After filming and editing this I browsed a few of my charging apps. Petro-Canada has a 200 kW charger not too far from me, doesn't show up on anyone else's network map. Electrify Canada had some 150 kW and 50 kW chargers in London near the Shell I went to, also not on anyone else's network map. This is the exact problem I'm talking about.
I live in the US where local charging infrastructure is really lacking. It's easy to get from point a to point b however if "b" is in a rural area forget about charging. I was recently traveling to Québec and I was amazed at the number of DC charging stations present in most towns. ❤
EV sales are not going well. It is a mistake to buy one. Their used value is pathetic because the closer you get to 10 years of use the closer you get to replacing the battery for more than the vehicle is worth. I cannot imagine buying a used EV and then a year or so later spending $10,000 or more for a new battery and then there is the pollution of getting rid of the lithium battery. Big mistake.
Biggest driver of EVSE installation cost (after the station itself) is the wire from the panel to the station. If the distance is short, you're golden. Ontario has crappy charging infrastructure because Doug Ford only wants EV jobs, not EV's themselves.
Tell me about it. $1,500 to install my EV charger in Ontario, versus the $300 it was in Québec. Yes the distance was longer in Ontario, maybe 25ft versus the 12ft in QC.
Rob Ford set the province back when he became premier by cancelling provincial infrastructure funding for EVs, eliminating the incentives for EV purchases and spending a ton to cancel planned renewable energy generation projects. All that said I really haven’t encountered many issues with charging the car over the last four years.
Yep! We had bought a 1st gen EV just before that, 100km range between DC charging stops on road trips and with that he made going to east or west from TO in the winter impossible (ie Ottawa). Things are improving now - but the reliability of the chargers, esp. for those of us with CADEMO is a big issue. But I suppose that all of that pales in comparison to the number of houses our EV has burned down and the sheer expense of replacing the battery pack a billion times as it's got 180,000 km on it (car was a former taxi from Quebec!)
@@eTwisted I am in the same boat with a 40 kWh LEAF north of London Ontario. No issue driving to Toronto, up to Collingwood and my normal driving. I admit it isn’t a car suitable for a trip to Florida but there are EV options that will do that. The reason I have the LEAF is that it was affordable and I wasn’t sure if an EV was going to work for me, that was four years ago and now I don’t believe that there is another ICE vehicle in my future.
@@gerhardk98 We drive to Florida or Texas non-stop except for gas in less than a couple of dozen hours. No hotel costs. No long stops and a gas fillup is only a few minutes. EVs are useless in sub zero weather. Efficiency is so poor even in the latest models. It would take us two days to get to our relatives place North of Lake Superior or maybe three days in mid-winter when it falls to -40 degrees. At $200 plus per night and meals an EV is not the way to go.
@@theintruder77 I wouldn’t enjoy that kind of trip, we usually drive to Lexington KY and stay with friends. Then we spend couple of nights in Nashville or Memphis and have another stop before Sarasota. We arrive refreshed rather than worn out, different strokes for different folks.
Having been driving an EV in Ontario for over 6 years now, I agree that the charging companies should be mandated to use a standard card or app. An alternative would be to have all stations accept a credit card , just like the gas stations. A home charger is almost a must, I did a deal with the electrician and did the wiring myself and he inspected it and did the connections. The cost including the charger was about $1200. My new EV has over 450km range and I have no problems finding a charger - the Plug Share app is a god-send and makes life a lot simpler. One of the major advantages of the Tesla network is that the locations are all well chosen, with nearby facilities, so I am in favour of being able to use them.
Québec has been expanding their network at a fast rate, I spent half a week there for an event and was reminded by how much better the infrastructure was. For any of the electrics I drive I don't have a problem charging, as I have a L2 at home. It's dropping the cars back off that make it difficult as I need to bring them back with at least 75% charge, and there aren't as many convenient stations in the GTA as there are in the Greater Montreal area.
My gas powered vehicle has a range of over 700km with a 5 minute stop for gas and then go another 700 km. Can your EV do that? No it can't. Can you go from London to White River in 11 hours in your EV. No you cannot.
Great video! I live in Toronto and take long trips around the province. I have been on the fence about jumping on the EV bandwagon but refraining from doing so until there is a solid charging network in place.
We've had a lot of comments on this video all of a sudden, curious to know if you were searching for this sort of video, or if you stumbled on it while browsing for other things.
@@PRNTestDrive since I’ve been watching a lot of videos about EVs in general and specifically EVs in Canada recently, and also made a few comments on videos, I guess the God algorithm suggested me your video too.
Great video showing a careless driver removing his hands from the steering wheel so many times I lost count. Police should seek him out and lay careless driving charges. Using this video in court ensures a conviction.
