Driving Down GHG in Toronto: Factors Shaping Electric Vehicle (EV) Ownership, Drive Patterns, and Behaviours

With the ongoing threat of anthropogenic climate warming, understanding how stakeholders in Ontario can accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to maximize their environmental and economic benefits is of great importance. The large-scale adoption of EVs requires further research to understand consumer demand and social valuations. Ontario has over 5,000 EV drivers on the road that make up 32% of Canada’s total EV drivers. However, there is virtually no information about their demographic profile, where they drive or why they bought an EV. The survey will identify the behaviours of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s (GTHA) EV driving community and thereby: provide information about EV usage patterns to Ontario’s electricity distributors, inform practical EV policies and programs, and identify optimal regions to install public charging stations. Transportation is the largest source of Ontario’s GHG emissions and is responsible for approximately 40% of the city’s total emissions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Philip Walsh

Student:

Joshua Goodfield

Partner:

Plug’n Drive

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Automotive and transportation

University:

Ryerson University