Nearly 70 per cent of British Columbians are hesitant to buy an electric vehicle, fearing they wouldn’t be able to take them on road trips.
That’s according to a new survey commissioned by B.C. Hydro, which found drivers are most worried about range.
“That’s the concern that the electric vehicle won’t go the distance they want to go,” said spokesperson Tanya Fish, who calls it a misconception. “The majority of road trips British Columbians are taking are less than 300 kilometers one way, which is well within the range the most popular latest models can go on a single charge. So you don’t have to worry about charging.”
The most popular summer road trip routes, like Vancouver to Whistler, Kelowna and Kamloops and Victoria to Tofino, are well served by electric vehicle chargers.
Fish said drivers also have misconceptions about how long it would take if they did need to stop and charge.
There are 270 fast charging stations in the province, where a vehicle can be charged to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.
Most fast chargers are located within 50 metres of services such as food, washrooms or other shopping.
“You’re making those stops anyway to grab some food, to do some shopping -- you can do that while your vehicle is charging up," she said.
B.C. has one of the highest electric vehicle sale rates in Canada, so Fish said she is surprised nearly 70 per cent of British Columbians surveyed are hesitant to buy an electric vehicle because they don’t think they can be taken on road trips.
She said the utility provider is working to debunk the myths that are keeping people from switching from gas-powered cars, and is encouraging drivers to do some research and “get out there and explore the province in an EV.”
