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Many Quebecers are questioning their choice to buy an electric car since the end of Ottawa’s subsidies last week and the gradual abandonment of the Roulez vert program in Quebec. A situation deplored by manufacturers and dealers, who predict a significant drop in sales of electric vehicles in the country.
“Buying an electric car without a subsidy means thinking carefully financially. Especially for a family of four like us, when all other expenses keep increasing. So we think about it, we look, we hesitate, we think,” confides Estelle Hermans, encountered during the first day of the Montreal Auto Show, at the Palais des congrès, Friday.
Mme Hermans and his partner, Thierry Hotte, looked with envy at the various 100% electric models from the Swedish brand Polestar, which is exhibiting at the show for the first time this year. The couple has been considering getting rid of their two gasoline-powered cars for some time and replacing them with a single electric vehicle. A more economical solution in the long term and above all more environmental, he explains.
“Less interesting”
Ottawa’s recent decision to end its Zero Emission Vehicle Incentive Program (iZEV) — the allocated funds having been exhausted even before the deadline of March 31, 2025 — has, however, shaken their decision. “The will is there, but without subsidy, it’s really less interesting. We have no choice but to also look at gasoline cars,” says the father, showing the Polestar models priced between $55,000 and $93,000.
Introduced in 2019, the federal program allowed consumers to obtain up to $5,000 in assistance when purchasing an electric vehicle. It was especially combinable with the provincial government’s Roulez vert program, which was put on hold from 1is February to March 31, also a victim of its success.
For a completely electric vehicle, Quebec previously offered a subsidy of $7,000. This amount dropped to $4,000 on the 1stis last January. It will be cut by half again next year, before disappearing in 2027.
Whether at Polestar, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi or even Hyundai, the question of subsidies seemed to be on all the lips of visitors interested in electric or hybrid cars.
“We really feel that it’s a concern. For some, this translates into eagerness. They want to buy quickly to at least benefit from help from Quebec before the program [Roulez vert] be on hiatus on February 1st,” notes Dominic Dubois, mandated to manage the Mitsubishi booth at the Montreal Auto Show.
-Pierre Lalonde even fears that the subsidy from the provincial government will not return on March 31. “My partner and I would like to reduce our gas and maintenance costs since we will use the car less when she also retires, soon. Electric seemed like a good choice to us, but it’s really expensive if we can no longer count on government incentives,” laments the retiree. Mr. Lalonde nevertheless remains hopeful that manufacturers will lower their prices in the coming months, failing which he will turn to the user market.
To avoid discouraging customers, certain manufacturers reacted quickly after Ottawa’s announcement by offering – for a limited period – a $5,000 rebate on their electric models, the same amount offered just a week ago by the federal government. This is particularly the case for Volkswagen and Hyundai Canada, whose offer is up for grabs by January 31.
Towards a drop in sales of electric vehicles
In the opinion of a representative of the South Korean brand encountered during the show, however, it is only a matter of time before sales of electric vehicles begin to decline in the country.
The CEO of the Corporation of Quebec Automobile Dealers, Ian P. Sam Yue Chi, shares his opinion. As the price difference between a new gasoline vehicle and a new electric vehicle is approximately $15,000, he doubts that Quebecers will still choose the “green solution” without the lure of government subsidies.
“Just look at Germany, which also ended its incentive last year. The impact was immediate. Dealers almost stopped selling electric cars overnight,” he maintains, fearing to see the phenomenon repeat itself here.
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A previous version of this text was modified: the CEO of the Corporation of Quebec Automobile Dealers is indeed named Ian P. Sam Yue Chi.
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