Do Canadians have an appetite for electric vehicles? Experts are divided

With billions being pumped into EV manufacturing, and more cars poised to hit the market, do Canadians want to buy those cars in the first place?

By 2028, a Honda manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ont., should be ready to pump out 240,000 electric vehicles (EVs) every single year.

This news was at the centre of a joint announcement from the Trudeau and Ford governments Thursday, marking the third investment in electric vehicle manufacturing in Ontario since 2023.

The announcement comes as the country slowly works towards its goal of achieving 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035 for all new light-duty vehicles.

But with billions of dollars being pumped into EV manufacturing, and thousands of cars poised to hit the market, do Canadians want to buy those cars in the first place?

Getting a firm answer is tough.

A recent national survey by AutoTrader found that EV interest in car buyers has plummetted two consecutive years.

So far in 2024, 46 per cent of respondents who don’t own an EV said they would buy one.

That number is down from 56 per cent interested in 2023, and 68 per cent in 2022.