue. My problem is different - I need my BEV "toad" capable. For those who don't know, a toad is a car you tow behind a RV with all 4 wheels on the ground. A Tesla can't be towed like that, it has to be put on a trailer. Get into an accident and you have to call a flatbed. Other EVs can only be towed with the driven wheels on a dolly.

Yeah, some of the safety features are getting a bit creative. Most of them are made obsolete by a well trained driver. (but most drivers aren't trained, or capable)

I much rather have a hybrid tow vehicle, and a trailer. Which is why i am thankful the F150 and it's platform mate is getting the battery treatment. Hopefully it's in house and not magna, or a similar last stitch effort. If it had 30mile ev range, then it would be great for towing, especially with regen brakes.

The ZEV credits should be interesting, I don't know if I am opposed yet, I don't know how they do thier metrics. Full line makers certainly have much more to lose than let's say an exotic maker. 10% would be hard for Ford and Fiat to hit in Canada, probably honda too. I don't want auto makers to scramble to ZEV cars, i want well thought out models.

The current cold wave doesn't extend to Moscow.  Current temperature in Moscow is above freezing.

What's happening is that the polar vortex is weakened due to greenhouse gases killing the outgoing radiation, and the cold polar air now wanders wherever the jet stream takes it.

That means it's dumping lake-effect snow on me.