Canadian EV interest rises as cold‑weather concerns linger

A J.D. Power study released on May 28 shows that 34 % of Canadian new‑vehicle shoppers are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase, up from 28 % in 2025 and marking the first increase since 2022. The rebound is attributed to rising fuel prices and the introduction of the federal Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP), which replaced the iZEV incentive earlier in the year.

Despite the uptick, practical hurdles remain. Sixty‑five percent of respondents cite limited driving range as the top barrier, 56 % worry about charging‑station availability, and 54 % fear reduced performance in extreme cold. J.D. Ney of J.D. Power noted that “for most shoppers, the deciding factors remain everyday practicality: how far they can drive on a charge, whether charging is reliably available when needed and how EVs perform in Canadian winters.”

The survey of 4,938 shoppers also revealed growing openness to Chinese EV brands, with 56 % of those considering an EV saying they would consider a Chinese automaker, driven mainly by lower pricing and technology features, though concerns about quality and reliability persist. The findings suggest dealers will need to address range anxiety, charging infrastructure, and winter performance to sustain momentum.