Canada’s auto industry is none too pleased with the federal government’s mandate which legislates for one fifth of all passenger cars, SUVs and trucks sold in Canada by 2026 be zero-emissions vehicles.
Brian Kingston, president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, said too many hurdles, including price, infrastructure and inventory shortages, are — and will — prevent Canadians from going green on their next new-vehicle purchase, even with a mandate in place. The Ministry of Environment and Climate change said in a statement that the new mandate"moves to increase the supply of electric vehicles for Canadians."“I just can’t see how they say that with a straight face,” he said. “In a globally constrained EV market, there’s only so many being produced. It’s not like automakers are hiding them in a warehouse somewhere.
Fully electric cars and trucks would be worth a bigger credit than plug-in hybrid versions, though the government acknowledges that plug-in hybrids will likely remain in demand in rural and northern areas. Kingston also said the targets are not achievable “at the current pace of investment by the federal government when it comes to EV readiness.”