While hockey is Canada’s sport, there is a following here in the northern part of North America. But as a car nut who was always luke-warm about the sport, I loved it when the Zamboni hit the ice. Sure, you could probably walk faster than one, but there is no denying the coolness of the thing.
So when Autoblog reported that there’s a threat on the horizon for the Zamboni, I just had to let the good readers of The Garage in on it. Say hello to the IceCat!
The IceCat comes from Finland, and at a price tag of $160,000, it is twice the price of a new Zamboni. But the city of Toronto and the National Hockey League have already started phasing out its fleet of Zambonis to make room for new IceCats.
Why, you ask? Well, the Zamboni runs on propane or natural gas, but the IceCat is electric. Guess which ice resurfacer gives off less carbon emissions? Hey, F1 and LeMans are going green too. While I don’t consider hockey a motorsport, there IS a vehicle involved, at least when the players are off the ice. May as well be current, be green, and generate some positive publicity.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
IceCat from Finland? $160,000???
No, that’s one of those Chinese minivans that I saw at Detroit last year…The Ho Flug Doo Mk4…$1750 taxes in, or $1900 if you upgrade to the window version with the optional wipers
Ha…I knew I’d get some good comments with this one. Thanks Crash!
Hmmm…Crash, I think we should try to get ourselves some seat time in one of these!
Speaking as a Brit who only goes near ice if its floating in a whiskey glass, I’ll let you drive that one!!
Actually, funny story…When I first came to Canada, a friend of mine coached an 11 yr old Ice Hockey team. He made me the trainer for them to keep me occupied. After weeks of making the youngsters skate their butts off, they kept bugging me to “come out on the ice”. In the end I did…I laced up my black figure skates and joined them!!! They never let me live that down!!
Back then, there was no Ice Hockey in the UK and the only skates which were available were figure skates, and that’s what everyone learned on.
Actually, I once had lessons with the world famous figure skater, John Curry…You should see my double twist axle with the flying slam dunk…I usually do that without skates after a few tumblers of ice-laced whiskey on New Year’s Eve
That’s nothing. At my age you should see what I can do just getting out of the bath tub.
that’s just plain old wrong. The old guy visual might even be worse than the younger (still old) fat guy visual!
Hm. I never would have imagined the comments would have taken this direction. Let’s make a time-line, starting with the subject: 1. Zamboni has a competitor in the IceCat. 2. Chinese auto makers. 3. Testing driving an IceCat. 4. Ice-fearing Brit. 5. Whiskey. 6. Naked man 7. Bath tub.
I take that back. Now that I look it at that way, it all makes perfect sense.