Just a few years ago, noticing a Tesla cruising past you on the highway was admittedly a rare experience. Of course, consumer awareness of EVs was alive and well at that time, but from an adoption standpoint, battery-powered vehicles lagged far behind their gas-powered counterparts.
Fast forward to today, and global adoption of EVs is higher than it ever has been, with select Canadian communities picking up impressive momentum in their push to electrify the automotive sector. Prince Edward Island, it appears, is no exception, as Statistics Canada reveals that EV registration in PEI has tripled since 2019.
In fact, PEI reportedly led the country in growth in new EV registrations from 2019 to 2021, with registrations growing from just 166 to 494 during that time period. In the first quarter of this year, registrations were double what they were in the first three months of 2019, going from 44 to 86. While this number may appear small, it’s impressive considering the the overall lack of new vehicles for sale across Canada.
Following in PEI’s wake is New Brunswick, which doubled in EV registration growth from 2019 to 2021, and was up 133 per cent in Q1 of 2022 compared with last year.
Statistics Canada also revealed that, nationally, EV registrations were up about 50 per cent both from 2019 to 2021, and comparing the first quarters of 2021 and 2022. In Q1 of 2022, 40,844 new electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle were registered in Canada, which indicates strong momentum in EV adoption moving forward.
