Canada's electric vehicle population continued to grow in 2025 despite a slowdown in new EV sales, according to recently released Statistics Canada figures.
By the end of 2025, Canada had 623,481 registered battery-electric vehicles and 251,520 plug-in hybrids, representing approximately 3.5 per cent of the country's 25.3 million registered light-duty vehicles.
The combined number of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) increased 27.7 per cent from 2024, although growth slowed from the previous year.
Quebec led the country with ZEVs accounting for 6.71 per cent of registered light-duty vehicles, followed by British Columbia at 5.87 per cent. Ontario ranked third at 2.37 per cent, representing more than 221,000 vehicles.
While new ZEV registrations declined 34.7 per cent in 2025, the overall number of electric vehicles already on Canadian roads continued to climb. The distinction is significant for collision repair facilities, where the existing vehicle population, rather than new sales alone, helps determine future repair demand.
More EVs on the road means more opportunities for collision repairs involving high-voltage systems, battery protection structures, advanced driver assistance systems and specialized repair procedures.
For Canadian repair facilities, particularly those in Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario, the figures reinforce the need to prepare for an increasingly electrified vehicle population through technician training, proper equipment and access to manufacturer repair information.
The trend continued into 2026, with new ZEV registrations reaching 58,811 in the second quarter, up 26.7 per cent from the same period a year earlier.
For repairers questioning whether EV training and equipment investments are justified, the growing number of vehicles already in service provides a compelling reason to prepare, regardless of short-term fluctuations in new vehicle sales.
