We know we’re not alone in our curiosity about Electric Vehicles (or EVs), and there’s a lot of different info out there. Let’s take a quick look at what makes each style unique. If you’re looking to buy an electric car in Ontario, this article should help you decide which type is right for you.
Hybrids: Standard (HEV) VS Plug-in (PHEV)
A standard hybrid recharges its battery using the internal combustion engine and regenerative braking. Essentially the battery is there to help with fuel efficiency, not to power the car outright. Brake pads and rotors typically last longer in hybrid vehicles as a result of this technology.
A PHEV has a larger battery and can actually run on electric power alone. They do need to be plugged in to recharge, and they don’t have the lasting power of a fully electric vehicle. Some PHEVs will automatically use the electric motor under certain speeds, making them incredible fuel efficient for city driving.
Your commute and lifestyle are important to consider when looking to buy an electric car in Ontario. Because they don’t have the battery power of a fully electric car, they’re only truly efficient if you are mostly taking short trips and city driving. If you have a long commute or take long road trips, you’ll still be stopping for gas just as often as with a traditional car.
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) VS Hydrogen Fuel Cell
A fully charged BEV can provide over 320 KMs of range, making it great for longer trips where charging may be difficult to find. The great thing about BEVs is that they can be charged in a regular household outlet, as long as you have several hours to spare. Typically, they can be plugged in and charge overnight, ready for the morning commute!
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are relatively rare. They can travel nearly 500 KMs on a single tank of hydrogen and can be refilled in as little as 10 minutes! Sounds a little too good to be true, am I right? Well, currently there are only 7 public hydrogen fueling stations in all of Canada, mainly in British Columbia. Making that 500 KM range a little less impressive to those of us in Ontario.
Discounts
A fun fact about hybrid and electric vehicles is that they qualify for government rebates! In Canada’s quest to decrease our carbon footprint, there are multiple government programs offering financial incentives to those who purchase EVs. Who doesn’t want to save the planet and save money at the same time?
Fuel efficiency is important to everyone, but it can be hard to know what that really means. Want to know an easy way to find out the most fuel-efficient vehicles in every class? Just read this article!
The list, as compiled by Natural Resources Canada, is comprised of two parts: cars and light trucks. Seems over-simplified, but it encompasses a wide spectrum of vehicles (including some near and dear to our hearts).
Let’s start with Cars
You’ll notice that many on the list are hybrid vehicles, which isn’t a surprise. Hybrids are designed to be more fuel-efficient than conventional vehicles. Our smallest entrants are the Mazda MX-5 in the two-seater category, and MINI Cooper Convertible under minicompacts. We love knowing that there are sporty and fun options that offer low fuel consumption at the same time.
For a little more legroom we’ll check out the subcompact and compact categories. Here we have the Chevrolet Spark and Toyota Corolla Hybrid, respectively. Both perfectly charming vehicles that we can totally get behind.
Our Mid- & Full-Size candidates are both Hyundais: Elantra Hybrid Blue and IONIQ Blue. Hyundai stepping it up in the hybrid game! The Elantra is an iconic model and the more efficient it gets the more we’re into it.
Onto Station Wagons. Here we have three entrants that are all very reliable vehicle brands. Kia offers two options with its Niro and Niro FE. The Niro is a PHEV and is giving us SUV vibes, so if you’re looking for efficiency, lots of room for the fam, and style, this is a great option. Natural Resources Canada also lists the Volvo V90 CC B6 AWD as a mid-size station wagon that’s one of the few non-hybrid cars we’ve looked at today.
What about trucks and SUVs?
Don’t worry, we’ve got that covered too. The Ford Maverick Hybrid comes in under the Small Pickup Truck category. Who doesn’t love to see a Maverick in the mix? The Standard Pickup Trucks listed here are classic models being updated to fit into this ever-changing world: Chevrolet Silverado and (our favourite) RAM 1500 HFE EcoDiesel. Awesome to see power and efficiency in the same place.
We love the versatility of the SUV, and here we have 3 great choices: Ford Escape Hybrid (Small), Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD & Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD Limited/Platinum (Standard).
Last, but not least, there are a couple of Minivans to consider. The Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid are both hybrids, making all those trips to hockey practice and chess club more economical.
Now you know the most fuel-efficient vehicles for 2022 in Canada, you can see what we have to offer and get yourself into a new, more efficient car today!
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