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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.