Many Canadians not on board with buying an electric vehicle as their next car
It was a tale of two schools of thought in a Cambridge parking lot on Thursday.
On one end was a parked 2022 Ford Lariat, powered by gas. On the other, the electric 2023 Ford Lightning Lariat. Both drivers had quite different opinions on the federal government’s electric vehicle push.
“Gas is the only way to go,” said James Kennedy, as he got into his gas-powered truck.
“A lot of people say electric vehicles are too expensive. I say they need to do the math,” said Harold, the owner of the electric truck.
But it seems more and more Canadians are starting to side with Kennedy. A new AutoTrader survey shows in 2022, 68 per cent of people were interested in buying an electric vehicle. In 2023, interest dropped to 56 per cent and it dropped again this year to 46 per cent.
“Consumers are a bit hesitant and vehicle purchasing costs are top of mind for obvious reasons,” said Baris Akyurek, vice president of marketing intelligence at AutoTrader.
Upkeep can also be costly.
“You have to go get a second mortgage to buy a battery. How are people going to afford to eat?” said Kennedy.
However, others see savings.
“This thing costs me about $3 to go 100 kilometres,” said Harold, referring to his electric truck.
The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) represents Ford, General Motors and Stellantis and feels a lack of charging stations throughout Canada is hurting electric vehicle sales.
“We are seeing a slowdown in interest for Canadian consumers and that is largely due to the charging infrastructure and a price gap between a gas-powered vehicles and electric vehicles," said Brian Kingston, president and CEO of CVMA.
Kennedy agreed that the length of time it takes to charge a vehicle is holding him back, along with the amount of charging stations.
In AutoTrader’s survey, of those interested in buying an electric vehicle, 62 per cent would consider a hybrid model.
People like Harold are already sold on the electric future, but for drivers like Kennedy, he doesn’t see himself hopping behind the wheel of an EV.
“If I’m around long enough to have another vehicle, I don’t know, I’m hoping they fly by then. I’ll take one of them.”
With files from CTV Toronto
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.