'Quite frustrating': B.C. man still waiting for EV ordered in 2020
Tom Hurtig and his wife Debbie have gotten used to practicing patience. In August 2020, he placed a deposit and put his name down for a Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid. As of today, there's no estimated time for its arrival.
“It’s been quite frustrating with Toyota to get an answer," Hurtig told CTV News.
The dealership, Open Road Toyota Richmond says the delay is due to extraordinarily high demand and low supply.
"We understand the wait can be frustrating to customers," said general manager Ryan Snel.
"There are currently more than 40 people ahead of Tom and Debbie who are also still waiting for this same car.”
CTV News reviewed text messages between Tom and a salesperson dating back to June 2021 that say otherwise.
"Hi Tom, just checked. Not so good news. Toyota Canada has cut allocation. Six people still ahead of you. Chances of getting one this year are slim," read the message.
Snel responded by telling CTV News that the salesperson was mistaken.
CTV News spoke to another dealership manager who says lengthy wait times, particularly for high-end EV's, continue to be the norm.
“We have clients that have already been waiting for a year or longer and some of those clients will still be waiting another three to six months or longer,” said Leon Cheliadin, general manager for Applewood Nissan.
He says he doesn't know when the supply chain issues will improve and that his inventory numbers indicate the lengthy wait times will continue for the foreseeable future.
“Challenges in metals, challenges in electronics, challenges in general distribution," said Cheliadin. "I think the containers coming overseas is a significantly lower number."
Dave Sandelands with the non-profit Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association says there are ways to cut the line.
“Because there is a wait and a shortage, dealers are marking cars up over the manufacturer's suggested retail price and people are having to pay higher prices if they want to circumvent that line because the odd person will cancel,” said Sandelands. "Rather than that car going to the next person in the lineup, the dealer may keep it, mark it up and then take whoever’s got the cash to give them that money or have a trade-in, and they go higher up on that list.”
Despite being offered a refund for his deposit, Hurtig says he has no plans on cancelling and is willing to wait it out.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.