The idea behind buying an electric vehicle is that you’ll no longer be dependent on fossil fuels, thus reducing your greenhouse gas emissions. But that doesn’t mean electric cars don’t have any environmental impact at all. Metals such as lithium and cobalt must be extracted from the ground and then transformed to make EV batteries, generating a certain amount of pollution. The first question to ask yourself is whether you really need a new car at all. There are a number of other equally effective options for getting around town. If your answer is Yes, you do need to buy a car, and you’ve decided to go electric, we make it easy and simple for you with our EV finder.
CAA shows base models only to give consumers an idea of what is the entry level for a vehicle. Like all other vehicles on the road, consumers can purchase a higher trim level, including getting a more powerful battery that extends the vehicle’s range a bit. Higher trim levels could also include features like all-wheel drive, which can reduce overall range and it uses more energy. Drivers are encouraged to do further research on their preferred vehicle to ensure they are choosing the right trim level for their lifestyle. There is one exception to this rule, however. If a higher trim level adds significant range, such as Tesla’s battery extender, both the base model and the higher trim level appear in the results page as two separate vehicles.
No, industry experts also refer to many electric vehicles as zero-emission vehicles or ZEVs for short. ZEVs never emit exhaust gas from the onboard source of power. And while most electric vehicles do not emit any exhaust, hybrid vehicles are the exception. Hybrids are often looped into the electric vehicle category because they have an electric engine onboard. But hybrids do in fact emit exhaust – though much less exhaust than a standard internal combustion engine
We will do the math for you and apply any incentives available in your selected province. Everyone in Canada has access to the federal EV incentive program. However, some provinces offer additional incentives. Knowing your province will help us show you the real cost of an EV, after incentives.
Most electric vehicles are charged at home - and at night- within the secure confines of a garage or a personal parking spot. Even if you live in a condo or rental apartment, though, it’s possible to get an EV charger installed for personal or shared use. It’s great having a charger where your vehicle spends the most time because fueling it is as simple as charging your cell phone. Plug it in when you get home, and it’ll be ready to go the next morning.
