Fuel costs, infrastructure gains, incentives stir up Manitoba EV sales in March

Manitobans are buying a record number of electric vehicles as international conflict causes gas prices to soar and government rebates make going green a more attractive option.

Zero-emission vehicles accounted for a record 8.8 per cent of all vehicle purchases in Manitoba in March, according to new data from Statistics Canada. There were 476 EVs purchased in the province, up 44 per cent from the 268 sold the month before.

For Kyle Bazylo, owner of charger installation company WinnipegEVCharging.ca, his switch from a hybrid to a fully electric vehicle six months ago was a no-brainer. He had previously been hesitant about the price, but as the market has shifted, the cars have become more affordable and some companies have begun including perks such as free chargers and cash back while charging, Bazylo said.

In the past few months, however, customer interest has exploded, he said, noting his company’s website traffic has gone up nearly 50 per cent in just the last few months.