That’s what I thought. And some of you are likely thinking it too. If you buy an electric car, you’re going to be constantly fretting over running out of power without a charging station handy. This is real: the range on electric vehicles (EVs) varies widely - 200-400 kms on a charge. Some are designed to go further than others but your range is also affected by factors like speeding, heavy acceleration, and heating or cooling the interior. 

Your other concern, I’m guessing, is that you don’t have a charger. Here’s what a lot of people don’t know: for what’s called a Level 1 charge, you don't need anything other than a standard outlet. With Level 1 charging, you can charge your car overnight so you’re ready to drive in the am. It’s only if you want a fast charge that you need to install a Level 2 charger, requiring 240 volts, and 30 amp service. Level 3 chargers, often the size of refrigerators, are mostly found in public areas.

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, I have owned a gas/electric hybrid car for six years now. 

Before Tesla roared onto the scene with its sexy, sleek car, some with Back to the Future DeLorean style batwing doors, Toyota was rolling out its very serviceable Prius. First, it was a hybrid model where the gas engine is supplemented by a battery that charges itself off the excess power generated while driving. Or something like that. You know I’m not very technical, right?

I rode in my first Prius in 2005 - my boss had one when I started lawyering - and got my own in 2014. Mine was the Prius V, designed to stow a lot of stuff in the back. In my case, two full-size boxers leapt in and out comfortably; it was the perfect family car for Jack and me. 

That car was a lease, and as Jack’s health was failing in the spring of 2018, he convinced me to break the lease early so he could be sure I replaced the conventional hybrid Prius with what he knew I really wanted, the plug-in version. (That was one of many things he did that year to set me up for widowhood). Getting an electric car was easy then - we went in, ordered it, and had the new car a week or so later. It was instant love for me and that car. The difference between it and its predecessor was remarkable - the old Prius moved along reasonably well, and of course had great gas consumption. Touching the accelerator on the plug-in model, however, feels like being shot out a cannon. Those jackrabbit style take-offs consume a lot of power, but oh what fun! And despite its 38-40 km range on a charge after which it moves seamlessly into its gas mode, my mileage is even better than in the Prius V because so much of my driving is in the city. Sometimes I’ve driven close to 2000 kms between fill-ups! 

As the lease came up for renewal last year, I went to Toyota to order a replacement. The demand has increased so much, coupled with pandemic supply chain and manufacturing interruptions, I was stunned to learn that I was in for at least an 18 month wait. I put $1000 down to get myself on a waiting list but after a few months of extending my lease, I started to think more seriously about what I was doing. Why did I need a new car? I had a 5 year old car, running perfectly. I’ve never driven much but pandemic living kept me even closer to home and so I had only 50,000 kms on the car. Replacement means higher monthly lease costs and, from an environmental perspective, requires yet another vehicle to be brought into being. Necessary? Resounding no, I decided. I bought out the lease last summer and am proudly driving a car that sports the detritus and markings of being around the block a time or two, but is otherwise fine. (I did treat myself to a good carwash and detailing last summer so that made it nearly new again compared to its previous condition. Yes, I’m one of those drivers for whom the car sometimes doubles as a mobile storage unit.) 

As gas prices increase, Canadians are moving in greater numbers towards plug-in or hybrid vehicles.* The supply issues I experienced a year ago seem to be improving a little. The website for my dealer claims even to have a Prius Plug-in in stock. All Canadians are going to have to give this serious thought, however, because by 2035, all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada will be zero-emissions, according to an announcement by the federal government in late 2023.

So back to those niggling concerns. 

Range anxiety is being addressed with improvements to the technology to increase the distance you can drive on a charge.** As well, there are more charging options. There are 2118 public charging station ports (Level 2 and Level 3) within the Greater Toronto Area, 96% of which are level 2 chargers. Surprisingly, 37% of these are free to use, although to be honest, I’ve never seen one. At the same time, governments are working hard to improve the charging infrastructure to allow for more reliable charging on the road.*** I’m guessing by 2035, all “gas” stations will have efficient ways of charging. Someone I know drove to BC and back in an electric pickup truck, so even outside the GTA, there are increased options across other provinces too.**** I strongly recommend the plug-in hybrid option, though, for those who can plug in at home. It really is the best of both worlds. 

Home charging, however, remains a barrier for many. Sure, it’s easy for me - I have space right outside my house to plug in and the luxury of time to allow a slow charge. Cost-wise, upgrading to Level 2 would give me pause - the installation can cost between $3K and $5K with the cost of the charger itself adding another $500 and $1,500. There are government rebates available to offset some of these costs. 

Many others in the city, however, park on a street or in the underground of a multi-residential building. Some of this will be resolved with regulatory changes. For example, Ontario has recently announced that starting May 27, 2024, local utilities will follow a streamlined process for EV charging connections that will make it easier to set up new charging stations and support the adoption of electric vehicles. Condo developments include charges as a feature, like the new affordable condo development in my community, the Humber, which has five chargers; the website for all-female development, Reina on The Queensway in Toronto, includes electric car charging just below stroller parking as an amenity, although it suggests that while owners may request a parking stall ready for a charger, it’s not clear what that will cost. The installation, it seems, is on the purchaser’s dime.   

So the big open question is how do we get an electricity grid that supports the increased demand due to EVs? That’s for bigger brains than mine - remember? I’m not technical - and I’m fervently hoping those big brains are working on it right now.  

* Check out the graph on wikipedia here. 

** https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/electric-car-range 

*** Here in Toronto, the federal government and the city are making a $10-million joint investment to fund the purchase and installation of over 500 electric vehicle chargers.

**** You can read Rebecca Black’s story on LinkedIn. Here is one of her posts.

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