Affordability continues to be on the minds of many Canadians. High gas prices for drivers also remains a factor, which is why some looking for a new ride are giving electric vehicles another look.
“Safety features are number one,” said Roxanne Forsyth. She and her husband attended the Edmonton Auto Experience show on Thursday in search of a new vehicle. “Comfort, of course and better gas mileage.
“Maybe a hybrid or some sort of electric.”
Enthusiasm for EVs appears to be growing. According to statistics from Alberta Transportation, 19, 863 electric vehicles were registered in the province in 2025 — compared to just 3,527 in 2021.
Hybrid models were also up – 84,564 registered in 2025.
These numbers, however, pale in comparison to vehicles with a traditional internal combustion engine: Alberta saw over three million of those registered last year.
Questions surrounding range and reliability made up the bulk of those asked of the Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta.
President Andrew Bastiuk and his team worked to dispel any of those concerns.
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“One of the challenges was there was very few manufacturers, and those manufacturers made a couple of body styles,” Bastiuk said.
“Now almost every manufacturer has multiple body styles so most people’s needs can be met.”
Bastiuk said technology has come a long way from when EVs first hit the market. Batteries have longer range and can better withstand cold Alberta winters. But, there are still improvements needed in terms of infrastructure in the province.
“Going north can be a little challenging,” Bastiuk said. “Grande Prairie is now covered, Fort McMurray is not yet covered.
“It’s coming but for those that need to do that commute, that’s not currently a great option for an electric vehicle.”
Curious drivers also had the opportunity to test drive an EV outside the Edmonton Expo Center.
Aakash Jhaveri, national engagement manager for Plug N’ Drive, said more than 50 per cent of Canadians have never been behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
“If you want to work on EV adoption, we need to get people into these cars, need to get them to experience them and the product will do the talking themselves, but people don’t always have that opportunity.” said Jhaveri.
Jhaveri believes renewed federal EV and hybrid vehicle incentives will also help to drive sales. Eligible EVs can receive up to $5,000.
“There’s a lot more interest.”
when i was a kid they said dont play under electric lines. i am blown away at how reckless govs are right now. electro mag Fields are dangerous to mamals. radar pionted at your chest in all Tesla’s. didnt cops sue fir cancer from that
I have two concerns in regard to EVs:
– Where does all of the additional electricity come from?
– What happens to the dead batteries? Can they be recycled properly?
This sounds like a sales pitch. The buyers are looking for more efficient gas vehicles, not EV’s, as the number show. So why the wrong title? – ‘More efficient Gas vehicle sales might be going up…”
The sad part is the Liberals are still giving away our tax dollars to push this pointless exercise.
Another reason not to vote for them. They are still pushing carbon tax, limiting oil and gas, battery powered vehicles… Same as under Trudeau. – Time for a change
A clear example of conditioning the public by exploiting a crisis. Shameful
Good plan, spend $45,000 on a EV to save $1500 in gasoline!
Is there a more annoying sound than an EV? Like nails on a chalkboard.
How many news spots does global do on EVs? This aggressive push for EVs is ridiculous. Nobody wants them! And I like how you center the story in Alberta, our oil and gas heartland. You think we’re all clapping seals, and can’t see through this government run propaganda?
Is it my turn to make this comment? OK; why does it take 5 minutes for the price to go up and maybe never for it to go down?