“It’s picked up,” said Sean Smiley of Calgary-based GoElectric Vehicle Corp., who estimates his business is “probably getting two to three times as many leads are we normally would, ever since gas prices have gone up.”
In a province whose economy is so dependent on the oil and gas industry, high fuel prices aren’t always a reason to complain.
But with gasoline now selling for over $1.70 per litre in many places, it’s prompting more Albertans into thinking about a change in lifestyle.
“Probably the two biggest things are the operating costs for driving an EV are significantly less than a gas car because the price of electricity is way less than the price of gas even before all the increases,” said Smiley.
While EVs might be higher priced, Smiley estimates the cost of operating one is “usually about 10 to 20 per cent of what a gas car would be because you don’t have oil changes, timing belt, spark plugs, all your regular maintenance.”
But the biggest cost saving, he said, comes from the $5 to $8 it costs to charge an EV at a commercial charging station, versus the $50 to $100 or more of filling up a gas tank, which he estimates, for most owners, makes up for the higher purchase cost within to to four years.
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“Batteries tend to last 15 to 20 years and so battery replacement cost is not really a consideration for most people, whereas that’s one of the biggest questions we get is when the warranty is up is how much does it cost to a battery, but you rarely ever have to think about that,” added Smiley
In fact, he says the batteries in electric vehicles tend to last longer in Alberta than in some warmer climates like California or Nevada because batteries tend to degrade faster at hotter temperatures than they do at colder temperatures.
“The only real downfall from the cold is that you get less range, and so in the cold winter months, you get a little less range on your EV. But the actual battery health doesn’t get impacted at all,” added Smiley.
On days when its -30 C or -40 C, he estimates an electric vehicle will get about 50 to 60 per cent of its normal range and even that’s enough about 95 per cent of drivers because most only drive less than 50 km per day.
Cody Nielson, vice-president of Rangeland RV, located near Cross Iron Mills, said the recent spike in the price of oil also has many Albertans reconsidering their summer vacation plans — looking for a way of avoiding the increasing high cost of air travel, caused by the rising price of aviation fuel.
Combined with Canadians’ desire to vacation closer to home, that has “a whole lot more” people considering buying or renting an RV.
“For anybody that’s booked a flight or booked a hotel lately, you know how crazy those prices are,” said Nielsen.
“If you’re tallying up your budget for vacations for the year, you can spend tens of thousands of dollars going on a week-long getaway for a family of four or five, or you can spend that money and make a whole summer full of memories — not just seven days.”
“You get that full summer full of camping and memories that you can make with your family for the same price,” added Nielsen.
Economically, he said, it makes a ton of sense right now, more than ever, to purchase an RV.
If there’s a resolution to the war in the Middle East found within the next couple weeks, Smiley expects the interest in his electric vehicles will “kind of slow down a little bit.”
But if the price spike continues longer than that, he believes Albertans will continue to consider a change in lifestyle because of “the uncertainty of not knowing” how high fuel prices will go.
@ Les: How so? You got the power to open the Strait? That would be temporary.
It’s eight bucks to recharge mine and rednecks thinks I’m crazy as they head to the pumps in their pick-ups.
This is where we need something done in this province regarding gas prices. Just yesterday, I saw one outlet at $1.75. Five blocks down the road, it was $1.51. Inexcusable!!! No EV for me, high gas prices are temporary.
This is because the gas prices have been driven upwards and that has been the plan of the liberals since Trudeau was in . The electricity grid would be hugelystressed if we all went electric
Let’s help out Skylar with his balanced reporting.
When does the battery start to decline?
Answer immediately.
What was the cost of making the battery?
Answer start with the kids working in the lithium mines……what the land looks like when they are done ? What the price of electricity when every grid is over loaded? California does rolling blackouts all summer long now…..but but it’s ok California is fine with that …..of course it’s 70 degrees all year long …..how does this look in canada ……
Global pushing g for change canada doesn’t want….still playing politics journalism in canada is dead
The #1 selling EV in Canada (by a very wide margin) is an electric bike. Costs $0.15 to fill and the price for a really good one is roughly the same as your car costs for 1 year.
No mention of this, of course.
EV charging cheaper than a gasoline fill-up? But what is your time worth? One hour every time you charge, sitting in your EV. Time you could have been working to make your life better, hugging your children, playing with your puppy… gone… When your end days come you will look back and ask WHY did I waste my life?
An ad for EVs?!?
I worked it out… at $1.50/l it was cheaper to use gas than electricity. Keeping in mind our electricity is generated from Natural Gas. So as oil goes up, so does Natural Gas, and Electricity. Sorry, lower prices for battery powered cars is not true.
It really does not matter, because battery power just does not make any sense for most people.
RV’s use gas (or diesel) and holiday trailers get pulled by trucks… so what is really behind this spin?