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Canadians are an inventive and quirky lot. Think about the sub-zero temperatures many of them choose to live in, their love of ice fishing, the insanity of their beloved beserker ice hockey. And even their takeover of that strangest of sports, curling -- yes, it was invented by the Scots, but Canada is now its stronghold -- in which people glide about slowly with what look like large granite dustbusters. On ice.
It's the frozen factor that is the common one, obviously. So its little surprise that a bid to carve a working truck out of ice would come from, you guessed it, the Canadians.
Also watch: Porsche formed from ice and flame video
A tyre and battery company based in the busy province of Ontario decided to build an ice truck to highlight the ability of its products to operate at -40C -- an extreme level below freezing temperature for most of us, but not unknown in Canada where 1C is counted as a lovely spring day.
Working with a local ice company in Ontario, Canadian Tire started with a real truck chassis -- welding the suspension solid so it couldn't move and crack the finished work -- and then carving the body out of 5000kg of block ice.
To prove it worked, they took it for a short run at speeds up to 20km/h in December -- with battery, engine and lights all working -- and are hoping they'll get enough reaction to have the truck qualify for a world record.
Watch the drivable ute carved from ice video on our dekstop site.
This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott
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