Saturday, April 18, 2026 00:00
The surge in gas prices, fueled by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, has proven to be the final straw for many Canadian drivers. Increasingly, they are turning to electric vehicles (EVs) as a way to break free from the volatility of the petroleum market. When Le Journal reached out to Julie Pelletier on Tuesday, she had just picked up her new Hyundai Ioniq 5 from the dealership. “The last time I filled up with gas, I thought, ‘This just doesn’t make sense.’ I drive 70 km per day and frequently travel to Les Méchins in Gaspésie, where I have a cottage. It was costing me $500 a month in gas,” explains the resident of L’Assomption. “I had a Ford Escape that I really loved, but it was nine years old and had 214,000 km on it. I wasn’t really sure [about switching to electric] before the gas price hike. I wanted a comparable vehicle with all-wheel drive, and ChatGPT gave me four models with their pros and cons. It gave me good advice. When I test drove the Ioniq 5, it was exactly what I was looking for.” Aware of the issues surrounding onboard chargers (ICCU) that have caused headaches for some Hyundai owners, Julie Pelletier hopes her 2026 model will be reliable in this regard. On Tuesday, she hoped she wouldn’t regret making the transition. After two days of driving, Le Journal followed up with her. “It’s beyond my expectations,” she replied. Currently taking courses at university, Christian Boucher commutes daily between Mascouche and Trois-Rivières. “I calculated that my Toyota RAV4 was costing me $8,000 in gas per year, not including oil changes. Then the price of gas started to rise, and I thought it was far from over. If I didn’t act quickly, I’d probably end up on waiting lists. My dealership confirmed this a few days later – they had nothing left in stock. At $1.70 per litre, I took the plunge,” he says. Christian Boucher took possession of his Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD on March 31st. “I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a really pleasant change; the quietness of the cabin, the power for overtaking, the very comfortable ride even though it’s a base model. I tried almost all the models, and this one was the most similar to my RAV4,” explains Mr. Boucher. “Once you’ve driven it, that’s it, it’s for life. I don’t think I could go back to gas,” estimates Christian Boucher. At $1.50 per litre, Myriam Bérubé already thought gas was too expensive. She purchased her Chevrolet Equinox EV a week before the start of the conflict in Iran and the subsequent fuel price increase – a decision she savours even more in the current context. “I drive 90 km per day just for work. I was spending $120 to $180 per week with regular use,” explains the former Hyundai Sante Fe owner. “I live in Beauce, while my family and my partner’s family are in the Lower St. Lawrence. Our parents are getting older, and we need to do work on their homes. But we were avoiding visiting our loved ones and helping them on a daily basis because of the cost of gas. Over the past month, we’ve visited them more often than last year. We had to spend around $50 for charging on those trips,” says Myriam Bérubé, who believes her electric vehicle gives her a new freedom. Do you have information to share about this story? Write to us at [email protected] or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP. You must be logged in to comment. Log In Welcome to the comments section! Our goal is to create a space for thoughtful and productive discourse. By posting a comment, you agree to comply with the Terms of Use.
