Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative(ZEVAI)
The Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) supports projects that aim to increase awareness, knowledge and public confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) and public charging and refueling infrastructure. The ZEVAI helps fund outreach, education, and capacity-building activities, ultimately enabling greater adoption of ZEVs by Canadians in all regions of the country.
Mission
On-road transportation accounts for about 20 percent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing transportation emissions is critical to achieving the Government’s ambitious climate change commitments and is consistent with the global shift toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEV).
To accelerate the path to net zero, the Government of Canada has set a mandatory target for all new light-duty cars and passenger truck sales to be ZEVs by 2035. However, nationwide surveys consistently show that a lack of awareness, knowledge and public confidence in ZEVs is a key barrier to adoption on a wider scale. Addressing gaps in ZEV knowledge and experience for consumers and businesses is therefore critical to supporting Canadians through the decision-making process to purchasing a ZEV.
Vision
The Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) aims to increase awareness, knowledge and public confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). ZEVAI will help fund outreach, education, and capacity-building activities, ultimately enabling greater adoption of ZEVs by Canadians in all regions of the country.
What Are ZEVs?
Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) do not produce polluting emissions like conventional gas-powered vehicles. While ZEVs are gaining traction, many Canadians are unaware of how ZEVs function and why they are a better alternative to gas-powered alternatives. It’s important to break down these knowledge gaps and to demonstrate to Canadians that, ZEVs, (including electric batteries, hybrid plug-ins and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles), are of more value than internal combustion engine vehicles.
Nationwide surveys repeatedly show that this lack of awareness, knowledge and public confidence is a crucial barrier for ZEVs.
Canadian studies demonstrate that inadequate information, and a lack of confidence, hinder the widespread adoption of ZEVs. For this reason, it is important to support Canadian consumers through awareness efforts so they can make informed decisions when purchasing ZEVs.
PATH TO ZERO EMISSIONS
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Canada is committed to having ZEVs make up the bulk of all new light-duty vehicles. This includes having electric independently owned cars manufactured and sold in Canada
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By 2040, all newly manufactured and sold medium/heavy vehicles will be electric wherever it is feasible to do so.
For Canada to reach its net-zero commitments by 2050, transportation vehicles of all sizes must become sustainable.