Quebec is a generation ahead of Ontario with EV buying and charging. Ontario's current government is a huge obstacle to development, they are good at pretending to be pro-EV, but what is really the Ford government's priority is sending lots of public cash to corporate backers in the auto and mining sector. If they happen to create EV's? Great, but it isn't a plan, and there are no real priorities beyond Ford's PR stunts. Here are things I'd like to see a future gov't address: provincial level EV purchase rebates to make buying more affordable (EV's are still priced too high, another $10k off would help in addition to the fed rebate), a serious EV charging investment for getting chargers everywhere (a healthy set of level 2 chargers in every strip mall and regular mall parking, and fast chargers along all routes province-wide), and laws that do not make it optional for landlords to "opt out" of residents' requests to put a 220/240 volt outlet in their parking spot for home charging. If renters request it, it should be legally required to provide access. It should never be a landlord's choice to say no, as this creates a huge stumble in EV adoption. The last item is overlooked, but is very important. Most people live in cities, and we rent. I rent, I am in Toronto, I have no plans to leave and can't afford another home that would have a charger... And I have to use public chargers as a result of this, and I have no desire to move very far out of the city. But again, we'll need a new government with better priorities. Again, with Ford, you have to remember, he is a PR stunt king. I call him Ontario's used car salesman. He'll tell you what you want to hear to buy his product, but you'll find out the problems afterwards. He will say he's pro-EV, but its purely about the largest corporations and their bottom line. There is no actual plan out of this government - beyond advertising - to beef up the EV market or make actual use and purchase and charging better in this province. This is what people should take into consideration next time we have a choice to get rid of them. HOWEVER, as much as I dislike Ford, the situation absolutely is worse south of the border. I travel to see family and it always requires going through Ohio and Kentucky. Interstate 75 between Detroit and Nashville is a disaster for EV charging considering the very major cities along its route and the fact its a main connection to Canada with the largest trade for the entire US going across the Windsor-Detroit corridor. Talk about total charging deserts, its almost laughable. Fast charging is laughably sparse, and where available often in use because of the scarcity. Biden's EV investments are installing a few gov't funded chargers in Ohio, I hear there are a few coming online soon at truck stops, but its not enough. I've seen the map and its still sparse, but maybe will help with my trips down south. Even with improvements, they'll be years behind Ontario in a few years from now. LOL Ontario is behind Quebec, but so much of the US is so far behind Ontario. Go figure! So, there is always worse... Apparently.
You've made some great points, I appreciate you taking the time to go over them! I agree that the US has some issues with their charging network also, one thing we hear often is how 'great' Tesla's supercharger network is, but it's usually from US viewers where Tesla is the dominant force down there.
Lots of good points👍 Disagree 100% on your point of others should not be adapting NACS, we need one standard and Tesla put the R&D in ti make a great charger. I am hoping to charge my Chevy Bolt on their network as they put a bunch in up at Port Severn on my way up to Parry Sound😍 Cheers
EVs need to have a minimum 600-700km with use all of accessories and climate control. Canada is too big of a country with a lot of unpredictable weather for these cars to replace gas cars. I know this from personal experience lol
I've noticed with these newer EVs like this Lightning or the Genesis GV60 from a few weeks ago that the HVAC settings don't make as large of an impact as they did on EVs from a few years ago. Temperatures have been around the 10ºC mark, having the heat/AC on or off doesn't change the range, maybe by a few kms at the most. While larger range EVs will help with adoption, they won't do anything if the battery packs are 200 kW in capacity and Ontario still rolls out 50 kW chargers.
@@PRNTestDrive even in Quebec, i found one of those fast chargers (I think 150kw) but it was still only charging at 45kw. I was told the charge rate depends on how many users are using the grid and also nearby structures that require a lot of electricity.
That's my magic # as well. I wouldnt normally want to drive more than 5 hrs on a road trip without having a meal or other extended stop so that checks that box, with still a pretty good range In a cold winter. Also Lucid Air has a range in the 600ish km' realm, so the tech is actually already here, it just needs to drop $100k+ in price :)
@@JoeUrbanYYC yeah I can drive 5-6 hours straight before needing to stop for like an hour. But like stopping every 2-3 hours and charging for one is painful AF
Living in Mississauga (app. 900,000 pop. bordering Toronto) I’ve recommended charge-at-home Plug-ins (PHEV’s) for 3 years. Mine is a 9.5 KWh battery offering more than 40 kms in the summer and a little less in the winter due to snow tires. Past that distance, my total freedom to choose a route, change my route, and not have to suffer long wait times, happily costs me only 2 or 3 tanks of gas PER YEAR. It takes only two hours to fully charge, I use purely electricity once or twice, seven days a week, and wear and tear on my engine is negligible…I think birds are living in my tailpipe. My recommendation to everybody in Southern Ontario, at this time, would be a 2020 Ford Escape Plug-in (app. $25,000) if you don’t mind that it’s only FWD.
