Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) rebate program surpassed 100,000 cars purchased in August, and a new survey conducted earlier this month shows that this rebate may be integral for prospective buyers – who reportedly consider the cost of EVs to be the main deterrent.
A survey conducted by Leger Marketing asked 1,511 Canadians whether or not they planned to purchase an EV in the near future, according to Bloomberg.
The survey showed that only 1 in 4, or nearly 26 percent of Canadians, are planning to buy an EV, while 19 percent plan to buy a gas, diesel or hybrid fuel vehicle.
31 percent of survey responders said that cost was the main reason they wouldn’t purchase an EV, while another 59 percent cited this as a concern, but not the primary concern.
Canada Wants North American Ban on New Gas Cars, with U.S. Help https://t.co/Cord7MId0h
— TeslaNorth.com (@RealTeslaNorth) December 19, 2020
Another 18 percent cited concerns about the lack of infrastructure, while another 16 percent mentioned range concerns, with 13 percent also referencing concerns about battery life and replacement.
Canada’s ambitious gas car sales ban target of 2035 will require a major increase in EV sales, however, and the survey also found the 78 percent of responders said increased government incentives for EV sales would convince them to go electric.
Currently, provinces such as B.C. and Quebec offer provincial incentives to buy an EV, alongside the federal government’s incentive for up to $5,000 CAD, but only for cars priced lower than $55,000 CAD.
