Toronto, Ontario — In this weeks EV/AV report, new data shows rural Canadians are more hesitant to purchase EVs, Lincoln Motor Company is quickly moving forward with EV plans, and G7 makes doesn’t have a set date when they will be going fully electric.
Reluctant Rural Canadians
New data has surfaced showing that Canadians in rural communities are not as enthusiastic about moving away from combustion engines and towards electric vehicles.
Brian Kingston, the President and CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA), says that a lot of the hesitation comes from a lack of resources and having to travel further distances to get to where they want to go.
“Rural and suburban Canadians have significant concerns with a lack of fast-charging infrastructure for longer trips and EV prices compared to gasoline vehicles. More supports are needed from the government to help Canadians make the switch to electric.”
One of the more significant concerns for rural Canadians is that the EVs might not be able to withstand the colder temperatures that are prevalent in northern rural communities. According to the study conducted by CMA, 72 percent of people in rural areas were worried that EVs would not be able to function properly in cold weather, while only 63 percent of people in suburban areas saw that as a major concern.
Another finding was that rural Canadians were more hesitant to purchase EVs due to the higher price tag, as the numbers show that 61 percent of rural Canadians marked price as a reason why they are not as enthusiastic to move towards EVs compared to 57 percent of suburban Canadians.
David Adams, President and CEO of the Global Automakers of Canada (GAC), says that the government has to do its part to ensure EV vehicles are accessible and worth it for every Canadian, so the country can help create a healthier planet.
“Canada will not achieve its ambitious electric vehicle sales targets without significantly more investments in charging infrastructure, sustained incentives funding and favourable EV tax policies.”
Lincoln Electrifies
Lincoln Motor Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022, and by its 110th anniversary, they are aiming to have a fully electric vehicle line-up.
The luxury car manufacturer is planning on having its first EV out by next year, and it’s going to be an SUV inspired by their Zephyr Reflection concept car. Joy Falotico, president of Lincoln, says that they are making huge strides towards electrification and developing a positive start to their new electric vehicle line.
“As we accelerate Lincoln’s transformation in North America and China, there is no better time to propel the Lincoln brand forward with electrification,” said Falotico. “Electrification will take Quiet Flight to a new level with the smooth, exhilarating take-off feel and serene quietness our clients expect from a Lincoln.”
The Lincoln brand is aiming for its electric vehicles to make up half of its sales by 2026.
G7 doubles back
Group of Seven nations said that they were going to make the shift away from oil and have all-electric vehicles by 2030 or sooner, but now they are backing away from that statement and are just wanting to speed up the process towards electric and away from combustion engines.
According to the G7 leaders, in the final communique Sunday, they wrote that there currently is no deadline for the initiative to move towards electric transportation, but they are keeping it a primary focus moving forward.
“We recognize that this will require dramatically increasing the pace of the global decarbonization of the road transport sector throughout the 2020s, and beyond. We commit to accelerating the transition away from new sales of diesel and petrol cars to promote the uptake of zero-emission vehicles.”
The final communique Sunday also reiterated that the G7 will collect $100 billion annually from rich countries to go towards helping developing countries transition to more green energy options and keep up with the efforts to reduce climate change. UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, says that achieving the $100 billion goals won’t be easy, but he still believes the target can still be met.
