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Lack of fast and reliable public charging tops the list of challenges for Canadian EV owners, says CAA survey

January 14, 2025 (Ottawa) –

Canadian EV owners report a lack of reliable and convenient public charging remains the biggest problem for them, even as the majority of current owners say they will continue to buy electric vehicles. This is according to a survey of over 16,000 EV owners by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) released today.  

“The result of our survey paints a picture of people happy they bought an EV, saying they are cheaper to operate and easier to maintain than their previous gas-powered vehicles,” says Ian Jack, vice-president of public affairs, CAA National.  

“But it also found the experience of EV owners mirrors what the general public thinks – public charging isn’t good enough, especially outside major urban centres, and they fear being caught with a dead battery in the winter.” 

Overall, 7 in 10 EV drivers say they are less than satisfied with the number of fast chargers available. The available public charging infrastructure became even more problematic for EV owners when they planned longer journeys in cold weather. More than half of EV drivers in Canada (53%) indicate they would rather drive their gas vehicle on long trips in extremely cold weather, and 67% said lower battery range in extreme cold weather has been a problem since owning their EV.  

CAA’s most recent survey of the general population, including non-EV owners, found more than half (52%) of Canadians said they won’t purchase an EV because public charging is not reliable enough, and more than two-thirds (68%) said they won’t purchase an EV because the driving range of an EV drops too much when driving in cold weather. 

However, the survey also found that nearly 9 in 10 (87%) of EV owners plan to buy another EV when it comes time to replace their current vehicle. More than 90% of EV owners said the cost of fueling their EV is much better, and 79% said the cost of maintenance is much better than their previous gas-powered vehicles. 

EV owners also told CAA that the vast majority of charging is done at home. In fact, respondents reported that most of their travel time was within 100km from their home, a distance significantly less than the average range of an EV, which is over 400km. 

This is the second time CAA has surveyed EV owners in collaboration with PlugShare Research. PlugShare surveyed their panel of Canadian EV drivers, as well as Canadian PlugShare app users, from October 3rd to October 22nd, 2024. A total of 16,041 EV drivers responded across all provinces. The results of the 2022 survey can be found here. 

About CAA 

CAA is a federation of eight Clubs providing over 7 million Members with exceptional emergency roadside service, complete automotive and travel services, Member savings and comprehensive insurance services. As one of Canada’s most trusted brands, CAA also advocates on issues of concern to its Members and all Canadians, including road safety, the environment, mobility, infrastructure, and consumer protection. 

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