This week, Canada will announce new regulations requiring all vehicles sold in the country to be zero-emissions by 2035, according to a report. The move works to phase out fossil-fuel-burning vehicles in the country but also shorten the biggest barrier for Canadian consumers: long wait times.
“This is helping to solve one of the greatest barriers to EVs uptake: that wait times are too long,” an unnamed senior government official told the Toronto Star in a report.
“We are making sure that supply is going toward Canadian markets, because one of the issues with EVs is that we’re competing against other markets where the actual EVs are being shipped to.”
The new regulations, dubbed the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, intend to correct this problem by ensuring that enough EVs are available in the Canadian market to meet the ”large and growing” demand. The source said that Canada – which sold around 85K BEVs in 2022 – had concerns about its role in the market being overshadowed by the US and other markets.
The government is expected to announce the news tomorrow.
According to the new rules, 20% of all new car sales in 2026 will include battery electric, hydrogen, and plug-in electric vehicles. By 2030, that percentage will rise to 60%, and 100% in 2035. “The total anticipated cost to consumers of zero-emissions vehicles and chargers will be $24.5 billion over 25 years, but Canadians can expect to save $33.9 billion in net energy costs,” cites the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Automakers can also earn credits based on the number of EVs they sell, the report said, with the cleanest cars gaining more credits. Credits can also be accrued by automakers for investing in EV charging infrastructure and for rolling out more EVs before the regulations begin in 2026.
Back in April, the Biden administration aimed for two-thirds of light-duty passenger cars to be electric by 2032, but the House voted last week in favor of blocking proposed regulations that would have pushed the country toward this target.
New York, New Jersey, and California are among more than a dozen states that have EV sales regulations. The European Union has set its date as 2035 to ban the sales of new ICE vehicles, and the UK introduced its EV sales mandate with a target of 100% of EV sales by 2035.
Electrek’s Take
According to the IEA, there are some 26 million electric cars on the road around the world as of 2022, up 60% from 2021. Demand is there, and people are ready, but legislation needs to catch up. No one said that decarbonizing the automobile industry would be easy, of course, and parts of this transition won’t look pretty. Still, moves like this add more pressure to automakers to accelerate EV production. Major automakers are already doing that with firm plans in place to phase out ICE vehicles: GM is targeting 2035, with smaller automakers with quicker timelines, and European automakers are moving to phase out quickly to meet the EU deadline.
Plus, even with that far-away date of 2035, the policy (at least as it is expected to be announced) would prevent the release of some 430 millions tones of greenhouse gas emissions, reports say, which is something.
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Can Kia’s first electric sedan live up to the hype? After launching the EV4 in Korea, we are finally seeing it in action. A new test drive of the EV4 gives us a closer look at what to expect as Kia prepares to take it global. Here’s how it went down.
Kia EV4 test drive: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Kia claims the EV4 will “set a new standard in electric vehicles” with long-range capabilities, fast charging, and a sleek new design.
The electric sedan features a unique, almost sports-car-like profile with a long-tail silhouette and added roof spoiler.
Kia claims it is “the new look of a sedan fit for the era of electrification.” Despite its four-door design, the company is calling it a new type of sedan.
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The design is not only eye-catching, but it’s also super efficient. With a drag coefficient of just 0.23, the EV4 is Kia’s most aerodynamic vehicle so far, enabling maximum driving range and efficiency.
Kia opened EV4 orders in South Korea in March, starting at about $29,000 (41.92 million won). It’s available with two battery options: 58.2 kWh and 81.4 kWh. The entry-level “Standard Air” model, powered by the 58.2 kWh battery, is rated with up to 237 miles of driving range.
Kia EV4 sedan Korea-spec (Source: Hyundai Motor)
The “Long-Range Air” variant starts at 46.29 million won ($31,800) and has a driving range of up to 331 miles (533 km) in Korea.