PHEVs are definitely the way to go, and something we spoke highly about as early as 2018 when we started featuring them on the show. It provides the best mix of electric driving and overall range, but OEMs have been slow to produce them.
In the area you seem to be in (around London?), there are supercharger stations in Exeter, London, Simcoe, and Windsor.... that you could use for your F-150. I think you should invest in an adaptor and try the tesla stations. I think it will help you a lot for charging on the road. Probably more Tesla stations than all the others combined.
The Tesla network is worse for you in Quebec, where most of the chargers are v2 and so only work with Teslas. There seem to be a lot of v3's in Ontario.
People don't necessarily need fast chargers where they live, they need to be available elsewhere to charge on the go. I'm personally not a fan of Tesla, I don't feel it's a brand that should be trusted given their leadership. Changes will need to be made to those stations in order to accommodate these new vehicles, as the cables are too short to reach a lot of these non-Tesla vehicles, causing owners to park inconveniently and block stations.
@@PRNTestDrive uh... Tesla != Musk. I think ford even gives you the adaptor free, and Tesla is usually cheaper per electron that other networks. Your choice. Teslas are great, There are a lot of other good people who work there, but you go ahead and punish yourself and complain there is no charging because orange man bad.
Two owners of Ford EVs returned their cars to dealers down here within two months because they failed to come even close to the range advertised. Both had to use their CAA cards for towing to a charging station while on the road in the middle of the night on the 400 hwy north. I think that they are still in court suing Ford over this false advertising.
In my view, if you want to save gas, get a hybrid; if you’re concerned about our environment, go hug a tree. Or, plant one. I think EVs are a dead end tech. We should focus efforts on hydrogen and further refining the efficiency of ICE and hybrids. If EVs have a future other than golf carts, it’s as a fleet vehicle for local deliveries or passenger transport. Fleets have the means to install high output charging stations, and the vehicles can charge overnight, ready for work the next morning. /rant over
Hybrid really is the way to go, I've been saying that for years now. Everything should just be a regular hybrid by default. I was very tempted by the S 450 Hybrid W221 when I was shopping mine, but they only came in RWD and not 4matic.
From my experience just charge at Tesla where available and EC avoid any chargers that charge by the minute they are incentivized to keep you there longer and screw steal your money. The federal government needs to mandate that these companies are only allowed to sell by kW could you imagine in they sold gas by the minute 🙄
@@ScubaSteveCanada this is good news that I didn’t know about I am from Alberta(the land that thinks that’s evs are dumb) but I love mine this will be my first winter with my Mach e
Tesla charging stations aren't as prolific as they are elsewhere, like in the US. We've done a number of road trips since this video, one where we took the Cadillac Lyriq to Michigan, and another where we took the BMW i7 to north Québec. Neither trip had issues finding chargers, however things were much easier in Quebec than anywhere else.
That's why I am going back to ICE for my next car until the charging network sorts itself out. I live in Ottawa and have driven a Tesla for the last 4 years. I never had a problem charging the Tesla on the Tesla Superchargers, but when I tried using only the CCS chargers with a Tesla adapter for a trip to Windsor and back, it was a disaster, so that is a no go for me at this time. I have had enough of Tesla, so that leaves ICE for a while. Unfortunate as I liked the EV lifestyle.
That was part of our issue this past year going to Québec north of Ottawa from our area near London, the charging infrastructure the province went with, Ivy, is not reliable. We had problems at every charger we attempted to use along our route, but had no issues with other stations.
@@PRNTestDrive I made a deal this week to trade my Tesla in for a 2025 Mercedes GLC300. We'll see what the charging network looks like 4-5 years from now. Hopefully it is sorted out by then and I can consider another EV.
"Malicious compliance" is a term I've heard bandied about. "Yeah...sure...we'll offer EV charging. We'll do it OUR way. We won't do what is convenient for customers...and they can't make us! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!" I wish you all the best. The petrol stations solved this problem one hundred years ago...when companies seemed less cutthroat and malicious, I suppose. Aloha.
That's one of the reasons I doubt Hydrogen will catch on like Toyota is hoping, I think there are half a dozen stations in Canada to fill up at, making it insane to use.
@@PRNTestDrive Here's a strange thing. Here in Hawai'i, the US Navy and Air Force "crack" seawater into hydrogen and oxygen using solar power. They made enough to fuel the one or two Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicles that some people bought here. Only Hawai'i and California in the USA...to my very limited knowledge...seem to be able to do this as of this writing. I enjoy EVs; they are nice and quiet in my neighbourhood. I hope Canada can make some more of this type of infrastructure. That would be a long row to hoe, however. Perhaps hydrogen is best used by big rigs and...who knows? Maybe some diesel-electric locomotives could run off the stuff, too.
