With the availability of smaller and more powerful batteries, range anxiety is fading into the past, says Patrick Breuer, zero-emissions vehicle fleet advisor with Plug In BC. “The ranges and battery packs are getting to [the size] you need for comfort that you have enough range to do your commute,” he says. The 2021 version of the Nissan Leaf offers a top range of 363 km. Others go even farther: Tesla’s 2021 Model Y crossover, for example, can do an impressive 525 km on a single charge.

Hybrids, too, have evolved enormously since Toyota introduced its game-changing Prius to the North American market 20 years ago. Traditional hybrids, which charge by capturing kinetic energy from driving and braking, are still around, offering great mileage compared to their gas counterparts. But most of today’s hybrid buyers go for a PHEV. These versatile vehicles plug in to charge, and can run fully electric for anywhere from 15 to 100 km on top of their gas range.

PHEVs are appealing for those who need one vehicle to do it all, says Breuer: “If you want to drive electric around the city regularly but still take a lot of long trips, a PHEV might be better for you.”

Cost is still keeping some people out of EVs and hybrids. And while it’s true EV and hybrid prices are higher than their gas counterparts, combustion engines are more expensive in the long run. According to Consumer Reports, you’ll spend around $8,000 to $13,000 less on an EV than a gas vehicle over its lifetime, factoring in all ownership costs. “If you go fully electric, you don’t have much maintenance. There are no fluids to change and there aren’t many moving parts,” Breuer says.

Government rebates help, too. BC offers a $3,000 provincial rebate for EVs that cost less than $55,000, while the federal government provides $5,000 for EVs with a base model starting under $45,000. BC’s Scrap-It program kicks in up to $6,000 if you scrap an older gas vehicle to buy an EV or hybrid.

EV and PHEV prices are likely to drop further as battery technology improves, adds Breuer. For instance, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised that new battery-manufacturing techniques will lead to cheaper batteries and a US$25,000 (CA$33,000) Tesla “in about three years.”

Budget shoppers who can’t wait have another option: buying used. Just be sure to get the vehicle checked by a qualified mechanic, and ask for a battery-capacity test before you buy. Most EV batteries have an eight-year or 160,000-km warranty, but many last long after these benchmarks have passed.

Public chargers are popping up in parking lots and communal spaces across North America. In BC alone, there are now more than 1,000 public charging stations, including the 240-volt Level 2 variety, which take a few hours to charge, plus fast chargers that can give a car 80 per cent of its maximum range in about 30 minutes. BC Hydro operates 70 fast-charging stations on provincial highways. This year, it’s adding more in places like Prince George and Bella Coola. (See plugshare.com for a map.)

While public chargers are useful for longer trips, or if you’re caught somewhere with a low charge, 99 per cent of vehicle charging still happens at home, Breuer says. And long trips in an EV still require planning. For instance: a battery with a 400-km range will achieve less when driving on steep mountain roads, accelerating constantly to pass or driving in cold weather with the heat blasting. So, to drive the 391 km from Vancouver to Kelowna in an EV this winter, you’d have to stop at least once for 30 to 45 minutes.

This may change. “Charging is becoming a lot faster,” says Breuer. “When fast chargers first came out, they were 50 kW. Now they’re coming out with chargers as fast as 375 kW.”

Currently, there aren’t any of these super-fast chargers in Canada, or cars that can use them. But it’s only a matter of time, if the technology continues at its current pace. Experts predict that by 2030, nearly half of all vehicles sold in Canada will be electric. That means many of us will be making the switch, soon.