This car show put a charge in Saturday’s Open Air Dunlop.
The Tread Lightly electric vehicle (EV) show, hosted by Living Green Barrie, answered questions about the pros and cons about EVs.
But the sticker price was the sticking point for some who attended.
“They are a bit pricey,” said Tyler Gingrich, 23, a Barrie factory worker, “but I like not having to rely on gas and fossil fuels.
“They’re better for the environment, better for the economy, but buying one is just too much money up front.”
Donna Graham of Toronto was of a similar opinion.
“I think it’s the way of the future … if I could afford one,” she said. “And don’t you have to wait two years to get one?”
Cate Tilden of Barrie said she was thinking the same way.
“I’m concerned about the availability and the price,” she said, “and the cost of replacing the battery. But (an EV) is what I’m thinking about for my next car, typically in two years.”
David Van Alstyne of the Electric Vehicle Society’s Barrie-Orillia chapter, who was on hand to make the case for EVs Saturday, has heard all the arguments against them.
“We do events like this to build public awareness for going electric,” he said. “More government support would help, because government incentives work.”
Premier Doug Ford cancelled the former Liberal government’s rebate of as much as $14,000 for EV buyers soon after being elected in 2018.
The federal rebate of as much as $5,000 off the purchase price on EVs remains in place.
But Van Alstyne said the switch from gas to electric is inevitable.
“It’s pure economics. It’s going to take over at some point,” he said, mentioning high gas prices. “And the price of EVs is coming down.
“Once you get price parity …”
Van Alstyne says it’s hard to compare prices between gas-powered and electric vehicles, because there are few makes of both types.
One is the Hyundai Kona; its 2022 gas-powered model is $24,654, while the electric version costs $45,824.
“And it would be easier if the manufacturers had (adequate) stock,” he said. “All the dealers say they can sell them if they could get them. The demand is there.”
But Van Alstyne is correct about which way automobile sales are trending, albeit slowly.
Statistics Canada says 5.2 per cent of all new vehicle registrations in 2021 were for battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids.
The Canada Energy Regulator, an arm of the federal government, said in 2019, the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) share of new vehicle registrations in Canada was 2.7 per cent. In the first six months of 2020, the ZEV share of new vehicle registrations grew to 3.5 per cent.
The Ontario government’s proposed plan to produce 400,000 vehicles by 2030 involves partnering with the auto sector on new automaker mandates for hybrid and battery electric vehicles, establishing a battery assembly plant and increasing Ontario-made auto part exports. It also relies on a longstanding government goal to mine in northern Ontario for minerals used in batteries, and highlights a plan to train more auto workers.
In March, Honda Canada announced a $1.38-billion, six-year upgrade to its Alliston manufacturing plants for the new 2023 CR-V hybrid crossover. The Japanese automaker wants to electrify its entire North American fleet by 2040.
The city partnered with Tesla Canada to install 54 EV charging stations, at no cost to city residents, at the Collier Parkade, Barrie’s downtown library, Heritage Park and Barrie Marina.
And the city recently partnered with Alectra on a ZEVIP (Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program) funding grant through Natural Resources Canada to install charging stations at the Allandale Recreation Centre, East Bayfield Community Centre, Peggy Hill Team Community Centre and Sadlon Arena. These were installed at no cost to the city, but are operated and maintained by Alectra.
Electrify Canada’s network has 30 charging stations in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, located along major highways with access to popular amenities, each equipped with four chargers offering capable vehicles speeds up to 150 kW and 350 kW — the fastest charging speed available today. By 2026, Electrify Canada plans to expand to more than 100 charging stations with more than 500 individual chargers.
Plainly put, EVs have a battery instead of a gasoline tank and an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.
Hybrid EVs are a combination of gasoline and electric vehicles; they have a battery, an electric motor, a gasoline tank and an internal combustion engine. They use both gasoline and electricity as fuel sources.
