TORONTO / VANCOUVER — The conversation around electric cars, heat pumps, and other clean technologies has reached a political boiling point, with President Trump waging war on clean energy and the rest of the world doubling down on it. And yet the main reason more Canadians aren’t adopting these solutions even faster isn’t controversy or a lack of interest—but rather the result of structural barriers getting in their way.
So finds a new study from Clean Energy Canada conducted in close partnership with Abacus Data. Powering this market research is a 3,000-person survey of Canada’s two largest English-speaking metro regions, the GTHA and Metro Vancouver, which was used to identify five distinct groups of potential clean technology adopters, ranging from the highly motivated to the not-at-all-interested.
The report, Empowering Households, includes specific insights into these personas, colloquially called Net-Zero Dads and Moms, Generation Green, Retired Homeowners, Practical Families, and Frugal Skeptics. A more vivid picture thus emerges of the modern clean technology adopter: who’s buying, who’s not, and what their real motivations and challenges are.
Our conclusion: enabling the next wave of adopters will require not simply selling people on their benefits—many are already sold—but on systematically breaking down the barriers keeping would-be EV drivers and heat pump owners from doing what they already want to do. Specifically:
- Respondents in these metro regions are largely open to clean technologies: 59% are inclined to buy an EV as their next car (69% in Vancouver), 56% have or positively view heat pumps, and 57% say it’s important their next home is energy smart.
- More than three-quarters have positive views around less-talked-about clean home technologies like smart thermostats (78%), rooftop solar panels (76%), and efficient electric water heaters (75%).
- Younger people are considerably more inclined to adopt clean technologies: 71% of those under 30 want an EV compared to 49% of people over 60. They are also more likely to rent or live in apartments, which pose unique structural barriers to adoption.
- Three-quarters (75%) of those living in apartments and townhomes say that access to home charging is a barrier to EV adoption, while 68% say they do not have the ability to make heat pump installations.
- Many older respondents live in houses but have concerns about the technology. Education and simplification can make an impact. For example, given they typically drive less, most only require Level 1 EV charging using a regular outlet, eliminating the need for electrical upgrades.
- Upfront cost is the number one barrier identified by every group. While 63% correctly believe an EV will end up cheaper despite the higher sticker price, this isn’t enough to motivate most people to pay more upfront, with 73% wanting to spend less than $40,000 on a new EV.
We believe these findings are essential for governments, industry, and advocates alike. By lowering barriers for those who are already interested, governments can help more households both save money and reduce emissions.
RESOURCES
Report | Empowering Households
