New data from Statistics Canada reveals that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) account for only 1.3% of the 25.7 million road vehicles in the country, casting doubt on the federal government's ambitious mandate to eliminate new gasoline and diesel vehicle sales by 2035. Blacklock's Reporter says the Vehicle Registrations 2023 report, released Monday, shows that gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles still dominate the roads, representing 93% of the national fleet.Of the registered vehicles, only 327,732 were BEVs, while hybrids and plug-in hybrids accounted for a combined total of nearly 590,000 vehicles. These figures have raised questions among members of the Commons trade committee, who are increasingly skeptical about the feasibility of meeting the government's electric vehicle (EV) targets.During testimony at the trade committee, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne defended the government’s electrification mandate, acknowledging the challenges but emphasizing the long-term benefits. "When you’ve been doing the same thing for a hundred years and you change the technology in the way that we’re doing, you have short term adjustment,” Champagne said. He cited Tesla's 17-year journey to profitability as proof that the transition to electric vehicles will take time but is inevitable.However, critics remain unconvinced. Conservative MP Ryan Williams (Bay of Quinte, Ont.) questioned the viability of the mandate, citing concerns from the auto industry. He referenced BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, who recently predicted that Europe’s similar mandate would lead to a "massive shrinking" of the industry and described it as "no longer realistic."Williams argued that Canada’s EV mandate, which bans the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, including hybrids, could harm Canadian industries and workers. He also pointed to the dominance of Chinese-sourced minerals used in EV batteries as another issue. "We are looking at a mandate that is hurting our industries right now," said Williams.The mandate proposes a phased approach, with electric vehicles required to make up 60% of new sales by 2030. Exemptions exist for emergency vehicles like police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. Nonetheless, the Conservative Party has pushed back, vowing to repeal the regulations if elected.Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre has called the mandate a "tax on the poor," arguing that EVs remain unaffordable for many Canadians. “If these cars were affordable, you wouldn’t need a mandate,” Poilievre said during a December interview. He emphasized the financial burden that the mandate could place on working-class Canadians, who may be forced to pay significantly more for electric vehicles that may not meet their needs in harsh climates or for long distances.Poilievre advocated for "smart regulations" that would gradually improve fuel efficiency without forcing consumers to adopt expensive alternatives. “Over time, we get to a point where we have close to zero emissions in our automobiles through various types of technology,” he said.
New data from Statistics Canada reveals that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) account for only 1.3% of the 25.7 million road vehicles in the country, casting doubt on the federal government's ambitious mandate to eliminate new gasoline and diesel vehicle sales by 2035. Blacklock's Reporter says the Vehicle Registrations 2023 report, released Monday, shows that gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles still dominate the roads, representing 93% of the national fleet.Of the registered vehicles, only 327,732 were BEVs, while hybrids and plug-in hybrids accounted for a combined total of nearly 590,000 vehicles. These figures have raised questions among members of the Commons trade committee, who are increasingly skeptical about the feasibility of meeting the government's electric vehicle (EV) targets.During testimony at the trade committee, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne defended the government’s electrification mandate, acknowledging the challenges but emphasizing the long-term benefits. "When you’ve been doing the same thing for a hundred years and you change the technology in the way that we’re doing, you have short term adjustment,” Champagne said. He cited Tesla's 17-year journey to profitability as proof that the transition to electric vehicles will take time but is inevitable.However, critics remain unconvinced. Conservative MP Ryan Williams (Bay of Quinte, Ont.) questioned the viability of the mandate, citing concerns from the auto industry. He referenced BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, who recently predicted that Europe’s similar mandate would lead to a "massive shrinking" of the industry and described it as "no longer realistic."Williams argued that Canada’s EV mandate, which bans the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, including hybrids, could harm Canadian industries and workers. He also pointed to the dominance of Chinese-sourced minerals used in EV batteries as another issue. "We are looking at a mandate that is hurting our industries right now," said Williams.The mandate proposes a phased approach, with electric vehicles required to make up 60% of new sales by 2030. Exemptions exist for emergency vehicles like police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. Nonetheless, the Conservative Party has pushed back, vowing to repeal the regulations if elected.Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre has called the mandate a "tax on the poor," arguing that EVs remain unaffordable for many Canadians. “If these cars were affordable, you wouldn’t need a mandate,” Poilievre said during a December interview. He emphasized the financial burden that the mandate could place on working-class Canadians, who may be forced to pay significantly more for electric vehicles that may not meet their needs in harsh climates or for long distances.Poilievre advocated for "smart regulations" that would gradually improve fuel efficiency without forcing consumers to adopt expensive alternatives. “Over time, we get to a point where we have close to zero emissions in our automobiles through various types of technology,” he said.
