Despite shift to EVs, number of gas-powered cars on Quebec roads hits record high
CTV
The province has been pushing drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) but it appears Quebecers aren't buying in. The latest numbers from the SAAQ show that the number of gas-powered vehicles hit a record high in 2023.
The province has been pushing drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) but it appears Quebecers aren't buying in.
The latest numbers from the SAAQ show that the number of gas-powered vehicles hit a record high in 2023.
However ambitious Quebec's targets for the electrification of transport are, gasoline-powered cars aren't out of the game just yet.
Some experts say there are many reasons for the boost in gas vehicles.
"The real problem is that all the early adopters already bought an electric car over the past few years. Now, the problem is you have to conquest a new market, you have to convince new people to buy electric cars," said automotive journalist Marc Bouchard.
However, this wasn't a problem in 2022 when gas-powered car purchases had dropped by over 45,000 in Quebec.
That number quickly climbed by more than 160,000 last year. So is the high cost of driving electric the real culprit?
