96% of electric vehicle owners in Alberta would buy another one: AMA survey
For many people looking to buy a new car, an electric option means extra considerations, like battery life or ability to charge and where.
Despite these potential roadblocks, a new survey by the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) finds the vast majority of people in the province who own an electric vehicle (EV) are happy with their purchase.
"It's tough because this is something new but once you get in you know exactly what it is so after that you'll think, 'Oh my god this is easy!" said Tesla owner Amit Bhgat.
"Buy an electric vehicle, 110 per cent."
He's not alone. The survey found 96 per cent of respondents would buy another electric and 95 per cent of those said they liked electric better than gas or hybrid vehicles.
"The experience that people have here in Alberta, in this climate, on these roads in this weather, has been overwhelmingly positive," said Dominic Schamuhn with AMA.
"And so after owning an EV and driving it in an Alberta winter or two or three Alberta winters, people's confidence has gone up."
But some people might not be ready to make the change.
CTV News Edmonton asked drivers on the streets of the Alberta capital Wednesday what had them pressing the brake on making the switch.
"I think I would probably lean more towards a hybrid just because then you have that option of leaning on that fuel if you need it," said Amie Filcow.
"The batteries are not ecologically sustainable and charging stations aren't plentiful enough to make it a viable alternative," said Joe Hunder.
"Some cars will charge at home, some cars won't charge at home. There's very little by way of standard. There's very little around charging. There's level-one charging, level two, level three, so there's still a ways to go," said Randy Ferguson.
But Schamuhn said some new homes are being built with chargers and governments are preparing the electrical grid for the future.
"We know that there's continued investments from the government, from industries that are making investments in growing the public-charging infrastructure," he said.
The survey included 1,010 EV owners from Alberta.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.