How far can you go with EVs in Canada? A closer look at range, battery life

While 'range anxiety' used to be a factor in purchasing an electric vehicle years ago, consumers have less to worry about when it comes to how far their EV can go, experts say.

Now that Canada has mandated that all vehicles sold in the country by 2035 must have zero emissions, consumers may be wondering how far they can actually go in an electric vehicle.

While “range anxiety” used to be a factor in purchasing an electric vehicle years ago given their novelty and limited charging infrastructure, times have changed and consumers have less to worry about how far their EV can go, experts told Global News.

“Range has improved,” said Mark Marmer, the owner and founder of energy consultant Signature Electric. “Now most cars and trucks have at least about a 300- to 350-kilometre range, which is a reasonably comfortable thing.”

That’s compared with eight to 10 years ago, when EVs only had a range of 150 to 200 kilometres, Marmer said. He said most people drive 50 to 100 kilometres in a day, so it is now pretty easy to make that work with an EV when you have at-home charging you can do overnight.

But what about cross-country trips? A drive from Toronto to Montreal is about 540 kilometres, meaning that at least one charging stop will be necessary.

Luckily, chargers are readily available along most major corridors, Marmer said, and can usually be found just off the highway, such as at some Tim Hortons or McDonald’s. Gas stations are beginning to offer chargers as well, he noted, with ONroute locations in Ontario as an example.

Marmer says that Tesla EVs have the best range, with the Model 3 sedan featuring a range of 420 kilometres, according to Electric Vehicle Database, and the Model Y Performance sitting at 415 kilometres of range. That’s because they have been in the market a long time and have experience in the field, Marmer said.

Other makes include the Honda Ioniq 6, with a standard range of 365 km, the base model Nissan Leaf at 235 km, Polestar 2 at 405 km, and Lucid Air Pure at 560 km, according to the database.