The COVID-19 pandemic has pummelled Canada’s automobile industry but it’s the lack of supply that’s helping to short-circuit electric vehicle adoption across the country.
Electric vehicle sales plunged along with gasoline-fuelled models in the second quarter of the year, when dealerships joined widespread lockdowns to prevent the virus’s spread. As the economy reopens, consumers are starting to return to auto showrooms _ but finding an electric vehicle continues to be a problem, especially outside Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario.
A series of roadblocks are contributing to the shortfall, including battery shortages and manufacturers prioritizing shipments to China and Europe rather than North America. It’s exacerbating difficulties that already existed.
Source: Electric vehicle sales slump as supply challenges leave dealerships with shortages – JWN Energy
Not Buying It
The article says, “The COVID-19 pandemic has pummelled Canada’s automobile industry…”
Not true. The industry has been “pummelled” by the government. Depending on whom you believe, fossil fuel powers 30-95 percent of Canada’s transportation. The low end of this seems a little crazy. 30 percent would mean two-thirds of the cars and trucks on the road use something other than gas or diesel. This isn’t what I’m seeing…
I think it would be closer to the truth, if the reason for not having more electric cars and charging stations throughout the country, might be fear — the governments losing revenue from something they are in no position to replace. We can’t afford to lose that revenue.
They just want to make sure they have enough excuses to cover themselves.