Monday evening marked a new record for fuel prices in the Okanagan.
Most gas stations in the Kelowna area raised their prices to $2.089 a litre for regular gas.
Meanwhile, Lower Mainland residents have had to deal with prices over $2 a litre for some time now, with most Vancouver-area stations currently sitting at $2.339 a litre.
For the Okanagan, though, this week’s price increase is a new record high.
However, some local businesses are reporting an increase in business due to skyrocketing fuel prices.
“We’ve had a few people come in and specifically say, ‘Hey, I’m sick of paying $2 a litre for fuel,'” said Dan Cribb, sales manager at Cyclepath Kelowna.
Cribb told Global News that e-bikes have been a big seller over the last few seasons, and that some customers are considering switching in an effort to avoid the rising price of gas.
“E-bikes have been a huge seller for us in the last few seasons. And just with the price of gas right now, we’re seeing quite a few people coming in and expressing interest in those,” Cribb said.
“A lot of commuter options, even just non-e-bike options that we have in the store here as well, too. We’re selling quite a few of those as well.”
Cribb added that investing in an e-bike is exceptionally economical.
“It only costs like 30 to 40 cents to charge it and it goes — some of them go up to 120 kilometres of a charge. So it’s incredibly economical,” he said.
“If you’re wanting a good kind of alternative to a small car, then going to an e-bike or commuter bike, you don’t have to register it or put gas into it, or insure it — a lot of pluses.”
At Kelowna Ford Lincoln, the local auto dealership is attributing an increasing interest in electric vehicles to high gas prices.
“The first day that the prices really went up, we sold seven all-electric Mustangs by lunch, “said Irvine. “It was a bit of a crazy morning for us.”
While the popularity of electric vehicles has been growing, skyrocketing gas prices seem to be accelerating some people’s plans to purchase one.
“I do think that this is kind of a push along that (path). Everybody was able to kind of recognize that this is the direction that we’re going to have to go,” Irvine said.
“With the technology that’s improved the last few years, the range that you can get out of them now, you really can use these electric vehicles for everything.”
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