Canadian Vehicle Sales 2026: The Electric Car Price Premium Fell From 43% to 7%

Canadians bought 1.16 million new vehicles in the first seven months of 2026, 2.2% fewer than last year. Electric passenger car sales grew 85% and passed their 2024 level. Electric trucks did not. The gap between those two results is the story of this market.

In the first seven months of 2026, Canadians bought 21,538 electric passenger cars. That is 85% more than the same period in 2025 and 13.6% more than 2024. Over the same months they bought 98,156 electric trucks, up 20.1% on 2025 but still 14.9% below 2024.

The national electric vehicle figure blends those two into a single number, 28.2% growth, that describes neither accurately.

Behind the divergence is price. The average electric passenger car sold in Canada cost $48,342 in 2026, down from $61,595 a year earlier. Against a conventional car at $45,120, the premium for going electric fell from 42.7% to 7.1%. For trucks the same premium narrowed far less, from 26.4% to 14.0%.

Trucks in this dataset include minivans, sport utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses.

Canadians Bought 1.16 Million New Vehicles in the First Seven Months of 2026

New vehicle sales totalled 1,155,828 units worth $66.13 billion. Units were down 2.2% on 2025 and up 2.8% on 2024. Dollars were up 0.5% on 2025 and 5.7% on 2024.

January 2026 recorded 114,261 units, the weakest month in the period. April 2025 recorded 195,581, the strongest. The seasonal pattern is consistent across all three years, so comparisons in this dataset need to be made against the same month in a prior year rather than the preceding month.

Trucks and SUVs Are 87.7% of the Canadian Vehicle Market

Trucks, which in this dataset include SUVs, minivans, vans, light and heavy trucks and buses, accounted for 1,013,306 units in the first seven months of 2026. Passenger cars accounted for 142,522.

The truck share has risen in each of the three years, from 86.8% in 2024 to 87.5% in 2025 and 87.7% in 2026. Passenger cars fell 3.5% on 2025 and 3.9% on 2024, declining faster than the overall market on both comparisons.

Truck share varies widely by province. Saskatchewan is highest at 94.5% of units, followed by Alberta at 92.0% and Newfoundland at 91.2%. British Columbia is lowest at 85.4%, with Quebec at 85.8% and Nova Scotia at 85.7%. The provinces with the highest truck share also carry the highest average transaction prices.

Unit Sales Fell 2.2% While Dollar Sales Rose 0.5%

Roughly 26,000 fewer vehicles were sold than in the same period of 2025, and dealers still took in more money. The average vehicle sold cost $1,555 more.

For dealers and manufacturers the two measures point in different directions. Revenue per transaction is holding while transaction count is not, which affects service volume, parts demand, financing originations and trade-in supply differently than a straightforward revenue increase would.

"Dealers sold roughly 26,000 fewer vehicles than last year and still took in more money. The entire difference is price."

Trucks Average $58,847 Against $45,607 for Passenger Cars

The average new vehicle transaction price in Canada was $57,214 in the first seven months of 2026, up from $55,659 in 2025. Split by type, trucks averaged $58,847 and passenger cars $45,607, a gap of $13,240.

Truck prices rose from $57,237 in 2025 to $58,847 in 2026. Car prices rose from $44,609 to $45,607. Because trucks are 87.7% of volume and cost $13,240 more on average, the continuing shift toward trucks raises the national average price on its own, before any individual model changes price.

Electric Car Sales Grew 85% While Electric Trucks Grew 20%

Zero-emission vehicle sales reached 119,694 units nationally, up 28.2% on 2025 and down 10.9% on 2024. Splitting that by vehicle type produces two very different results.

Electric passenger cars have fully recovered and exceeded their 2024 level. Electric trucks have not. Zero-emission share of car sales reached 15.11%, up from 12.79% in 2024 and 7.88% in 2025. Zero-emission share of truck sales reached 9.69%, still below the 11.82% recorded in 2024.

In 2024 the two shares were close, at 12.79% for cars and 11.82% for trucks. In 2026 the gap is 5.4 percentage points. Electric adoption is now meaningfully further ahead in the smaller half of the market.

Why the national EV number misleads. Trucks are 87.7% of volume, so the national 28.2% growth figure is mostly the truck result. An 85% increase in electric car sales is invisible inside it. Anyone tracking Canadian EV adoption from the headline number is tracking electric truck and SUV adoption with a small car correction applied.

The series also shows a sharp break in early 2025. Zero-emission vehicles reached 18.3% of all new vehicle sales in December 2024 and fell to 6.5% by March 2025. The drop coincides with the pause of the federal iZEV purchase incentive in January 2025 after its funding was exhausted.

The Electric Car Price Premium Fell From 42.7% to 7.1%

The average electric passenger car sold in Canada cost $48,342 in the first seven months of 2026, down from $61,595 in 2025, a decline of 21.5%. Over the same period the average conventional car rose from $43,156 to $45,120.

The car premium held almost perfectly steady across 2024 and 2025 at roughly 42.7%, then collapsed in 2026. The truck premium moved the other way first, widening from 17.5% to 26.4% before falling to 14.0%.

The 85% increase in electric car volume and the 21.5% fall in electric car prices occurred in the same period. Falling average prices alongside rising volume usually reflect a shift in model mix toward less expensive options rather than discounting of existing models.

An Electric Car Now Costs Less Than the Average Gas Truck

At $48,342, the average electric passenger car sold in Canada in 2026 cost $9,716 less than the average conventional truck or SUV at $58,058.

Two years earlier the same comparison ran the other way. In 2024 an electric car averaged $61,709 against $56,027 for a conventional truck, a difference of $5,682 in the truck's favour. The positions have reversed by roughly $15,400 over two years.

