<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VANCOUVER \u2014 Joanna Kyriazis, director of policy and strategy at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to newly released <\/em>federal vehicle sales data for March<\/em><\/a>:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe knew March would be an important month for EV sales: it was the first month that fully captured the return of the $5,000 federal EV rebate in February, and it was the month the war in Iran began driving up gas prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe anecdotal evidence that Canadians were increasingly looking to go electric was strong, but today\u2019s numbers are unmistakable: Canada saw a 75% increase in EV sales in March compared to the same month last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRegionally, this was a phenomenal 136% year-over-year increase in Quebec, a 53% increase in B.C. and the territories, and a 40% increase in Ontario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat amounts to 12.2% of new vehicle sales in Canada (compared to 6.5% last March), but provincial numbers tell another story. Roughly a quarter of British Columbians and those in the territories (23.5%) purchased an EV in March, 21.8% of Quebecers did likewise, while Canada\u2019s largest province, Ontario, continues to catch up with EV sales at 8%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile price matters, clarity is similarly important. Last year\u2019s EV rebate pause caused many would-be EV buyers to wait on the sidelines<\/a>, artificially deflating normal EV demand. That is now being rectified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo build on this momentum, Canada must ensure that it\u2019s not only providing consumers with rebates but also access to affordable models. The introduction of a limited number of Chinese EVs is already having an impact, with Tesla recently significantly dropping the price of its popular Model 3 after shifting production back to Shanghai. Hopefully, new models from Chinese companies will give Canadians even more budget-friendly options and, critically, keep other automakers on their toes. The forthcoming $35,000 import price quota for a sizable percentage of these vehicles can help realize this important goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLikewise, ensuring Canada\u2019s forthcoming tailpipe standards are designed to achieve roughly 75% EV sales by 2035 is the other, massive piece of this puzzle. Like improving competition, the regulation will compel automakers to meet the market with more affordable EVs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAffordable EVs exist, and Canadians are hungry for good options that make financial sense in the short term as well as the long term. Recent Clean Energy Canada analysis<\/a> found that EVs still save typical drivers about $23,000 to $32,000 over 10 years of ownership. But not everyone can afford to save money a few years down the road. Upfront price matters, and where it works, Canadians are ready to hit the accelerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe proof is in the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n