Welcome to the latest update, hope you’ve had a great summer! With overseas travel still restricted, we took the opportunity to hit the road in Baymax for our main summer vacation. In mid-July we left Calgary on the long drive through the Rockies to the Pacific coast, breaking the journey overnight in Golden, British Columbia and thankfully avoiding any wildfire-related road closures along the way.
Waiting for the construction closure to be lifted on the way to Tofino, BC
This was the type of trip we had in mind when we bought a car with generous space to travel long distances in comfort and without much restriction on the cargo we could take along for the ride. As such, we were able to load up with our tent and other camping gear for use once we reached Vancouver Island after a few days in downtown Vancouver.
Almost from the moment we left Calgary, the trip underlined how Alberta lags behind EV adoption and infrastructure development in some other parts of Canada. There were far more Teslas on the roads of metropolitan Vancouver than you’ll see in Calgary, with plenty of Hyundai Kona EVs, Nissan Leafs and others too. That’s no doubt related in part to the BC provincial purchase incentives that have not been replicated in Alberta, with the result that auto makers have hitherto concentrated their limited Canadian stocks of EVs and PHEVs in incentivized markets.
We didn’t go out of our way to keep the battery charged – the Pacifica Hybrid isn’t fast-charge capable and in our rush to pack for the last-minute trip, we left our charging cable at home! But as you can see below, we were able to use the free Parks Canada EV parking/recharging spots in the centre of Banff for a quick top-up while we had dinner, and recharge overnight in the basement parking lot of our Vancouver hotel. It all helps.
Almost from the moment we left Calgary, the trip underlined how Alberta lags behind EV adoption and infrastructure development in some other parts of Canada. There were far more Teslas on the roads of metropolitan Vancouver than you’ll see in Calgary, with plenty of Hyundai Kona EVs, Nissan Leafs and others too. That’s no doubt related in part to the BC provincial purchase incentives that have not been replicated in Alberta, with the result that auto makers have hitherto concentrated their limited Canadian stocks of EVs and PHEVs in incentivized markets.
We didn’t go out of our way to keep the battery charged – the Pacifica Hybrid isn’t fast-charge capable and in our rush to pack for the last-minute trip, we left our charging cable at home! But as you can see below, we were able to use the free Parks Canada EV parking/recharging spots in the centre of Banff for a quick top-up while we had dinner, and recharge overnight in the basement parking lot of our Vancouver hotel. It all helps.
The long highway stretches offered plenty of time to monitor the PacHy’s fuel consumption. Over 3,000km of mostly city driving through the spring and early summer, we’d averaged 4.4L/100km (53mpg US), but I reset the gauge on departure. For the just under 1,000km (621 miles) from Calgary to Vancouver, the car managed 6.4L/100km (37mpg US), spending more than a third of its time on electric power (descending those long mountain passes is great for regen!). Consumption increased slightly over the course of the two weeks, running almost exclusively in hybrid mode, but I still thought that a trip average of 6.9L/100km (34mpg US) over 2,957km (1,837 miles) was a great return for a big car, fully loaded.
Incidentally, I correlated the in-car consumption gauge with a calculation from our actual quantity of gas bought (202L/53 gallons US), and the figure was spot-on.
Safe to say that fuel savings aside, the Pacifica Hybrid made for a fantastic companion on our trip. This was by far the furthest we’d ever driven it – after a year of going nowhere much, we increased the car’s overall mileage by about 25% – and it was flawless. The quietness and comfort on those long highway stretches was very welcome and the kids were kept entertained by the Uconnect Theater screens. Meanwhile the trunk swallowed everything we threw at it while still leaving decent rear visibility.
We were in and out of the car a lot during our time camping in Chemainus, BC, not least because the food had to be kept out of reach of the wildlife. In a bid to avoid disturbing our neighbours, I discovered that the warning chime from the closing tailgate can be disabled through the Settings app. While in that menu I also realized that the remote door unlocking can be switched to a single press of the fob for all doors, which is handier than multiple presses in my opinion. It was a reminder that I still have lots to learn about this car.
Incidentally, I correlated the in-car consumption gauge with a calculation from our actual quantity of gas bought (202L/53 gallons US), and the figure was spot-on.
Safe to say that fuel savings aside, the Pacifica Hybrid made for a fantastic companion on our trip. This was by far the furthest we’d ever driven it – after a year of going nowhere much, we increased the car’s overall mileage by about 25% – and it was flawless. The quietness and comfort on those long highway stretches was very welcome and the kids were kept entertained by the Uconnect Theater screens. Meanwhile the trunk swallowed everything we threw at it while still leaving decent rear visibility.
We were in and out of the car a lot during our time camping in Chemainus, BC, not least because the food had to be kept out of reach of the wildlife. In a bid to avoid disturbing our neighbours, I discovered that the warning chime from the closing tailgate can be disabled through the Settings app. While in that menu I also realized that the remote door unlocking can be switched to a single press of the fob for all doors, which is handier than multiple presses in my opinion. It was a reminder that I still have lots to learn about this car.
Baymax guarding the campsite in Chemainus, BC
The mileage accumulated on the BC trip took us into range for the 12-month service, so on our return to Calgary the Pacifica was booked into Crowfoot Dodge. The standard service included the usual oil and filter change and tire rotation, as well as a refill of the fuel injector cleaner and moisture-removing chemical in the fuel tank. I agreed with the dealer’s recommendation of an alignment check and I also requested a cabin vent filter change and a brake service. The latter cleans away debris and corrosion and lubricates the calipers and sliders. For an extra C$130, I think it’s money well spent, given the potential for problems arising from the Hybrid’s less frequent friction brake usage.
Please look out for my next blog soon, where I’ll be taking a closer look at the new Pacifica AWD. Thanks for reading!
Please look out for my next blog soon, where I’ll be taking a closer look at the new Pacifica AWD. Thanks for reading!