Executive Summary

Executive Summary

A. Background

With a wide range of models and price points, buying an electric vehicle has never been easier. In 2017, there were over 30 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) models available in Canada [1]. To date, 41,695 electric vehicles have been sold in Canada.[2]

Although recent sales data for electric vehicles (EVs) shows a record-setting total of 11,000 electric vehicles were sold in 2016—up 56% over 2015—electric vehicle sales overall remain a tale of three provinces: 95% of sales in 2016 were in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario.

The Government of Canada is committed to developing a national strategy by 2018 to increase the number of zero emission vehicles on Canadian roads. Advanced technology vehicles are the most energy-efficient and lowest emission choices available today and include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell vehicles. PHEVs and BEVs use electricity from a battery that is charged using an external electricity source. There are two types of electric vehicles on the market—BEVs and PHEVs—and each has its benefits:

BEVs produce no carbon dioxide or other emissions during operation;
PHEVs are emissions-free only when operating in electric mode, but they may have a greater driving range

A multi-stakeholder Advanced Technology Vehicle awareness group is working with the Government of Canada to develop a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Strategy to encourage uptake of low carbon emission vehicles by Canadian consumers.

This research study explored consumer awareness and knowledge of PHEVs and BEVs, including familiarity with the technology, attitudes and perceptions as these relate to electric vehicles, to help inform the work of the ZEV Strategy Committee and future educational outreach activities.

B. Objectives

This research study has been designed to explore Canadian consumers’ awareness, knowledge, and experience, as well as their attitudes towards and perceptions of electric vehicles. Specifically, the survey captures measures of:

Knowledge and awareness of electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure (cost of ownership, cost to operate, battery life, warranty, summer/winter range);
Attitudes towards and perceptions of electric vehicles;
Perceived barriers and benefits to purchasing an electric vehicle;
Where information about electric vehicles is sought or expected to be found;
Purchase intentions such as vehicle style, size, price, budget, etc.;
Likelihood to purchase an EV in the future; and
Fact-based data such as the type of dwelling in which they reside and their average daily commute.

Results of this research will inform recommendations made to the ZEV Strategy Committee and future educational outreach activities.

C. Methodology

The study was undertaken as a hybrid, quantitative-qualitative research program.

1. Quantitative Component

A survey was undertaken online, via a panel of Canadians, targeting n = 1500 completions among those who had purchased a new vehicle (i.e., not a resale vehicle) in the past two years or were planning to purchase a new vehicle within the next year. The survey was approximately 15 minutes in length. The quantitative research component aimed to assess levels of awareness of and interest in electric vehicles, including examining attitudes, perceptions, and motivators/barriers to purchase.

Sample Design

The survey was designed to target Canadians, via an online panel, aged 18 years and older who had purchased or plan to purchase a new vehicle (past purchase having taken place within the last two years; future purchase likely to occur within the next year).

The sample was designed to be proportionate across the regions. Beyond this, quotas were set for gender (an approximate 50/50 male/female split) and by age groups (proportionate to population) to ensure that the final sample is generally reflective of the Canadian population relative to these two demographic variables.

Beyond this, no additional hard or soft quotas were set. The respondent profile for income and education in terms of the final sample was permitted to fall out naturally and, as such, reflects the income and education characteristics for new car buyers in Canada rather than the general population as a whole.

Questionnaire Design and Pretesting

The survey was designed in close consultation with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). It was pre-tested among a minimum of n = 30 panelists (15 in English and 15 in French) prior to running live in order to obtain feedback with respect to length, ease of completion, and comprehension. No changes were made following the pre-test.

2. Qualitative Component

A total of 30 one-on-one interviews were completed with electric vehicle owners. Interviews ranged in length from 40 to 45 minutes. All participants who completed an interview were offered a $90 incentive.

Interview subjects were drawn from survey respondents who had identified themselves as owning or leasing a PHEV or EV in the survey and who then gave their consent to participate in a follow-up interview. Given the low incidence of electric vehicle ownership across Canada, survey completions did not generate a sufficient number of prospective interviews in order to complete the interviews in the required timeframe. As a result, electric vehicle owners were identified from another Canadian online panel provider. These individuals were subsequently screened to request their participation in an in-depth, one-on-one interview.

Profile of Interview Participants: Distribution by Region, Gender, and Age

The distribution of interviewees by region, gender, and age is shown below. To the extent possible, attempts were made to ensure reasonable regional coverage. Notwithstanding this, the majority of the interviews were completed with individuals residing in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, which mirrors the provinces with the highest sales of electric vehicles in Canada. Of the 30 interviews that were completed, the distribution by region is as follows: Quebec (12), Ontario (10), British Columbia (5), Manitoba (2), and Newfoundland (1). A total of 20 interviews were completed in English and 10 in French.

Distribution of Interviews by Region

Province/Territory	City/Town in which Interviewee Resides	Number of Interviews Conducted	Total
Quebec	Greenfield Park Lévis Longueuil Montréal Pierrefonds Québec City Ste-Julienne Ste-Marcelline-de-Kildare Terrebonne	1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2	12
Ontario	Alexandria Ingersoll Kitchener London Mississauga Ottawa Pickering Toronto Woodbridge	1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1	10
British Columbia	Fort St. John Kelowna Langley Vancouver Victoria	1 1 1 1 1	5
Manitoba	Winnipeg	2	2
Newfoundland	St. John’s	1	1
Total			30

Most of those interviewed were men aged 35 and older.

Distribution by Gender and Age

	18–34	35–54	55+	Total
Men	0	11	14	25
Women	1	2	2	5
Total	2	12	16	30

Make and Model of Electric Vehicle

The types of electric vehicles owned by those interviewed closely reflect the popularity of various makes and models according to the latest sales data. The largest share of electric vehicle owners interviewed drive a Chevrolet Volt/Bolt or a Nissan Leaf. As the chart below indicates, interviews were completed with a cross-section of those owning low- to mid range electric vehicles (priced under $50K) as well as those driving high-end luxury electric vehicles (priced over $75K), such as the Tesla Model S/X and Cadillac CT6. The motivations and considerations of electric vehicle owners in terms of purchase decisions do vary to some extent according to vehicle type; these are noted as relevant in the detailed report which follows.

Distribution by Make and Model of Electric Vehicles

Make and Model	Number of Participants
Chevrolet Volt	9
Nissan Leaf	6
Chevrolet Bolt	3
Audi A3 E-tron	2
Kia Soul	2
Cadillac CT6	2
Ford C-Max	1
Ford Focus	1
Hyundai Ioniq	1
Smart Fortwo	1
Tesla Model X	1
Tesla Model S	1

Half of those who participated in an interview drive a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) while the other half drive a fully battery electric vehicle (BEV). It is important to take this into consideration when reviewing the detailed findings that follow, as responses differ to some degree between these two groups of drivers, specifically around range anxiety.

Distribution by Type of Electric Vehicle

Plug in hybrid vehicle (PHEV)	15
Battery electric vehicle (BEV)	15

While a few respondents were very early adopters, having purchased their electric vehicle 6 to 8 years ago (i.e., 2010−2012), the majority of owners made their purchase more recently, within the last 3 years (19 out of 30 purchased in 2015 or later).

The majority of respondents purchased their electric vehicle new. Very few electric vehicle owners mentioned that they purchased their vehicle used. Again, this is relevant to perceptions of the resale market for electric vehicles and is elaborated on later in this report.

3. Fieldwork

The online survey ran in field from February 5 to 13, 2018. One-on-one interviews were conducted from February 27 to March 16, 2018.

D. Note to the Reader

Throughout this report, we refer to the following terms:

PHEVs—Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicles, which are partially electric vehicles

BEVs—Battery Electric vehicles, which are 100% electric

HEVs—Hybrid Electric vehicles, which are not plugged into the electric grid

In the survey, these terms were explained to respondents: both BEVs and PHEVs require charging by plugging into the electrical grid system, whereas HEVs charge while running and do not require plugging in.

In the report, we frequently use the term “electric vehicles” generically to encompass both plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles.

As this is not a survey of the general population, the reader will note that reference is made to “respondents” or to “consumers” rather than to the general population, the public or Canadians. Given that the survey targeted new vehicle buyers (those who have purchased a vehicle in the past 2 years and/or who plan to purchase within the next year), inferences from these results cannot be made to the broader Canadian population at large. Readers should keep in mind that these findings reflect the views of recent new car buyers across Canada only and/or those who have indicated they intend to purchase a new vehicle within the next 12 months.

E. Key Findings

The following provides a high level overview of key findings from both the survey and the in-depth interviews with electric vehicle owners.

1. Key Findings from the Quantitative Survey

Purchase of and Interest in Electric Vehicles

As expected, relatively few respondents (5%) currently own an electric vehicle—3% own a battery electric vehicle (BEV) and 2% own a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV); of those who purchased a vehicle in the last two years, similar numbers (6%) purchased an electric vehicle—3% purchased a BEV and 3% purchased a PHEV. However, interest in electric vehicles appears to be reasonably strong:
- Among those who indicated they will be purchasing a vehicle within the next year, 31% said they would be likely to purchase a PHEV and 27% said they would be likely to purchase a BEV.
- One in ten (12%) non-electric vehicle owners say they are “very interested” in a PHEV or BEV and would definitely consider one when it comes time to purchase their next vehicle. Among current electric vehicle owners, over three quarters (78%) are “very interested” in buying another.
- Over half of non-electric vehicle owners are at least “somewhat interested,” with about one third expressing some caveats around the purchase price and their specific driving requirements.

Familiarity with Electric Vehicles

Just over one third of respondents know someone who owns an electric vehicle (37%) or have driven/ridden in an electric vehicle (36%). Given low levels of ownership, this number may seem somewhat high but does align with interest.
However, when it comes to the specifics of electric vehicles including how much they cost and how they operate, consumers clearly have some questions and concerns. Most of these centre on range (only 40% are “somewhat” or “very” familiar therewith), vehicle reliability (34%), operating costs (32%), battery life (30%), and charging equipment (30%). In each case, two in five (or fewer) respondents indicated they were either “somewhat” or “very” familiar with these aspects of PHEVs and BEVs.
Consumers are accessing information about electric vehicles from a range of sources, but primarily from consumer reports (58%), vehicle dealers/salespeople (43%) and electric vehicle manufacturers (41%). The Government of Canada (20%) is seen as a key source for some, but not to the same extent as the others.

Barriers and Motivators to Electric Vehicle Purchase

Almost three quarters of respondents agree that there are too few public charging stations (75%) and that these vehicles are too expensive (71%) to purchase.
- In terms of driving range, many (74%) want assurance of a driving range of 250 km or more on a single full charge (39% want a 450 km driving range per full charge) even though most (73%) indicate they drive 249 km or less per week.
Other barriers include worries about the cost involved in maintaining the vehicle, although opinions on this issue appear to be mixed or contradictory. On the one hand, the cost to operate is seen as a positive to owning a PHEV or BEV by almost four in five (79%) consumers. At the same time, significant proportions agree that these vehicles will significantly increase their monthly electricity bill (56%) and that repair and maintenance costs could be higher as compared to a gasoline car (47%).
In general, it should be noted that fuel efficiency (95%) and maintenance costs (95%) rank high in terms of importance (very/somewhat) as a consideration in purchasing a vehicle.
Proven reliability (99%) ranked highest in terms of importance as a consideration when purchasing a vehicle, not specifically an electric vehicle; two in five (42%) agree, either strongly (12%) or somewhat (30%), that plug-in or battery electric vehicle technology is too new to risk buying one.
A driver analysis of key attitudes and perceptions related to new technologies—and to electric vehicles specifically—also underscored that greater familiarity with battery range, charging time, and vehicle performance are key motivators to raising electric vehicle purchase intent. Interestingly, and somewhat the reverse of findings reported above, one of the main motivators (or drivers of intent to purchase) is the advantage that buyers see to using electricity to power the vehicle rather than fuel. It may be the case that those consumers who express stronger, more definitive interest in the purchase of an electric vehicle have done more research and, therefore, have a better sense of the cost implications of switching from an internal combustion engine (ICE) to a vehicle that is exclusively powered by electricity. This is borne out in the qualitative one-on-one interviews with electric vehicle owners, which revealed that many had undertaken extensive research and cost/benefit analyses. As such, they had a clear picture of the advantages and cost savings associated with the switch to an electric vehicle.
Finally, although the initial purchase price (39%) is seen as a slight (20%) or significant (18%) disadvantage, the subsidies do counter this to some extent—overall, just under two thirds of respondents (60%) viewed subsidies as at least a slight (29%) if not significant (31%) advantage to owning a PHEV or BEV.

2. Key Findings from the In-Depth Interviews with Electric Vehicle Owners

The early adopters of electric vehicles are real enthusiasts, motivated mainly by their interest in electric vehicle technology as well as by their desire to lower their impact on the environment and live more sustainably. Many have undertaken a very thorough cost-benefit analysis and say that, on top of having a positive environmental impact, they are reaping demonstrable yearly savings (which they expect to become more evident over the life of the vehicle), notwithstanding the generally higher price point for these vehicles.

For the most part, electric vehicle owners are satisfied with their purchase and were able to find the type of vehicle, in terms of size and features (including luxury details), that they were seeking. However, a specific downside that was mentioned related to the low inventory of electric vehicles in stock. While many purchased their vehicles and then had to wait weeks, if not months, to receive them, a number elected to purchase a vehicle other than the one they had originally intended to buy because it was available immediately at another dealer. At the same time, a certain degree of brand loyalty factors into the purchase decision as many electric vehicle owners are simply now rolling over their gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle, purchased at the same dealership, to an electric vehicle (e.g., [M1]previous Chevrolet or Cadillac owners have purchased the EV version now available on the market).

Some degree of range anxiety exists among BEV owners in particular, although they seem to have adapted through better trip planning and awareness of the locations of charging stations and timing required for charging. Ultimately, this is not a huge barrier for current owners, although they do see charging infrastructure as a significant barrier suppressing broader uptake of electric vehicles in the future. Additionally, many electric vehicle owners indicated some disappointment with the battery technology in that the redirection of significant power in cold, winter conditions to heat their vehicles results in a significant reduction in driving range.