@@theintruder77 Indeed. I don't like to complain about charging stations. In my second decade without a car at all, all I can do is ride my pedal bike to alleviate some of the traffic, noise and electricity usage. I'm too tired to complain, now....
Lots of recent comments on this one, sounds like it's getting picked up by the algorithm. I still stand by what we discussed in this video, Ontario is no better off today with electric infrastructure than we were a year ago, but I'm so glad the government is spending ad money talking about how this province is going to be a leader in EV manufacturing.
@@PRNTestDrive I'm at least very happy to live in Burlington where there's lots of EV chargers - probably as many or even more than in all of Toronto. NIMBY-ism is what's stifling EV adoption as well as political ignorance. Toronto will have one hell of a shock on 2035.
@@PRNTestDrive Yes charging will change over time. For the amount of driving I do a month an EV makes sense as 99% would be done at home and passably with solar later on. They are not for everyone. Chose what works for you.
@@theintruder77 Wow that is nice as much as I agree that a EV is not for everyone. I am looking at them at the moment. I do have several options for charging. Like at home or even solar if the power goes out. Unless the gas station has some form of auxiliary power you will not be able to fill your tanks from the pump. Yes a generator can be used as well. But do you have a gas station and refinery at home. Like I said EV's are not for everyone. But your statement like most of this type are stale and past the due date.
Its very true, they aren't for everyone yet. We've discussed it in the past, I believe on an EV buyers guide video I did a few years ago. Think of an EV like a wrench in your toolbox, it's got it's uses but some may need a ratchet, others a hammer. Maybe you need all 3 but use one less than the others. It really does come down to buying what works best for you.
I know quite a few Tesla owners and they all have zero issues with finding and using Tesla chargers. One guy i work with lives in an appartment and he just goes to Wal-Mart here in Cambridge once a week, watches a bit of netflix while hes charging and hes good to go. But i do agree, Ontario needs better and more forward thinking when it comes to EVs. I just dont think Doug Ford really cares.
It really depends on the area. Where my folks are in Mississauga there's a Tesla station a few minutes away from them. On the flip side in St. Thomas you'd have to drive out to London for one. All depends on location.
@PRNTestDrive oh I agree completely. And also lifestyle. An EV would suit me extremely well, but maybe not others. Hopefully more chargers and, fingers crossed, sodium batteries or solid state batteries that have much more range and charge much quicker are all on the horizon. 🤞
Back in Quebec it was a great purchase, I still miss my little Focus Electric. Out here not so much, and to be fair I knew that before moving which is why I sold my Focus.
I had thought about doing that, just buying the wiring and running it to a box and prepping everything. Knowing me I'd end up buying the wrong gauge of wire or something.
As a tax payer , I feel the private sector should cover this . As you would say, You can take it or leave it , but I think this EV movement will fail . But I think EV’s are a good idea for “some “ people.
Personally I feel Québec has had the right approach, they have a provincial network that communicates between all the different EV chargers, making it easier for consumers to use them. Businesses have an incentive to install chargers, and that's certainly where the market needs to go. Even here in our city we're getting more L2 chargers installed at business locations, giving people more options.
I think EVs average out to be very bad for the environment. Especially when batteries fail, car is scrapped for minor accident or it catches fire emits toxic fumes and causes collateral damage.
Those are certainly good points to consider, at the same time though the oil used on ICE vehicles isn't needed, meaning over the course of 200k kms you aren't using engine/transmission oil, nor gasoline. EVs may not necessarily be eco-friendly, but they potentially aren't any worse than traditional ICE vehicles. More research needs to be done.
After filming and editing this I browsed a few of my charging apps. Petro-Canada has a 200 kW charger not too far from me, doesn't show up on anyone else's network map. Electrify Canada had some 150 kW and 50 kW chargers in London near the Shell I went to, also not on anyone else's network map. This is the exact problem I'm talking about.
Maybe the government of Ontario is not competent.
That's a fact 🥲
Par "Ford" the course.
I live in the US where local charging infrastructure is really lacking. It's easy to get from point a to point b however if "b" is in a rural area forget about charging. I was recently traveling to Québec and I was amazed at the number of DC charging stations present in most towns. ❤
Québec is definitely ahead in terms of infrastructure in North America, but they still have a long way to go.
EV sales are not going well. It is a mistake to buy one. Their used value is pathetic because the closer you get to 10 years of use the closer you get to replacing the battery for more than the vehicle is worth. I cannot imagine buying a used EV and then a year or so later spending $10,000 or more for a new battery and then there is the pollution of getting rid of the lithium battery. Big mistake.
