P.E.I. misses out on electric cars

It seems electric cars have been the ‘talk of the town’ and rightfully so. Improvements in technology, mainly regarding battery range, led by companies like Tesla, making them a much more practical option. It’s also helpful that car brands that people are more familiar with like Chevrolet and Toyota are following suit with cheaper alternatives. So, why haven’t they caught on in P.E.I. yet?

I believe the main reason is the lack of purchase incentives. There is a lack of fast-charging stations in rural areas. Other than Charlottetown and Summerside, stations are scarce at best and this deters potential buyers. Also, in most cases the amount you’ll save on gas isn’t equal to the extra costs that comes with electric cars, and unfortunately reducing carbon emissions doesn’t sway many people. To counter this, the P.E.I. or federal government could implement reduced taxes on electric cars, like what has been implemented in Norway.

In the grand scheme of things, I think the P.E.I. government pushing for the purchase of electric cars could be very beneficial. The Island is not able to produce gasoline or diesel but can we produce plenty of electric energy from the windmills. By providing incentives for electric cars, P.E.I. would become less dependent on provinces like Alberta for fuel and it could help stimulate the Island’s economy, particularly in the energy sector. Overall, electric cars could be very beneficial to the citizens, environment, and economy if there are more incentives to buy.

Bradley Keus,

Souris Regional student