Electric vehicle owners have undertaken fairly extensive research, having closely followed the development of the technology over the last decade or more. Many have a background in or at least a high comfort level with the technology and the technical side of vehicle manufacturing. As such, they are generally at ease adapting to the slightly different driving experience electric vehicles offer and, in fact, are effusive about the overall performance of these vehicles (with the exception of winter driving as noted above). They draw principally from online, unbiased sources of information, relying heavily on consumer reports, auto magazines, blogs, podcasts, and advocacy and user groups.

With respect to federal government initiatives and activities to promote higher uptake of electric vehicles, multiple suggestions were put forward by current electric vehicle owners. Improving the charging infrastructure is at the top of their list. Other recommendations included additional incentives beyond those offered by some provinces to purchase electric vehicles and/or disincentives to purchasing gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles (i.e., gas tax, tax on these types of vehicles). More education and awareness-raising on the economic benefits of electric vehicles (rather than just the environmental effects) combined with opportunities to test-drive were also underscored.

F. Conclusions and Recommendations

Although there is interest in electric vehicles, it could be described as “soft.” It is clear that purchase price, charging infrastructure, range anxiety, and to some extent the hesitancy to be among the first to adopt a new technology are holding back some consumers from making the leap to an electric vehicle. Getting information out to consumers about incentives (where available), operating costs, battery function, life, and range is required to both entice and reassure potential buyers.

Interestingly, vehicle dealerships and salespeople are seen as key information sources, although electric vehicle owners interviewed as part of this study were disappointed in dealers’ lack of overall knowledge of electric vehicles and/or their interest in making a sale to a highly interested buyer.

Opportunities to acquaint prospective buyers with the electric vehicle features and the overall driving experience will likely have a positive impact. Interested buyers need more opportunities to test drive electric vehicles and/or to take part in demonstrations (e.g., the Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto, Ontario) in order to be able to discover both the economic and environmental benefits of electric transportation and get answers to their questions from electric vehicle experts, specialists and owners.

Electric vehicle owners themselves are potential ambassadors—they could be quite persuasive in touting the benefits of a quieter drive in addition to the very practical cost savings in terms of operation and maintenance. Although recommendations from friends and family are not identified as a top information source, they are at least somewhat important as a factor or consideration in the vehicle purchase decision.

Currently, electric vehicles remain somewhat of a curiosity. Many non-electric vehicle owners have questions principally around driving range and charging. While it is difficult to accurately forecast the sales trajectory for electric vehicles in the coming years, this research suggests that reaching a critical mass or wider diffusion of this technology could occur quite rapidly with more models coming on the market each year, assuming a number of the other key barriers are addressed. As electric vehicles become more common on Canadian roads and highways and consumers begin to see more widespread charging infrastructure, non-electric vehicle owners will come to see these types of vehicles as mainstream.

The Government of Canada is viewed as having a key role to play in promoting this technology, specifically by:

Raising awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles and promoting trials;
Providing consumers with more information on the specifics (i.e., cost/benefits) to make a stronger economic, as opposed to just environmental, argument for electric vehicles;
Countering some of the current myths, misperceptions, and misinformation about electric vehicles around issues such as range, performance, etc.;
Offering additional incentives, above and beyond what some provinces are currently offering (alternatively, some suggested that taxing ICE vehicles would act as a disincentive to purchase); and
Informing current and prospective EV owners of the existing charging infrastructure across Canada.

MORE INFORMATION

Supplier Name:The Strategic Counsel

PWGSC Contract Number:23483 181064/001/CY

Contract Award Date:2017-12-21

Contract Budget:$79,975.75

To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail nrcan.por-rop.rncan@canada.ca.

Statement of Political Neutrality

Donna fixed I hereby certify as Senior Officer of The Strategic Counsel that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed:___________________________________

Donna Nixon, Partner

Findings from the Online Survey

Findings from the Online Survey

A. Vehicle Purchase: Past and Future Intent

1. Vehicle Purchases: Last 2 Years and Next Year

In order to better understand the considerations, motivators, and barriers to purchasing an electric vehicle, this survey was designed to target those who purchased a brandnew vehicle (i.e., not a resale or previously owned vehicle) within the past two years and/or who intend to purchase a brand new vehicle within the next 12 months. As such, all respondents who did not meet these criteria were screened out.

The majority of respondents participating in the survey comprised those who had purchased or leased a brand new vehicle within the last two years (63%); however, a significant albeit slightly lower percentage (57%) also indicated they plan to do so within the next year.

HAVE PURCHASED/LEASED A NEW VEHICLE WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS

Q4. Have you purchased or leased a brand new vehicle (i.e., not a previously owned or resale vehicle) for your personal use within the last two years?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	63	62	65	59	64	68	63	60	69	62	66	55
No	37	38	35	41	36	32	37	40	31	38	34	45

PLAN TO PURCHASE/LEASE A NEW VEHICLE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR

Q7. Do you plan to purchase or lease a brand new vehicle (i.e., not a previously owned or resale vehicle) for your personal use within the next year?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	57	63	52	69	58	54	51	54	50	63	54	63
No	43	37	48	31	42	46	49	46	50	37	46	37

Not unexpectedly, respondents who had purchased or leased a new vehicle in the past two years were somewhat less inclined to say they would be purchasing another new vehicle in the coming year.

Past purchase behaviour and future purchase intention also vary by gender, age, and income level:

A higher proportion of respondents aged 45 to 54 (68%) purchased a new vehicle within the last two years, compared to those aged 18 to 34 (59%). However, it is the younger age group, i.e. those aged 18 to 34 (69%), that exhibits the greatest likelihood to say they plan to purchase or lease a new vehicle within the next year, while those aged 55 and older (51%) are the group least likely to intend to do so.
Men (63%) are more likely than women (52%) to indicate they intend to purchase a vehicle within the next year.
Although not shown in the chart above, respondents with annual household incomes of $100,000 or more (66%) were more likely to have purchased a new vehicle compared to those earning less than $40,000 (57%) or between $40,000 and $80,000 (60%).

2. Size of Vehicle Purchased or Intend to Purchase

Of those who purchased a vehicle within the last two years, the majority (50%) purchased a car. In terms of size, the largest proportion purchased a mid size car (31%) rather than a small (14%) or large car (5%). SUVs were quite popular, with about two in five (41%) respondents having purchased one in the last two years, the largest proportion having purchased a mid size utility vehicle (24%) while fewer purchased a small (11%) or large (6%) utility vehicle. Very few respondents indicated having purchased a pick-up truck (9%).

SIZE OF VEHICLE PURCHASED/LEASED WITHIN THE LAST 2 YEARS

Q5. What size of vehicle did you purchase/lease?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	948	462	486	239	160	180	369	72	248	339	181	108
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
CAR	50	46	54	69	46	39	45	40	61	53	32	51
Small car	14	13	16	21	11	13	12	14	18	13	12	13
Mid size car	31	26	35	41	31	22	28	22	37	34	18	33
Large car	5	7	3	7	4	4	5	4	6	6	3	5
UTILITY	41	43	39	26	43	46	48	43	37	39	53	35
Small utility	11	9	14	7	14	13	12	8	10	13	14	6
Mid size utility	24	26	22	15	23	26	29	31	22	19	34	22
Large utility	6	8	4	4	6	7	6	4	4	7	5	6
Pick-up truck	9	11	7	5	12	16	8	17	2	8	15	14

Future vehicle purchase intentions follow a similar pattern as that noted among those who have recently purchased a new vehicle, in that the plurality (49%) intend to purchase a car. Slightly fewer (43%) indicate an intention to purchase an SUV. Again, relative to other types of vehicles on the market, very few (8%) intend to purchase a pick-up truck.

SIZE OF VEHICLE PLAN TO PURCHASE/LEASE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR

Q8. What size of vehicle will you purchase/lease?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	861	472	388	279	144	143	295	65	179	346	148	123
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
CAR	49	49	49	60	51	44	41	35	54	55	38	49
Small car	14	12	16	18	16	12	10	14	12	17	7	16
Mid size car	29	29	28	35	26	26	26	18	34	31	24	28
Large car	7	8	5	7	9	6	5	3	7	7	7	5
UTILITY	43	41	45	34	42	48	50	54	43	40	49	38
Small utility	13	9	18	8	15	13	17	15	11	11	14	18
Mid size utility	26	27	25	23	19	31	31	34	28	25	32	17
Large utility	4	5	2	4	7	4	2	5	3	4	3	3
Pick-up truck	8	10	5	6	7	8	9	11	3	5	13	13

There are some notable variations across demographic groups on past purchase behaviour and future purchase intentions:

Women (54%) were more likely to have purchased a car compared to men (46%).
Generally, a slightly higher proportion of women tend to be purchasing or thinking about purchasing smaller or mid size cars, while men were somewhat more likely than women to be purchasing larger cars, mid size and larger and SUVs, as well as pick-up trucks.
Purchase behaviour and intention among the younger age group, i.e., those aged 18 to 34 years, indicates they are much more likely to have purchased or to plan on purchasing a car rather than a utility vehicle compared to any other age group, particularly those aged 45 to 54 and 55 and older. For example, while just over one quarter (26%) of those aged 18 to 34 purchased a utility vehicle, this number jumps to almost half (48%) among those aged 55 and older. Similarly, while one third (34%) of those aged 18 to 34 intend to purchase a utility vehicle within the next year, this number increases to about half (50%) among those 55 [M2]and older.
We also noted (although not shown in the chart above) that one-person households were much more likely to have bought a car (61%) compared to larger households.
Twice as many people living in rural areas (16%) bought pick-up trucks compared to those living in urban (7%) or suburban (8%) areas.

Across the regions:

Past and future vehicle purchase patterns generally align. Those residing in Quebec are more likely to have purchased a car (61%) within the past two years and are among the most likely to do so within the next year (54%), along with Ontarians (55%). By contrast, those living on the Prairies are more likely to have purchased a utility vehicle (53%) and are also more likely to indicate they intend to purchase a utility vehicle (49%) within the next year. However, the highest percentage of those who say they intend to purchase a utility vehicle reside in the Atlantic provinces (54%).

3. Recent and Planned Electric Vehicle Purchases

The vast majority of respondents either purchased or leased a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle in the last two years (92%) or plan to purchase this type of vehicle within the next year (84%).

Among those responding to the survey, a very small proportion (6%) purchased or leased a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (3%) or a battery electric vehicle (3%) both of which require charging by plugging into the electrical grid system. Another three percent (3%) purchased a hybrid electric vehicle that cannot be plugged in.

TYPE OF VEHICLE PURCHASED/LEASED IN THE LAST 2 YEARS

Q6. What type of vehicle did you purchase/lease? [Multi-mention]

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	948	462	486	239	160	180	369	72	248	339	181	108
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle	92	89	94	92	91	93	92	99	88	92	99	83
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in	3	4	1	3	3	2	2	1	4	2	1	5
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)	3	3	3	3	2	3	3	-	6	2	1	7
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)	3	4	2	2	4	2	3	-	2	4	-	5
NET ELECTRIC VEHICLE	6	7	4	5	6	5	6	-	8	6	1	12

By contrast, future intent indicates considerable potential uptake for electric vehicles within the next year as a significant proportion of vehicle buyers are looking at either a PHEV (31%) or a BEV (27%).

TYPE OF VEHICLE LIKELY TO PURCHASE/LEASE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR

Q9. Please indicate how likely you are to purchase the following types of vehicles?

% Very/Somewhat Likely	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Very/Somewhat Likely	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	861	472	388	279	144	143	295	65	179	346	148	123
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle	84	84	85	84	85	84	85	94	74	85	97	79
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in	33	34	32	41	37	31	26	28	28	35	28	46
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)	31	34	28	34	36	39	23	20	36	35	19	35
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)	27	29	25	31	36	27	18	23	31	29	16	28
NET ELECTRIC VEHICLE	39	41	35	42	44	45	29	28	42	43	23	46

Slightly more men (7%) than women (4%) recently purchased or leased an electric vehicle. In addition, a higher proportion of men intend to purchase/lease a PHEV (34%) or a BEV (29%) compared to women (28% and 25% respectively). A higher proportion of households with higher incomes ($150,000 or more) indicate plans to purchase a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) within the next year (36%). Interest is also higher among this group for BEVs (30% among those with household incomes of $100,000 or more compared to 24% for those with household incomes under $100,000).

Results also vary across regions:

The largest share of electric vehicle owners can be found in British Columbia (12%), Quebec (8%) and Ontario (6%), mirroring vehicle sales data collected nationally.
Intention to purchase either a PHEV or BEV is much higher among residents of Quebec (36% and 31% respectively), Ontario (35% and 29%) and British Columbia (35% and 28%) relative to other regions in Canada.

Most of those planning to purchase either a PHEV or a BEV indicate that it would be used as their primary vehicle (78%) with slightly less than one quarter (22%) saying it would be a secondary vehicle.

HOW ELECTRIC VEHICLE WOULD BE USED: PRIMARY OR SECONDARY VEHICLE

Q10. Which of the following best reflects how you plan to use the plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle you purchase or lease?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	332	194	137	118	64	65	85	18	76	148	34	56
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle would mostly be used as a primary vehicle	78	80	75	75	83	82	75	78	86	74	65	86
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle would mostly be used as a secondary vehicle	22	20	25	25	17	18	25	22	14	26	35	14

Intention to the use the electric vehicle as a primary vehicle is higher among those aged 35 to 54. It is also higher among residents of British Columbia and Quebec (86% in each province).

B. Current Household Vehicle Ownership and Driving Patterns

A short series of questions were included in the survey to obtain a better understanding of the total number of vehicles in each household as well as the nature of the driving undertaken by respondents.

