EV's are the future. The existing oil war is breaking barriers and the world is starting to move at speed to renewable energy solutions. Canada needs a champion which I expected would be a subset of his infrastructure projects. A robust EV infrastructure build out and made in Canada EV's are still missing links. I likely will take a long hard look at the entry level Chinese EV's when they become available. The Honda situation is mired in the uncertainty of the Trump 232 tariffs. They counted on exporting 90% of their production to the US and that possibility died with the instability the tariffs presented. So the old model isn't working and as long as America decends further into an autocracy controlled by oligarchs the stability that previous agreements provided may be lost for a long time. That does not mean there wont be a reinvention. It will happen in tandem with upgraded ports, pipelines, new submarines and military equipment (Korea), fighter jets and surveillance aircraft (Saab) electrical system upgrades, expanded LNG export capacity (several partners), a myriad of rare earth projects, and exploding AI everywhere, however it will need a champion to see a path to investment in our new reality. That piece wont be figured out while there is hope that Cusma can be renewed. If its not renewed then new deal type investments may be the path forward to Canada's auto industry. There are ways but baby and bathwater issues prevent clarity. I believe it won't be long though and in 3 or 4 years EV's will be a large share of the Canadian auto market.
There’s definitely a lot of emotion wrapped up in this debate now, Mike...
probably because energy stopped being just an engineering issue and became part of people’s identity and politics.
What’s interesting to me is that the rest of the world increasingly seems to view electrification less as an environmental statement and more as a strategic one.
If your economy depends heavily on oil markets staying stable forever, then every geopolitical crisis becomes your problem overnight.
That’s why countries are diversifying.
Not because oil disappears tomorrow.
Not because everybody suddenly hugs trees.
But because dependence creates vulnerability.
And honestly, most technologies look messy in the early stages.
Early cars were unreliable.
Early computers were clunky.
Early cell phones looked like military equipment stolen from a submarine.
The transition period is always awkward.
The bigger question is whether Canada wants to help build the next systems…
or mostly argue about them while other countries corner the manufacturing market.
I haven't even thought of going electric yet!!! I have friends & acquaintances who complain about long wait times to get recharged in cities towns. Other have complained of battery just giving up & they are stuck on a highway somewhere. Then there's the fact that our country is vast, long distances in many cases, where there are no charging stations. Manufacturers need to get it right, self charging batteries maybe? In a city, people should manage fine, but, in the country, there's a huge problem. I have a friend that has her own charging station, not everyone can afford to do this. I think we might have to go back to the hitchhiking days LOL
Most of the U.S. infrastructure was built pre-WWII. (Yes Interstates are mostly post WWII but the routes are almost the same as the highways that preceded them.)
I think most people forget how little has changed in the U.S. since that war. The main highways (now Interstates) go past most small towns without an exit to let travelers know there’s a town near by. About all that has changed is most of the train tracks that moved people and materials for the war effort have been torn up. Not replaced and upgraded like in Europe and elsewhere. Interstate highways are in need of constant repair these days because of the heavy trucks that need to be on the Interstate because there is no other way to deliver the good to the small towns (or even some cities). Because no one had the forethought to see how much those tracks could save in wear and tear on the roads and efficiency of scale the railroads provided.
EV’s are a great idea if you live (a) in a city, (b) have your own charging station and don’t travel beyond your local area, or (c) carry a gas generator to recharge as needed for those long stretches with no population centers large enough for a public charging station. (Although I have seen gas stations that have added EV charging stations.)
Here’s hoping we can survive this administration and start being better neighbors again.
EV's are the future. The existing oil war is breaking barriers and the world is starting to move at speed to renewable energy solutions. Canada needs a champion which I expected would be a subset of his infrastructure projects. A robust EV infrastructure build out and made in Canada EV's are still missing links. I likely will take a long hard look at the entry level Chinese EV's when they become available. The Honda situation is mired in the uncertainty of the Trump 232 tariffs. They counted on exporting 90% of their production to the US and that possibility died with the instability the tariffs presented. So the old model isn't working and as long as America decends further into an autocracy controlled by oligarchs the stability that previous agreements provided may be lost for a long time. That does not mean there wont be a reinvention. It will happen in tandem with upgraded ports, pipelines, new submarines and military equipment (Korea), fighter jets and surveillance aircraft (Saab) electrical system upgrades, expanded LNG export capacity (several partners), a myriad of rare earth projects, and exploding AI everywhere, however it will need a champion to see a path to investment in our new reality. That piece wont be figured out while there is hope that Cusma can be renewed. If its not renewed then new deal type investments may be the path forward to Canada's auto industry. There are ways but baby and bathwater issues prevent clarity. I believe it won't be long though and in 3 or 4 years EV's will be a large share of the Canadian auto market.
Excellent comment Larry...
and I think you nailed the real issue...
The Honda pause says more about instability than it does about EV demand.
