According to findings of the largest-ever survey of Canadian Electric Vehicle (EV) owners, satisfaction rates are extremely high, with common pre-purchase concerns -including driving range, cold weather performance and battery degradation – declining dramatically after purchase. The most significant source of worry for EV drivers was the lack of publicly accessible charging stations.
British Columbia findings:
The national survey by the Canadian Automobile Association in partnership with BCAA involved over 16,000 EV owners including 5,620 in B.C. Here in B.C., almost half (48%) of EV owners say that access to public charging stations is a worry. Significantly, B.C. EV owners say 37% of their charging time is outside the home.
Further, a notable minority lack confidence in taking road trips in their EV. More than one-third of B.C. EV owners surveyed (36%) don’t have the confidence to drive their EV on a long road trip, and most EV drivers (67%) still own a gas vehicle, which they are more likely to use for longer journeys.
“With sales of Electric Vehicles growing, this research – into the actual experiences of EV drivers in Canada – sheds important light onto what the real pain points are, and where there is an opportunity for potential buyers to worry less,” said Shawn Pettipas, BCAA’s Director, Corporate Purpose & Mobility Marketing. “As EVs become an increasingly popular mobility choice for British Columbians, part of BCAA’s purpose will be to be there as a leading voice with information, expertise and services.”
The survey asked EV owners to rate their level of concern before they bought their EV versus their actual experience as EV drivers, in several categories. The survey found that while none of the concerns disappeared completely, they did significantly decline. In B.C., worries about range fell 35 percentage points to 31%, cold-weather performance concerns dropped 18 percentage points to 25%, and fears about battery degradation fell 43 percentage points to 15%.
The survey also found satisfaction rates among EV drivers in Canada, as well as in B.C. are extremely high. An overwhelming majority of B.C. EV owners (96%) say they will purchase another EV when it comes time to replace their existing one. Almost nine in ten (87%) say they enjoy driving their EV more, 96% say their EV is more affordable, and 92% say their EV is a quieter ride than their gas vehicle.
British Columbians looking for more information about Electric Vehicles, including an EV buyers guide, can visit bcaa.com/ev.
