"A battery-powered vehicle having a fire incident is newsworthy. A gasoline-powered vehicle having a fire is newsworthy only if it stops traffic,” said Steven Risser, senior research leader at Battelle, a nonprofit research and development firm and one of the leading experts on the risk of fires in electric vehicles So, how prone are electric cars to catching fire exactly? Stick with us to find out! With electric cars catching fire being more featured in the headlines than ever, it’s only reasonable to be concerned about safety in this sense. But, the truth is that electric cars are … [Read more...]
13 Fuel-Efficient Driving Techniques
Driving in a fuel-efficient manner is good not only for your car and other traffic participants, but also for your wallet and the environment. Yes, the Carbon Tax also gets the latter two points across, but every individual must be willing to go through with the change in order for it to be successful. In that sense, adjusting our driving habits can go a long way. With modern cars, you are already driving more fuel-efficiently as they cave certain features and capabilities previously unavailable and nature-friendly. However, that in itself is not enough. Here is how to save fuel when driving … [Read more...]
Smart Cities: What’s the Progress Status?
The idea of smart cities was not on anyone's radar back in 2005, but then New Orleans got a head start on data-driven decision making thanks to Hurricane Katrina. After Katrina hit and the city's levees failed, the city started using data to improve and speed-up decision making to support the city's recovery. Amsterdam was another early adopter with the Amsterdam Smart Cities Initiative in 2009. The team used data to address depression and increase treatment for people who were not getting help. By combining statistics from insurance companies and information about the cost of treatment for … [Read more...]
20 Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Home
If you care about CO2 emissions and want to comply with the Carbon Tax as much as possible, it’s not enough to just drive an electric car or a hybrid vehicle, you ought to implement a whole lifestyle change. You can buy local produce and carry a reusable (cloth) bag, wear clothes for a few seasons and buy new appliances, insulate your home and shift to environment-friendly heating sources, etc. read our new blog post to find all the ways you can make your habits and actions matter. Food 1) Try to eat low on the food chain - mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and the like. … [Read more...]
Never Top Off Your Car Gas Tank (Infographic)
Many drivers are topping off their gas tanks at the pump even beyond the intended maximum, ignoring the "clicking" of the "gun" indicating that the tank is full. The main reason could be that they want to use as much of the available space as possible, or maybe want to avoid going to the gas station frequently (before embarking on a longer trip or simply because they don’t want to waste time). But that is not as clever of an idea as it may sound. Take a look at our new infographic to see why you should never top off your gas tank. Bring your car to CRS Automotive today! We are expecting … [Read more...]
10+ Quick Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Home (Infographic)
In the face of global warming changing the climate and the environmental policies, such as the Carbon tax, being rolled out worldwide, it’s upon every single one of us to change our habits and be more efficient with energy consumption and depleting the Earth’s resources. You can do that in many different ways - by changing your eating and food procurement habits, choosing and maintaining clothes differently, paying attention to the type of appliances in your house and how you use them, and of course, taking cleaner manners of transportation. Take a look at this infographic to see over 10 ways … [Read more...]
Is Carbon Tax Bad for Canadian Auto-Production?
The implementation of the Carbon tax throughout Canada has the Canucks paying more attention to CO2 emissions by turning to a cleaner way of life - using alternative sources of energy, cleaner fuels, tech that uses less energy or simply biking to work instead of driving (as if Canadians weren’t physical enough). So, by all accounts, it’s having a beneficial effect on people, but does that also go for the automotive industry? Is Carbon tax having a negative impact on the Canadian auto-production? Let’s examine. Note: You will always find experienced and trustworthy licensed mechanics in … [Read more...]
Reduce Carbon Footprint While Driving
With the Carbon tax officially being implemented in Ontario and the rest of Canada, it’s important for all of us to do what we can do reduce our carbon footprint in all areas of life, starting with driving. There are factors that affect fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For one, when buying a car, you can choose a vehicle with the most fuel-efficient technologies. And then, once on the road, you can make a conscious choice to use fuel-efficient driving techniques. Stick with us to find out more. Before we go on, let’s recap on the Carbon tax. What is it? It’s a … [Read more...]
10 Most Cost-Effective Hybrid Cars
With the Carbon tax now in full effect throughout Canada, people are looking for new ways to minimize their carbon emissions - which was the Government’s intent in the first place. Among other things, this also means that they are changing their requirements and desires when buying cars. Criteria like car dependability and lifespan still play a big role in choosing the vehicle, but overall, we can see a big shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles being purchased more often. If you are looking to buy a car, and your main criterium is how dependable it is, the latest J.D. Power … [Read more...]
Energy Efficiency: Electric Vehicles vs. Fossil-Fuel Vehicles
For a while back, we’ve been seeing the ever so slight shift within the automotive industry - from fossil-fuel vehicles to the electric ones. The first and most obvious reason for this is humanity’s attempt to reduce its carbon footprint and preserve the environment. The second and third are that electric vehicles are easier to maintain and electric charging is cheaper. However, there is one more thing to consider here. Apparently, electric cars have significantly higher energy efficiency than cars with ICE engines. Let’s examine. Note: our auto service shop in Hamilton Ontario is … [Read more...]
