Canadians curious about purchasing an electric vehicle now have a new source of info to help.
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) recently launched a new interactive EV Buyer’s Guide.
Steve Olmstead is the director of social responsibility and advocacy for CAA Atlantic.
He said many people have purchased an EV, pointing to the number of vehicles on the roads today, but many others still have questions.
“This is meant to be a comprehensive, easy-to-access guide that covers way more than just what vehicles are available but gets into questions about costs of owning an EV, how to charge them, and more information about batteries,” Olmstead said in an interview.
Olmstead described the guide as a “neutral source” of information for the 90+ vehicles on the market today,
EV sales in Canada grew from five per cent in 2021 to 7.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2022, according to Statistics Canada.
And a recent study by KPMG found seven in 10 Canadians intend to make their next vehicle purchase an EV.
Olmstead said the guide provides potential buyers with the information they need to turn their curiosity into confidence.
“There are facts and myths out there about owning an EV and how they perform, so I’m hoping some of the information here will give them more information, give them more context, and hopefully help them arrive at an answer that satisfies them,” he said.
The top four reasons Canadians might be hesitant to buy an EV said Olmstead, is the price, getting caught without a charger, not understanding how home charging can work, and the effects of cold weather on the battery.
“All of those questions, and there are others as well, are addressed in this guide,” he said.
You can also answer a series of questions to determine which EVs currently on the market might be best for you.
Olmstead said the online guide will be updated as new vehicles come out and current models are updated.
You can see the guide for yourself by clicking here.