The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[Acajack]

There was some discussion about operating costs in recent days. I may have said this before but here is some real-life info.

I used to have a mid-range ICE SUV before I got my Mach-E.

A return trip to Montreal (from Gatineau) would use up about 40 litres. That's between 60 and 80 bucks depending on the price of gas.

When I go to Montreal with the Mach-E I leave home with a 100% charge on my home charger, which costs almost nothing. OK, when I say nothing it's maybe 3 or 4 dollars.

Unless I am getting awesome range and want to risk it, Montreal and back is just a little more than one charge. So if I am going to my kid's in Montreal I park at the fast charger which is right around the corner in a gas station. (Saving on on-street metered parking.) If I don't charge there I stop at any number of fast-charging stations on the way back, generally for about 15 minutes. So I grab a coffee and go to the bathroom.

Hydro Québec's Circuit Électrique charges between 12 and 15 dollars an hour on fast chargers. So if I am there 15 minutes it costs somewhere between 4 and 6 dollars. (They also often offer free coffee and other stuff that pops up on the app if the charger is adjacent to a dépanneur or a restaurant.)

So basically going to Montreal and back (400 km) costs under 10 dollars.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by theman23

Ive been in Quebec for the last few weeks and I’ve actually noticed a lot more non Teslas on the road here than back home in BC. I’m not sure why that is. The Model 3 and Y are the bog standard EV back in BC, but it seems like that it’s something like the EV6 out here. Not sure if sales figures back that up or what, but it’s been a fairly stark contrast from what I’ve observed.

As a BC resident, I'd suggest that the inherent trendiness of the Tesla brand probably skews the numbers out here.

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I'll let the resident Québécois speak to relevancy of this stereotype.

But at least from my time in Québec, this seems like some ridiculous stereotype from the 90s or something.

I'm not Québécois, so I won't claim to speak for whether this is a stereotype or not. That being said, personally, I wouldn't be insulted by it if it were applied to me as it reflects my own preferences across four decades of driving.

[urbandreamer]

In Toronto (& KW, rest of Ontario really) I've seen maybe two of those sexy Mazda 2-based 2020 model year Toyota Yaris hatchbacks. Driving around Quebec last June over a 10 day period, I saw dozens. I was very tempted to take a used one I saw for sale in Sherbrooke for a test drive.

[whatnext]

I had an Uber ide in a Tesla Model 3 this weekend. The back seat seemed very upright, does the rake of it adjust?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There was some discussion about operating costs in recent days. I may have said this before but here is some real-life info.

I used to have a mid-range ICE SUV before I got my Mach-E.

A return trip to Montreal (from Gatineau) would use up about 40 litres. That's between 60 and 80 bucks depending on the price of gas.

When I go to Montreal with the Mach-E I leave home with a 100% charge on my home charger, which costs almost nothing. OK, when I say nothing it's maybe 3 or 4 dollars.

Unless I am getting awesome range and want to risk it, Montreal and back is just a little more than one charge. So if I am going to my kid's in Montreal I park at the fast charger which is right around the corner in a gas station. (Saving on on-street metered parking.) If I don't charge there I stop at any number of fast-charging stations on the way back, generally for about 15 minutes. So I grab a coffee and go to the bathroom.

Hydro Québec's Circuit Électrique charges between 12 and 15 dollars an hour on fast chargers. So if I am there 15 minutes it costs somewhere between 4 and 6 dollars. (They also often offer free coffee and other stuff that pops up on the app if the charger is adjacent to a dépanneur or a restaurant.)

So basically going to Montreal and back (400 km) costs under 10 dollars.

Circuit Électrique is amazing. I don't think people outside Québec how good it is, with massive coverage and great rates. Probably not true anymore, but there was a point when CÉ had nearly as many fast chargers as the all the other major networks combined.

Given gas and electricity prices in Québec, and provincial incentives, I'm honestly surprised that EVs aren't more popular in Québec. And mostly what I see are larger EVs. At least in Gatineau. Don't see many Nissan Leafs. Lots of ID4s, Mach Es and Teslas.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Given gas and electricity prices in Québec, and provincial incentives, I'm honestly surprised that EVs aren't more popular in Québec.