Biggest driver of EVSE installation cost (after the station itself) is the wire from the panel to the station. If the distance is short, you're golden.
Ontario has crappy charging infrastructure because Doug Ford only wants EV jobs, not EV's themselves.
Tell me about it. $1,500 to install my EV charger in Ontario, versus the $300 it was in Québec. Yes the distance was longer in Ontario, maybe 25ft versus the 12ft in QC.
Rob Ford set the province back when he became premier by cancelling provincial infrastructure funding for EVs, eliminating the incentives for EV purchases and spending a ton to cancel planned renewable energy generation projects.
All that said I really haven’t encountered many issues with charging the car over the last four years.
Yep! We had bought a 1st gen EV just before that, 100km range between DC charging stops on road trips and with that he made going to east or west from TO in the winter impossible (ie Ottawa). Things are improving now - but the reliability of the chargers, esp. for those of us with CADEMO is a big issue. But I suppose that all of that pales in comparison to the number of houses our EV has burned down and the sheer expense of replacing the battery pack a billion times as it's got 180,000 km on it (car was a former taxi from Quebec!)
@@eTwisted
I am in the same boat with a 40 kWh LEAF north of London Ontario. No issue driving to Toronto, up to Collingwood and my normal driving. I admit it isn’t a car suitable for a trip to Florida but there are EV options that will do that. The reason I have the LEAF is that it was affordable and I wasn’t sure if an EV was going to work for me, that was four years ago and now I don’t believe that there is another ICE vehicle in my future.
Agreed 100%.
@@gerhardk98 We drive to Florida or Texas non-stop except for gas in less than a couple of dozen hours. No hotel costs. No long stops and a gas fillup is only a few minutes. EVs are useless in sub zero weather. Efficiency is so poor even in the latest models. It would take us two days to get to our relatives place North of Lake Superior or maybe three days in mid-winter when it falls to -40 degrees. At $200 plus per night and meals an EV is not the way to go.
@@theintruder77
I wouldn’t enjoy that kind of trip, we usually drive to Lexington KY and stay with friends. Then we spend couple of nights in Nashville or Memphis and have another stop before Sarasota. We arrive refreshed rather than worn out, different strokes for different folks.
Having been driving an EV in Ontario for over 6 years now, I agree that the charging companies should be mandated to use a standard card or app. An alternative would be to have all stations accept a credit card , just like the gas stations. A home charger is almost a must, I did a deal with the electrician and did the wiring myself and he inspected it and did the connections. The cost including the charger was about $1200. My new EV has over 450km range and I have no problems finding a charger - the Plug Share app is a god-send and makes life a lot simpler. One of the major advantages of the Tesla network is that the locations are all well chosen, with nearby facilities, so I am in favour of being able to use them.
Québec has been expanding their network at a fast rate, I spent half a week there for an event and was reminded by how much better the infrastructure was. For any of the electrics I drive I don't have a problem charging, as I have a L2 at home. It's dropping the cars back off that make it difficult as I need to bring them back with at least 75% charge, and there aren't as many convenient stations in the GTA as there are in the Greater Montreal area.
My gas powered vehicle has a range of over 700km with a 5 minute stop for gas and then go another 700 km. Can your EV do that? No it can't. Can you go from London to White River in 11 hours in your EV. No you cannot.
Quebec is so far ahead. Ontario's Government is an embarrassment.
Can't argue with you there!
Great video! I live in Toronto and take long trips around the province. I have been on the fence about jumping on the EV bandwagon but refraining from doing so until there is a solid charging network in place.
We've had a lot of comments on this video all of a sudden, curious to know if you were searching for this sort of video, or if you stumbled on it while browsing for other things.
@@PRNTestDrive since I’ve been watching a lot of videos about EVs in general and specifically EVs in Canada recently, and also made a few comments on videos, I guess the God algorithm suggested me your video too.
Great video showing a careless driver removing his hands from the steering wheel so many times I lost count. Police should seek him out and lay careless driving charges. Using this video in court ensures a conviction.
Cops up here give zero shits about things like this, so give up on your comments. This is like 4 times now you've said the same thing, MOVE ON
Quebec is a generation ahead of Ontario with EV buying and charging. Ontario's current government is a huge obstacle to development, they are good at pretending to be pro-EV, but what is really the Ford government's priority is sending lots of public cash to corporate backers in the auto and mining sector. If they happen to create EV's? Great, but it isn't a plan, and there are no real priorities beyond Ford's PR stunts. Here are things I'd like to see a future gov't address: provincial level EV purchase rebates to make buying more affordable (EV's are still priced too high, another $10k off would help in addition to the fed rebate), a serious EV charging investment for getting chargers everywhere (a healthy set of level 2 chargers in every strip mall and regular mall parking, and fast chargers along all routes province-wide), and laws that do not make it optional for landlords to "opt out" of residents' requests to put a 220/240 volt outlet in their parking spot for home charging. If renters request it, it should be legally required to provide access. It should never be a landlord's choice to say no, as this creates a huge stumble in EV adoption. The last item is overlooked, but is very important. Most people live in cities, and we rent. I rent, I am in Toronto, I have no plans to leave and can't afford another home that would have a charger... And I have to use public chargers as a result of this, and I have no desire to move very far out of the city. But again, we'll need a new government with better priorities.
