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Hamilton Spectator
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Car shoppers pessimistic about Canada's zero-emissions vehicle sales target: survey
A new survey has found that the majority of car buyers don't think the Canadian government can achieve its target of 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, as interest in electric vehicle purchases remains largely unchanged from last year. The survey from consumer insights firm J.D. Power found that 75 per cent of new-vehicle shoppers are not confident the 2035 target will be reached. The survey also found that 28 per cent of respondents are 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase, down from 29 per cent last year and 34 per cent in 2023. J.D. Ney, director of automotive practice at J.D. Power Canada, said Canadians are still hesitant to embrace EVs for several reasons, with anxiety topping the list as they are worried about how far they can drive on a single charge. He said affordability and lack of charging infrastructure are other major factors. 'Based on the type of vehicle that most Canadians want to drive, they're expensive vehicles in this market,' he said. The target that all new light-duty vehicles sold be zero-emissions by 2035 was initially set by former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government. But Ney said based on the survey results, it is unlikely Canada could reach that goal in the next decade. 'EVs will continue to be a part of ... the mobility solution for Canadians and I think that they'll slowly grow in terms of market share,' he said in a phone interview. 'It certainly may not be as quickly as, you know, a federal government mandate would like, but I think they're going to remain a part of the conversation for quite some time.' Canadian interest in EVs is much lower than in the United States, where 59 per cent of those surveyed said they are either 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to purchase an electric vehicle. The federal government paused an incentive program in January that offered Canadians rebates of up to $5,000 when buying or leasing electric vehicles, a move that Ney said was 'certainly not going to help EV adoption.' J.D. Power's online survey of nearly 4,000 potential new vehicle buyers found that program pause had a negative effect on 42 per cent of those who were likely to consider getting an EV. The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. The survey also found that Canadian car buyers' most-considered EV brands have changed. Tesla, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, dropped from second to eighth place among most-considered EV brands in Canada, with Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet now occupying the top five spots. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ottawa's halted $5,000 rebate won't sway most EV shoppers, says J.D. Power
Most Canadians shopping for an electric vehicle (EV) say the federal government's halt on rebates worth up to $5,000 has not put the brakes on their purchase plans, according to J.D. Power Canada. Ottawa announced an immediate pause on its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentive program in mid-January. At the time, Transport Canada dubbed it a 'huge success,' having granted rebates for over half a million eligible vehicles since its launch in 2019. The following month, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants described an 'astonishing' collapse in battery electric vehicle sales, adding that 'stunning declines were witnessed by a plethora of BEVs, as sales plummeted across the segment.' The situation was compounded by shrinking rebates in Quebec, a top market for electric vehicle sales. According to Statistics Canada, ZEV sales tumbled 47 per cent year-over-year in March, after a 41 per cent drop in February. However, J.D. Power Canada says only 42 per cent of new vehicle shoppers likely considering an EV say Ottawa's rebate halt had a 'negative effect' on their decision. Twenty-eight per cent say the pause was 'more or less neutral' in terms of swaying their intentions. J.D. Power says it collected responses from 3,979 new vehicle shoppers in March and April. EV shoppers remain a slim segment of the overall market, notes J.D. Ney, director of the automotive practice at J.D. Power Canada. 'There is a significant percentage of the population (72 per cent) that are not even considering an EV, regardless of the incentive landscape,' he told Yahoo Finance Canada in an email. The federal government is targeting 100 per cent ZEV sales by 2035 for all new light-duty vehicles. J.D. Power Canada found the percentage of new vehicle shoppers who say they are 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to consider an EV for their next purchase has held steady at 28 per cent year-over-year, down a single percentage point from 2024. 'The disappearance of incentive dollars certainly won't make the targets more achievable,' Ney added. J.D. Power Canada notes 'widespread pessimism,' with 75 per cent of new vehicle shoppers responding to its study saying they are 'not at all confident' or 'not very confident' the target will be achieved. Earlier this month, the global head of electrification and sustainability for ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies (UBER) said the company is facing 'big challenges' in its push for drivers to embrace electric vehicles. Uber is targeting 100 per cent zero emissions rides in Canada, the United States and Europe by 2030. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