With charging speeds of up to 350 kW, the EV4 can charge from 10% to 80% in around 29 minutes. The long-range battery will take about 31 minutes.
Kia EV4 sedan interior (Source: Hyundai Motor)
The interior boasts Kia’s latest ccNC infotainment system with a 30″ Ultra-wide Panoramic Display. The setup includes dual 12.3″ driver displays, navigation screens, and a 5″ air conditioning panel.
With deliveries kicking off, we are seeing some of the first test drives come out. A review fromHealerTV gives us a better idea of what it’s like to drive the EV4 in person.
Kia EV4 test drive (Source: HealerTV)
Sitting next to Kia’s first pickup, the Tasman, the reviewer mentions the EV4 feels “particularly newer.” The test drive starts around the city with a ride quality similar to that of the K5, if not even better.
As you can see from the camera shaking, the ride feels “a bit uncomfortable” on rough roads. However, on normal surfaces and speed bumps, Kia’s electric sedan “feels neither too soft nor too hard,” just normal. The reviewer calls the EV4’s overall ride quality “quite ordinary” with “nothing particularly special about it.”
When accelerating, the electric car was smooth in the beginning but felt “a little lacking in later stages.” Overall, it should be enough for everyday use.
One of the biggest issues was that the rear window appeared too low. The rear brake lights also stick out, making it hard to see clearly through the rearview.
Keep in mind that the test drive was the Korean-spec EV4. Kia will launch the EV4 in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2026.
In the US, the EV4 will include a built-in NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers and a driving range of up to 330 (EPA-est) miles. Prices will be revealed closer to launch, but the EV4 is expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Would you buy Kia’s electric sedan for around $35,000? Or would you rather have the Tesla Model 3, which starts at $42,490 in the US and has up to 363 miles of range? Let us know in the comments.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla Model Y RWD in the US, Cybertruck bait-and-switch, Rivian earnings, and more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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Hyundai’s 2026 IONIQ 9 EV is launching with a lease deal, affordable rates, and a big rebate, making the automaker’s largest EV a competitive choice.
Leasing a 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9
CarsDirect reports that, according to a bulletin sent to dealers, the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 S is $419 for 36 months with $4,999 due at signing based on 10,000 miles a year. That makes the effective cost of the nationally available lease $558 monthly.
That’s slightly more expensive than the Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, which debuted this week. It can be leased for $399 with $4,093 at signing or $513 per month. That’s a price difference of only $45 per month, potentially making the IONIQ 9 a better value, since Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV gives you more car for the money.
The IONIQ 9 offers 335 miles of driving range, fast charging capabilities, room for seven, and prices start at $60,555.
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Financing and incentives
Hyundai isn’t offering rebates on the IONIQ 9, but good news – it qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit because it’s manufactured in Georgia.
The IONIQ 9 has national financing rates as low as 1.99% APR for up to 60 months. For a lower monthly payment, there’s a 72-month option at 2.99%. Compare that to the most affordable 2026 Tesla Model Y, which has a 72-month option at 5.49% APR, and it shows what a good deal it is.
There’s also a $5,000 financing incentive available, but you have to choose a loan at a higher interest rate to get it. The $5,000 Dealer Choice Bonus helps lower prices if you finance at 5.99% for 60 months and 6.59% for 72 months.
However, it’s cheaper to opt for the 1.99% APR deal instead of the Dealer Choice Bonus and higher interest rate; CarsDirect found that the 1.99% APR could save IONIQ 9 buyers up to $2,200:
On a 5-year loan at 1.99%, we estimate the IONIQ 9 would cost $63,084. With the APR and rebate combo, it would cost $63,783. Here, opting for the lower rate would save buyers roughly $700. But that’s not the whole story. That’s because Dealer Choice offers, available on many Hyundais, allow a mark-up of up to 1%.
As a result, the $5,000 rebate and higher rate of 6.99% could cost buyers over $2,200 more than simply taking the lower rate to begin with.
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