In what is typically a softer period for vehicle sales across Canada, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) saw a huge increase in sales in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year.
The latest data shows that there were a total of 11,978 ZEV sales in Q1 2020. That compares to 7,999 from the same period in 2019, representing a huge 49% increase year-over-year.
Not surprisingly, the two provinces with the most sales are also the two provinces with the largest rebates available for ZEV purchases.
British Columbia, which has a $3,000 rebate for eligible vehicles, saw a 37% increase in sales for a total of 3,726 units sold.
Quebec, which has a $8,000 provincial rebate, sold 5,697 ZEVs in the first quarter, representing an even bigger increase of 50%.
Related: BEVs now make up 3.5% of passenger vehicle sales in Canada, with Tesla Model 3 taking the top spot
Other provinces that you may think of as being slow to adopt ZEVs saw massive triple digit increases in sales. New Brunswick led the way with a 260% increase in Q1 2020, Manitoba had a 205% increase in sales, and Saskatchewan saw a 161% increase.
Despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which impacted much of the month of March across Canada, ZEV sales set another record – 5.6% of all new vehicles sold in March were ZEVs.
The top selling ZEVs in Canada should come as no surprise, as the Tesla Model 3 easily took the top spot with 4,025 sales. The next closest competitor was the Chevy Bolt, with 1,031 sales. The top selling plug-in hybrid was the Toyota Prius Prime with 1,288 sales.
You can read the full report at Electric Mobility Canada
