Automakers are introducing electric vehicles at an unprecedented rate, but some people aren’t ready to make the switch. That’s certainly the case in Canada, where a new study has found support for EVs has dropped considerably.
According to J.D. Power’s latest Electric Vehicle Consideration Study, “overall EV consideration in Canada has declined 13 percentage points to 34% from 47% in 2022.”
In Canada, 66% of respondents said they were “very unlikely” or “somewhat unlikely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle. Their main reasons for avoiding them were limited range (63%), high prices (59%), and lack of recharging infrastructure (55%). That’s a far cry from south of the border, where 61% of American respondents said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider purchasing an EV.
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J.D. Power Canada’s director of automotive practice said “Despite current legislation that is pushing hard for EV adoption, consumers in Canada are still not sold on the idea of automotive electrification.” J.D. Ney added, “Growing concerns about affordability and infrastructure (both from charging and electrical grid perspectives), have caused a significant decline in the number of consumers who see themselves in the market for an EV anytime soon.”
That being said, EV acceptance varies by region and 46% of respondents in British Columbia showed interest in owning an electric vehicle. In the Canadian Prairies that number dropped to 22%.
As with other studies, the latest showed consumers tend to be more open to EVs after getting some hands-on experience. While the study found that 55% of respondents had never been in an electric vehicle, those who have rented, borrowed or test driven one were pretty open to owning an EV. In particular, 43% said they were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to consider buying an electric vehicle.
