Canadian automakers say the federal government must stimulate consumer demand for electric vehicles if it is to ensure the success of its ambitious program of mandatory sales thresholds.
Posted at 1:20 p.m.
In its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, released earlier this week, Ottawa says the government will require 20% of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be electric vehicles by 2026. That threshold will rise to 60% by by 2030, then 100% by 2035.
But Canadian automakers say they don’t know if consumers are ready for such a change. Only 4.6% of new vehicle registrations in the first quarter of 2021 were electric vehicles in Canada.
Automakers say the federal government will need to improve charging infrastructure and educate consumers about electric vehicles in order to meet its goals.
They also note that the government will have to increase the content of incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. Currently, the government is offering assistance of up to $5,000 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle in Canada.