Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles have other benefits, beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They cost less to operate and don’t have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce air pollution. They are also quiet, helping to reduce noise pollution.

More information about EVs is available on Plug’n Drive. Plug’n Drive is a non-profit organization committed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles to maximize their environmental and economic benefits. On their site, you can book an EV test drive, and use their EV Match tool to get information on EV models available in Canada and compare costs to a similar gas-powered vehicle.

Toronto has a goal of getting to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. For trips that can’t be taken by cycling, walking or taking transit, switching from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles is an important part of the pathway to net zero.

Electric vehicles do not have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about EVs and the benefits they can bring.

Electric vehicles have batteries that need to be charged, and the time it takes depends on the car and on the level of charging. Learn more about public and at-home charging.

Public charging is important for the transition to electric vehicles. While many people charge their EVs at home or work, public EV charging is needed by people who do not have access to home or workplace charging, and by all EV drivers who need to charge their EVs while they are out.

At the end of 2024, there were 2,810 registered public EV charging ports at 801 locations in Toronto. Of those chargers, 2,639 were Level 2 and 171 were DC Fast Charging ports. You can find public charging stations in Toronto by visiting websites such as ChargeHub  or PlugShare . These websites have maps which show the locations of public charging stations and provide details about each location, including the number and type of charging stations available, fees and other information.

Public Charging Planning

The Approach to Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging to 2030 report outlines a strategy and plans that will ensure sufficient public charging infrastructure will be in place to accommodate growth in EV ownership to 30 per cent of registered personal vehicles by 2030.

The City of Toronto is helping to increase access to public EV charging in Toronto by providing public EV charging stations at its locations, including Green P off-street parking facilities and on-street parking spaces. These charging stations are managed by Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) , an agency of the City of Toronto. TPA is playing a leadership role in delivering EV charging services to customers and accelerating the adoption of EV vehicles.

In 2021 TPA developed and advanced an EV Charging Infrastructure Program that supports:

• Growing customer demand for public EV charging
• City of Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy

TPA currently operates the City’s public EV chargers. TPA’s goal is to have 550+ public charging stations in place by the end of 2024.

More information, including charging station locations, rates, how to use the charging stations, and more can be found at EV Charging- Green P Parking .

The City of Toronto offers low-interest loans to home and building owners to cover the cost of a variety of improvements, including EV charging stations.

• The Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) supports single family property improvements (e.g. installing energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, and other defined measures).
• The City’s Energy Retrofit Loan program provides low-interest loans to help building owners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings. EV charging infrastructure can be eligible for financing under this program when included in a retrofit project that results in energy cost savings.

Resources for Condo Owners and Condo Boards

• The Condominium Authority of Ontario has a step-by-step guide   for installing EV charging stations in condominiums.
• The Plug’n Drive website   provides information on EV charging in condos as well as information on EVs and EV charging more generally.

New Buildings

To help ensure that new buildings in Toronto are ready to meet EV charging needs in the future as people switch to electric vehicles, the Toronto Green Standard and the Toronto Zoning Bylaw include requirements for EV charging infrastructure in new buildings. For more information:

• Toronto Green Standard
• Recommended Parking Requirements for New Development 

Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program (iZEV)

The Government of Canada provides incentives of up to $5,000 for consumers who buy or lease an eligible ZEV .

Learn more about incentives for purchasing zero-emission vehicles.

The City is demonstrating leadership by electrifying City-owned fleet vehicles.

The Sustainable Fleets Plan aims to transition City-Fleets to sustainable, climate resilient, net-zero operations. The Plan’s key objectives are:

• Transition 20 per cent of City-owned fleet to zero emission vehicles by 2025, and 50 per cent by 2030;
• Achieve a 65 per cent greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 (from 1990 levels); and
• Net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The City is undertaking a major expansion of its corporate EV charging infrastructure to enable and support accelerated transition of City fleets to electric vehicles, and help with broader promotion and adoption of EVs in Toronto and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region.

