A recent survey found that 55% of Quebec respondents are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle.
The survey, conducted by autoHEBDO.net, also shows that, while there is increased interest in EVs, it is only backed up by subsidies. Government incentives inspire 80% of potential customers, implying that fewer than a quarter of the population will be willing to pay the full price for an EV.
44% of those who would purchase with government subsidies believe that the minimum subsidy should be at least $10,000. 19% believe the figure should be between $4,000 and $6,000.
According to Pierre Barrieau, a lecturer in urban design and transportation planning at Universite de Montreal and UQAM, rebates and incentives are required to enable citizens to purchase electric vehicles. According to him, in order to begin the transition to electric, rates must be significantly subsidized.
Without them, the industry will be unable to implement newer technology as the expense of research and development would be prohibitively expensive for most businesses.
Even for high-end vehicles with strong reputations, profitability for EV companies will take a long time. However, the industry hopes that by making steady investments, it can be equally competitive with gasoline cars in the near future.
Source: CTV News