1. Number of Vehicles in the Household

Given the focus of this survey, virtually all respondents (97%) own a vehicle. The overwhelming majority (82%) have just one (39%) or two (43%) vehicles at most registered to their household. A relatively small percentage (15%) have three or more vehicles registered.

NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN HOUSEHOLD

Q11. How many vehicles does your household currently have registered, not including recreational vehicles?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
0	3	4	2	6	4	1	1	2	3	3	1	5
1	39	37	41	41	39	31	41	34	46	37	35	40
2	43	44	43	40	50	41	44	54	39	43	45	45
3 or more	15	15	14	12	7	27	14	10	12	17	19	10

By age:

Those aged 45 to 54 are much more likely to indicate they have three or more vehicles registered to their household (27%).

Across the regions:

Quebec residents are most likely to say they have only one vehicle registered to their household (46%), while those residing in the Atlantic provinces (54%) are more likely to have two vehicles registered. The highest numbers of those with three or more vehicles registered reside on the Prairies (19%) and in Ontario (17%).

2. Current Electric Vehicle Ownership

When respondents were asked in a multi-mention question about the types of vehicles they currently own or lease, not surprisingly, most (97%) reported owning a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle. As expected, a relatively small number of respondents (5%) own either a BEV (3%) or a PHEV (2%).

TYPE OF VEHICLES OWNED

Q12. Which of the following types of vehicles does your household currently own or lease? [Multi-mention]

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1457	719	737	379	239	261	578	118	351	531	271	186
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle	97	96	98	96	97	98	97	99	95	96	100	95
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in	4	5	2	3	3	6	3	3	3	4	1	6
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)	3	3	2	1	4	2	3	-	3	4	< 1	5
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)	2	2	2	2	< 1	4	2	1	4	2	< 1	2
NET ELECTRIC VEHICLE	5	5	4	3	5	6	5	1	7	5	1	7

Electric vehicle ownership is higher among those aged 35 and older, particularly among the 45 to 54 age group (6%), and much lower among those aged 18 to 34 (3%).

Ownership is also a factor of income—those with household incomes of $150,000 or higher (7%) are most likely to own an electric vehicle compared to those with household incomes between $40,000 and $100,000 (4%) and those with household incomes under $40,000 (2%).

Regionally:

Electric vehicle ownership is highest in British Columbia (7%), Quebec (7%) and Ontario (5%).

The small percentage of respondents who currently own an electric vehicle (either a PHEV or a BEV) were asked to provide more details on the make and model of their vehicle. Results shown in the two tables below indicate the popularity of the Chevrolet Volt, Tesla and the Nissan Leaf.

MAKE OF VEHICLE

Q13. Please provide the make and model of your BEV(s) and/or PHEV(s). [Open-Ended]

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	67	37	30	12	11	16	28	1	23	28	2	13
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Chevrolet	30	30	30	25	18	38	32	-	39	21	50	31
Tesla	15	19	10	17	18	13	14	-	4	25		15
Nissan	10	8	13	-	27	13	7	-	4	11		23
Audi	6	-	13	-	-	-	14	-	9	-	50	8
Ford	6	5	7	-	-	13	7	-	13	4
BMW	4	5	3	17	-	-	4	-	-	7	-	8
Cadillac	3	5	-	-	-	13	-	-	-	7	-	-
Honda	3	-	7	8	9	-	-	-	4	-	-	8
Kia	3	3	3	8	9	-	-	-	4	4	-	-
Toyota	3	-	7	8	9	-	-	100	4	-	-	-
Other	16	27	3	17	9	19	18	-	17	25	-	-

MODEL OF VEHICLE

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n=	67	37	30	12	11	16	28	1	23	28	2	13
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Volt	25	24	27	25	9	38	25	-	35	18	50	23
Leaf	10	8	13	-	27	13	7	-	4	11	-	23
Bolt	4	8	-	-	9	-	7	-	4	7	-	-
C-MAX	4	3	7	-	-	13	4	-	13	-	-	-
i3	4	5	3	17	-	-	4	-	-	7	-	8
X / Model X	4	5	3	8	-	-	7	-	4	-	-	15
A3 e-tron	3	-	7	-	-	-	7	-	9	-	-	-
e-Golf	3	5	-	8	-	-	4	-	4	4	-	-
Escalade	3	5	-	-	-	13	-	-	-	7	-	-
P100D	3	5	-	-	-	-	7	-	-	7	-	-
Cadillac	1	-	3	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	8
Chevrolet	1	3	-	-	-	6	-	-	4	-	-	-
Other	31	30	33	42	55	25	21	100	22	43	50	15

The majority of PHEV (93%) and BEV (88%) owners report that their electric vehicle is used as the primary vehicle in their household.

HOW ELECTRIC VEHICLE IS USED: PRIMARY OR SECONDARY VEHICLE

Q14. Please check the appropriate box to indicate whether your battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle(s) is/are considered to be the primary or a secondary vehicle in your household.

PHEV	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
PHEV	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	28	14	14	7	1	11	9	1	14	9	1	3
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Primary Vehicle	93	86	100	100	100	91	89	100	100	78	100	100
Secondary Vehicle	7	14	-	-	-	9	11	-	-	22	-	-

BEV	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
BEV	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	40	24	16	5	10	6	19	-	9	20	1	10
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Primary Vehicle	88	83	94	100	90	100	79	-	100	80	-	100
Secondary Vehicle	13	17	6	-	10	-	21	-	-	20	100	-

3. Frequency of Vehicle Use

Most vehicle owners report driving 50 to just under 250 km (60%) each week. Almost one in five respondents report driving between 250 and 449 km per week (18%), while another one in ten drive fewer than 50 km (13%) or in excess of 450 km (9%) weekly.

FREQUENCY OF VEHICLE USE

Q15. Approximately how many kilometres do you drive per week?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n=	1457	719	737	379	239	261	578	118	351	531	271	186
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Less than 50 km	13	8	18	12	14	11	14	9	13	11	15	16
50–-99 km	25	21	28	26	24	20	26	25	22	27	23	27
100–-249 km	35	35	35	36	30	34	37	33	38	33	34	38
250–-449 km	18	23	13	15	20	22	17	21	18	17	20	16
450 km or more	9	12	6	11	13	12	5	11	9	12	8	3

A higher percentage of men say they drive longer distances in a week (35% over 250 km) compared to women (19% over 250 km).

Canadians in British Columbia report driving fewer kilometres on a weekly basis (43% fewer than 100 km).

C. Vehicle Purchase Considerations

As the table below clearly illustrates, consumers consider a wide range of issues and factors when thinking about purchasing a new vehicle. The most important of these centre on proven reliability (99% say this is a very/somewhat important consideration), comfort (98%), price (97%), fuel efficiency (95%), maintenance costs (95%), warranty (94%), vehicle safety rating (94%), size (94%), performance (92%), and the ability to test drive the vehicle (91%).

Style (86%), advanced technology features (83%), brand (82%), eco friendliness (80%), and resale value (78%) are also important. Recommendations from family (55%), friends (54%), and the dealership (46%) are much less important considerations.

VEHICLE PURCHASE CONSIDERATIONS

Q17. When purchasing a new vehicle, how important is each of the following factors or considerations?

% Very/Somewhat Important	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Very/Somewhat Important	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Proven reliability	99	98	99	98	97	100	99	99	98	99	100	96
Comfort	98	96	99	95	97	98	99	98	97	97	99	95
Price	97	95	99	97	96	99	96	98	97	97	97	95
Fuel efficiency	95	93	97	94	96	97	95	98	91	96	96	97
Maintenance costs	95	93	96	94	95	95	95	98	92	95	96	94
Warranty	94	93	96	90	92	96	97	98	91	94	97	93
Vehicle safety rating	94	91	97	91	94	95	96	96	91	94	98	94
Size	94	91	96	90	94	94	96	96	92	93	96	94
Performance	92	89	94	88	91	95	93	97	81	95	95	93
Ability to test drive the vehicle	91	88	94	89	89	92	93	94	89	92	91	90
Style	86	83	88	85	84	90	85	83	81	88	87	88
Advanced technology features	83	82	84	83	83	89	80	79	81	84	85	83
Brand	82	81	83	79	82	83	84	80	80	84	84	76
Eco friendliness	80	73	86	77	77	81	83	88	74	80	81	84
Resale value	78	77	79	75	78	76	80	80	77	75	79	83
Recommendations from family	55	50	60	66	55	55	47	55	54	56	55	55
Recommendations from friends	54	52	56	61	53	53	49	53	53	55	53	53
Dealership recommendations	46	41	51	46	46	43	47	53	48	44	50	36

The extent to which each of the factors is a key consideration varies by gender and age, although reliability, comfort and price are vitally important regardless.

Women appear to place greater importance on virtually all of the considerations listed relative to men. Eco friendliness, recommendations from family, and dealership recommendations, though lower down on the importance scale, are somewhat more important considerations for women.
Recommendations from family and friends are more important among the 18 to 34 age group.

Regionally:

In Quebec, eco friendliness, while still rated as an important consideration, is ranked slightly lower in comparison to other regions of the country.

D. Familiarity with Electric Vehicles

1. Exposure to Electric Vehicles

Just over one third of respondents (36%) say they have driven or ridden in a PHEV or BEV.

HAVE DRIVEN OR RIDDEN IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q18. Have you ever driven or ridden in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1433	712	720	392	238	247	556	119	338	521	273	182
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	36	42	31	38	37	40	33	21	41	37	30	47
No	62	57	67	61	61	59	65	78	59	61	67	51
Don’t know	2	1	2	2	2	1	2	1	< 1	2	3	2

Men (42%) are much more likely than women (31%) to say they have driven or ridden in a PHEV or BEV. Similar to reported ownership of electric vehicles and interest patterns, those with above-average household incomes (44% of those earning $100K or more) are more likely to report having driven or ridden in an electric vehicle.

Across the regions:

Respondents living in British Columbia (47%) and Quebec (41%) are most likely to say they have driven or ridden in an electric vehicle, followed by residents of Ontario (37%), the Prairies (30%) and those in the Atlantic Provinces (21%).

Similar numbers (37%) report knowing someone else who owns a PHEV or BEV.

KNOW OTHERS WHO OWN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q19. Do you know anyone else who owns a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	37	39	36	36	41	42	35	27	38	41	25	47
No	59	58	60	61	56	55	61	70	60	54	70	50
Don’t know	3	3	4	3	3	3	4	3	2	4	3	3

Those residing in British Columbia (47%), making an income of $100K or higher (44%), having a university education (42%) and between the ages of 45 and 54 (41%) are all more likely to say they know someone who owns a plug-in or battery electric vehicle.

2. Familiarity with Various Aspects of Electric Vehicles

There is a good deal of variability in the level of familiarity respondents have had with various aspects of electric vehicles. The average level of familiarity (those saying they are “somewhat” or “very” familiar) across all of the 12 features or aspects of electric vehicles examined is 33%; in other words, one third of respondents consider themselves at least “somewhat familiar” with the full range of features, issues or aspects of owning and driving an electric vehicle. The highest levels of familiarity relate to purchase price (49% reporting they are “somewhat” or “very” familiar therewith), availability of makes and models (45%), performance (43%) and battery range (40%).

Consumers demonstrate modest levels of familiarity with some of the issues that have been raised in regard to electric vehicles. Over 40% say they are at least somewhat familiar with availability of makes and models (45%), performance (43%) and battery range (40%), and another third report at least some familiarity with the estimated time to charge an electric vehicle (34%). One third or fewer say they are familiar with aspects that relate to the battery, including time required to charge (34%), battery charging equipment (30%) and battery life (30%). There is also less familiarity with reliability (34%). The lowest levels of familiarity are around costs of ownership, including cost to operate (32%), the warranty (23%), maintenance costs (23%) and the cost of insurance (17%).

FAMILIARITY WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Q20. In general, how familiar are you about each of the following aspects of plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

% Very/Somewhat Familiar	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION					PURCHASE PHEV/BEV
% Very/Somewhat Familiar	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC	NET Likely	Not Likely
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195	332	474
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Purchase price	49	58	41	54	48	52	45	44	52	52	39	53	68	45
Availability of makes and models	45	56	34	49	44	48	41	34	52	47	33	48	67	41
Performance	43	53	32	45	46	44	39	35	45	44	36	48	65	39
Battery range	40	52	27	43	39	40	38	29	45	43	30	41	62	37
Time required to charge the battery	34	44	24	38	37	33	31	26	41	35	26	36	56	32
Reliability	34	39	29	38	37	33	30	26	38	36	25	37	56	30
Cost to operate	32	39	24	37	31	32	28	23	35	34	24	34	54	26
Battery charging equipment	30	36	23	35	30	28	26	21	33	32	25	30	46	27
Battery life	30	38	21	36	30	29	25	24	29	34	23	32	48	27
Warranty	23	31	16	25	24	27	20	15	29	24	15	27	41	20
Maintenance costs	23	29	16	27	23	25	18	16	27	23	16	26	41	18
Cost of insurance	17	20	14	22	17	19	13	12	21	17	10	24	32	14

Of note, those saying they are “very” or “somewhat” likely to purchase an electric vehicle, are in all cases much more likely to report greater familiarity with all aspects of electric vehicles. Typically, their level of familiarity is 20% higher than those who are not likely to purchase an electric vehicle.

Men are much more likely than women to report higher levels of familiarity with the various aspects of electric vehicles (an average across all measures of 41% vs. 25%).

Across the regions:

Those living in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec are the most likely to report higher levels of familiarity than those living in Atlantic Canada or the Prairies. This pattern aligns with interest in and ownership of electric vehicles.

E. Views on Electric Vehicles

1. Benefits and Drawbacks Associated with Owning an Electric Vehicle

Respondents were asked to assess 18 specific features of electric vehicles, including aspects such as the availability of information about electric vehicles, to ascertain the extent to which each is seen as a relative benefit or advantage of owning an electric vehicle or, conversely, as a drawback or disadvantage.

