Electric cars on par

Photo: The Canadian Press

A Canadian energy think tank says the world is less than a decade away from the tipping point at which electric cars will cost the same as conventional gas-powered vehicles.

Clean Energy Canada says the price of electric batteries is plunging every year, representing an opportunity for everyone from auto parts makers to mineral mines.

But it says Canada is lagging behind the rest of the world in both electric vehicle purchases and production.

Canada doesn't produce any mass-market electric vehicles, fewer than half of Canadian dealerships from brands that have electric vehicle models even sell them and supply is so limited here it can take months for a Canadian who wants an electric vehicle to actually be able to drive it off the lot.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau is in the midst of developing an EV policy now and Quebec's provincial standard requiring a certain percentage of electric vehicles be sold kicks in January 1.

But Clean Energy Canada says this is not going to be a case where slow and steady wins the EV economic race.