Canada is set to announce new regulations this week that will mandate the sales of all new cars in the country to be zero emissions by the year 2035. This initiative, called the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, aims not only to align with global efforts for electrification but also to enhance the availability of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Canadian market.
Building on existing regulations in provinces like British Columbia and Quebec, the new standard will take a phased approach. According to a senior government official that spoke with Reuters, these targets will dictate that battery electric, plug-in, and hydrogen models must make up 20% of all new car sales by 2026, 60% by 2030, and reach 100% by 2035.
The new regulations are expected to be announced on Tuesday.
The move is expected to address concerns about the availability and accessibility of electric vehicles, ensuring that the Canadian market is well-supplied and reducing the wait times for consumers seeking to make the switch to cleaner transportation options.
Globally, electric vehicle sales currently account for around 13% of all vehicle sales, and projections by the International Energy Agency suggest a significant rise to between 40%-45% by the end of the decade. Canada’s announcement adds momentum to the growing international push for sustainable transportation.
In contrast to this progressive move, recent developments in the United States have seen resistance to stringent vehicle emissions regulations. The Republican-led House of Representatives voted against the Biden administration’s proposal to make 67% of new vehicles electric by 2032, drawing a veto threat from the White House.