The table below indicates that relatively few features (only 4 out of 18) are viewed as clear advantages, with half or more of respondents indicating that each was a “slight” or “significant” advantage of owning an electric vehicle. For the remainder, there are either questions (i.e., uncertainty) or negative perceptions associated with each. Among these, purchase price is viewed as a distinct barrier to ownership.

The most marked advantages are those associated with using electricity, instead of fuel (62%), subsidies (60%), the advanced technology (57%), and home charging availability (55%). Respondents are somewhat less certain when it comes to in-city charging availability (46%), environmentally friendly battery disposal (45%), reliability (43%), vehicle performance (41%), workplace charging (40%) and highway charging availability (39%), vehicle maintenance cost (38%), the quality and availability of consumer information (37%), resale value (35%), and driving range (32%). Under one third view the availability of makes and models of electric vehicles (30%), the time required to charge the battery (30%), purchase price (29%), and battery replacement costs (25%) as advantages to electric vehicle ownership.

ADVANTAGES OF OWNING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q21. Please indicate whether the following are advantages or disadvantages to owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle.

% Significant/Slight Advantage	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Significant/Slight Advantage	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Using electricity instead of fuel to power the vehicle	62	64	59	61	70	65	57	52	72	62	51	64
Subsidies for vehicle purchase	60	64	55	60	66	63	55	44	75	62	44	55
Advanced technology	57	61	52	58	63	60	51	49	65	57	51	53
Home charging availability	55	59	52	57	58	59	51	48	75	51	43	51
In city charging availability	46	46	46	50	49	48	41	43	68	39	32	45
Environmentally friendly battery disposal	45	44	46	49	50	45	40	40	54	46	37	41
Reliability	43	45	41	43	46	46	40	37	60	39	32	41
Vehicle performance	41	44	37	40	42	47	38	38	51	40	31	39
Workplace charging availability	40	41	40	45	47	44	33	29	65	34	29	38
Highway charging availability	39	40	38	41	41	40	37	33	63	34	25	35
Vehicle maintenance costs	38	44	33	36	44	40	37	32	52	37	28	38
Quality and availability of consumer information	37	38	36	38	39	36	35	33	50	35	27	32
Resale value	35	34	36	38	37	38	32	29	50	32	27	34
Driving range	32	32	32	34	35	35	27	27	50	28	20	27
Availability of makes and models	30	31	29	30	35	35	26	26	44	28	19	27
Time required to charge the battery	30	31	29	29	33	32	28	28	46	26	17	29
Purchase price	29	28	29	27	32	32	26	25	43	25	20	26
Battery replacement cost	25	26	25	25	27	28	23	23	38	23	18	19

Notably, the top four items which are seen as advantages to electric vehicle ownership are viewed as advantages by both current electric vehicle owners and those who express a likelihood to purchase an electric vehicle (i.e., use of electricity, subsidies, advanced technology, and home charging availability).

By region, Quebec residents are more likely to identify each of the items listed as an advantage.

2. Rating of Aspects of Electric Vehicles

To further assess motivators and barriers to uptake of electric vehicles across Canada, respondents were asked to rate a similar set of 12 features that are relevant to vehicle ownership in general and/or electric vehicles in particular as either positive (very good/good) or negative (very poor/poor) aspects associated with PHEVs and/or BEVs. The results confirm that there is fairly broad recognition of the advantages of electric vehicles, particularly the cost to operate (79% rate this as very good/good), the warranty (78%), reliability (76%), performance (74%) and the cost of insurance (72%). But, again, we note that the purchase price is seen as a significant downside, with just over one third (39%) rating this a “very good/good” aspect of PHEVs or BEVs.

RATING OF ASPECTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Q22. Based upon what you know, how would you rate the following aspects of plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

% Very Good/Good	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Very Good/Good	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Cost to operate	79	80	78	76	85	81	78	86	78	78	75	87
Warranty	78	78	77	78	83	81	73	77	78	77	74	83
Reliability	76	76	76	76	81	76	74	78	78	77	72	77
Performance	74	74	74	75	77	72	72	78	70	77	69	76
Cost of insurance	72	72	72	73	78	75	67	76	69	73	67	78
Maintenance costs	65	67	62	63	67	65	64	67	68	63	59	68
Battery charging equipment	59	60	58	63	67	64	51	60	66	55	54	64
Battery life	57	57	58	62	62	62	50	58	62	55	55	58
Availability of makes and models	50	48	51	54	53	49	46	43	64	45	44	50
Time required to charge the battery	48	45	51	53	53	50	40	53	56	42	45	51
Battery range	48	44	52	55	59	48	38	50	52	44	44	54
Purchase price	39	36	43	43	42	43	35	41	47	38	33	37

Those who own an electric vehicle or express some likelihood to buy one are more likely to rate each of the above-noted aspects of electric vehicles as very good/good, and often by a considerable margin relative to the average across all respondents and non-electric vehicle owners in particular.

F. Interest in and Likelihood to Purchase an Electric Vehicle

One in ten respondents who do not own an electric vehicle (12%) say they will “definitely” consider one when purchasing their next vehicle. The majority of those who currently do not own an electric vehicle express a moderate interest (57%) in considering an electric vehicle sometime in the future:

20% say they have some interest, but find they are too expensive;
19% are interested, but find they don’t meet their driving needs; and
18% say they have some interest and would consider purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle as their next vehicle.

Additionally, one in five (18%) have no interest and one in ten (13%) say they don’t know enough about them.

INTEREST IN PURCHASING FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID OR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q23. Which one of the following statements best describes your interest in plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1433	712	720	392	238	247	556	119	338	521	273	182
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
I have no interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle	18	16	19	13	14	16	23	21	12	17	27	13
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, but today’s plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles don’t meet my driving needs	19	20	18	17	18	21	20	15	19	18	21	20
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle but find they are too expensive	20	21	19	24	20	18	17	20	25	20	14	19
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and would consider one when purchasing or leasing my next vehicle	18	20	16	18	24	20	14	16	17	19	16	19
I am very interested in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and will definitely consider one when purchasing my next vehicle	12	14	10	19	13	13	7	7	17	12	5	16
I don’t know enough about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles	13	9	18	10	11	13	18	21	9	13	15	13

Firm interest in purchasing an electric vehicle is higher among:

Men (14%) compared to women (10%); and
Those aged 18 to 34 years (19%). Notably, cost is an issue for this group among those expressing some interest.

Regionally, definitive interest is strongest among:

Residents of Quebec (17%) and British Columbia (16%).

The small proportion of current electric vehicle owners (n = 67) were also asked about their interest in purchasing one. Encouragingly, most (78%) indicate that they are “very” interested and will “definitely” consider one when purchasing their next vehicle. A further 15% indicate that they have some interest and will consider one when purchasing their next vehicle.

INTEREST IN PURCHASING A PLUG-IN HYBRID OR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q26. Which one of the following statements best describes your interest in plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	67	37	30	12	11	16	28	1	23	28	2	13
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, but today’s plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles don’t meet my driving needs	1	--	3	--	9	--	--	100	--	--	--	--
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle but find they are too expensive	5	5	3	--	9	--	7	--	--	7	50	--
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and would consider one when purchasing or leasing my next vehicle	15	19	10	25	--	25	11	--	9	21	--	15
I am very interested in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and will definitely consider one when purchasing my next vehicle	78	76	80	75	82	75	79	--	91	71	50	77
I don’t know enough about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles	1	--	3	--	--	--	4	--	--	--	--	8

G. Motivators and Barriers to Purchasing an Electric Vehicle

1. Perceived Motivators

Respondents were asked to select from a list of 20 different attributes the top 3 that would make them more likely to consider purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle. Respondents could also enter their own open-ended response. By a wide margin, a lower purchase price (39%) was identified as the key attribute that would tip consumers towards purchasing an electric vehicle. About one quarter of respondents cited access to charging stations at home (26%), in public parking lots (25%), and along highways (23%). Fuel economy (25%), a 10 year battery warranty (23%), and lower cost overall (23%) are cited by about one quarter of respondents. Notably, very few indicated that being able to test drive an electric vehicle (5%) would make them more likely to purchase one, although it is rated as an important factor when consumers are actively considering a vehicle purchase (see general vehicle purchase considerations [Q. 17] on page 23). Relatively few are strongly motivated to purchase an electric vehicle knowing that doing so means they are doing their part to lower greenhouse gas emissions (11%).

The relative positioning of “lower purchase price” (#1 of 20 attributes) and “low maintenance costs” (#9) suggests that while many are price conscious, they may not be fully aware of the overall cost-benefit equation in favour of electric vehicles.

MOTIVATORS TO PURCHASING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q24. From the list below, please indicate which are the top 3 attributes that would make you more likely to consider purchasing or leasing a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1433	712	720	392	238	247	556	119	338	521	273	182
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Lower purchase price	39	39	39	41	40	36	38	40	43	37	34	45
Having access to a charging station at home	26	25	27	27	26	23	26	30	26	27	23	24
Seeing more charging stations in public parking lots and shopping destinations	25	24	26	23	25	24	27	26	22	27	25	25
Fuel economy	25	26	24	28	31	30	18	19	38	19	23	23
10 year battery warranty	23	26	19	20	22	22	26	19	24	26	21	17
Seeing more charging stations along highways	23	24	22	19	18	23	27	34	16	24	25	21
Lower cost	23	23	23	26	27	21	20	18	22	24	24	21
Proven reliability	20	21	18	17	18	20	22	19	16	19	23	23
Low maintenance costs	17	17	18	19	20	20	14	16	17	19	15	19
Greater selection of makes and models	13	15	11	12	12	16	12	10	14	12	11	16
Knowing I am doing my part to lower greenhouse gas emissions	11	9	13	13	12	9	10	11	11	11	9	14
Having access to charging stations at my workplace	9	8	9	11	12	11	4	10	7	9	9	8
Ability to test drive the vehicle	5	6	4	5	4	6	5	4	4	5	5	5
Knowing the vehicle possesses the latest technological advances	5	5	4	5	6	5	4	5	4	5	4	7
Realizing batteries can be repurposed/recycled	4	3	4	5	5	2	3	5	4	4	4	3
Increased battery range/Longer driving range	3	4	2	1	3	4	4	2	2	4	2	3
Other	2	2	2	3	2	3	2	2	1	2	4	1
None of these	7	5	9	4	3	6	12	8	6	6	11	5

Among the small proportion of respondents who currently own an electric vehicle, the top motivators to make them more likely to consider purchasing another are more charging stations in public parking lots and shopping destinations (36%) and along highways (31%). Next most likely to be selected, by at least one quarter of current electric vehicle owners, are: lower purchase price (28%), greater selection of makes and models (27%), fuel economy (27%), and knowing they are doing their part to lower greenhouse gases (25%). Notably, current electric vehicle owners are more likely than non-owners to cite reduction of GHGs as a key motivator (25% vs. 11%).

MOTIVATORS TO PURCHASING ANOTHER ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q27. From the list below, please indicate which are the top 3 attributes that would make you more likely to consider purchasing or leasing another plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	67	37	30	12	11	16	28	1	23	28	2	13
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Seeing more charging stations in public parking lots and shopping destinations	36	35	37	33	45	25	39	-	35	43	-	31
Seeing more charging stations along highways	31	35	27	25	55	44	18	-	30	39	-	23
Lower purchase price	28	30	27	17	36	31	29	100	22	25	50	38
Greater selection of makes and models	27	30	23	33	18	25	29	-	17	25	100	38
Fuel economy	27	24	30	33	36	25	21	100	48	11	-	23
Knowing I am doing my part to lower greenhouse gas emissions	25	22	30	17	-	38	32	-	26	21	-	38
Low maintenance costs	19	22	17	17	9	19	25	-	22	11	50	31
Having access to a charging station at home	16	16	17	25	18	-	21	-	4	21	100	15
10 year battery warranty	15	19	10	8	27	25	7	-	9	25	-	8
Proven reliability	15	14	17	8	-	19	21	-	4	11	-	46
Knowing the vehicle possesses the latest technological advances	12	11	13	-	-	19	18	-	17	11	-	8
Having access to charging stations at my workplace	10	5	17	17	36	6	-	100	13	11	-	-
Ability to test drive the vehicle	10	14	7	17	9	-	14	-	9	18	-	-
Realizing batteries can be repurposed/recycled	6	5	7	8	9	-	7	-	4	11	-	-
Increased battery range/Longer driving range	4	8	-	8	-	13	-	-	13	-	-	-
Lower cost	1	-	3	-	-	6	-	-	-	4	-	-
Other	1	3	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	4	-	-

2. Perceived Barriers

Both closed-ended and open-ended questions were included to assess, in detail, potential barriers to electric vehicle ownership. Overall, the biggest barriers relate to cost, availability of charging stations, and range anxiety.

Respondents were asked their level of agreement with 15 different agree/disagree statements covering a range of potential barriers to uptake of electric vehicles, the results of which are shown in the table below. About three quarters of respondents agree that there are too few public charging stations (75%), that electric vehicles are too expensive (71%) and that these vehicles can’t travel far enough on a full charge (71%).

AGREEMENT WITH STATEMENTS ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Q30. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

% Strongly/Somewhat Agree	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Strongly/Somewhat Agree	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
There are too few, if any, public charging stations where I travel	75	75	74	72	79	73	75	82	67	79	77	69
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles are too expensive	71	73	69	71	73	70	71	70	75	70	71	71
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles can’t travel far enough on a full charge	71	72	70	65	71	70	75	72	68	71	74	68
I can’t charge a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle at my home or workplace	57	51	63	61	60	50	55	66	48	58	61	55
I am worried that charging a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle will significantly increase my monthly electricity bill	56	48	64	57	60	53	55	62	42	60	67	52
The repair and maintenance costs for a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle could be higher than for a gasoline car	47	46	48	52	49	46	41	41	39	50	54	45
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle technology is too new to risk buying one	42	39	46	40	39	38	47	48	39	41	52	34
The style of vehicle I prefer isn’t available as a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle	42	44	40	43	45	43	40	42	41	41	43	46
Disposing of plug-in hybrid or battery electric batteries is an environmental hazard	41	41	41	41	43	40	41	41	41	42	43	37
Plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles don’t perform as well as gasoline powered vehicles	40	40	40	39	45	42	37	36	42	40	40	37
It is difficult to find credible sources of information about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles	39	38	40	38	39	36	42	43	35	37	46	39
A plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle wouldn’t save me any money	32	33	32	32	33	33	32	32	33	31	40	26
If too many people purchase plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles, it will put too much pressure on the electric grid	32	28	36	32	32	33	32	30	20	36	39	36
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles have a poor resale value	26	26	26	32	27	19	26	24	26	26	29	25
Plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles won’t contribute significantly to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fuel powered vehicles	26	27	24	27	27	25	24	25	25	23	35	21

Across key demographic groups, differences are notable by gender and age.

