Local auto group has an electrifying reach

Thinking about making the switch? Talk to some EV owners first

If you have an electric vehicle, congratulations — you have joined the most positive shift in transportation and energy since the horse and buggy.

British Columbians are at the leading edge of this revolution, a fact that can be seen on any public thoroughfare in Greater Victoria where 25 per cent of new vehicle sales last year were electric.

You should be thinking of making the switch, but be warned: going electric is not the simple as buying another vehicle powered by fossil fuels. It would pay to touch base with experienced EV owners.

That is where VicEVA — the Victoria Electric Vehicle Association — can help. VicEVA is a non-profit, volunteer-run association committed to helping accelerate the shift to renewable energy.

The association has more than 3,000 members across North America. It is free to join and has no corporate or political affiliations.

VicEVA conducts public outreach events, online presentations, public education, research, and shares electric vehicle media as well as our own, all to demonstrate that the electric vehicle future is here with cleaner, greener, smarter, and fun transportation options.

These include the option for home, community, and grid solar energy to complement BC’s clean hydro resources.

VicEVA advocates on behalf of EV owners to government at all three levels and suggests policy that advances public, business, and private EV use.

That advocacy is powered by independent research, assessment, and knowledge of energy systems and the transportation status quo as well as how the shift to non-emitting transportation is key to our sustainable future.

While the world is full of information about this shift, there is much that is misleading and contentious. VicEVA’s mission is to help guide concerned citizens through this morass with proven examples of success.

For instance, global production of legacy internal combustion engine vehicles peaked at 96 million in 2017.

The annual total dropped to 75 million in 2022, with electric vehicles taking up the slack.

In 2017, 1.2 million electric vehicles were sold, and in 2022 10.5 million were – a 900-percent increase.

So far in 2023, 2.3 million have made their way into personal and business fleets, with another 11 million sales expected by year’s end.

Want to know more? Read more about the VicEVA in the Times Colonist, or join us online at www.victoriaevasssociation. com, on Facebook at Victoria Electric Vehicle Association, or on YouTube at Victoria EV Association.