Why more Alberta drivers aren't going electric

Canada's electrical conveyance income are mostly focused successful conscionable a fewer provinces, but a caller survey indicates the assemblage faces a peculiarly uphill roadworthy successful Alberta.

Just 28 per cent of Albertan respondents said they were certain, precise apt oregon inclined to bargain an EV arsenic their adjacent car, successful a caller Abacus Data survey, tied with the Atlantic provinces for the lowest among Canadian provinces and falling beneath the nationalist effect of 45 per cent.

The survey also found declining involvement nationally, arsenic the percent of respondents who would bargain an EV arsenic their adjacent conveyance dropped 13 per cent since they asked the aforesaid question to Canadians successful 2022. 

Within that Alberta response, conscionable 1 per cent said they were definite an EV would beryllium their adjacent car.

Blake Shaffer, an subordinate prof of economics at the University of Calgary, was not amazed to spot the disparity.

He pointed to Canada's national inducement for zero-emission vehicles ending, and the menace of U.S. tariffs driving down state prices earlier this year, and the information that acold upwind tin trim artillery scope arsenic factors that would create less involvement successful EVs. 

But helium besides noted the likewise debased involvement from respondents successful Abacus's canvass who voted Conservative, which helium said is indicative of different obstruction to EV maturation successful Alberta: governmental ideology.

"You look astatine an electoral map, and I deliberation it aligns rather intimately with the numbers connected your EV volition map," Shaffer said.

"For immoderate reason, electrical vehicles person been caught up arsenic an ideological symbol."

Upfront costs vs. redeeming astatine the pump

Nevertheless, EVs person seen maturation successful Alberta successful caller years. As of March 2024, determination were 14,189 electrical vehicles registered successful Alberta, much than treble the number recorded successful 2022. 

That maturation has occurred adjacent though Alberta has ne'er had an EV inducement programme of its own, similar immoderate different provinces.

The deficiency of incentive, combined with a $200 yearly provincial tax — which the state says is to relationship for wear and teardrop connected roads, and marque up for the substance taxation that electrical vehicles owners don't wage — tin pb to a stiff upfront outgo compared to similar gas-powered models.

That extra cost is the astir communal obstruction to buying an electrical car, Shaffer said. It tin pb drivers to question if EVs are a bully investment.

Saskatchewan besides places a taxation connected EV buyers, and its respondents showed a akin deficiency of enthusiasm to selecting an EV arsenic their adjacent conveyance successful the Abacus survey.

More simply, Shaffer said slower EV uptake tin also be connected to an wide hesitancy to clasp caller technology, which he's optimistic tin change.

"The much radical spot radical similar themselves, possibly their neighbours, with a caller technology, they commencement to recognize it works, it's not truthful uncomfortable oregon scary,'" Shaffer said.

William York, president of the Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta, said helium sees different reasons wherefore immoderate drivers successful Alberta don't privation to spell electric, including a consciousness of loyalty to the oil and state industry, particularly among those who remember the downturn the manufacture felt a decennary ago.

"I deliberation it plays retired successful presumption of [Albertans] wanting to enactment the lipid and state industry. So EVs are considered, for close oregon incorrect reasons, an force to that industry," York said.

But York is frustrated with viewing gas-powered and electrical vehicles successful opposition. Instead, helium notes that Alberta is good positioned to beryllium a subordinate successful the EV industry, with its large supplies of lithium and earthy gas, which tin beryllium utilized for car batteries and energy procreation respectively.

"It conscionable seems similar we can't wrapper our heads astir the nuance, and we reason these topics with a surface-level understanding," York said.

Nathan Taylor has noticed a stigma against EVs in his hometown of St. Paul, Alta. He owns a Tesla Model Y, a car helium was drawn to retired of a fascination for the exertion down electrical cars.

But the much tangible obstruction to that technology, helium said, is simply a deficiency of nationalist charging infrastructure astir overmuch of the state with immoderate towns having nary astatine all.

For families who whitethorn not beryllium capable to spend to own both an electrical and gas-powered car, and who request their conveyance for agelong commutes betwixt cities, a larger web of nationalist charging ports would springiness them the enactment to see an EV, Taylor said. Travelling betwixt his location and Edmonton typically requires adding 20 to 30 minutes to his commute to guarantee helium tin thrust by a charging presumption en route.

"It's teaching those small details and having to program retired your beingness retired a small spot with an electrical conveyance that is an added inconvenience," Taylor said. "Knowing that there's ever a state presumption astir means you don't person to plan. If we had much charging infrastructure, it would beryllium easier."

Misperceptions and spontaneous combustion memes

Todd Hillier, a Ford F-150 Lightning proprietor successful Fort McMurray, echoed Taylor's point. He wants to spot much charging stations astir Alberta.

But the wealth he's saved astatine the pump from not needing lipid changes outweighs that inconvenience, helium said. Ever since buying his EV a twelvemonth and a fractional ago, helium hasn't looked back.

But that's inactive not a communal sentiment among galore radical Hillier talks to, helium said. The misinformation helium often hears astir EVs successful speech and shared successful memes online, frustrates him, and helium said it prevents radical from making an informed choice.

And he's heard it all, including that EVs request to beryllium plugged successful for days astatine a time, that the artillery often dies unexpectedly leaving a operator stranded connected the broadside of a highway, oregon that the cars are prone to spontaneous combustion.

"A batch of the initial conversations I person with radical are consecutive up misinformation," Hillier said.

"It mightiness instrumentality a small spot longer to get to Edmonton from Fort McMurray, but I tin bash it astatine a fraction of the outgo of idiosyncratic that fills up with state ... Some radical accidental 'Oh, I'll wage much to get to Edmonton faster.' Sure, that's your prerogative and that's precise overmuch a fact. I'd alternatively person that treatment than idiosyncratic saying it mightiness spontaneously detonate connected the mode to Edmonton. No, that's not happening."

Hillier inactive sees much EVs successful his metropolis than helium ever has before, and has recovered a web of different drivers around Alberta to speech to that's grown adjacent successful the past year.

That reflects an openness toward EVs that Clean Energy Canada manager of communications Trevor Melanson sees successful the survey's results.

The Abacus survey was commissioned by Clean Energy Canada, and Melanson pointed retired that due to the fact that lone 37 per cent of Albertan respondents were definite to bargain a state oregon diesel car arsenic their adjacent vehicle, it indicates a coagulated bulk are astatine slightest unfastened to buying an EV.

It conscionable needs to marque fiscal consciousness to drivers, helium said, and much incentives and accusation astir EVs could pb to much uptake. The national authorities is currently considering replacing its EV inducement program, which Melanson said would boost sales crossed the country.

"There's a cyclical narration present betwixt supporting EVs and involvement successful EVs. When you person governments that enactment getting an EV and they marque it easier for you, you're much apt to beryllium unfastened to it," Melanson said.

The Abacus Data survey was conducted with 2,585 Canadians from June 2 to June 5, 2025. A random illustration of panelists was invited to implicit the survey from a acceptable of spouse panels. The borderline of mistake for a comparable probability-based random illustration of the aforesaid size is +/- 1.92%, 19 times retired of 20. The information was weighted according to census information to guarantee the illustration matched Canada's colonisation according to age, sex and region.