Women are more likely than men to agree that:

They are limited in terms of access to charging stations at their workplace or home (63% vs. 51%);
Rising electricity costs are associated with electric vehicle ownership (64% vs. 48%);
The technology is too new to risk buying an electric vehicle (46% vs. 39%); and
Electric vehicles will put too much pressure on the electrical grid (36% vs. 28%).

By age:

Older people (aged 55+) are more likely than younger people (aged 18–34) to agree that driving range is an issue (75% vs. 65%).
People aged 18–34 are more likely than those aged 55+ to express concern about higher repair and maintenance costs (52% vs. 41%).

Across regions, some differences are notable:

Those living in the Atlantic region (82%), Ontario (79%), and the Prairies (77%) are more likely than those living in British Columbia (69%) and Quebec (67%) to agree that there are too few (if any) public charging stations where they travel.
Residents of British Columbia (52%) and Quebec (42%) are less likely than those from Ontario (60%), the Atlantic region (62%), or the Prairies (67%) to agree that they are worried about higher electricity bills.
Prairie residents are most concerned about repair costs (54%).

British Columbia residents (34%) are least likely to express concern about the relative newness of the technology.
Residents of the Atlantic provinces (43%) and the Prairies (46%) are somewhat more likely than those living in British Columbia (39%), Ontario (37%), or Quebec (35%) to agree that it is difficult to find credible sources of information about electric vehicles.

Those living on the Prairies (40%) are most likely to agree that electric vehicle ownership won’t save them money.
Quebec residents are significantly less likely than those living in other regions to be concerned about pressure on the electrical grid (20% vs. 32% overall).

Asked on an open-ended basis to share their main concerns about owning an electric vehicle, the top mentions are cost (22%), lack of charging stations (22%) and driving range (18%). A secondary concern relates to battery life and/or disposal (10%).

CONCERNS ABOUT OWNING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q31. What, if any, are your main concerns about owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? [Open-Ended]

Mentions of 3% or higher are shown	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
Mentions of 3% or higher are shown	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Cost/Price/Expensive	22	22	23	22	24	20	23	25	24	21	24	18
Charging/Not enough charging stations/Lack of charging stations in rural area	22	21	24	21	20	20	25	30	11	25	26	25
Driving range/Short mileage/Travel distance	18	23	14	16	18	21	19	18	16	20	18	19
Battery/Battery life/Battery range/Replacing or disposing of battery	10	12	8	12	9	10	9	12	10	10	8	11
Reliability/Too much on the electric grid/Not reliable for such an invention	5	5	4	3	6	5	5	7	4	5	4	4
Repair/Maintenance is costly/Warranties	4	4	4	4	3	6	4	5	2	5	6	4
Time/How long to recharge/Speed of charging	3	4	2	3	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	4
Weather/Winter driving/Cold weather/Weather elements damage battery	3	4	2	3	3	5	2	3	2	3	5	1
Lack of choice/Not many models out there/Lack of options	3	2	3	1	4	3	3	3	4	2	1	3
Other	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1
None	1	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
I don’t have any concerns about owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle	39	38	40	48	39	37	33	34	41	39	36	41

Again, we note some differences by gender, age, and region:

Men are more likely than women to mention concerns about driving range (23% vs. 14%).
Millennials in particular (48% vs. 33% among those aged 55 and older) are most likely to indicate they “don’t have any concerns about owning a PHEV or BEV.”
Quebec residents are less likely than those in other regions to mention concerns about a lack of charging stations (11% vs. 22% overall).

H. Driving Range Requirements

The survey included several questions designed to assess expectations with respect to the driving range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Overall, most of those who do not currently own an electric vehicle would expect a significant driving range before they would consider purchasing a BEV. Provided with 5 range options, two in five (39%) respondents selected a driving range of 450 km or more is needed in order for them to consider purchasing a BEV. Another one third (35%) selected a driving range between 250 and 449 km, and just one quarter (26%) indicated that a driving range of less than 250 km would suffice.

DRIVING RANGE NEEDED TO CONSIDER PURCHASING A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Q25. What driving range do you feel is needed on a fully charged battery in order for you to consider purchasing a battery electric vehicle?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1460	725	734	399	239	257	565	120	352	529	274	185
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Less than 50 km	2	2	3	4	3	2	1	4	3	1	1	4
50–-99 km	5	3	6	8	6	4	3	2	6	6	3	5
100–-249 km	19	16	22	23	16	16	18	20	20	16	18	26
250–-449 km	35	35	34	30	38	35	36	40	35	33	36	34
450 km or more	39	44	35	35	36	43	42	34	36	44	42	31

Men are more likely than women to want a range of 450 km or more (44% vs. 35%, respectively). By age, those 45 and older (42–43%) are more likely than those under 45 (35–36%) to want a range of at least 450 km.

When a similar question was asked of current BEV owners (n = 40), most say they are satisfied with the range of their BEV (88% are satisfied and 43% are very satisfied).

SATISFACTION WITH DRIVING RANGE OF BEV

Q28. How satisfied are you with the driving range of your BEV (the distance you can drive before recharging)?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	40	24	16	5	10	6	19	-	9	20	1	10
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET – SATISFIED	88	92	81	100	80	100	84	-	89	90	100	80
Very satisfied	43	54	25	60	30	33	47	-	56	40	-	40
Somewhat satisfied	45	38	56	40	50	67	37	-	33	50	100	40
Somewhat dissatisfied	10	4	19	-	10	-	16	-	11	5	-	20
Very dissatisfied	3	4	-	-	10	-	-	-	-	5	-	-
NET – DISSATISFIED	13	8	19	-	20	-	16	-	11	10	-	20

The expectations of current electric vehicle owners are largely consistent with the expectations of non-owners. Almost three quarters feel that a range of 250–449 km (40%) or 450+ km (33%) is needed for them to consider purchasing another BEV.

DRIVING RANGE

Q29. What driving range do you feel is needed on a fully charged battery in order for you to consider purchasing another battery electric vehicle (BEV)?

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	40	24	16	5	10	6	19	-	9	20	1	10
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Less than 50 km	3	4	-	-	-	17	-	-	-	5	-	-
100–-249 km	25	13	44	40	30	-	26	-	44	15	-	30
250–-449 km	40	46	31	40	40	33	42	-	56	40	-	30
450 km or more	33	38	25	20	30	50	32	-	-	40	100	40

I. Sources of Information about Electric Vehicles

The majority of respondents say they would rely on traditional media such as consumer reports (58%), vehicle dealerships or salespeople (43%), electric vehicle manufacturers (41%), and automotive magazines (39%) when looking for information on electric vehicles. About one quarter (23%) would look to the CAA as a key source. Government sources, both federal (20%) and provincial (13%), are mentioned by one in three respondents, combined. By contrast, online sources (9%) as well as recommendations from family and friends (1%) are not significant sources.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Q32. If you were interested in finding out more about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles, where would you go to get this information? [Multi-mention]

	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Consumer reports	58	56	61	49	59	55	67	54	50	60	62	67
Vehicle dealerships/salespeople	43	37	48	42	43	43	42	53	36	44	40	47
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle manufacturers	41	41	42	40	48	40	40	42	34	45	41	44
Automotive magazines	39	44	33	36	45	37	38	29	48	35	36	41
The CAA	23	23	23	19	15	22	30	16	28	23	25	18
Government of Canada	20	22	17	22	18	19	19	18	18	22	19	18
Provincial or Territorial Government	13	15	10	13	12	13	13	8	15	15	8	12
Google/Internet/Blogs/Internet forums	9	9	9	10	10	10	8	10	6	11	7	11
Municipal Government	5	5	6	7	5	3	5	4	4	6	5	5
Friends/Family/Someone who owns one or had one	1	1	2	1	< 1	2	2	2	1	1	2	2
Plug’n Drive	< 1	< 1		-	1	-	< 1	-	-	< 1	-	1
Other	1	1	1	1	1	-	1	-	1	< 1	-	1
None of the above	5	5	5	6	5	6	5	5	4	7	5	4

By gender:

Men are more likely than women to rely on automotive magazines (44% vs. 33%, respectively) as well as the Government of Canada (22% vs. 17%) and provincial/territorial governments (15% vs. 10%).
Women are more likely to visit a dealership or rely on a salesperson (48% vs. 37%).

By age:

Baby boomers aged 55 and older (67%) are more likely to use consumer reports for information on electric vehicles.

We also note some variations by educational attainment:

Government sources are relied upon more heavily by those with higher educational attainment, as are a wider range of sources in general.

Regionally:

Two thirds of British Columbia residents (67%) rely on consumer reports, the highest of any region.
Those residing in Quebec are most likely to refer to automotive magazines (48%) for information on electric vehicles compared to those in other parts of Canada.

J. Attitudinal Profile of Respondents

A series of attitudinal statements were included in the form of an agree/disagree battery as a means of capturing additional information which could be relevant to consumers’ predisposition to purchasing an electric vehicle. This section provides the results for these attitudinal statements.

Working in favour of electric vehicle technology, many respondents indicated a high degree of comfort with technology (86%) and concern for the environmental impact of the products they buy (77%).

At the same time, respondents to the survey generally agree that they want value for money (97%) and products with demonstrated or proven reliability (91%). These attitudes may mitigate against electric vehicles being considered when it comes time to purchase a new vehicle.

Three quarters (75%) say that the products they purchase are a reflection of who they are. This aligns with the importance placed on brand, reported on in an earlier section on vehicle purchase considerations in general. Although the number of makes and models of electric vehicles available on the market is increasing, consumers may not be aware of what is currently available from their preferred vehicle manufacturers and those automakers may not have a wide range of electric vehicles on offer. This is likely to change dramatically within the next few years.

A slim majority say they choose the product that costs less (54%)—somewhat more so among those aged 18 to 34 (64%) and 35 to 44 (61%). For consumers focused on economy and value, the purchase price of electrical vehicles is viewed as a significant barrier.

Almost two thirds describe themselves as conventional rather than experimental (64%), which would tend to work against trial of new vehicle technology. Consistent with this result, relatively few agree that they like to be the first to try new things (40%), although this tendency is stronger among younger consumers (47% agree among those aged 18 to 34 and 45% among those aged 35 to 44).

ATTITUDINAL PROFILE

Q16. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

% Strongly/Somewhat Agree	TOTAL	GENDER		AGE				REGION
% Strongly/Somewhat Agree	TOTAL	M	F	18–34	35–44	45–54	55+	ATL	QC	ON	PR	BC
n =	1500	749	750	404	249	263	584	120	361	549	275	195
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
I like to know I am getting value for money	97	97	97	94	99	98	98	97	96	98	98	95
I only buy products that are proven to be reliable	91	90	91	86	90	94	92	91	88	92	93	88
I am very comfortable with technology	86	89	83	89	91	90	81	82	84	89	86	86
I consider the environmental impact of the products I purchase	77	73	80	73	76	78	79	75	73	77	78	79
Products I purchase are a reflection of who I am	75	72	77	77	76	79	71	78	77	76	75	65
I am certainly more conventional than experimental	64	61	67	59	63	60	70	72	60	60	77	59
When I have to choose between different products, I tend to choose the one that costs less	54	53	55	64	61	51	46	63	53	56	48	53
I pride myself in being the first to try new things	40	45	34	47	45	41	31	38	32	48	33	42

K. Key Drivers of Intent to Purchase an Electric Vehicle

The survey contained a wide range of measures (approximately 65 in total) which assessed respondents’ general familiarity with and interest in electric vehicles in addition to their knowledge and perceptions of electric vehicles, including perceived advantages and disadvantaged associated with the technology. In addition, respondents answered a series of agree/disagree statements which were intended to gauge their general orientation towards technology and the environment, as well as to electric vehicle technology specifically.

The survey posed a very explicit question to non-electric vehicle owners to determine their level of interest in purchasing an electric vehicle in the future. The results of this question (Q.23) are covered in an earlier section of this report. While a majority (57%) demonstrate an “intent” to purchase an electric vehicle in the future, only a very small proportion (12%) express a high level of interest without any additional qualifiers such a purchase price (i.e., they say they will “definitely consider one when purchasing their next vehicle”). This question on its own sheds some light on the potential uptake of electric vehicles overall, by region and across key demographics, but it does not reveal what is driving respondents’ intention to purchase. While we are able to glean a great deal about the motivators and detractors to purchasing an electric vehicle by how respondents answered other questions about the importance of various purchase considerations and, specifically, the top 3 attributes they identified as those that would make them more likely to purchase a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle (see Q.24), a “driver analysis” offers additional guidance.

To further understand the relative importance of various features, aspects and attributes associated with electric vehicles in terms of driving or influencing intent to purchase, a key driver analysis was conducted. Using intent to purchase (Q.23) as the dependent variable, we conducted a stepwise multiple regression which allows for all 65 items in the survey (noted above) to be included in the analysis as independent variables. By taking a stepwise approach, we start by including the full set of 65 variables and then eliminating those that are not statistically significant or do not meet a threshold for significance in a step-by-step process, resulting in a final model that narrows down the field to a more limited set of items (variables) which are ultimately deemed to be the strongest predictors of intention to purchase an electric vehicle.