Nova Scotia Was the Only Province With Unit Growth in 2026

Nine of ten provincial markets recorded fewer new vehicle sales than in 2025. Nova Scotia was the exception at 1.6% growth.

Ontario accounts for 40.2% of Canadian new vehicle sales and Quebec 23.2%. Together with Alberta and British Columbia, the four largest markets represent 86.4% of national volume.

Average transaction prices range from $63,229 in Alberta to $48,808 in Prince Edward Island, a spread of $14,421. The ranking tracks truck share closely. Saskatchewan and Alberta, the two provinces with the highest truck share at 94.5% and 92.0%, carry the second and first highest average prices.

Against 2024 the picture inverts. Eight of ten provinces are above their 2024 level even though nine are below 2025. Nova Scotia is up 22.2% on two years, Newfoundland 9.8% and New Brunswick 9.7%. The 2026 declines are measured against a strong 2025 rather than representing sustained contraction.

EV Share Ranges From 2.6% in Saskatchewan to 19.2% in British Columbia

Electric vehicle adoption varies more between provinces than any other measure in this dataset.

British Columbia and the Territories lead at 19.2%, followed by Quebec at 17.7%. Both are more than double the national average of 10.4%. Ontario sits at 7.4%, Manitoba 6.4%, Prince Edward Island 6.1% and Nova Scotia 5.5%. Alberta and New Brunswick are both near 4.7%, and Saskatchewan is lowest at 2.6%.

The two provinces with the lowest electric share, Saskatchewan and Alberta, are also the two with the highest truck share. The two with the highest electric share, British Columbia and Quebec, have among the lowest truck shares.

Growth rates run the other way. Manitoba recorded the strongest at 53.1%, followed by Alberta at 48.6%, Newfoundland at 41.9% and Nova Scotia at 38.4%. British Columbia grew 28.1% and Quebec 22.7%, both below the national rate despite holding the highest shares. New Brunswick was the only province to record a decline, down 15.3%.

Growth is fastest where adoption is lowest. The provinces adding electric vehicles fastest in percentage terms are starting from the smallest bases. Manitoba at 53.1% growth holds a 6.4% share. British Columbia at 28.1% growth holds 19.2%. Percentage growth and market share point at different things, and a national strategy built on either alone would misread most provincial markets.

Where This Data Stops and Custom Research Begins

Everything above describes what Canadians bought and what they paid. It does not tell you why, what they considered and rejected, or what would change the decision.

The questions that follow usually need primary research. What is actually stopping buyers in a given segment from choosing electric. How much of a price gap closes a decision and at what point it stops mattering. What buyers compared before purchasing and what pushed them one way. Whether a dealership, financing offer or service proposition is competitive with what else is in the market.

If you are working through a decision in the automotive market and need evidence rather than inference, that is the work we do. Custom surveys, in-depth interviews, competitive analysis and market deep dives, built around your specific question.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many vehicles were sold in Canada in 2026?

Canadians bought 1,155,828 new motor vehicles in the first seven months of 2026, worth $66.13 billion. Trucks, SUVs and vans accounted for 1,013,306 units and passenger cars 142,522. Unit sales were down 2.2% from the same period in 2025 and up 2.8% on 2024, while dollar sales were up 0.5% and 5.7% respectively.

What is the average price of a new vehicle in Canada in 2026?

The average new vehicle transaction price was $57,214 in the first seven months of 2026, up $1,555 or 2.8% on 2025. Trucks and SUVs averaged $58,847 and passenger cars $45,607, a gap of $13,240. Provincial averages range from $63,229 in Alberta to $48,808 in Prince Edward Island. These are transaction values across the full mix sold rather than list prices.

Are EV sales growing in Canada in 2026?

Yes, but unevenly. Electric passenger car sales reached 21,538 units, up 85.0% on 2025 and 13.6% above 2024, taking a 15.11% share of car sales. Electric truck and SUV sales reached 98,156 units, up 20.1% on 2025 but still 14.9% below 2024, at a 9.69% share. The combined national figure of 28.2% growth and 10.36% share blends the two.

How much more expensive is an electric car in Canada?

The average electric passenger car sold for $48,342 in 2026 against $45,120 for a conventional car, a premium of 7.1%. That premium was 42.7% in 2025 and 42.8% in 2024. For trucks and SUVs the premium is wider, at 14.0% in 2026 with electric averaging $66,200 against $58,058, down from 26.4% in 2025. Average prices reflect model mix as well as pricing.

What percentage of vehicles sold in Canada are trucks or SUVs?

Trucks, which include SUVs, minivans, vans, light and heavy trucks and buses, accounted for 87.7% of new vehicle sales in the first seven months of 2026. That share has risen each year, from 86.8% in 2024 and 87.5% in 2025. Saskatchewan has the highest truck share at 94.5%, followed by Alberta at 92.0%. British Columbia is lowest at 85.4%.

Which province buys the most electric vehicles in Canada?

By share of new vehicle sales, British Columbia and the Territories lead at 19.2%, followed by Quebec at 17.7%, both well above the national average of 10.4%. Ontario sits at 7.4% and Saskatchewan is lowest at 2.6%. By growth rate the ranking reverses: Manitoba grew 53.1% and Alberta 48.6%, both from small bases, while British Columbia grew 28.1% and Quebec 22.7%.

About This Analysis

This analysis was produced by Bridging Local (RC Research & Insights Inc.), a Vancouver-based market research and business consulting firm, using Statistics Canada new motor vehicle sales data. We run primary research across B2B and B2C markets, including surveys, in-depth interviews, competitive analysis, market deep dives and go-to-market strategy.

If you are sizing a market, testing a concept, or working out where demand sits in your category, our market research services are built for exactly that.