The NL Automobile Dealers Association says the federal government’s new regulations calling for the complete phase-out of the sale of new combustion cars, trucks and SUVS by 2035 does not seem to have taken into account the infrastructure that needs to be in place in order for that to be successful.
Executive Director Marian Templeton says Canada has a vast geography and a lot of infrastructure needs to be in place in remote areas in order to accommodate electric vehicles.
Even in Newfoundland and Labrador, charging stations will have to be in place in a large number of convenient locations in remote areas in order for people to be able to move around. “We don’t think that they really thought-through what needs to be put in place in order for these goals to happen.”
As an example, Templeton says there are currently no public fast charging stations in the east end of St. John’s, the closest one to the Portugal Cove Road / Higgins Line intersection being in Paradise.
She says if you were to drive from St. John’s to Port aux Basques there are charging stations available, but there aren’t many electric vehicles along the road, which means you shouldn’t have trouble getting a spot, but many more will need to be put in place as the number of electric vehicles increases.
She says greater attention and more funding must be provided for charging stations to be up and functioning by 2035.