Last year, Canada more than doubled the number of electric vehicles on the road from approximately 1,600 to over 4,000, according to WWF-Canada’s new EV National Status Update released today.
With transportation accounting for nearly 30 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions, EVs are critical to helping meet Canada’s short and long term climate targets.
Provinces including Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, and some cities, have already integrated EVs into their provincial climate change strategies.
WWF’s latest EV findings come just over a month after the release of the International Panel on Climate Change report, which shows human-caused climate change is accelerating and reducing emissions is critical to avoiding the worst impacts.
As part of a long-term vision for tackling climate change, WWF has set the ambitious goal of getting 600,000 EVs on Canada’s roads by 2020. This would require 10 per cent of all vehicle sales to be electric within the next 10 years. If achieved, that target will put Canada on the path toward the 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions emissions needed by 2050.
Highlighting the status of EVs in Canada’s leading provinces, the report compares progress in Canada with global EV leaders such as California and Norway. The analysis demonstrates that more national, provincial and municipal government programmes are needed for EVs to reduce emissions in Canada on a scale that matches the technology’s potential.
WWF’s Top 3 EV Conclusions and Recommendations to accelerate EV adoption in Canada:
– Incentive programmes work and should be expanded: B.C., Ontario and Quebec are demonstrating that EV purchase incentives pay off. Other provinces should follow suit.
– Infrastructure is needed: Provincial governments, utilities and municipalities need to develop new policies and programmes that encourage installing charging stations in workplaces and public areas.
– Canadians need more hands on experience with EVs: Employers, manufacturers, NGOs, and car-sharing and rental companies should increase opportunities for Canadians to try out EVs.
Canada EV Facts:
– 97% of EV sales are occurring in provinces with purchase incentive programmes. Consumers have access to up to $8,500 in incentives in Ontario, Quebec and B.C.
– There are currently over 1,000 public charging stations in Canada.
– Hydro-Quebec and its partners created Canada’s first network of public charging stations, le Circuit électrique, and boasts more than 200 charging stations across the province.
– B.C.’s EV infrastructure programmes aims to support the installation of more than 500 level 2 charging stations and 13 DC fast-charging stations by providing funding to municipalities and businesses.
– EVs produce 60-80 per cent fewer lifecycle GHG emissions than conventionally cars in most provinces.
– According to recent figures from Environment Canada, current federal and provincial policies will achieve only half of Canada’s 2020 emissions reduction goal. The gap is approximately 113 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
