EcoRun 2015 showcases 13 eco-friendly car manufacturers

Thirteen manufacturers are participating in this year’s two-day drive from Vancouver to Nanaimo, via BC Ferry, then south to Victoria and returning by ferry to the mainland and host city Thursday evening.

The 20 vehicles participating represent a range of models, from subcompacts, compacts, family sedans and sport utility vehicles to sport coupes and pickups. The powertrains include pure electric, plug-in and conventional hybrid, diesel fuelled, high-efficiency gasoline and, new to the consumer market, hydrogen fuel cell.

The EcoRun is not a competition – it’s a demonstration of the most eco-friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles automakers are offering to consumers. A team of highly respected automotive journalists – all members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) – will drive these vehicles over a route comprised of the same roads and terrain drivers face routinely.

Throughout the drive, each vehicle and driver will be constantly monitored in real time, with the data accumulated by the Waterloo, ON.-based firm, Fleetcarma. The results will be posted on the AJAC website as a resource for consumers, so anyone contemplating the purchase of a new vehicle will be able to compare the fuel efficiency of the product they’re considering with the EcoRun vehicles and make an informed decision based on their individual needs and priorities.
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Here is a list of vehicles participating in this year’s AJAC EcoRun:

2015 BMW X3 xDrive 28d, 2.0L 4-cyl td 8 spd A
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel
2015 Ford Focus 1.0-litre
2015 Ford F-150 2.7-litre
2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost
2015 Chevrolet Volt
2015 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel
2015 Chevrolet Colorado (manual)
2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid
2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle
2015 Soul EV
2015 Mazda3 2.5-litre M/T
2016 Mazda6 GT i-Eloop
2016 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD
2015 Nissan Leaf SL
2015 Nissan Micra S (manual)
2015 Infiniti Q50 Hybrid
2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
2015 Subaru Legacy
2015 Golf TDI Clean Diesel

The AJAC EcoRun is supported by Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), Fleetcarma, the New Car Dealers Association of BC, the BC Clean Energy Vehicle program and the Canadian Fuels Association.

“We are pleased to support AJAC’s 2015 Eco-Run that showcases fuel efficient vehicles and challenges Canadian automobile journalists to adopt and promote driving behaviors that reduce fuel costs and the environmental impacts of transportation,” said Peter Boag, President, Canadian Fuels Association.