MONTREAL - Gad Elmoznino laid down a lot of cash for his luxury sedan but pays almost nothing to fuel it.
He estimates that his electric, $100,000 Tesla S, a car that Consumer Reports described as the best car they ever tested, costs him a mere $160 a year to fuel with electricity.
The powerful vehicle is fun to drive but a little unusual.
“The challenge is to listen to how little noise there is,” he said. “It’s a little freaky at first but the driving is just like any other car.”
And this week Tesla vowed to build power recharging stations throughout major travel corridors in the U.S. and Canada.
Yet Quebec residents have proven reluctant to embrace electric cars, in spite of an $8,000 provincial rebate currently offered to hybrid or electric car buyers.
The cars could become increasingly popular, as Tesla is eventually planning to get a $40,000 version onto the road.
Yet one Montreal-based motoring expert said that there’s little evidence that Quebecers are keen to adopt to the electric vehicle.
George Iny notes that the GM Volt, a car half the price of the Tesla, hasn’t turned on car consumers.
“It's not really selling even though, $40,000 SUVs and Mercedes are selling through the roof,” said George Iny. “So people have 40 grand but they’re just not willing to spend it on an environmental game-changer, at least in Quebec.”
