Market Snapshot: Average electric vehicle range almost doubled in the last six years
Release date: 2019-06-25
While electric vehicle (EV) sales in Canada have been increasing, range anxiety remains one barrier to further adoption of EVs. Range anxiety is a consumer concern about how far an EV can be driven on a full charge. EV range has been increasing significantly. Between 2013 and 2019, the average EV model range increased from 219 km to 386 km. Battery technology improvements are the main driver of the EVs’ increasing range. The figure below compares the average EV model’s range for each class of vehicle.
Figure 1: Average vehicle range by class in 2013 and 2019Footnote 1
Source and Description
Source: NRCAN Fuel consumption ratings
Description: This figure shows the average electric vehicle range for each vehicle class. It compares the average vehicle class ranges in 2013 and in 2019. Average EV ranges went from:
- Compact: 122 km to 193 km
- Full-size: 353 km to 466 km
- Mid-size: 117 km to 393 km
- Subcompact: 100 km to 178 km
- Two-seater: 109 km to 93 km
- Small station wagon: 281 km in 2019
- Standard SUV: 441 km in 2019
Thus, as EV range continues to increase, range anxiety will be better addressed and sales of EVs in Canada could continue to increase in the future. That said, EV sales depends on many other factors, including subsidies, the availability of charging infrastructure, the relative cost of electricity and gasoline, purchase price, and customer preferences. Countries with a favorable combination of these variables tend to have a higher share of electric vehicles.
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