Again, with Ford, you have to remember, he is a PR stunt king. I call him Ontario's used car salesman. He'll tell you what you want to hear to buy his product, but you'll find out the problems afterwards. He will say he's pro-EV, but its purely about the largest corporations and their bottom line. There is no actual plan out of this government - beyond advertising - to beef up the EV market or make actual use and purchase and charging better in this province. This is what people should take into consideration next time we have a choice to get rid of them.
HOWEVER, as much as I dislike Ford, the situation absolutely is worse south of the border. I travel to see family and it always requires going through Ohio and Kentucky. Interstate 75 between Detroit and Nashville is a disaster for EV charging considering the very major cities along its route and the fact its a main connection to Canada with the largest trade for the entire US going across the Windsor-Detroit corridor. Talk about total charging deserts, its almost laughable. Fast charging is laughably sparse, and where available often in use because of the scarcity. Biden's EV investments are installing a few gov't funded chargers in Ohio, I hear there are a few coming online soon at truck stops, but its not enough. I've seen the map and its still sparse, but maybe will help with my trips down south. Even with improvements, they'll be years behind Ontario in a few years from now. LOL Ontario is behind Quebec, but so much of the US is so far behind Ontario. Go figure! So, there is always worse... Apparently.
You've made some great points, I appreciate you taking the time to go over them! I agree that the US has some issues with their charging network also, one thing we hear often is how 'great' Tesla's supercharger network is, but it's usually from US viewers where Tesla is the dominant force down there.
Love your videos, big guy 😍
Glad you like them!
Lots of good points👍
Disagree 100% on your point of others should not be adapting NACS, we need one standard and Tesla put the R&D in ti make a great charger. I am hoping to charge my Chevy Bolt on their network as they put a bunch in up at Port Severn on my way up to Parry Sound😍
Cheers
We've all got our own opinions about it, I don't feel Tesla is a good company to control anything given how volatile it's CEO is.
EVs need to have a minimum 600-700km with use all of accessories and climate control. Canada is too big of a country with a lot of unpredictable weather for these cars to replace gas cars. I know this from personal experience lol
I've noticed with these newer EVs like this Lightning or the Genesis GV60 from a few weeks ago that the HVAC settings don't make as large of an impact as they did on EVs from a few years ago. Temperatures have been around the 10ºC mark, having the heat/AC on or off doesn't change the range, maybe by a few kms at the most. While larger range EVs will help with adoption, they won't do anything if the battery packs are 200 kW in capacity and Ontario still rolls out 50 kW chargers.
@@PRNTestDrive even in Quebec, i found one of those fast chargers (I think 150kw) but it was still only charging at 45kw. I was told the charge rate depends on how many users are using the grid and also nearby structures that require a lot of electricity.
@karimbulldogs1435 it’s certainly possible, and that’s something else that would need to be addressed to make EVs sustainable.
That's my magic # as well. I wouldnt normally want to drive more than 5 hrs on a road trip without having a meal or other extended stop so that checks that box, with still a pretty good range In a cold winter. Also Lucid Air has a range in the 600ish km' realm, so the tech is actually already here, it just needs to drop $100k+ in price :)
@@JoeUrbanYYC yeah I can drive 5-6 hours straight before needing to stop for like an hour. But like stopping every 2-3 hours and charging for one is painful AF
Living in Mississauga (app. 900,000 pop. bordering Toronto) I’ve recommended charge-at-home Plug-ins (PHEV’s) for 3 years. Mine is a 9.5 KWh battery offering more than 40 kms in the summer and a little less in the winter due to snow tires. Past that distance, my total freedom to choose a route, change my route, and not have to suffer long wait times, happily costs me only 2 or 3 tanks of gas PER YEAR. It takes only two hours to fully charge, I use purely electricity once or twice, seven days a week, and wear and tear on my engine is negligible…I think birds are living in my tailpipe. My recommendation to everybody in Southern Ontario, at this time, would be a 2020 Ford Escape Plug-in (app. $25,000) if you don’t mind that it’s only FWD.
PHEVs are definitely the way to go, and something we spoke highly about as early as 2018 when we started featuring them on the show. It provides the best mix of electric driving and overall range, but OEMs have been slow to produce them.
