More than 65,000 zero-emission vehicles were registered in Q2 2024 — a 30 per cent quarter-over-quarter increase

After a slow start to the year, zero-emission vehicle registrations in Canada saw a boost in Q2 2024.

New data from Statistics Canada, released this week on World EV Day, shows 65,733 new zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) were registered in Canada in the second quarter. This represents 12.9 per cent of all new vehicle registrations.

Of the more than 65,000 vehicles registered, 73.8 per cent (48,489 units) were battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and 26.2 per cent, or 17,244 units, were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). BEVs alone accounted for 9.5 per cent of all new registrations.

(Note: StatsCan classifies BEVs and PHEVs as “zero-emission vehicles.” The grouping does not reflect Electric Autonomy’s view, which considers only non-combustion engine vehicles to be zero-emission. However, where statistics below refer to ZEVs, we have adhered to StatsCan’s definition for consistency.)

While Manitoba surges, Quebec still leads

Manitoba’s data on ZEV sales in Q2 2024 showed a significant rise, with 440 new BEV registrations as well as 296 PHEVs registered. These are up significantly over Q1’s 248 and 212 registrations, respectively.

And numbers may continue to rise sharply: in July, the Manitoba government introduced rebates for new and used EV purchases in the province.

In terms of sheer volume, Quebec emerged as the clear leader in the second quarter of 2024 with 25,693 new BEVs registered in the province. Ontario followed with 10,469 new BEV registrations while B.C. reported 9,370 new BEV registrations.

According to StatsCan, multipurpose vehicles continue to be the top choice of Canadians looking for a zero-emission vehicle, accounting for eight in 10 new registrations.

EVs trending up

EV adoption across Canada is up in all provinces and territories.

(As with previous StatsCan reports, there is no breakout data available for Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, due to contractual restrictions. However the registration numbers for those provinces appear in the national total.)

The registration rises are in line with the results of a recent survey of more than 6,000 Canadians by Electric Mobility Canada. After a short briefing and overview, 62 per cent of respondents indicated they would consider purchasing an EV for their next vehicle.

Daniel Breton, president and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada, said in a press release that the data clearly shows there’s “a growing enthusiasm and understanding” about the benefits of EVs.

“Not only are more people choosing ZEVs over gas vehicles for their next purchase, but their interest in buying a ZEV grows as they become more informed,” says Breton.

“This shift in perception marks a significant step forward in our journey towards a more sustainable future.”