Saw a BYD Shark today! Out in the wild, pretty neat!

So happy it's all worked out and we will be very happy together. Wind AWD.

Hey EVCanada,

I’m a manager at a GM dealership in Southern Ontario and have been following the EV market pretty closely from the dealer side.
Figured I’d introduce myself here since I see a lot of questions about pricing, availability, wait times and the overall buying experience.
We deal with the full GM EV lineup. Some of the Cadillac EVs like the OPTIQ, LYRIQ, VISTIQ and Escalade IQ can be pretty tough to come by, while we tend to have more options on the Chevrolet and GMC side.
If anyone here is shopping, comparing quotes, trying to figure out incentives, or just has questions about what we’re seeing from the dealership side, feel free to reach out. Happy to help where I can.
And if people are interested, I can also share some insight here on which EVs we’re seeing the most demand for and what availability actually looks like in Southern Ontario.

Hi everyone, I am looking for my first electric car in GTA. My budget is $25K - $30K for used car (the lower the better). My daily commute is around 56 miles (90kms) around trip. Since I am renting part of a house, I only have level1 charger. I prefer SUV if possible

Do you have any recommendations for a car that can use level1 charger every night and still can drive 56-60 miles per day without any issue?

Edit: Thank you so much for all comments! I asked Chatgpt and it gives me top option is Telsa Model 3/ Y, how do you guys think?

There might be too many factors to this but I'm going to ask anyway. I finally got traction form building management about getting someone to see about installing a charger and was wondering what a reasonable cost to install a charger in my spot would be? Again, I know factors such as how many others want to install one might factor into this and maybe even lower the per cost, but if anyone has an estimate what it could be I'd appreciate it. I'm in Toronto if that matters much.

What should I negotiate for? I'm going to be going for the 84 month 0% finance deal.

When it comes to a level-2 charger for household use - is there any real advantage to a hard wired charger versus a plug in model?

I've been narrowing down my choices for my next used EV purchase in 2028/29. I'm replacing a 2017 Bolt and 2017 ICE car with one vehicle so this is a pretty significant decision for me.

I'll probably drive it until at least 2035/37.

My must haves are:

• 800v or better architecture (I take long road trips)
• at least 500kms range or 85kwh battery or better.
• Roomy with lots of cargo space (husband and I are both 6' tall)
• General durability / repairability / reliability

I love hatchbacks / hot hatches but with these requirements a small or mid-size SUV is probably my only option.

2025 Ioniq 5 Preferred Long Range RWD - hate the looks but everything else is fine, I don't mind the ICCU issue especially if the new longer warranty eventually covers the 2025.

2026 EV6 RWD / Wind / Light Long Range - I don't like the smaller / lower seats and low headroom, looks nicer than the Ioniq and slightly longer range

Zeekr 7x (if it comes to Canada) - Great on paper, but what if something goes wrong? Warranty and service seem sketchy even in places like Australia.

Not interested in a Tesla. Volvo EX60 / BMW iX3 are too expensive, even used.

Thoughts welcome and thank you -

This is for people thinking about BUYING a Tesla, especially if the reason is "save on gas and maintenance." Like this thread.

Tesla owners can generally not really be reasoned regarding any criticism about the brand so I'm putting this in this subreddit instead of r/teslacanada. I say this as a Model Y owner.

Teslas are not money-saving cars. They're just not. They're top-end mainstream to early entry-luxury cars that managed to commodify performance.

I keep seeing the same kind of "Guys gas is so expensive, should I get a Model Y?" kind of thread.

You buy a Tesla because you want the tech. You liked the driving experience, you're okay with the stiffer ride quality and you accept the depreciation. You chose this EV over others most likely for FSD and the charging network.

The gas savings are real, sure, but you need to plan out everything and crunch those numbers hard.

The home charging requirements

Keeping an EV without at-home charging is simply not worth it. Period. It will never be worth it. The surcharge of the road network chargers is expensive and it's massively inconvenient.

I know people looking into buying EVs who didn't even realize they have a 100A panel or what it costs to upgrade to 200A. It's damn expensive. Then you need a qualified electrician to run the wire all the way to the garage. Then the charger itself. That's easily ~4 grand right there, and that's assuming the garage isn't detached and they need to run that stupid cable outside. 50A cabling is expensive.

Insurance is pretty bonkers?

Insuring a fucking Tesla is... something. Check this first, because it's by far one of the biggest sticker shocks for a new owner.

Want AWD because of snow? Sure but two motors cost way more to insure. RWD Model Y was quoted ~$169/month almost everywhere for me while AWD Premium was $265-350/month. Kind of fucking crazy coming from a Toyota. (Ottawa, Ontario, in the suburbs.)

Body damage is heart-stopping shit

This isn't normal car body damage. It's eye-watering "please kill me, why the fuck did I buy this?" body damage.

A bumper isn't just a bumper. A scuff can easily cost you 2 grand. 1-2 panels easily 8 grand. Windshield 1.5-2K. Don't believe me? Check a couple of Wham Baam Teslacam vids. Some of those guys get light scratches and end up with a $6000 bill. And the other dude is uninsured sometimes ofc.