In the area you seem to be in (around London?), there are supercharger stations in Exeter, London, Simcoe, and Windsor.... that you could use for your F-150. I think you should invest in an adaptor and try the tesla stations. I think it will help you a lot for charging on the road. Probably more Tesla stations than all the others combined.
The Tesla network is worse for you in Quebec, where most of the chargers are v2 and so only work with Teslas. There seem to be a lot of v3's in Ontario.
People don't necessarily need fast chargers where they live, they need to be available elsewhere to charge on the go. I'm personally not a fan of Tesla, I don't feel it's a brand that should be trusted given their leadership. Changes will need to be made to those stations in order to accommodate these new vehicles, as the cables are too short to reach a lot of these non-Tesla vehicles, causing owners to park inconveniently and block stations.
@@PRNTestDrive uh... Tesla != Musk.
I think ford even gives you the adaptor free, and Tesla is usually cheaper per electron that other networks. Your choice.
Teslas are great, There are a lot of other good people who work there, but you go ahead and punish yourself and complain there is no charging because orange man bad.
Two owners of Ford EVs returned their cars to dealers down here within two months because they failed to come even close to the range advertised. Both had to use their CAA cards for towing to a charging station while on the road in the middle of the night on the 400 hwy north. I think that they are still in court suing Ford over this false advertising.
In my view, if you want to save gas, get a hybrid; if you’re concerned about our environment, go hug a tree. Or, plant one. I think EVs are a dead end tech. We should focus efforts on hydrogen and further refining the efficiency of ICE and hybrids.
If EVs have a future other than golf carts, it’s as a fleet vehicle for local deliveries or passenger transport. Fleets have the means to install high output charging stations, and the vehicles can charge overnight, ready for work the next morning. /rant over
Hybrid really is the way to go, I've been saying that for years now. Everything should just be a regular hybrid by default. I was very tempted by the S 450 Hybrid W221 when I was shopping mine, but they only came in RWD and not 4matic.
Hybrids don’t offer anything but added complexity.
From my experience just charge at Tesla where available and EC avoid any chargers that charge by the minute they are incentivized to keep you there longer and screw steal your money. The federal government needs to mandate that these companies are only allowed to sell by kW could you imagine in they sold gas by the minute 🙄
The federal government has already started the change. Did you not know that?
@@ScubaSteveCanada this is good news that I didn’t know about I am from Alberta(the land that thinks that’s evs are dumb) but I love mine this will be my first winter with my Mach e
Tesla charging stations aren't as prolific as they are elsewhere, like in the US. We've done a number of road trips since this video, one where we took the Cadillac Lyriq to Michigan, and another where we took the BMW i7 to north Québec. Neither trip had issues finding chargers, however things were much easier in Quebec than anywhere else.
That's why I am going back to ICE for my next car until the charging network sorts itself out. I live in Ottawa and have driven a Tesla for the last 4 years. I never had a problem charging the Tesla on the Tesla Superchargers, but when I tried using only the CCS chargers with a Tesla adapter for a trip to Windsor and back, it was a disaster, so that is a no go for me at this time. I have had enough of Tesla, so that leaves ICE for a while. Unfortunate as I liked the EV lifestyle.
That was part of our issue this past year going to Québec north of Ottawa from our area near London, the charging infrastructure the province went with, Ivy, is not reliable. We had problems at every charger we attempted to use along our route, but had no issues with other stations.
@@PRNTestDrive I made a deal this week to trade my Tesla in for a 2025 Mercedes GLC300. We'll see what the charging network looks like 4-5 years from now. Hopefully it is sorted out by then and I can consider another EV.
Can't go wrong with the GLC!
@@PRNTestDrive Hope so. Thanks
"Malicious compliance" is a term I've heard bandied about. "Yeah...sure...we'll offer EV charging. We'll do it OUR way. We won't do what is convenient for customers...and they can't make us! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!" I wish you all the best. The petrol stations solved this problem one hundred years ago...when companies seemed less cutthroat and malicious, I suppose. Aloha.
That's one of the reasons I doubt Hydrogen will catch on like Toyota is hoping, I think there are half a dozen stations in Canada to fill up at, making it insane to use.
@@PRNTestDrive Here's a strange thing. Here in Hawai'i, the US Navy and Air Force "crack" seawater into hydrogen and oxygen using solar power. They made enough to fuel the one or two Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicles that some people bought here. Only Hawai'i and California in the USA...to my very limited knowledge...seem to be able to do this as of this writing. I enjoy EVs; they are nice and quiet in my neighbourhood. I hope Canada can make some more of this type of infrastructure. That would be a long row to hoe, however. Perhaps hydrogen is best used by big rigs and...who knows? Maybe some diesel-electric locomotives could run off the stuff, too.