The table below shows that the original 65 measures can ultimately be reduced to 10 key items that have a significant relationship with intent to purchase an electric vehicle (as denoted by the strength of the beta coefficients). The three strongest or most important influencers or “drivers” of interest in and/or intent to purchase an electric vehicle centre around the perceived advantage of using electricity versus gasoline to power vehicles in addition to familiarity with battery range and ratings of the performance of electric vehicles. This suggests that a key to increasing electric vehicle uptake is to raise familiarity and understanding with respect to electric vehicle performance and battery range in addition to promoting the benefits of vehicles powered by electricity.

A higher environmental consciousness is also strongly linked to intent to purchase an electric vehicle. This is not surprising, although it is interesting that more practical considerations outrank this issue as key drivers. Again, this suggests that an appeal to consumers’ sense of concern regarding the environmental impacts of their purchases continues to be an important factor in reaching and engaging the next tranche of prospective electric vehicle owners, but that it is only one of a series of key motivators and not necessarily the strongest argument for electric vehicles.

Greater understanding and comfort with driving range as well as familiarity with the cost of insurance and the time required to charge the battery round out the top 7 of 10 drivers of intent to purchase, suggesting that it is important to continue to get information out to consumers that will educate them about some of these uncertainties or unknowns regarding electric vehicles.

Conversely, concerns people have about the risks of buying an electric vehicle because the technology is too new, and therefore unproven, is one of the strongest barriers to purchase interest (it is shown as being inversely correlated with intention to purchase as the last item on the chart below).

Finally, a tendency to be more conventional than experimental and concerns that preferred car styles and designs are not available in electric vehicle models also exert a negative influence on interest in electric vehicle purchase.

The Top Ten Drivers of Electric Vehicle Purchase Intent/Interest

	Strength of Relationship to Interest in Purchasing an Electric Vehicle (Q.23)*
Q21_1 Using electricity instead of fuel to power the vehicle (Advantage vs. Disadvantage)	0.205
Q20_7 Battery range (Familiarity with)	0.154
Q22_3 Performance (Rating of)	0.147
Q16_5 I consider the environmental impact of the products I purchase. (Agreement with)	0.128
Q21_7 Driving range (Advantage vs. Disadvantage)	0.097
Q20_12 Cost of insurance (Familiarity with)	0.093
Q22_5 Time required to charge the battery (Rating of)	0.081
Q16_1 I am certainly more conventional than experimental. (Agreement with)	-0.077
Q30_7 The style of vehicle I prefer isn’t available as a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle. (Agreement with)	-0.077
Q30_8 Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle technology is too new to risk buying one. (Agreement with)	-0.141

*This column shows the beta coefficient, which is a measure of how much the dependent variable changes when the independent variable changes by 1 standard deviation. In simpler language, the coefficient reflects the strength of the independent variable (i.e., Q.21) in relation to the dependent variable (Q.23). Higher positive numbers mean that this factor or issue is a strong motivator of intention to purchase or interest in electric vehicles. Higher negative numbers mean the opposite—that this factor or issue is a strong detractor or barrier to intention to purchase or interest in electric vehicles.

Overall, the 10 items included in the final regression model are shown to explain about 40% of the variance in electric vehicle purchase intent (R² = 0.423). This clearly indicates that the items covered in the survey and included in this analysis are strongly related with and are likely the most significant influencers over whether or not consumers are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle.

Findings from One-on-One Interviews with Electric Vehicle Owners

Findings from One-on-One Interviews with Electric Vehicle Owners

In a wide-ranging 40- to 45 minute in-depth interview, electric vehicle owners were asked a series of questions pertaining to the use of their electric vehicle as well as the considerations they took into account in making the purchase, their perceptions of the driving experience, and their views on the future of electric vehicles in Canada—specifically, what might be required to increase uptake. The following is a summary of the feedback provided by 30 electric vehicle owners. For more details on the profile of those interviewed, please see the “Methodology” section included in the Executive Summary.

A. Use of Electric Vehicles and Distances Driven

Most participants only own one electric vehicle; however, many also own another vehicle that is gas- or diesel-powered. Among electric vehicle owners interviewed, the common practice is to utilize the electric vehicle as the primary vehicle within the household. While some mentioned that they had purchased the electric vehicle as a secondary vehicle, it quickly became the primary vehicle in their household.

For those who own more than one vehicle, the secondary vehicle (typically a gasoline, diesel or hybrid vehicle) was used mainly for longer trips, for times when additional space was required, and in colder weather. These are areas where internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles were seen to generally outperform electric vehicles and owners commented on some of these issues in more detail as the conversation progressed.

Most electric vehicle owners report driving, on average, between 150 and 350 km per week. Relatively few mentioned that they drive upwards of 500 km each week. In terms of the longest distance, the majority of owners report travelling 120 to 300 km round trip. There were a few exceptions: some mentioned they have taken longer trips—over 600 km—but these tended to be primarily by owners of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

B. Motivators for Purchase and Key Considerations

Electric vehicle owners appear to be motivated by a range of factors to purchase an electric vehicle, including:

Concerns about the environment and a desire to reduce their personal carbon footprint;
Curiosity about the technology and/or vehicle design in general—several electric vehicle owners are technology enthusiasts and/or have a background in electronics or technology themselves, so they have been following the development of electric vehicles for some time;
The prospect of lower operating costs—this consideration is more valid for those with aging vehicles for which the annual maintenance costs become an issue, thus prompting consideration of a new vehicle purchase; however, a number of electric vehicle owners also expressed some concern about the high cost of gas: they want to reduce their dependence on gasoline and diesel for reasons related to both the environmental impact and costs;
Exposure to electric vehicles—via an auto show, co-worker, friend or family member, and for some, specifically the opportunity to test drive is what nudged them from consideration to purchase;
An aging vehicle, prompting owners to consider a wider range of options;
Government incentives that have made the price more affordable; and
Ability to use HOV lanes.

Two individuals interviewed work in areas that would have exposed them to this technology—one as a contractor for a GM dealership and another as an electrical contractor installing solar panels and as a distributor for electric vehicle car chargers.

In a number of cases, current electric vehicle owners were replacing a hybrid electric vehicle and chose, at that time, to move directly to a plug-in. Others indicated they have been interested in electric vehicles for some time and have been waiting for “proof of concept” around the technology and for the price of these types of vehicles to be more affordable.

As relatively early adopters of electric vehicle technology, many did not have strong or serious reservations about the technology, although a number of electric vehicle owners mentioned that they were initially concerned about range and battery life. For others, the issue of charging infrastructure initially held back the purchase decision. Some simply found that the dealers themselves were unable to adequately respond to their questions, leaving them to pour through technical manuals in order to learn more about the technology.

However, most of these concerns were readily addressed through research and obtaining more information, which these electric vehicle owners seemed quite prepared to undertake.

Also key to their decision to purchase an electric vehicle was the opportunity to test drive one. Virtually all electric vehicle owners interviewed say they really enjoy the driving experience and rave about the performance of the vehicle.

Many electric vehicle owners ultimately elected to purchase a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) over a battery electric vehicle (BEV) for highly practical reasons—range and winter driving. Some electric vehicle owners noted that the option to switch to gas as a back-up is helpful, if not in fact necessary, given the current state of charging infrastructure. In addition, winter temperatures can dramatically diminish the operating range of an electric vehicle on a full charge.

C. Research and Trusted Sources of Information

The timeline to purchase an electric vehicle, and therefore the time devoted to researching the technology, varied from one month to several months or even years. In some instances, electric vehicle owners had been tracking advancements in electric vehicle technology for a period of years, watching the trends in purchase price and waiting until their current vehicle needed to be replaced or until they felt more confident that technology had matured/stabilized.

As noted above, reservations centred primarily on driving range and battery life, but electric vehicle owners typically undertook research to obtain answers to a number of other questions they had, including:

Location of charging stations and how to charge;
Installation of home charging stations (110 vs. 220 V);
Warranty coverage;
Availability of parts;
Insurance;
Servicing and after-purchase support—service technicians who would be available to support the vehicle if something went wrong. This was a particular issue for some who had initially been interested in a Tesla but subsequently removed it from their list of potential choices for this reason as well as due cost and immediate availability;
Driving experience, specifically for some models that entail shifting away from a gas pedal to an accelerator pedal;
Cold weather handling / winter driving performance; and
The life-cycle environmental impact (i.e., from manufacturing through to use).

The types of sources that electric vehicle owners relied on as they were gathering information were varied. However, most frequently mentioned were (generally in order of the frequency with which they were cited):

Consumer reports;
Electric vehicle owners (testimonials);
Dealerships—mainly to “see, touch, test drive the vehicle,” as most found the dealers lacking in knowledge—and dealer websites;
Auto shows;
Online sources;
Podcasts;
Vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla;
The electric vehicle industry in general;
Electric vehicle user groups.

Other sources included social media (i.e., YouTube videos), electric vehicle advocacy groups, technical studies, and auto sections of the newspaper. The Ontario Government’s green vehicle website was mentioned by one owner in Ontario.

While many went to dealers to see the models and test drive an electric vehicle, there was a general consensus that the dealerships were not necessarily a good or reliable source of information.

Owners were of the view that consumer reports offer the best, most unbiased information on electric vehicles given that they are not affiliated with any manufacturer, followed by electric vehicle owners themselves. Notably, the federal government is not identified as a key source of information on electric vehicles at this time, although owners generally feel that government has a high degree of credibility as a source of information.

Often, the decision to purchase a particular type of vehicle was made based on price, features, and availability, although as several electric vehicle owners indicated, there is “not much to choose from,” meaning that there is little choice in terms of makes and models of electric vehicles. Brand loyalty also plays a role in the selection process.

Many electric vehicle owners also remarked that, in general, dealerships do not carry much stock, so the waiting time can be long. This is a particular issue for those who had made the commitment and were ready to purchase—waiting for the vehicle to be delivered was an irritant, although not necessarily a barrier.

Without question, all electric vehicle owners said they would purchase or lease another. Some expressed interest in moving from a PHEV to a BEV as the logical next step. The environmental benefits, lower operating costs, and driving experience are all touted as positives to owning an electric vehicle.

For a small number of electric vehicle owners, leasing presented the better option, as it allowed them to take quicker advantage of any advancements in the technology.

D. Comparison to Gasoline and Diesel-Powered Vehicles

Electric vehicle owners noted a number of key differences in the driving experience, although these features may vary across the range of makes and models:

The “start” button, which is simply an on/off switch, rather than the standard ignition using a key, which is more common in most internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles;
Regenerative breaking, which some owners said alters the stopping distance relative to ICE vehicles because once you take your foot off the acceleration, the vehicle begins to break almost immediately;
Instant torque on demand;
Responsiveness; and
Manoeuvrability—which has as much to do with the generally smaller size of many electric vehicles—as well as some of the features which tend to be standard (e.g., back-up camera and GPS).

Overall, most felt the driving experience was superior relative to an ICE vehicle, primarily due to general vehicle performance and the fact that the vehicle is very quiet when operating. Several described the experience as “fun.”

Some also felt that operating of an electric vehicle actually changed their driving habits. For example, owners quickly come to understand that repeated breaking, quick acceleration, and running at high speeds use more electricity, adversely impacting driving range. As such, they are more conscious of driving at the speed limit.

Few experienced any significant issues with the driving range of their vehicle, although a number commented that they do plan their trips quite carefully. If there was one drawback, it was related to driving during the winter months when colder temperatures draw more power from the battery, thereby lowering their driving range. Several owners did, however, comment that the issue of driving range in winter is not adequately addressed within the available information. When temperatures drop below -20 °C, the range may drop anywhere from 30% to 60%. This was clearly not as much of an issue for PHEV owners as it was for BEV owners, but was nevertheless cited as an issue.

Interviewees were asked how electric vehicles compare to gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles in terms of purchase price, operating and maintenance costs as well as resale value. A summary of their comments is shown in the table below.

Purchase price	Owners acknowledge that the price point for an electric vehicle is high relative to other types of vehicles, but that government rebates/incentives combined with lower operating costs work in favour of electric vehicles. Some owners feel the higher cost of electric vehicles is principally a factor of the battery, which is an expensive component of the vehicle and costly to service. Most owners justify the higher purchase price by factoring in incentives, lower operating costs, and the overall quality and enjoyment associated with driving an electric vehicle which is seen to add value.
Operating and maintenance costs	Some feel it’s too early to say how the operating costs relative to ICE vehicles will net out, but their expectation is that these costs should be lower given that there are fewer moving parts to service. Others felt that the lower overall operating costs were a distinct advantage of electric vehicles. By comparison to ICE vehicles, those who had crunched the numbers were impressed with how little they had spent to maintain their electric vehicle. Even those with PHEVs have found the requirement for an oil change is much less frequent. The “simpler system” was cited by some owners, specifically the fact that there is no exhaust system or tail pipe and no need for oil changes.
Resale value	The resale market for electric vehicles is very much in its infancy. As such, this is not an issue that many owners have thought much about. They are uncertain how resale value will be calculated and don’t necessarily factor this in, at this point in time, to the purchase decision. Owners of PHEVs, for example, are uncertain how the degradation of the battery and use of the ICE over time would be factored into the resale value. There is also an issue in terms of the “generation” of electric vehicles, given that there have been significant improvements in the technology, specifically in terms of the battery. Finally, the reseller would need to take incentives into account. Given incentives, consumers are likely more motivated to purchase a new rather than a resale vehicle. Even those few owners who had purchased a “used” electric vehicle were not necessarily clear on how the resale value was determined, but felt that the price would be higher by comparison to a resale ICE vehicle nevertheless due to lower maintenance costs.

E. Charging

Most electric vehicle owners charge their vehicles at home, at work or at charging stations located in public parking spaces, which are typically located adjacent to government offices or at shopping malls. A number of electric vehicle owners did comment that they are unable to charge at home because they reside in a multi-unit building that does not provide access to a charging station or the ability to install one. Those who can do so have typically purchased a Level 1 charging station (110 V) because it is significantly less expensive relative to a Level 2 (220 V) charging station.

