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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.