In 2021, a survey conducted by KPMG in Canada revealed that 7 in 10 Canadians (68 %) who plan to buy a new vehicle within the next five years are likely to buy an electric car, either pure or hybrid. And although the total number of zero-emissions vehicles registered in 2021 was 5.6 percent (up from 3.8 percent in 2020), that’s still only 1 in 20 new cars registered in Canada. The numbers are moving in the right direction, but there’s still hesitation when it comes to making the switch to EV.
In this blog post, I’m sharing personal experiences and facts on the benefits of electric vehicles and why you should consider one when purchasing your next car. The benefits are divided into four sections,
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Environmental
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Convenience
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Cost-effective
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Overall Experience
Let’s get right to it!
ENVIRONMENTAL
The burning of fossil fuels produces hazardous chemicals and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These pollutants contribute to air pollution and climate change.
The IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) states that we need to reduce our GHG emissions to 45% below 2010 levels by 2030 and have a “net-zero carbon” economy across the world by 2050. Canadians have a significant role to play in reducing GHG emissions.
Although our population is small in proportion to the rest of the world, we are essentially tied with the United States as having the second-largest carbon footprint per person of all countries in the world. By comparison, people in India emit 90% less GHG than we do.
The transportation sector is the 2nd leading source of GHGs in Canada. Health Canada estimates that air pollution contributes to 15,300 premature deaths per year in Canada. In the GTHA, air pollution causes more than 3000 premature deaths every year. Air pollution is linked to lung cancer, respiratory conditions like asthma, allergies and cardiovascular conditions like heart attacks and stroke.
The only greenhouse gas emissions associated with your electric car are from the generation of electricity. While it is true that in certain areas that rely mostly on coal – the environmental benefit is less. Most of Canada’s electricity comes from hydro and nuclear, both low emitting sources. The average Canadian driver can reduce their car’s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90% when switching to an electric vehicle.
-THE AVERAGE CANADIAN DRIVER CAN REDUCE THEIR CAR’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY AS MUCH AS 90%.
— PLUG’NDRIVE
CONVENIENCE
As an EV owner, you’ll most likely be charging your car at home 90% of the time. Unless, of course, you’re hardcore like me and live in a condo building and don’t have access to a home charger. I’ve owned my EV since 2018, and it’s very doable. You can read more about what it’s like to own an EV with no home charger in a dedicated blog post that I’ve shared.
For the rest that WILL be charging at home, you’ll have the convenience of always having a fully charged car ready for you. You’ll never have to stand outside in the cold at a gas station again.
The convenience that every EV owner can benefit from is that you can charge your electric vehicle anywhere.
Level 1 charger
All electric vehicles come with a Level 1 charging adaptor that plugs into a regular outlet, such as a common plug. So you could plug in anytime at the cottage or a friend’s house. It’s a slower charge, but it will give you juice to get to your next destination or a top-up if needed.
Level 2 charger
This is your most commonly used home charger. An electrician typically installs it, and it’s faster than level 1 charging. You can also find level 2 charging at some commercial buildings now.
Level 3 charger
Fast charging stations are available on the road. Like gas stations, fast-charging networks are growing in convenient locations around towns, shopping malls, plazas, airports, and parks.
FAQ: How long does it take to charge on the road?
Using a level 3 fast-charging network can take 20 minutes or so, depending on how much charge you need.
Charging networks are expanding every day.
And so many more like Ivy, Flo, and Charge Point adding stations all over our communities.
Tesla has its own charging network called Superchargers. It’s estimated to give your Tesla a 75% charge in as little as 20 minutes (newest cars and chargers = 100 km in 7 minutes).
At home, coast to coat and in your communities, EV owners have the convenience to charge anywhere. These charging apps are the most popular among EV owners to find the nearest chargers.
COST-EFFECTIVE
Because electric cars use electricity instead of fossil fuels, they are much more affordable to drive. – especially true if you charge overnight or on weekends when the cost of electricity is usually lower. The average Canadian driver, travelling 20,000 km per year, can save as much as $2,000 per year on fuel alone.
When charging at home – the rough cost would be equivalent to buying gasoline for about $0.30/litre – you might think of electricity as expensive in our lives, but compared to gasoline, it’s an inexpensive fuel.
Electric vehicles also have fewer moving parts than gas cars, which means fewer parts to break down and fewer parts to replace. No gas engine means no oil changes and less money on maintenance and labour to upkeep your car. A typical EV battery life can last 400,000kms to 500,000kms, and considering that EV demand is only increasing, so is their resale value.
Here is a cost of ownership comparison between a fully electric car and a hybrid over five years. I specifically chose the hybrid to show that although some manufacturers are promoting their hybrid models, their fuel consumption is still high, and you might as well consider a fully electric car and take advantage of all the benefits.
EXPERIENCE
The overall experience of owning an electric vehicle is higher because they are simply better, faster, and quieter. The advanced technology in most EV models is fun. There are many cool and useful features accessible through the linked phone apps, such as pre-heating or cooling the car, tracking it and even summoning. There’s also the exhilarating acceleration and the over-the-air updates, which means that your vehicle is continuously getting better.
Self-driving features are getting smarter on EVs, too. They may still be far from perfect, but they are there to solve a problem and prevent fewer traffic deaths (40,000 U.S. fatalities annually), and all the major automakers are racing to get there first.
Loads of new EV models are now available, making it easy to find one that’s right for you. Here are some Canadian websites to visit to get more information on models and pricing or learn more about EV ownership.
I hope that this breakdown has helped you see that electric vehicles are for everyone. They are fun to drive, improve over time and are convenient to own. EVs will save you money on fuel, maintenance, and the overall cost of ownership over time as they have a long life. And because our planet is in trouble and we could all our part to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.