How P.E.I. could boost its already strong EV sales by following in footsteps of 2 other provinces

P.E.I. has some of the strongest electric vehicle sales in the country, but there are two provinces that are operating in a completely different league.

In 2017, when Statistics Canada started counting vehicles registered in the provinces by fuel type, there were very few running on batteries on P.E.I.

To be specific, 46. Not even four dozen. Those fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles represented about one out of every 2,500 registered in the province.

In 2021, the provincial government began offering a $5,000 rebate on the purchase of EVs, in addition to the $5,000 offered by the federal government. Registrations for plug-in hybrids almost doubled in 2021, and they tripled for battery-only electric vehicles.

The incentive came as the supply of electric vehicles was improving, said Jeff Turner, director of clean transportation for Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors.

"We have seen significant improvements in Atlantic Canada in terms of EV availability," said Turner.

"That's an important step, to make sure that folks who are interested in an EV can actually go to a local dealership and try a few out and maybe take one home."

In 2023, according to a release from Statistics Canada this week, 0.9 per cent of registered P.E.I. vehicles were plug-in electric, almost one in 100. Ontario had a higher rate, with about one in 70 or 1.4 per cent.

But B.C and Quebec led the country by a large margin. In both provinces, about one in 30 registered vehicles is a plug-in electric.

Two key things have put those provinces so far ahead, said Turner. One is just how long they've been at it.

"They've really been in this game for a long time, providing up-front financial incentives for EVs," he said.

The other, to extend the sports metaphor, is that Quebec and B.C. are playing both sides of the ball.

Consumer rebates are a demand-side incentive, increasing demand for EVs by effectively making them cheaper. But Quebec and B.C. are also strong on the supply side, requiring that EVs represent a certain percentage of vehicles shipped to the province to be offered for sale.

"Combined with those generous incentive programs that have been around for over 10 years, and significant investment in charging infrastructure right from day one in this market, I think that's what set B.C. and Quebec out on that path," said Turner.