I don't find gas prices to be that much higher in Gatineau compared to Ottawa. Maybe 5 or 10 cents difference. An enjoyable perk that the rest of Québec misses out on.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by harls

I don't find gas prices to be that much higher in Gatineau compared to Ottawa. Maybe 5 or 10 cents difference. An enjoyable perk that the rest of Québec misses out on.

It's not just that gas is more expensive than Ontario. It's also that electricity is much cheaper than Ontario, the provincial EV rebate is more substantial and the charging infrastructure is much better.

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Sure, bringing back the Hummer brand was a dumb idea. In fact, GM should kill Buick in NA as well. Cadillac is lost in bizarre design and nomenclature. Chevrolet has too many SUVs.

What Tesla has shown is NA brands need to revive their midsize sedans as EV/hybrids.

GM is totally lost as a brand. Every time Ford does something, it's pretty much what I wish GM would do (except calling the EV SUV a "Mustang").

Like, you've got 7 indistinguishable SUV's and you resurrected the Blazer name for one of those and not a Bronco competitor? Hummer EV and not a Maverick competitor?! Buick is still the "old man" brand and nobody is impressed by Cadillac anymore...

Originally Posted by Architype

The Cybertruck is a vehicle you will not want to be involved with in an accident.

Here's Why Tesla's Cybertruck is the Deadliest Vehicle Ever Made
• Video Link

While you may have a point, a Scotty Kilmer video is not the source I'd use to make it. Can't take that guy seriously.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

I saw this cute little Honda on the street in Lisbon today. It's probably a model we won't see in Canada. A VW EV stopped along side so I took a pick of that too.

20240205_163238_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr


20240205_163258_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr


20240205_163308_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

[homebucket]

^ That's the Honda e. Nice concept but overpriced which led to poor sales. Not much range (220 km), which I think was okay since it's meant to be a city/urban runabout, but the value proposition was not good, since it was priced similarly if not more than EVs with higher range and bigger interiors/more practicality. If they had cut the price in half (base starting price of €39,900) like other city/kei cars, it probably would've done a lot better.

[Truenorth00]

I'm disappointed that the ID3 isn't available in Canada. And that we're increasingly not differentiated from the American market.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Circuit Électrique is amazing. I don't think people outside Québec how good it is, with massive coverage and great rates. Probably not true anymore, but there was a point when CÉ had nearly as many fast chargers as the all the other major networks combined.

Given gas and electricity prices in Québec, and provincial incentives, I'm honestly surprised that EVs aren't more popular in Québec. And mostly what I see are larger EVs. At least in Gatineau. Don't see many Nissan Leafs. Lots of ID4s, Mach Es and Teslas.

Some of the most common EVs here seem to be Bolts and Leafs. Model 3s too.

Back when I was in Vancouver it was mostly Model 3s and Model Ys.

Model Ys are fairly rare here, while I believe they’re the single best-selling model in the USA.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by lio45

Some of the most common EVs here seem to be Bolts and Leafs. Model 3s too.

Back when I was in Vancouver it was mostly Model 3s and Model Ys.

Model Ys are fairly rare here, while I believe they’re the single best-selling model in the USA.

I've not seen a provincial breakdown for sales, but the Model Y was reported to be the best selling EV in Canada in Q2 and Q3 2023.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by lio45

Some of the most common EVs here seem to be Bolts and Leafs. Model 3s too.

Back when I was in Vancouver it was mostly Model 3s and Model Ys.

Model Ys are fairly rare here, while I believe they’re the single best-selling model in the USA.

Originally Posted by Changing City

I've not seen a provincial breakdown for sales, but the Model Y was reported to be the best selling EV in Canada in Q2 and Q3 2023.

Yeah. I think the Bolts and Leafs we see in Quebec are simply because they started buying EVs earlier. Now they are moving on to other options.

