Thursday, March 28, 2024

70% of Vancouver Island drivers find electric vehicles are too expensive (POLL)

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As gas prices reach unprecedented levels, a new poll by Research Co. finds more British Columbians are eyeing electric.

Still, data shows that 70% of drivers who live on Vancouver Island think electric vehicles are too expensive to buy compared to non-electric options—11% higher than the province-wide average.

Pointing to an online study conducted between April 25th and 27th, poll results are based on answers from 800 adult participants in BC, Research Co. said Tuesday.

It found that 59% of BC drivers claim it’s “very likely” or “moderately likely” that the next car they buy will be electric—an increase of six points since a similar poll conducted last May.

“Significant majorities of drivers in Metro Vancouver (64%) and the Fraser Valley (62%) foresee their next vehicle being electric. The proportions are lower in Southern BC (54%), Vancouver Island (53%) and Northern BC (36%),” said Research Co. president Mario Canseco.

In July 2020, the BC government passed regulations to ensure that, by the year 2040, all light-duty cars and trucks sold in the province will be zero-emission.

SEE ALSO: BC sets new regulations to achieve 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2040

First announced in 2018, the target aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in BC by 40% by 2030 and have no new non-electric vehicle sales by 2040.

According to Research Co., more than seven-in-ten poll respondents (73%, +3) endorse the regulation, with around 53% believing the goal is “achievable”.

However, just over 39% think the opposite.

The poll also found that 54% of BC vehicle owners fear becoming stranded in an electric vehicle due to a lack of charging stations, as 44% worry about not having a place to charge an electric vehicle where they currently live.

Electric vehicle dealership, service centre coming to Langford

In March, Langford city officials broke ground on a new Telsa sales, service and delivery centre coming to City Gate Boulevard—a first-of-its-kind facility for Vancouver Island.

At its groundbreaking ceremony, Mayor Stewart Young said construction on the 35,000 sq. ft facility should wrap up by June 2023, in partnership with the city, Tesla and Seacliff Properties.

“You don’t have to go to Vancouver, and this will be the place to come get your electric vehicles fixed,” said Young, “and we’re hoping that we see more types of facilities like this in Langford as the need for electric vehicles grows.”

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