By Canadian Press

Canadian electric vehicle registrations inching closer to Liberal government’s target

Aug 3, 2023 | 12:18 PM

OTTAWA — Canada is inching closer to reaching a milestone where one in every 10 passenger vehicles sold is powered by electricity.

But the federal government wants the share of electric vehicles to be twice that in just two years, and the pace of EV sales has to jump significantly for that to happen.

Statistics Canada data published this week show more than 30,000 new electric vehicles were registered in January, February and March, making up 8.6 per cent of the total passenger vehicles added to Canadian roads.

Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association President Brian Kingston says he is concerned because that’s down from the last three months of 2022, when the share of EVs among new registrations was 9.6 per cent.

Kingston says the added cost of buying an EV and the limited availability of chargers remain barriers for many Canadians in making the switch. 

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But Clean Energy Canada spokesman Trevor Melanson says he thinks EV sales will show significant growth  in the second quarter, noting the number of federal rebates issued for electric vehicles in April, May and June was nearly twice what it was over the winter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2023.

The Canadian Press