That said, I think something like the ID3 would do quite well in Canada. But Volkswagen insists that all our offerings be tied to the American market.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by homebucket

^ That's the Honda e. Nice concept but overpriced which led to poor sales. Not much range (220 km), which I think was okay since it's meant to be a city/urban runabout, but the value proposition was not good, since it was priced similarly if not more than EVs with higher range and bigger interiors/more practicality. If they had cut the price in half (base starting price of €39,900) like other city/kei cars, it probably would've done a lot better.

Discontinued in Europe now too, probably thanks to the low range.

[whatnext]

Interesting:

Canada tops China in global rankings for battery supply chains, research firm says
MATTHEW MCCLEARN
PUBLISHED YESTERDAY
UPDATED 9 HOURS AGO
FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Canada dethroned China last year as the world’s most promising jurisdiction for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries such as those used in electric vehicles, according to a global ranking released Monday.

While Canada produces barely any batteries today, BloombergNEF, a research organization focused on low-carbon technologies and commodity markets, singled it out as the best placed of the 30 countries it monitors to participate in future global battery supply chains. The strength of its raw materials sector, recently announced large cell manufacturing plants, and rising domestic demand for batteries all helped push Canada ahead.

“That doesn’t mean that Canada is better overall than China: What we’re saying is that within the lens of 2023, Canada performed better than China,” said Kwasi Ampofo, BloombergNEF’s head of metals and mining. He added that the ranking reflects the country’s potential in six to 10 years’ time.

Canada’s strong showing reflects the tens of billions of dollars of subsidies announced by the federal government as well as Ontario and Quebec to attract battery manufacturing plants (sometimes referred to as “gigafactories”) and related suppliers.

BloombergNEF emphasized recent investments in Canada by major multinational companies including Ford, Stellantis, Volkswagen, LG Energy Solutions and Umicore. Mr. Ampofo said government policy – be it around critical minerals, fostering local adoption of EVs, fostering innovation or subsidization – powerfully influences countries’ relative standings.....

.....Environmental, social and governance factors also played a critical role. China’s credibility has always been weak here, BloombergNEF found, whereas Canada’s has been generally strong. (The top five, though, are all European countries: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany and France.)

“Whilst other countries are making progress, unfortunately, we have not seen progress across Asia,” Mr. Ampofo said. “And that is really what is hurting them.”....

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...ium-batteries/

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by lio45

Some of the most common EVs here seem to be Bolts and Leafs. Model 3s too.

Back when I was in Vancouver it was mostly Model 3s and Model Ys.

Model Ys are fairly rare here, while I believe they’re the single best-selling model in the USA.

When I bought my 2022 Model Y more than a year ago they were quite rare. Now I see them way more (Gatineau and Mtl area). I notice because I have one. This is mainly due to the comeback of the cheaper standard range version. And now I expect to see Model Ys even more given that the long range version is now cheaper and people can get the full $12,000 in rebate.

I paid mine the full price before all the rebates. I love my car but i am not super happy with the loss in value. But c'est la vie.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Interesting:

[I]Canada tops China in global rankings for battery supply chains, research firm says
MATTHEW MCCLEARN
PUBLISHED YESTERDAY
UPDATED 9 HOURS AGO
FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Canada dethroned China last year as the world’s most promising jurisdiction for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries such as those used in electric vehicles, according to a global ranking released Monday.

I've been saying we could do this for a while. China is beatable. But not if we cut back on investment and act as though battery manufacturing is just something we are doing for the environment instead of industrial policy to win the future.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Something like 40% of all EVs sold in Canada, are sold in Québec.

Given the amount of EVs you see on the road in Vancouver this number seemed dubious to me so I looked into it, astoundingly it is true.

The story here is Ontario, and it's incredibly low EV adoption.

BC has the highest adoption of EVs at 26% of new sales, followed by Quebec at 23%, what is the shocker is Ontario at a paltry 9%.

This allows Canada's second and third most populous provinces to account for 40% and 26% of all EV sales respectively, totaling 66% of all EVs sold in Canada while representing only 36% of its population.

Get your shit together ROC.

[Nouvellecosse]

^ NS is also in the top 10, significantly exceeding expectations!


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