If you’re building a $15 billion manufacturing ecosystem designed to serve the entire North American market…
and suddenly one country can slap 25% tariffs on a political whim…
every boardroom on Earth pauses and recalculates.
That’s not anti-EV.
That’s anti-chaos.
And I agree with you that Canada is sitting in a strange transitional moment right now.
We’re halfway between the old continental model and whatever comes next.
The old assumption was simple...
“Build in Canada. Sell to America.”
But that assumption no longer feels safe if trade agreements can be destabilized every election cycle.
Which means Canada probably does need what you called a “champion”...
not just politically, but strategically.
Somebody willing to connect all these moving parts into one coherent industrial vision...
Ports.
Energy.
Critical minerals.
AI infrastructure.
Grid modernization.
Defence partnerships.
Advanced manufacturing.
EV supply chains.
Because globally, these things are no longer separate conversations.
They’re becoming one giant geopolitical race for industrial relevance.
And honestly?
I think your point about Chinese EVs matters more than most Canadians realize.
Once affordable high-quality EVs start landing globally at scale,
price pressure alone could force massive changes in Western auto markets
whether politicians like it or not.
The real danger for Canada isn’t moving too fast.
It’s getting trapped between two worlds...
Too late for the old model…
but too hesitant to fully build the new one.
Ignorant People believe
Ignorant Shit !!
EVs are the best way to escape the death grip of the Petroleum Industry and their deluded fans…
There’s definitely a lot of emotion wrapped up in this debate now, Mike...
probably because energy stopped being just an engineering issue and became part of people’s identity and politics.
What’s interesting to me is that the rest of the world increasingly seems to view electrification less as an environmental statement and more as a strategic one.
If your economy depends heavily on oil markets staying stable forever, then every geopolitical crisis becomes your problem overnight.
That’s why countries are diversifying.
Not because oil disappears tomorrow.
Not because everybody suddenly hugs trees.
But because dependence creates vulnerability.
And honestly, most technologies look messy in the early stages.
Early cars were unreliable.
Early computers were clunky.
Early cell phones looked like military equipment stolen from a submarine.
The transition period is always awkward.
The bigger question is whether Canada wants to help build the next systems…
or mostly argue about them while other countries corner the manufacturing market.
I haven't even thought of going electric yet!!! I have friends & acquaintances who complain about long wait times to get recharged in cities towns. Other have complained of battery just giving up & they are stuck on a highway somewhere. Then there's the fact that our country is vast, long distances in many cases, where there are no charging stations. Manufacturers need to get it right, self charging batteries maybe? In a city, people should manage fine, but, in the country, there's a huge problem. I have a friend that has her own charging station, not everyone can afford to do this. I think we might have to go back to the hitchhiking days LOL
That’s a fair point Patsy...
and honestly, I think a lot of Canadians feel exactly the same way right now.
The reality is we’re still in the awkward teenage phase of this technology.
The vehicles are improving faster than the infrastructure around them.
In big cities?
EVs make more sense already.
In rural Canada with long winter drives and huge distances between towns?
Different story entirely.
And you’re right about charging infrastructure.
Canada is enormous.
You can’t just copy-paste a European model onto Northern Ontario, the Prairies, or rural BC and pretend geography doesn’t exist.
That said… the part I think gets missed in these debates is this...
The rest of the world isn’t waiting for “perfect” before building the future.
They’re improving batteries, range, charging speed, hybrid systems, grid technology, and manufacturing all at once.
The technology we’re debating today will probably look primitive 10 years from now...
the same way early cell phones now look like bricks with antennas.
I also think hybrids are probably the realistic bridge technology for a lot of Canadians right now.
Especially for rural driving.
And yes… if they don’t solve charging access properly,
we may all end up standing beside the Trans-Canada Highway with our thumbs out
and a suitcase full of extension cords. 😄
Most of the U.S. infrastructure was built pre-WWII. (Yes Interstates are mostly post WWII but the routes are almost the same as the highways that preceded them.)
I think most people forget how little has changed in the U.S. since that war. The main highways (now Interstates) go past most small towns without an exit to let travelers know there’s a town near by. About all that has changed is most of the train tracks that moved people and materials for the war effort have been torn up. Not replaced and upgraded like in Europe and elsewhere. Interstate highways are in need of constant repair these days because of the heavy trucks that need to be on the Interstate because there is no other way to deliver the good to the small towns (or even some cities). Because no one had the forethought to see how much those tracks could save in wear and tear on the roads and efficiency of scale the railroads provided.
EV’s are a great idea if you live (a) in a city, (b) have your own charging station and don’t travel beyond your local area, or (c) carry a gas generator to recharge as needed for those long stretches with no population centers large enough for a public charging station. (Although I have seen gas stations that have added EV charging stations.)
Here’s hoping we can survive this administration and start being better neighbors again.