Manitoba drivers looking to go electric amid soaring gas prices face long delays

Pulling up at the pumps these days, Trinity Janitorial owner Phil Payjack prepares to feel the squeeze.

At more than $2 a litre, the cost of filling up the 120-litre tank on his 2021 Ford F-150 now sets him back more than $200.

“I’m averaging over $1000 a month in fuel,” Payjack said. “So to shift to an EV (electric vehicle) I think that just makes sense.”

An electric version of the vehicle wasn’t available when he bought the truck which he needs to haul equipment and supplies for his business.

But given the price of petrol he wants to ditch his gas guzzler for a battery-powered vehicle.

The problem is he can’t get one.

He’s been told Ford isn’t accepting new orders on its Ford F-150 Lightning all-electric truck at the moment and once he does get on a waiting list it could be 2024 before a new vehicle’s delivered.

“I was definitely surprised but the second thing that went through my mind was how much more in fuel I’ll be spending over the next two years waiting for the potential to get that electric vehicle,” Payjack said.

The Manitoba Motor Dealers Association acknowledges options are limited when purchasing electric or gas vehicles, blaming a shortage of critical parts including semiconductor chips and COVID-related manufacturing delays.

According to Statistics Canada, there were just 356 new electric vehicles registered in Manitoba last year compared to more than 42,000 gas-powered cars.

For its part, Ford of Canada said F-150 Lightnings are currently on their way to customers across North America.

“With nearly 200,000 reservations, Ford announced in January the plan to nearly double production capacity of the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup to 150,000 vehicles per year at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, to meet soaring customer demand,” the company said in a statement.

But it’s not just electric vehicles.

Robb Massey, the owner of Olympia Cycle and Ski on Portage Avenue, said electric bikes and the more traditional pedal-only bikes remain in high demand.

“We’re all looking at our budgets and figuring out: the price of groceries is going up, the price of getting our goods here is going up, the price of getting to things is going up,” Massey said, noting many people are trying to figure how using a bicycle could help bring down their cost of living.

While the shop has a good selection of new bikes, Massey said you may already have one that could meet your commuting needs with a few adjustments or upgrades.

“Chances are if you kind of like the bike you’re on, we can help you love it,” Massey said.

Payjack is on board with the push to more sustainable modes of transportation but finds it frustrating he’ll be subject to the federal carbon tax and provincial gas tax until he can get the EV he wants.

He thinks putting a pause on some taxes, something Alberta’s done, would help give consumers who want to make a change, a break.

“Maybe that’s something we can look at doing here as well,” Payjack said. “I don’t know. I’m just the janitor but I am definitely feeling the squeeze at the pump.”

Manitoba has previously said it has no plans to put a pause on the provincial gas tax.

While there are no specific incentives to buy EVs in Manitoba like there are in BC and Quebec, a provincial spokesperson pointed to Manitoba’s low electricity rates as a form of an incentive to go electric because they make EVs inexpensive to charge.

There is a federal rebate available for up to $5,000 on the purchase of a zero-emission vehicle.

Transport Canada said it has helped Canadians purchase or lease 144,000 new zero-emission vehicles since 2019.

Ottawa didn’t comment on any relief for drivers amid EV shortages but said increasing the availability of zero-emission vehicles is a key part of its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.

“The Government of Canada will continue to pursue a combination of supportive measures and regulations to boost both the supply and demand of zero-emission vehicles across Canada,” Transport Canada said in an emailed statement. “In particular, the Government of Canada will be implementing a zero-emission vehicle regulated sales mandate where by 2035, 100% of new light-duty vehicle sales will need to be zero-emission, with interim requirements of at least 20% by 2026 and at least 60% by 2030.”

The federal government said it has committed to supporting the auto industry to increase the production of EVs through investments of $295 million for battery electric vehicle production at Ford’s Oakville, Ont. assembly facility and $259 million for General Motors of Canada to support the transformation of an assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont. to a full-scale electric vehicle production facility.