Lack of public EV charging continues to worry potential EV buyers
B.C. Electric Vehicle (EV) owners say a lack of reliable and convenient public charging remains their biggest problem, even though 8 in 10 of them plan to buy another EV next time.
According to a survey of more than 5,100 EV owners in British Columbia, commissioned by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) in partnership with BCAA, 97% say the cost of fueling their EV is better, and 90% say the cost of maintenance is better than their previous gas-powered vehicles.
However, 7 in 10 EV owners in B.C. say they are less than satisfied with the number of public fast chargers available. And when planning longer, winter journeys close to 60% of EV drivers in B.C. say they would prefer to drive their gas vehicle on long trips in extremely cold weather and close to 60% also say lower battery range in extremely cold weather has been a problem.
"Our survey shows that people are happy with their EV because they are cheaper to operate and easier to maintain than their previous gas-powered vehicles," says Shawn Pettipas, director of Corporate Purpose and Mobility Marketing at BCAA. "But it also shows there's room for improvement when it comes to accessing public fast chargers and increasing confidence with battery range in the cold. BCAA offers information, advice and services to help anyone considering or using EVs to get around."
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CAA and BCAA offer the CAA EV Buyer's Guide, which provides EV-curious Canadians with easy-to-understand information on the critical elements of EV ownership, such as cost and availability of EV models and charging, as well as an interactive tool to help drivers find the best EV for them.
While public DC fast chargers remain a pain point, EV owners in B.C. say that they do the majority of charging at home. Eighty-three per cent report having a fast charger at home, with the majority saying that most of their travel time was within 100km of their home, a distance significantly less than the average range of an EV, which is over 400km.
In other news, The Canadian Press is reporting thefederal government has paused an incentive program that offered Canadians rebates of up to $5,000 when buying or leasing electric vehicles.
In an update on its website, Transport Canada says the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program has been paused as "funds have been fully committed." The department says more than 546,000 vehicles have been sold or leased with incentives through the program since it began in 2019.
In 2023 zero emissions vehicles accounted for 11.7% of Canada's market, up from 3.1% in 2019. Canada has mandated that 20% of all new vehicles sold must be electric by 2026 and 100% by 2035.
The program was scheduled to pause either on March 31, or once all the available funding has been accessed.
With files from The Canadian Press
