An electric vehicle charging at a free station in Saskatoon. (650 CKOM file photo)

By CKOM News

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Canada’s electric vehicle push met with excitement, concern

Dec 21, 2023 | 8:13 AM

The federal government’s plan to phase out gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035 is being met with both support and concern.

Tyler Krause sits on the board of directors for the Saskatchewan Electric Vehicle (EV) Association. He said he was pleased to hear that the federal government is ramping up its efforts to get more electric vehicles on the road.

The new regulations released on Tuesday will require automakers to gradually phase out the sales of combustion-engine vehicles in favour of electric models or plug-in hybrids.

“We know that transportation emissions are a big portion of Canada’s carbon emissions, and we know that has a negative effect on the climate,” Krause explained. “This is important, and we’re happy about it.”

The announcement on Tuesday said 20 per cent of all vehicles offered for sale in Canada will need to be fully electric or plug-in hybrid models by 2027. That number is set to go up incrementally, reaching 60 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035.

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While he supports the move, Krause acknowledged that the federal government is going to need to work very hard to meet those lofty targets.

“There’s a couple things that have to happen in order for us to achieve that goal. I think it’s going to be a challenge,” he said.

Krause said Ottawa is going to have to work on education to sell consumers on making the switch to an electric or hybrid vehicle.

For example, he said he still has people come up to him and ask if his Tesla works in the winter. He said it works just fine in the cold weather, which comes as a surprise to many.

Krause also suggested governments will need to invest in infrastructure and possibly help people out with the high cost that comes with buying a hybrid or electric vehicle.

“There’s not enough charging stations out there. If everybody is driving an EV or plug-in hybrid, we’re going to need a lot more chargers. The good news is, it seems like the utilities are on board with this – they’re just increasing their customer base,” he said.

“On average, they’re about $15,000 to $20,000 more than the average gas vehicle. It’s a challenge, but hopefully, with provincial and federal government help, I think we can do this.”

While Krause was excited to hear the announcement on Tuesday, automotive journalist Charles Renny wasn’t a fan of the announcement.

Renny joined The Evan Bray Show on Wednesday to voice his concerns.

“There are so many issues around this, and legislation has only touched on some of them,” said Renny. “What happens to heavy-duty trucks with diesel, 2500 series and up? And they are also currently available in gasoline, so what happens to them?”

Some provinces and cities throughout the country are also looking at changing building codes to accommodate for the installation of electric vehicle chargers into condos and apartment buildings. It has become mandatory for some new buildings, but not for older ones.

If there is a large trend of people switching their vehicles from gas to hybrid or electric, Renny said he wonders how much help homeowners in Saskatchewan will require to get the necessary changes installed in their homes.

“If you have a low-amp service – as many places in Saskatchewan do – 100 amps won’t do it,” Renny stated. “What incentives are there going to be to upgrade our utility from the house to the pole to the provider? How are we going to generate it?”

Renny also expressed concern about how much all the new infrastructure and power generation is going to cost.