Amazing how many whiners there are with EVs demanding these things from the Government. Nobody else but EV drivers cares about your plight.
@@theintruder77 Indeed. I don't like to complain about charging stations.
In my second decade without a car at all, all I can do is ride my pedal bike to alleviate some of the traffic, noise and electricity usage.
I'm too tired to complain, now....
Yup, 100%. You hit all the nails right on the head.
Lots of recent comments on this one, sounds like it's getting picked up by the algorithm. I still stand by what we discussed in this video, Ontario is no better off today with electric infrastructure than we were a year ago, but I'm so glad the government is spending ad money talking about how this province is going to be a leader in EV manufacturing.
@@PRNTestDrive I'm at least very happy to live in Burlington where there's lots of EV chargers - probably as many or even more than in all of Toronto. NIMBY-ism is what's stifling EV adoption as well as political ignorance. Toronto will have one hell of a shock on 2035.
I hear that! I don't get out to Halton region much, but I'm glad to hear you have plenty of chargers out there!
The same issue with gas cars many years ago very few fill up points. I am sure things will change with time like it did for gas cars.
It hasn't gotten any better since we published this video, but maybe in time it will.
Years ago you could always carry a few spare gas cans. Try and carry a few spare batteries. LOL
@@PRNTestDrive Yes charging will change over time. For the amount of driving I do a month an EV makes sense as 99% would be done at home and passably with solar later on. They are not for everyone. Chose what works for you.
@@theintruder77 Wow that is nice as much as I agree that a EV is not for everyone. I am looking at them at the moment. I do have several options for charging. Like at home or even solar if the power goes out. Unless the gas station has some form of auxiliary power you will not be able to fill your tanks from the pump.
Yes a generator can be used as well. But do you have a gas station and refinery at home. Like I said EV's are not for everyone. But your statement like most of this type are stale and past the due date.
Its very true, they aren't for everyone yet. We've discussed it in the past, I believe on an EV buyers guide video I did a few years ago. Think of an EV like a wrench in your toolbox, it's got it's uses but some may need a ratchet, others a hammer. Maybe you need all 3 but use one less than the others. It really does come down to buying what works best for you.
I know quite a few Tesla owners and they all have zero issues with finding and using Tesla chargers. One guy i work with lives in an appartment and he just goes to Wal-Mart here in Cambridge once a week, watches a bit of netflix while hes charging and hes good to go.
But i do agree, Ontario needs better and more forward thinking when it comes to EVs. I just dont think Doug Ford really cares.
It really depends on the area. Where my folks are in Mississauga there's a Tesla station a few minutes away from them. On the flip side in St. Thomas you'd have to drive out to London for one. All depends on location.
@PRNTestDrive oh I agree completely. And also lifestyle. An EV would suit me extremely well, but maybe not others.
Hopefully more chargers and, fingers crossed, sodium batteries or solid state batteries that have much more range and charge much quicker are all on the horizon. 🤞
@@PRNTestDrive That's bizarre. I live in Exeter, population about 4,000 with a Tesla charging station (8 chargers I think) at our local CTC store.
EV or not you should be walking more rather than shaking your food baby in a car seat all day long
snoring
Loved the circuit electrique in the saugenay fjord area.
Québec's infrastructure is quite good, I never had issues with the chargers I used, just the locations or lack thereof of certain areas.
Another good reason to not purchase an EV. Maybe one day.
Back in Quebec it was a great purchase, I still miss my little Focus Electric. Out here not so much, and to be fair I knew that before moving which is why I sold my Focus.
I installed my charger myself, and got it inspected by my electricien friend, not very hard to do.
I had thought about doing that, just buying the wiring and running it to a box and prepping everything. Knowing me I'd end up buying the wrong gauge of wire or something.
As a tax payer , I feel the private sector should cover this . As you would say, You can take it or leave it , but I think this EV movement will fail . But I think EV’s are a good idea for “some “ people.
Personally I feel Québec has had the right approach, they have a provincial network that communicates between all the different EV chargers, making it easier for consumers to use them. Businesses have an incentive to install chargers, and that's certainly where the market needs to go. Even here in our city we're getting more L2 chargers installed at business locations, giving people more options.
I think EVs average out to be very bad for the environment. Especially when batteries fail, car is scrapped for minor accident or it catches fire emits toxic fumes and causes collateral damage.
Those are certainly good points to consider, at the same time though the oil used on ICE vehicles isn't needed, meaning over the course of 200k kms you aren't using engine/transmission oil, nor gasoline. EVs may not necessarily be eco-friendly, but they potentially aren't any worse than traditional ICE vehicles. More research needs to be done.
I am waiting for Toyota to change the market. Coming in 2 years.
We'll see!
You're being factitious right?