The expanded charging station network has 142 charge ports available at 72 City locations. The network is expected to have 850 charge ports available by the end of 2025 at more than 100 City locations. The network will also enable the expansion of the City’s workplace charging program, with charging ports accessible to the public where feasible.

Since 2019, the City has been operating a pilot workplace EV charging program at City Hall and Metro Hall.

City of Toronto hosted a webinar on March 24, 2023 with Cara Clairman, President and CEO of Plug’n Drive, sharing information for fleet owners and operators about charging options, EV maintenance requirements, and the upfront and operating costs of EVs compared to gas-powered or diesel-powered vehicles. Watch the recording below:

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Green Bus Program was approved by the TTC Board in November 2017, with the target of procuring only zero-emission buses starting in 2025 and achieving an entirely zero emissions bus fleet by 2040.

Since the Board’s approval of the Green Bus Program, the TTC has procured 310 of the latest clean diesel buses, 255 of latest generation hybrid electric buses (HEV), the City of Toronto’s first 60 battery-electric eBuses, and retrofitted three of TTC’s eight garages with the required eBus charging systems infrastructure.  The TTC has gained valuable experience from its last procurement of 255 HEVs and 60 eBuses. The TTC will be applying lessons learned to develop technical and commercial specifications for the next 600 new accessible buses, including approximately 300 HEVs and 240 eBuses, to be delivered in 2023 through early 2025.

Electric Buses

In June 2019, the TTC’s first of 60 eBuses entered service.

Since 2017, the TTC has been working in partnership with Toronto Hydro on the installation of required electrification infrastructure for the existing fleet of 60 eBuses. As the TTC continues on its path to full electrification of the bus, Wheel-Trans and non-revenue vehicle fleets, this infrastructure must be expanded accordingly. The TTC is working with Ontario Power Generation and Toronto Hydro to ensure on-time upgrade of the local grid distribution system and implementation of required infrastructure at TTC sites.

Hybrid Diesel-Electric Buses (HEV)

Between 2018 and 2019, a total of 255 of the latest generation hybrid diesel-electric buses were procured by TTC. Hybrid diesel-electric buses are equipped with both a clean diesel engine and an electric generator/motor. The on-board batteries, which drive the electric traction motor, are charged by the generator driven by the diesel engine and supplemented by the recovery of braking energy through regenerative braking. The clean diesel engine used on the hybrid buses is smaller in size compared to the engines used in the clean and conventional diesel buses. In addition, these buses have all-electric accessories such as electric power steering, air compressor, power steering, etc. All these features result in reduced fuel consumption and in turn, reduced tailpipe emissions.

Learn more: TTC Green Initiatives

Reports

The Approach to Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging to 2030 report responds to the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy Short-term Implementation Plan (2022-2025), ensuring sufficient public charging infrastructure to accommodate growth in EV ownership to 30 per cent of registered personal vehicles by 2030. The Approach to EV Charging was considered by City Council on October 9, 2024: Item 2024.IE.16.5.

In 2022, an Update on Electric Vehicle Strategy Implementation was also considered by Toronto City Council at their July 19, 2022 meeting: Item 2022.IE31.17. Read the EV Strategy Staff Report  for more information.

Background

Toronto’s first EV Strategy was approved by City Council on January 29, 2020.

With a focus on the electrification of passenger vehicles (cars, vans, trucks and SUVs) the Strategy identifies 10 actions the City can take to: increase charging availability, address cost and convenience barriers, increase public awareness and education, and create economic opportunities that will benefit the local economy. Passenger cars and trucks accounted for about 23 per cent of GHG emissions in Toronto in 2020.

EV Strategy Development

Assessment Phase

The City contracted Pollution Probe and The Delphi Group to lead the development of a comprehensive review of the current electric mobility landscape, existing policies, barriers and opportunities, best practice, convene key stakeholders and assess these findings to create a baseline. The assessment phase report was used to inform the Strategy actions.

Learn more: Electric Mobility Strategy Assessment Phase Report

Consultation

The City engaged the public and stakeholders through multiple workshops and a public online survey to help co-create the Electric Vehicle Strategy.

Learn more: Electric Vehicle Strategy Consultation Summary