Quebec, a leader in electromobility

A satisfaction survey¹ conducted by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), involving just over 16,000 electric vehicle (EV) drivers across the country, highlights Quebec’s significant progress in electric mobility. The network of charging stations enables many families to get around without fear of being unable to charge their electrified model.

While the number of available charging stations is a serious concern across Canada, the picture is very different in Quebec. Thanks to the province’s extensive network of charging stations, more than a majority (52%) of electromobilists in the province said they were fully satisfied or satisfied with the number of public fast-charging stations. This is a striking difference from the rest of Canada, where satisfaction ranges from 9% to 28% in other provinces.

“Quebec is one of Canada’s most advanced provinces when it comes to electric mobility. As a leader, CAA-Quebec has been providing its members with information and support on electromobility since the early days of this technology, in addition to gradually electrifying its fleet of light trucks.”
— Pierre-Serge Labbé, Vice President, Mobility

The survey reveals that Quebecers are extremely satisfied with their EVs. For 85% of them, the likelihood is high or very high that they will choose another EV when the time comes to replace their current vehicle. This is not surprising, given that 91% of all survey respondents see the lower cost of a charge compared to filling up with gas as a major factor to consider, as well as the lower maintenance costs compared to gasoline-powered vehicles for 79% of them.

“These results show that people are happy to have bought an electric vehicle,” analyzes Ian Jack, Vice President of Public Affairs at CAA. “Yet we’re also learning that the experience of EV owners reflects what the general public thinks: charging stations are in short supply, especially outside major urban centres, and the fear of ending up with a depleted battery in winter still lingers.”

Testing EVs in the dead of winter

Indeed, winter is a major issue for EV owners. More than half of Canadian EV drivers (53%) admit to preferring their gasoline-powered vehicle for longer journeys when it’s very cold, and 67% report that reduced range in very cold weather is a concern of owners.

Consequently, from the beginning of February, CAA Clubs across the country will be collaborating on a winter test bed for electric vehicles between Ottawa and Mont-Tremblant. This initiative aims to test the range of EVs in real-life conditions, thereby providing future buyers with reliable and up-to-date data on the loss of range during extreme cold snaps. A dozen electric models will be tested according to a rigorous protocol to establish their actual battery capacity.

As a matter of fact, according to a recent CAA general survey, 68% of Canadians, whether EV owners or not, are wary of buying an EV because the range is too short in cold weather. This range can be considerably reduced in cold weather; next February’s test bed will set the record straight on this matter.

About CAA-Quebec

CAA-Quebec offers a wide range of assistance services in a wide variety of sectors, drawing on a human approach. As a socially committed organization, CAA-Quebec strives on a daily basis to protect the interests of its members. And in keeping with its values of reliability and benevolence, it fosters responsible consumption and promotes road safety.

_{1 This is the second survey of EV owners conducted by CAA in collaboration with PlugShare Research. PlugShare surveyed its group of Canadian EV drivers as well as Canadian users of the PlugShare app from October 3 to 22, 2024. Across all provinces, 16,041 EV drivers responded to the survey. to view the results of the 2022 survey.}

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