by Blair Qualey, President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC
BC – Electric vehicles, innovative new concept unveils, incredible breakthroughs in technology, and record-breaking sales made 2017 a memorable year in the auto sector.
The Canadian auto industry saw a number of milestones this year, and as we drive on into 2018, it will be exciting to see what the year has in store for us.
Industry experts again project Canadian and BC annual vehicle sales will hit a record high, this year with an estimate of over two million vehicles.
Especially in British Columbia, the strength and size of the auto sector means more jobs in communities and more dollars streaming into the provincial economy.
New car dealers employ more than 36,000 British Columbians, directly and indirectly, across the province. Over the next decade, the automotive sector in BC will be looking to fill 20,000 new jobs, with openings ranging from positions in human resources, finance, marketing and office administration, to mechanics and technicians.
Clean Electric Vehicles (CEVs) continue to surge into the Canadian market, with a total of 41,695 CEVs on the road in November 2017, according to statistics from FleetCarma. This is an important milestone and a significant one, given that there were only 20,000 EVs in Canada in early 2016.
In 2018, the auto industry will continue to be a global technology leader. Over the past year, beyond the amazing new technology being added to new cars and trucks, auto manufacturers are testing artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles.
Also being tested are partnerships with ride share and subscription services companies.
The adoption of CEV’s in BC continues to depend on the availability of convenient charging infrastructure and will be something to keep an eye on in the coming year. British Columbia is already home to one of the longest charging networks in Canada, and it’s been exciting to see the province get charged up!
Vancouver, for example, manages 75 Level 2 public charging points and one DC Fast Charger, but charging stations are not just limited to Vancouver. The number of chargers available in communities across BC is constantly increasing. The City of Vernon, for example, has its own DC Fast Charger as does Cranbrook.
While there are already numerous makes of electric sedans on the road today, auto manufacturers are quickly reacting to demand and are rolling out more models.
At the Shanghai Auto Show, visitors were excited to see the debut of several electric SUVs and wireless inductive charging was a hot topic at the Paris Motor Show. At the Tokyo Auto Show in October, one of the most popular global electric vehicles, the Nissan Leaf, was launched for its 2018 model year.
The Vancouver International Auto Show will again be highlighting all things green, with new models and one of the single largest test drives of clean energy vehicles in Canada.
The Auto Show is a reflection of British Columbian’s appetite for cars and trucks. 2017 saw record-breaking attendance. The 2018 Vancouver International Auto Show returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre West from March 28 to April 1, 2018.
Click for more information on the Auto Show and to purchase tickets.