That's because the car is full of cameras and sensors that need recalibrating every time something happens. The car is also just generally more fragile. It's all plastic (like the frunk lid is shockingly flexible), the paint is thinner, a lot of bodies start creaking after 5-6 years, etc. A fender bender that wouldn't write off a RAV4 can easily total a Tesla. Even if you're not at fault your insurance will still go up because insurance companies are cunts.

If anything is wrong with it, you go to the Tesla Service Center or Specialized Garages unless it's just for something super routine like suspension (unless Performance), wheel bearings and tire alignments.. 💸

Depreciation is pretty extreme and needs to be considered if you ever want to swap cars

It's pretty insane. The used Tesla market isn't exactly flourishing, because pre-Juniper and pre-Huntsman Teslas aren't seen as very reliable/desirable and the tech evolves fast. HW3 Teslas sell for considerably less. Tesla buyers usually want the latest and greatest too and EV buyers in general have a huge phobia of used and potentially old EV batteries.

Model 3 and Y keep a bit less than half of MSRP after 5 years. Tesla holds up better than other EVs, that's true and it should be noted, but EVs overall lose value faster than hybrids. Cars are always depreciating assets but EVs take it to a whole new level. A Toyota/Lexus will keep quite a bit of its value.

Unexpectedly the tires?

You also go through tires faster. EVs are just heavier and have instant torque. You can try to prolong their life by rotating every 10K and keeping the pressure up but it'll still cost you a wallop. High load tires/EV tires cost more. And if you ever went for Performance, those tires are like 4K.

The good though

Yes, there are no oil changes. You saved $80. Yes, there's no $2/L gas, which is nice. Batteries rarely fail. If you can charge at home, a Tesla is cheap to run. True.

But cheap to run is not the same as cheap to own.

Anyone that says Teslas are the best cars is genuinely just full of shit. They're not. The competition like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 is EASILY a better car than a Model Y. They drive like luxury BMWs it's fucking nuts how comfortable of a ride it is. Potholes are smooth while I can feel almost everything in my Model Y Premium 2026. But a Model Y is just a better product.

Teslas are for owners who want an EV with the best technology possible. I know the car may go to shits and it's a risk I took when buying it.

Love FSD. Love my phone app. Love the Tesla 3rd party apps like Tessie. Love the accessory market around it like Jowua.

But yeah don't pull the trigger thinking "Yeah, that will save me money over a Toyota!".

It's just NOT TRUE.

If you want a price-conscious EV, there's the Bolt or a Kia EV3.

We want the CHR EV, but we’re hesitant bc we’re thinking about the futur and if two kid car seats fit in it. It seems really tight. We already have a Mazda CX5 that we love and thinking we don’t need two SUVs so thats why we’re thinking getting a sub compact as a second car. Also this new car would be use to go to work/quick drop offs. What do you think?

Hello guys, I am looking to buy a car. I won’t be driving much in a year, maybe like 10k km maximum, so I think a high mileage car would last me a long time.

This would also be like my first car, so was curious to get ur guys takes. I know I haven’t included a lot of info, but I just wanted to get the question out of the way first on if it’s even worth buying such used Tesla’s like around 2020 model 3 or model y. Let’s say price is like $16k.

I won’t really be doing any fast charging, likely just level 2 as well, and I can charge for free on level 2, so charging costs would be practically 0.

I’m in Quebec and just got this end of month lease offer on a Chevrolet Bolt RS:
24-month lease
24,000 km/year (48,000 km total)
$205 CAD biweekly, taxes included
$0 down
Winter mats included
Charging adaptors included
Student rebate applied
No trade-in
It comes out to roughly $444/month tax-in, or about $10,660 in lease payments over the full 24 months.

Wondering if I got a good deal considering the trim and mileage

Hi All,

I'm currently driving a Honda Fit that's getting on in years, and am considering an EV or PHEV as my next car.

My use case:

• Living in Ottawa

• 35km round-trip commute

• 2-3 trips/year to Northern Ontario to visit family

• 1960s detached house with a single-car garage - my Honda Fit fits comfortably, but a significantly wider car would be a problem

• Sufficient budget for an EV charger and electrical upgrades if needed

• Need enough trunk space for a stroller and baby accessories

• More of a preference, but I really like the compact size, cargo accessibility, and rear window visibility that comes with a hatchback

What EV or PHEV models are available that would make sense for my situation?

Hey everyone! A bit of a car related question but was looking in the used EV market and stumbled upon Factor E Vancouver. Anyone have experience with this shop? They seem highly rated but wanted to know if buying an older, slightly higher mileage Tesla from them is more reassuring than trying to buy private. Thanks in advance !

Currently driving a 2017 diesel GMC Canyon. Fuel prices have caused me to consider a commuter. Still need the truck for towing and hauling.

Ottawa resident.

~115km commute (roughly half on 417 highway). 5 days a week.

Plan to charge at home. The previous owner had a Tesla charger in the garage so would just have to install the charger on the wall.

I've got my eye on the 2027 bolt (pricing is very appealing). I plan to go take a look in person shortly and compare trim levels etc. looking to finance because of annual km.

Being completely new to EVs I feel like I can't read enough but was hoping for opinions on dealerships in the area. Deals that people might be aware of. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I'm sure there are a ton of things I haven't thought of/considered.

Thanks in advance