The government should abolish electric vehicle sales quotas, argues an MEI researcher, as new data on EV sales in Quebec has just been released.

“The data shows that enthusiasm for electric vehicles has collapsed,” says Gabriel Giguère, senior public policy analyst at the MEI. “It’s clear that, despite the relaxed quotas proposed by the provincial government, Quebecers’ appetite for these vehicles remains far below that of the government.”

In 2025, a total of 75,262 new electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles were registered in Quebec, according to recent data from Statistics Canada. This represents a 49.1% decrease compared to 2024. Together, these vehicles account for 16.7% of new registrations in the province.

Faced with declining interest, the Quebec government announced last September that it would soften its quotas, lowering the target to 90% of vehicle sales being electric by 2035 and including non-plug-in hybrid models in its targets.

Even when including these models, sales in these categories still declined by 32.3%, with 117,699 new vehicles registered last year compared to 173,856 the previous year.

Taking into account the revised criteria announced by the provincial government last September, this proportion reaches 21.4% of new vehicle registrations over the year.

The researcher notes that forcing the transition to electric vehicles risks imposing significant additional costs on consumers.

By 2026, the average electric car is still expected to cost about $6,720 more upfront than a gasoline vehicle, according to projections from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. For SUVs, minivans, and trucks, the gap would reach $11,490, and these price differences are expected to persist in the coming years.

The MEI also pointed out that forced electrification of the vehicle fleet would place significant pressure on the power grid by increasing demand, in a publication released in February 2025.

“The government’s role should not be to impose electrification targets, but to let consumers choose the vehicles that best meet their needs and budgets,” concludes Mr. Giguère.

The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policymakers, the MEI fosters debate and reforms in public policy based on the established principles of free-market economics and entrepreneurship.