According to a senior government source, Canada is poised to announce a significant development this week: all new cars will be required to have zero emissions by 2035. This move comes as part of Ottawa’s effort to unveil new regulations, aligning with the global trend towards electrification.
These new regulations, referred to as the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, aim to ensure a steady supply of electric vehicles to the Canadian market and reduce waiting times for prospective buyers, as previously reported by the media.
Notably, the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec in Canada already have similar mandated sales targets in place.
Under the proposed rules, which focus on zero-emission vehicles, encompassing battery electric, plug-in, and hydrogen models, these vehicles must constitute 20% of all new car sales by 2026, 60% by 2030, and reach 100% by 2035, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Officials from Canada’s environment ministry declined to comment on the matter.
It’s worth noting that on a global scale, electric vehicle sales currently account for approximately 13% of total vehicle sales and are expected to climb to an estimated 40-45% of the market by the end of this decade, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) based in Paris.
In contrast, the United States recently witnessed the Republican-led House of Representatives voting against stringent vehicle emissions regulations proposed by the Biden administration. These regulations aimed to achieve a target of 67% of new vehicles being electric by 2032, drawing a veto threat from the White House.
In terms of market leadership, Tesla remains at the forefront, having sold 325,291 vehicles in the United States during the first half of 2023. General Motors’ Chevrolet brand came in second place with 34,943 units sold, followed by Ford, Hyundai, and Rivian.
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