In some instances, the owners themselves petitioned their workplace to install a charging station, and a key advantage at the moment is not having to pay when they charge either at work or at a public charging station.

Regardless of where and how electric vehicles owners are currently charging their vehicle, most were of the view that charging is fairly convenient. Some, however, did note that as electric vehicles are becoming more popular, charging at “free” public charging stations is more challenging and they expect it to be more difficult in the future. The number of these stations is quite limited. As such, timely access can be a problem. At the same time, some owners indicated that they use an app on their smart phones to tell them where public charging stations are, which chargers are currently in use and/or when they will become available. The app is also required to “unlock” these charging stations for use.

The time required to fully charge the vehicle varies depending on the type of charging infrastructure and seems to vary quite significantly. This may be a factor of the charging platform as well as the make/model and whether the vehicle requires full or partial charging. For example, those who use Level 1 charging stations require overnight (up to 14–15 hours, some even say up to 24–48 hours) charging to reach a full charge. Level 2 takes about 4 hours and Level 3 charging stations will fully charge the vehicles within 20 or 30 minutes.

When asked what could be done to make charging more convenient, the response was consistent: more charging stations, particularly along highways or routes outside of major urban centres, but also in public parking spaces, including park-and-ride stations, malls, hotels and rest stops. Several also recommended wireless charging as well as changing building codes to ensure that new homes (including multi-unit residential developments) pre-wire to accommodate an electric vehicle charger.

Ideally, electric vehicle owners would like to continue to have access to free charging. At the same time, they recognize this is not feasible in the long-term, but rather is an incentive aimed at encouraging initial uptake among the leading edge group of adopters.

Some electric vehicle owners expressed annoyance over those owners who leave their vehicles charging for the full day. They suggested that some type of monitoring may need to be implemented to ensure that vehicle owners unplug and move their cars once they are fully charged to allow others access.

F. Misperceptions and Concerns among Non-Electric Vehicle Owners

Electric vehicle owners state that many non-owners have a variety of misperceptions about owning or driving electric vehicles including:

Range anxiety and a perceived lack of charging stations;
Belief that electricity is being produced from fossil fuels and is harming the environment;
Too much pressure on the grid from charging stations; and
Belief that electric vehicles do not perform well in winter conditions.

Range anxiety, or a fear that the battery will run out of power before reaching the destination, continues to be by far the most major misperception from many non-electric vehicle owners. However, those interviewed who are early adopters of the technology have had no significant range issues and suggest looking at driving/charging from a different perspective, in that it just requires a bit more planning and preparedness.

Although many electric vehicle owners do not experience any issues with range, they do acknowledge that the time to charge an electric vehicle takes longer than to fuel up a car. There was also a consensus from participants that increasing the number charging stations in the near term would help to reduce range anxiety.

A few participants also mentioned there is a lack of education about the overall environmental impact of manufacturing, driving, and decommissioning/recycling electric vehicles. It is their sense that a full life-cycle analysis would dispel concerns about battery production and the impact of plugging the car into the electrical grid. While many electric vehicle owners did not express concerns about pressure on the power grid, this seems to be somewhat of a concern to non-electric vehicle owners, especially as the vehicles begin to increase in numbers on the road.

Some non-electric vehicle owners have concerns around cold temperatures in the winter and primarily its effect on the battery life. Feedback from electric vehicle owners does suggest that the colder temperatures reduce the overall range due to the system needing to heat the battery itself. While owners felt this was somewhat of an irritant, they did not see it as a significant drawback to ownership of an electric vehicle. Many also suggested that this is also an issue for gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, but is just somewhat less noticeable in terms of its impact on vehicle performance.

G. Questions from Non-Electric Vehicle owners

Electric vehicle owners are often asked a standard set of questions by non-owners that focus specifically around:

Charging;
Range; and
Costs.

Non-electric vehicle owners are most concerned about charging as it relates to their misperceptions on range anxiety. The most common questions asked of electric vehicle owners are around the number and placement of charging stations. A few participants also mentioned that they regularly get asked about the length of time and the convenience of charging. One was asked specifically what type of charger they would need at their home. Clearly, there is significant interest in understanding more about the basics of the technology—how it works and what it costs.

The questions that most electric vehicle owners are asked around pricing are focused primarily on the decreased cost of using electricity versus fuel to run the vehicle, but also on the purchase price and rebates.

H. The Future of Electric Vehicles: Encouraging Greater Uptake

The main suggestions to encourage greater uptake of electric vehicles, to the point where they are as common on the road as gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles, centred primarily on charging:

Addressing concerns around range anxiety with more information and more charging infrastructure;
Faster charging and improved battery technology;
Standardizing charging platforms (i.e., reducing the need for different types of plugs and/or providing converters to allow for a more universal charging platform);
Addressing battery technology to increase range in colder temperatures;
Locating charging stations in more convenient places; and
More/higher incentives to install charging stations at home.

The higher price point for electric vehicles is perceived as another barrier that needs to be addressed in order to move electric vehicles more into the mainstream market. Some also reiterated the need for dealers to provide more inventory—the wait times to order/receive an electric vehicle is viewed as a barrier.

Several owners also feel that interest in electric vehicles will reach a tipping point when they are more common on the roads. Currently, they are viewed as somewhat of an “oddity” and, as such, the vast majority of consumers remain more curious than committed to the technology. This will begin to change in the near future as vehicle manufacturers, like Volvo, make business decisions to move away from producing ICE vehicles to exclusively hybrids, PHEVs and BEVs.

I. Role of the Government of Canada

Most feel that the Government of Canada could play a key role in the following areas:

Raising awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles and promoting trial;
Providing consumers with more information on the specifics (i.e., cost/benefits) to make a stronger economic as opposed to just environmental argument for electric vehicles;
Countering some of the current myths, misperceptions, and misinformation about electric vehicles around issues such as range, performance, etc.;
Offering additional incentives that go above and beyond what some provinces are currently offering (alternatively, some suggested that taxing ICE vehicles would act as a disincentive to purchase); and
Informing current and prospective EV owners of the existing charging infrastructure across Canada.

Other miscellaneous suggestions were offered, including:

Mandating larger battery packs to extend range and alleviate associated concerns;
Regulating the price of electricity across the country;
Increasing the price of gas and/or implementing a carbon tax;
Implement zero emissions laws or policies;
Creating more HOV lanes which electric vehicle owners could have access to; and
Enhancing battery technology, to “keep the battery more functional when it gets cold.”

Some electric vehicle owners suggested that a more targeted strategy would be required in rural areas. Additionally, targeting older buildings and multi-unit residential development (i.e., apartment buildings and condominiums) was also put forward in order to upgrade electrical infrastructure, encourage installation of charging stations and provide easier access for residents.

As one electric vehicle owner put it: “Education alone is not enough to reduce the stigma around new technology. We need education plus experience—the opportunity to try it.” This same individual was also of the view that electric vehicles are just one aspect of a larger evolution within the transportation sector, albeit an important step. The combination of smart grids, distributed energy, and further technological advancements in vehicles (including autonomous vehicles) present opportunities to significantly alter transportation, especially in urban environments, creating safer and more reliable highways and further electrification of transit options (i.e., electric scooters and bicycles).

Appendix: Research Instruments

Appendix: Research Instruments

A. Questionnaire

CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARDS ELECTRIC VEHICLES

FINAL SURVEY — English

INTRODUCTION

Thanks for agreeing to participate in this survey. This survey is being conducted by Natural Resources Canada and covers a range of topics with a particular focus on vehicle ownership and use. It should take you about 15 minutes to complete. This survey is registered with the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association. Your participation is voluntary and completely confidential. Your answers will remain anonymous.

SECTION 1: SCREENING QUESTIONS AND QUOTA SET

These first few questions will help us to understand more about you and any recent vehicle purchases you have made or intend to make in the near future.

What is your age?

Under 18 [PN: THANK AND TERMINATE]
18–34
35–44
45–54
55–64
65+
Prefer not to answer [PN: THANK AND TERMINATE]

Are you…

Male
Female
Non-binary
Prefer not to answer [PN: THANK AND TERMINATE]

In which province or territory of the country do you reside?

Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Northwest Territories/Yukon/Nunavut
Prefer not to answer [PN: THANK AND TERMINATE]

3a.Please provide the first 3 characters of your postal code below.

_____ _____ _____

Have you purchased or leased a brand new vehicle (i.e., not a previously owned or resale vehicle) for your personal use within the last two years? If you have purchased/leased more than one vehicle, please think about the most recent.

Yes
No [SKIP TO Q.7]
Prefer not to answer [PN: THANK AND TERMINATE]

What size of vehicle did you purchase/lease?

Small car
Mid size car
Large car
Small utility
Mid size utility
Large utility
Pick-up truck

What type of vehicle did you purchase/lease?

Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)

Note: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) both require charging by plugging into the electrical grid system.

Do you plan to purchase or lease a brand new vehicle (i.e., not a previously owned or resale vehicle) for your personal use within the next year? If you plan to purchase/lease more than one, please think about the first you will purchase/lease.

Yes		CONTINUE
No		AND “NO” at Q.4 – TERMINATE AND “YES” AT Q.4 – SKIP TO Q.11
Prefer not to answer		THANK AND TERMINATE

What size of vehicle will you purchase/lease?

Small car
Mid size car
Large car
Small utility
Mid size utility
Large utility
Pick-up truck

Please indicate how likely you are to purchase the following types of vehicles?

[RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-D]	Very likely	Somewhat likely	Somewhat unlikely	Very unlikely	Don’t know
a. Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle
b. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in
c. Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
d. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)

Note: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) both require charging by plugging into the electrical grid system.

IF “VERY OR SOMEWHAT LIKELY” AT Q.9C OR Q.9D, ASK: Which of the following best reflects how you plan to use the plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle you purchase or lease?

Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle would mostly be used as a primary vehicle
Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle would mostly be used as a secondary vehicle

SECTION 2: VEHICLE OWNERSHIP AND USE

The next few questions ask about current vehicle ownership and use within your household.

How many vehicles does your household currently have registered, not including recreational vehicles?

0
1
2
3 or more

[PN: IF “0” AT Q.11, SKIP TO Q.16]

Which of the following types of vehicles does your household currently own or lease? Please check all that apply.

Gasoline- or diesel powered vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that cannot be plugged in
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) which is a 100% electric vehicle (EV)

Note: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) both require charging by plugging into the electrical grid system.

[PN: ITEMS CHECKED AT Q.12 SHOULD NOT EXCEED NUMBER OF VEHICLES CHECKED AT Q.11]

- IF Q.11 = 1 AND Q.12 = BEV or PHEV, include Vehicle 1

- IF Q.11 = 2 AND Q.12 = BEV or PHEV, include Vehicle 1

- IF Q.11 = 2 OR 3/MORE AND Q.12 = BEV and PHEV, include Vehicle 1 and 2. Also add instructions:

We have allowed for up to two vehicles to be recorded.

IF “BEV OR PHEV” AT Q.12, ASK: Please provide the make and model of your BEV(s) and/or PHEV(s) in the space provided below.

Vehicle 1: Make:____________________ Model: _____________________

Vehicle 2: Make:____________________ Model: _____________________

Note:

Make refers to the vehicle manufacturer, such as Chrysler, Chevrolet, BMW or Tesla.

Model refers to the vehicle name such as Pacifica, Volt, 330e, i3 or S3.

IF “BEV OR PHEV” AT Q.12, ASK. SHOW EITHER OR BOTH BEV/PHEV DEPENDING ON RESPONSE AT Q.12: Please check the appropriate box to indicate whether your battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle(s) is/are considered to be the primary or a secondary vehicle in your household.

	Primary Vehicle	Secondary Vehicle
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) is considered our
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is considered our

Approximately how many kilometres do you drive per week?

Less than 50 km
50–99 km
100–249 km
250–449 km
450 km or more

SECTION 3: LIFESTYLE

This section includes a few questions about you and your lifestyle.

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-H	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	Don’t know
a. I am certainly more conventional than experimental.
b. I like to know I am getting value for money.
c. Products I purchase are a reflection of who I am.
d. When I have to choose between different products, I tend to choose the one that costs less.
e. I consider the environmental impact of the products I purchase.
f. I am very comfortable with technology.
g. I only buy products that are proven to be reliable.
h. I pride myself in being the first to try new things.

SECTION 4: VEHICLE PURCHASE CONSIDERATIONS

This next section focuses on purchasing a new vehicle.

When purchasing a new vehicle, how important are each of the following factors or considerations?

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-R	Very important	Somewhat important	Not that important	Not important at all
a. Brand
b. Style
c. Size
d. Price
e. Fuel efficiency
f. Performance
g. Eco friendliness
h. Warranty
i. Vehicle safety rating
j. Advanced technology features
k. Comfort
l. Maintenance costs
m. Proven reliability
n. Recommendations from family
o. Recommendations from friends
p. Dealership recommendations
q. Ability to test drive the vehicle
r. Resale value

SECTION 5: PLUG-IN HYBRID AND BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE AWARENESS

Now, we have a few questions about plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV).

[ASK IF “PHEV” AND “BEV” NOT CHECKED AT Q.12] Have you ever driven or ridden in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

Yes
No
Don’t Know

[ASK IF “PHEV” AND “BEV” NOT CHECKED AT Q.12] Does anyone you know own a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? For example, a friend, family member, or colleague. [ASK IF “PHEV” OR “BEV” CHECKED AT Q.12] Do you know anyone else who owns a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? For example, a friend, family member or colleague.

Yes
No
Don’t Know

In general, how familiar are you about each of the following aspects of plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-L	Very familiar	Somewhat familiar	Not very familiar	Not familiar at all
a. Purchase price
b. Cost to operate
c. Performance
d. Battery charging equipment
e. Time required to charge the battery
f. Battery life
g. Battery range
h. Reliability
i. Maintenance costs
j. Availability of makes and models
k. Warranty
l. Cost of insurance

Please indicate whether the following are advantages or disadvantages to owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle.

