Every day, about one-third of Canadian adults are thinking of getting a car, and they are not alone. Consumers all over the world are always on the hunt for new car innovations and features.
Most car dealers rely heavily on their online presence and promotions to keep up with the competition. And as early as 1965, as the Japanese brand first hit the Canadian asphalt, it has continued to dominate the car scene against US manufacturers creating more jobs for people in the industry. With a wide range of choices, people are on the constant lookout for new cool features, colour, and prices.
With the recent buzz on Electric Vehicles (EV), the sudden shift of interest from most people went from sedan to vans and SUVs to hybrid cars and EVs. Pricing and availability greatly increase the sales probability than just manufacturer presence like a Nissan dealer located in Newmarket, amidst many Tesla showrooms.
Hybrid vs. EV
Having the power to choose how you use energy stands out as the best feature of a hybrid car. Also known as a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), these cars can run in both electricity and gas, claiming it can save you money. Each manufacturer is battling out over interior designs, battery power and capacity, and of course, monetary savings and environmental impact reduction with significantly less carbon footprints.
Hybrids can be plugged in at home, with a variety of charge settings, and be ready the next morning. With constant and smart charging schedule, you may not need to load it up with gasoline at all. You can even choose to use renewable energy sources to charge up like solar and wind generators for a lesser impact on the environment.
The difference between a hybrid and EV is mostly their fuel type. Hybrids can run both on gas and battery, while EVs, recently called Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), are pure electric vehicles that use electric motors and controllers instead of an internal combustion engine.
The Trend
In a study conducted by FleetCarma, the shift of interests to EVs came as the market matures and new features and models are introduced. A new perspective has been introduced, and the sudden interest was picked up by car dealers, and the sales came as easy.
The Tesla Model 3 has maintained its spot on the BEV category based on sales, followed by the Nissan LEAF model and has maintained the spot even with the emerging KIA Soul and Hyundai Ioniq models as of December 2018.
In the hybrid (PHEV) category the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV claimed its spot on top with 2,000 sales overshadowing Toyota Prius Prime with 1,100 by December 2018. Chevrolet Volt came down hard with 750 units compared to 1,600 on the 2nd quarter and is now taken over by Ford Fusion with nearly 1,000 sales.
The highest sales in EVs over two years were in Canada, peaking at the 3rd quarter of 2018. Without a doubt, new passenger car sales have shifted, leaving a smaller fraction left for SUVs over the EV preference.
