Pollution Probe Launches Electric Vehicle Charging Experience Surveys as part of Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative Project

Annual surveys will raise awareness of EV and charging infrastructure technological capabilities.

TORONTO  – June 7, 2023 – Pollution Probe is pleased to announce it has launched its innovative Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative project. As part of the project, annual surveys will be conducted in 2023 and 2024 to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Canada’s public EV charging network.

These surveys will help inform public policies and priority-setting. They will build upon and extend a similar survey conducted by Pollution Probe in 2021-22. By collecting this data, Pollution Probe aims to raise awareness of EV and charging infrastructure technological capabilities and gain insights that can help inform policy decisions aimed at improving the adoption of electric vehicles and the development of charging infrastructure across the country. Pollution Probe also aims to gain a deeper understanding of the charging experiences of electric vehicle (EV) owners in Canada in real-world situations.

Reducing transportation emissions is critical to achieving the Government’s more ambitious climate change commitments and is consistent with the global shift toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The Government of Canada has set an ambitious and achievable target for all new light-duty cars and passenger truck sales to be ZEVs by 2035. Pollution Probe’s report outlining survey results and significant discoveries will be made public this summer.

Funding for the project was announced at the EV and Charger Expo 2023 on May 17, 2023, at the Enercare Centre, Toronto. NRCan is investing $179,999 in Pollution Probe to execute annual surveys of EV charging experiences through the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI).

Pollution Probe is pleased to partner with Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou at the University of Toronto on this project. Professor Hatzopoulou leads the Transportation and Air Quality (TRAQ) research group at the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, studying the interactions between transportation, air quality, climate and health.

Christopher Hilkene, Chief Executive Officer at Pollution Probe, said, “Canada has set aggressive targets for electric vehicles to make up 100% of Canada’s light-duty vehicle and passenger truck sales by 2035. To help achieve these targets, Pollution Probe is working with the Government of Canada and our partners to build out an accessible, robust and efficient public charging network that will help provide Canadians with cleaner air and a reduced climate footprint.”

“Pollution Probe is pleased to receive this funding from Natural Resources Canada. Building on our successful EV owners’ survey from 2022, this project will produce follow-up surveys in 2023 and 2024 to better understand how EV owners’ satisfaction with the charging network is changing over time. It will also help inform potential EV owners across Canada on the state of public charging from coast to coast.”

Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, Director of Positive Zero Transport Futures at the University of Toronto, said, “Understanding charging behaviour is essential for the design of optimal charging infrastructure that enables transport electrification for all Canadians, especially those who do not have access to home charging or drivers in the vehicle for hire industry.”

“The Government of Canada is supporting Canadians to accelerate to a net-zero future, including by supporting the purchase, manufacturing and charging of electric vehicles,” said Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources. “I am pleased to announce new supports for local organizations across the country to raise awareness about zero-emission vehicles to help Canadians make the switch.”

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About Pollution Probe

Pollution Probe is a national, not-for-profit, charitable organization that pursues environmental gains by productively working with governments, industry and the public. With a steadfast commitment to clean air, clean water and a healthy planet, Pollution Probe has been at the forefront of environmental issues and action since its inception in 1969.