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-R	Significant advantage	Slight advantage	Neither an advantage nor disadvantage	Slight disadvantage	Significant disadvantage	Don’t know/Not applicable
a. Using electricity instead of fuel to power the vehicle
b. Availability of makes and models
c. Vehicle maintenance costs
d. Purchase price
e. Home charging availability
f. Quality and availability of consumer information
g. Driving range
h. Workplace charging availability
i. Vehicle performance
j. Environmentally friendly battery disposal
k. Battery replacement cost
l. In city charging availability
m. Highway charging availability
n. Time required to charge the battery
o. Resale value
p. Subsidies for vehicle purchase
q. Reliability
r. Advanced technology

Based upon what you know, how would you rate the following aspects of plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles.

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS	Very good	Good	Poor	Very Poor
a. Purchase price
b. Cost to operate
c. Performance
d. Battery charging equipment
e. Time required to charge the battery
f. Battery life
g. Battery range
h. Reliability
i. Maintenance costs
j. Availability of makes and models
k. Warranty
l. Cost of insurance

SECTION 6: PLUG-IN HYBRID AND BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE PURCHASE INTENTIONS

These next few questions ask about your views on and interest in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV).

[PN: ASK IF “PHEV” OR “BEV” NOT CHECKED AT Q.12] Which one of the following statements best describes your interest in plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles?

I am very interested in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and will definitely consider one when purchasing my next vehicle
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and would consider one when purchasing or leasing my next vehicle
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle but find they are too expensive
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, but today’s plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles don’t meet my driving needs
I have no interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle
I don’t know enough about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles

[PN: ASK IF “PHEV” OR “BEV” NOT CHECKED AT Q.12] From the list below, please indicate which are the top 3 attributes that would make you more likely to consider purchasing or leasing a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? [PN: UP TO 3 RESPONSES ONLY. RANDOMIZE.]

Lower purchase price
Lower cost
Greater selection of makes and models
10 year battery warranty
Having access to a charging station at home
Having access to charging stations at my workplace
Seeing more charging stations in public parking lots and shopping destinations
Seeing more charging stations along highways
Knowing I am doing my part to lower greenhouse gas emissions
Realizing batteries can be repurposed/recycled
Knowing the vehicle possesses the latest technological advances
Fuel economy
Low maintenance costs
Ability to test drive the vehicle
Proven reliability
Other: Please specify
None of these would make me more likely to consider purchasing or leasing a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle [PN: EXCLUSIVE]

[PN: ASK IF “BEV” NOT CHECKED AT Q.12] What driving range do you feel is needed on a fully charged battery in order for you to consider purchasing a battery electric vehicle?

Less than 50 km
50–-99 km
100–-249 km
250–-449 km
450 km or more

[PN: ASK IF “PHEV” OR “BEV” CHECKED AT Q.12] Which one of the following statements best describes your interest in purchasing another plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle?

I am very interested in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and will definitely consider one when purchasing my next vehicle
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle and would consider one when purchasing or leasing my next vehicle
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle but find they are too expensive
I have some interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, but today’s plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles don’t meet my driving needs
I have no interest in a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle
I don’t know enough about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles

[PN: ASK IF “PHEV” OR “BEV” CHECKED AT Q.12] From the list below, please indicate which are the top 3 attributes that would make you more likely to consider purchasing or leasing another plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? [PN: UP TO 3 RESPONSES ONLY. RANDOMIZE.]

Lower purchase price
Lower cost
Greater selection of makes and models
10 year battery warranty
Having access to a charging station at home
Having access to charging stations at my workplace
Seeing more charging stations in public parking lots and shopping destinations
Seeing more charging stations along highways
Knowing I am doing my part to lower greenhouse gas emissions
Realizing batteries can be repurposed/recycled
Knowing the vehicle possesses the latest technological advances
Fuel economy
Low maintenance costs
Ability to test drive the vehicle
Proven reliability
Other: Please specify
None of these would make me more likely to consider purchasing or leasing a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle [PN: EXCLUSIVE]

[PN: ASK IF “BEV” CHECKED AT Q.12] How satisfied are you with the driving range of your BEV (the distance you can drive before recharging)?

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

[PN: ASK IF “BEV” CHECKED AT Q.12] What driving range do you feel is needed on a fully charged battery in order for you to consider purchasing another battery electric vehicle (BEV)?

Less than 50 km
50–-99 km
100–-249 km
250–-449 km
450 km or more

Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles.

PN: RANDOMIZE ITEMS A-O	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree
a. There are too few, if any, public charging stations where I travel
b. It is difficult to find credible sources of information about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles
c. Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles are too expensive
d. Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles can’t travel far enough on a full charge
e. The repair and maintenance costs for a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle could be higher than for a gasoline car
f. I can’t charge a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle at my home or workplace
g. The style of vehicle I prefer isn’t available as a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle
h. Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle technology is too new to risk buying one
i. Plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles don’t perform as well as gasoline powered vehicles
j. A plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle wouldn’t save me any money
k. Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles have a poor resale value
l. If too many people purchase plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles, it will put too much pressure on the electric grid
m. Disposing of plug-in hybrid or battery electric batteries is an environmental hazard
n. Plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles won’t contribute significantly to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fuel powered vehicles
o. I am worried that charging a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle will significantly increase my monthly electricity bill

What, if any, are your main concerns about owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle? [PN: OPEN-ENDED]

I don’t have any concerns about owning a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle. [PN: EXCLUSIVE]

If you were interested in finding out more about plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles, where would you go to get this information? Please check as many as apply. [PN: RANDOMIZE. ANCHOR “OTHER SPECIFY” AND “NONE OF THE ABOVE” AS LAST 2 ITEMS]

Plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle manufacturers
Vehicle dealerships/salespeople
Consumer reports
Automotive magazines
The CAA
Government of Canada
Provincial or Territorial Government
Municipal Government
Other (specify)
None of the above [PN: EXCLUSIVE]

SECTION 7: Demographics

These final few questions are for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be aggregated with those of other respondents to the survey and will help us to analyze different sub-groups of the population.

What is the highest level of schooling that you have completed?

Grade 8 or less
Some high school
High School Diploma or equivalent
Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma
College, CEGEP, or other non-university certificate or diploma
University certificate or diploma below bachelor’s level
Bachelor’s degree
Post graduate degree above the bachelor’s level

Which of the following categories best describes your total household income? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?

Under $20,000
$20,000 to just under $40,000
$40,000 to just under $60,000
$60,000 to just under $80,000
$80,000 to just under $100,000
$100,000 to just under $150,000
$150,000 and above

What is your marital status?

Single, never married
Married or domestic partnership
Widowed
Divorced or separated

Including yourself, how many people live in your household?

1
2
3
4
5 or more

[PN: IF “1” AT Q.36, SKIP TO Q.38]

How many children do you have living at home with you who are under 18 years of age?

None
1
2
3
4 or more

[PN: RESPONSE AT Q.37 SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN RESPONSE AT Q.36]

Which of the following best describes the type of dwelling in which you live?

Single, detached home
Semi-detached
Apartment or condo
Other (please specify)

Do you have access to indoor parking at home?

Yes
No

Which of the following categories best describes your current employment status? Are you…

Working full time, that is, 35 or more hours per week
Working part time, that is, less than 35 hours per week
Self-employed
Unemployed, but looking for work
A student attending school full time
Retired
Not in the workforce (full time homemaker, unemployed, not looking for work)
Other (specify)

How would you best describe the area in which you reside? Is it…

Rural
Urban
Suburban

[PN – IF “BEV” OR “PHEV” CHECKED AT Q.12 ASK Q.42]

Would you be interested in participating in a short telephone interview to provide further insights on electric vehicle ownership and use?

Yes [Continue to Q.43]
No [Thank and end]

Please provide your name and email address so that we can get back to you about setting up a time/day for this interview.

Name: ______________________________

Phone number: (____) _____ ______

PRETEST EVALUATION

We’d like your feedback on the experience of answering this survey.

Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

RANDOMIZE STATEMENTS	Strongly Agree	Somewhat Agree	Somewhat Disagree	Strongly Disagree
This survey was easy to complete.
The questions asked were straightforward and easy to understand.
The length of the survey was reasonable.
The topic was interesting.

B. Interview Guide

One-on-One Qualitative Telephone Interviews with EV Owners

FINAL INTERVIEW GUIDE – Feb. 12, 2018

Pre-Coded Participant Data (if available)

Name of Participant:_________________

Date/Time of Interview:_________________

Gender:Male/Female

Age Range:18–34/35–54/55+

Province/Territory:_________________

City:_________________

Urban/Rural_________________

Make/Model of EV_________________

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. It should not take more than 40–45 minutes to complete. As we indicated when we called to schedule this interview, we are interested in your views on electric vehicles (EVs) and in understanding your experience as an EV owner.

I would like to record this interview if you are comfortable. Although everything you say is completely confidential and comments you make will not be attributed back to you by name in our report, the recording will allow us to review our conversation as we are writing our report. The report we produce is a summary of the findings from the 30 interviews we are conducting.

Do I have your permission to record this interview?

Yes [Record interview and continue]

No – I will need to take some notes then throughout our discussion [Take notes and continue]

ABOUT YOUR EV

First, I’d like to know a little more about your EV.

Interviewer to confirm make and model of EV.
Do you own more than one EV? If “yes”: What is/are the make and model of your other EV(s)?
When did you purchase your EV(s)? Record year.
How do you use your EV? Is it your primary or a secondary vehicle?
Approximately how many kilometres per week do you drive your EV?
What is the longest distance (in kilometres, approximately) that you have driven your EV?

PURCHASING AN EV

The next few questions pertain to your decision to purchase an EV.

When did you start thinking about purchasing an EV? Was it years/months/weeks before you purchased one?
What piqued your interest in EVs? Was there anyone or anything that influenced you?
Ultimately, what are the main reasons why you purchased an EV?
Did you have any reservations about purchasing an EV? If so, explain.
Did you do much research before purchasing your EV? If “yes”: What kind of research did you do? Probe for:
1. What were the main questions you had about EVs?
2. Was there anything in particular that you wanted to understand or know more about?
3. Whom did you speak to and/or where did you go to get information about EVs? Probe for:
  1. Online and other sources (ask participant to identify specific websites, blogs, etc. if online sources mentioned)
4. In your view, what sources do you trust most to provide you with information about EVs?
What did you consider when it came to selecting a specific make and model of EV?
Would you purchase another EV? Why/why not?

OWNING AN EV

Now we have a few questions about your experience as an owner/driver of an EV.

What is the EV driving experience like compared to driving a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle?
1. Is it different in any way? Explain.
2. Better, worse or about the same? Explain.
3. Did anything surprise you about driving an EV, versus a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle? Explain.
4. Do you have any issues with the driving range of your EV? Explain.
How does an EV compare to a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle in terms of each of the following:
1. Purchase price
2. Operating costs
3. Maintenance
4. Resale value
How and where do you charge your EV? Probe for:
1. Is it convenient or not?
2. How long does it take to fully charge your EV?
3. Do you have a charging station at home?
4. What could be done to make charging more convenient?
What do you think are the biggest misconceptions that people have about EVs?
1. What questions do people ask you most often about your EV/driving an EV?

FUTURE OF EVS IN CANADA

These final couple of questions focus on the future of EVs in Canada.

Looking ahead, what improvements or changes do you feel need to be made to encourage Canadians to consider purchasing an EV? Probe for:
1. What do you think is needed to get to the point where EVs are more common on the road than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles?
Do you think the Government of Canada has a role to play in promoting the adoption of EVs?
1. If “yes”: What can/should the Government of Canada do? Probe re value of incentives, charging infrastructure, cost of charging, awareness-raising, etc.
2. If “no”: Why do you say that?

These are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for your time.

Confidential 1

POR-062-17

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

A. Background

B. Objectives

C. Methodology

1. Quantitative Component

Sample Design

Questionnaire Design and Pretesting

2. Qualitative Component

3. Fieldwork

D. Note to the Reader

E. Key Findings

1. Key Findings from the Quantitative Survey

Purchase of and Interest in Electric Vehicles

Familiarity with Electric Vehicles

Barriers and Motivators to Electric Vehicle Purchase

2. Key Findings from the In-Depth Interviews with Electric Vehicle Owners

F. Conclusions and Recommendations

Findings from the Online Survey

A. Vehicle Purchase: Past and Future Intent

1. Vehicle Purchases: Last 2 Years and Next Year

2. Size of Vehicle Purchased or Intend to Purchase

3. Recent and Planned Electric Vehicle Purchases

B. Current Household Vehicle Ownership and Driving Patterns

1. Number of Vehicles in the Household

2. Current Electric Vehicle Ownership

3. Frequency of Vehicle Use

C. Vehicle Purchase Considerations

D. Familiarity with Electric Vehicles

1. Exposure to Electric Vehicles

2. Familiarity with Various Aspects of Electric Vehicles

E. Views on Electric Vehicles

1. Benefits and Drawbacks Associated with Owning an Electric Vehicle

2. Rating of Aspects of Electric Vehicles

F. Interest in and Likelihood to Purchase an Electric Vehicle

G. Motivators and Barriers to Purchasing an Electric Vehicle

1. Perceived Motivators

2. Perceived Barriers

H. Driving Range Requirements

I. Sources of Information about Electric Vehicles

J. Attitudinal Profile of Respondents

K. Key Drivers of Intent to Purchase an Electric Vehicle

Findings from One-on-One Interviews with Electric Vehicle Owners

A. Use of Electric Vehicles and Distances Driven

B. Motivators for Purchase and Key Considerations

C. Research and Trusted Sources of Information

D. Comparison to Gasoline and Diesel-Powered Vehicles

E. Charging

F. Misperceptions and Concerns among Non-Electric Vehicle Owners

G. Questions from Non-Electric Vehicle owners

H. The Future of Electric Vehicles: Encouraging Greater Uptake

I. Role of the Government of Canada

Appendix: Research Instruments

A. Questionnaire

B. Interview Guide