Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular in Canada, according to a new report, which also shows a large number of Canadians believe cold temperatures are a reason not to consider one.
But how much does the cold really affect performance and reliability in an EV, and is it a reason not to consider buying one?
“But for some, they have to wait for better batteries, longer range, better technology, and that is certainly coming in the pipeline.”
JD Power released the results of its annual Canada Electric Vehicle Consideration Study on Thursday, which surveyed about 5,000 Canadians identified as new-vehicle shoppers during March and April about their EV consideration and analysis for reasons to reject an EV as an option.
Thirty-four per cent of all respondents said they were either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider an EV, which is up from 28 per cent in 2025. JD Power says this marks the first increase of its type since 2022.
The survey was conducted shortly after Ottawa launched new consumer rebates for some electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in February.
Of the reasons participants gave for being “very unlikely” or “somewhat unlikely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase, 54 per cent said it was because they believed an EV’s performance would be inadequate in extreme temperatures (both cold and hot).
Other reasons given included 65 per cent that were concerned about driving distance per charge (sometimes referred to as “range anxiety“), and a perceived lack of available charging stations at 56 per cent.
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Meanwhile, the purchase price has dropped out of the top list of reasons shoppers were deterred from considering an EV, the report says.
“For most shoppers, the deciding factors remain everyday practicality: how far they can drive on a charge, whether charging is reliably available when needed and how EVs perform in Canadian winters,” said J.D. Ney, managing director at JD Power Canada in the report.
“Even with available incentives, these issues will need to be addressed before many hesitant shoppers seriously consider an EV.”
These cold weather concerns are not a myth, according to Trescases, who says both freezing and extreme heat temperatures can pose some challenges for EV owners.
When it comes to range anxiety, he says all vehicles lose range in the winter, including gas-powered options.
“It’s generally getting worse below freezing and it’s getting substantially worse when you approach minus 20. In some cases, you could be losing 40 per cent of your range.”
Trescases underscores that this big difference in range loss is not just because of the cold’s effect on batteries or other components, but also on drivers’ use of passenger features like heating (or cooling) the cabin to a comfortable temperature.
“EVs are a victim of their own efficiency — the main culprit for range loss in the winter is actually just the heat that you need for the cabin,” he says.
Trescases also says below-freezing temperatures can make fast-charging an EV challenging.
Extreme heat can also pose challenges for EVs.
“In very hot climates, the issue is not so much range loss, it’s more that the battery degrades … so accelerated aging, if you will, of the battery in very hot climates,” says Trescases.
“You do have some range loss because of air conditioning. It’s a similar issue that you need a lot of energy to cool the cabin.”
With these potential issues in mind, particularly range anxiety, Trescases still maintains EVs are more often a good choice for new car buyers, with some exceptions depending on geographic location and the persistence of extreme temperatures.
“Today’s EVs are much more accurate at predicting range, and that in and of itself is very important because it’s the uncertainty that drives the anxiety,” he says.
“If you know what you’re getting and you get somehow stranded at the side of the road, then it’s just your neglect. It’s like ignoring the fuel gauge in your gas car — you do that at your own peril.”
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