Automotive journalist Stephanie Wallcraft tries out the EValuate program with a three-day booking of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 through TuroJAY KANA
According to a study from Turo and Leger most Canadian respondents have never driven an EV, but research shows just getting drivers into one can help move the needle on EV adoption
More Canadians than ever are considering making the switch to an electric vehicle, with sales now making up about six per cent of overall car sales. Still, residual concerns remain: Does an EV fit my lifestyle? How am I going to charge it? And how different does an electric vehicle feel to drive?
For many of the 86 per cent of Canadian respondents who’ve never driven an EV, a 20-minute test drive isn’t enough to answer those questions. That’s why Hyundai Canada partnered with Turo, a leading peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace in Canada, on EValuate, a program that gives prospective EV buyers a chance to see what EVs are really about.
Turo’s 2023 Car Ownership Index survey of 1,500 Canadians, conducted in partnership with Leger, found most respondents (54 per cent) would be more comfortable buying an EV if they had the opportunity to test drive one for a few days or weeks before deciding whether to purchase the car.
Similarly, a PlugShare and Canadian Automobile Association survey done this year – which polled more than 16,000 electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivers – found every common concern drivers had about EVs, including range anxiety, faded significantly after purchasing the car.
“Canadians want EVs, so it’s important we get them in their hands – and once they have them, they love them,” Ekta Bibra, senior policy adviser for Clean Energy Canada, an environmental think tank based at Simon Fraser University, told The Globe and Mail in an April article.
This is how the EValuate program is set up: Hyundai dealers list the brand’s newest EVs on Turo, giving users the ability to book an EV for a multi-day trial. “We want to give people the chance to integrate it into their daily lives — go to work, pick up kids, get groceries,” says Ken Maisonville, national sales director at Hyundai Canada. Those who decide to make the switch receive a $500 credit toward the purchase of a Hyundai electric vehicle following their booking.
I wanted to see how it works, so I downloaded the Turo app and navigated to the profile of the closest Hyundai dealer, 401 Dixie Hyundai in Mississauga. I selected an Ioniq 5 Preferred Long Range RWD, a retro-styled crossover EV that’s been popping up increasingly often on driveways in my Toronto suburb.
I completed my Turo profile by uploading a profile picture, confirming my age and submitting photos of my driver’s licence. Once I clicked on my desired vehicle, I was given several insurance options. Within a few taps of my mobile phone screen, I had secured a three-day trip – and I could pick it up in just over an hour. “The Turo booking process is designed to be seamless and straightforward, which enhances the guest experience overall while helping to eliminate any barriers to entry on EValuate, and EV adoption more broadly,” says Cedric Mathieu, Turo’s senior vice-president and head of Canada.
Through the Turo app, the dealership contacted me directly to confirm my booking, remind me to bring my licence and tell me who to ask for on arrival. The Ioniq 5 was parked out front ready to go, and Hyundai sales consultant Francis Truong greeted me to set up the booking and show me a few important points about the car, namely its regenerative braking system and infotainment centre, as well as how to find Drive on Hyundai’s unique stalk-based shifter.
He also provided some practical advice about how the range can fluctuate depending on the season, as well as the benefits of setting up an at-home charging station once you’re regularly driving an EV. It felt more like an information session than a sales pitch, which I appreciated. By the time I’d completed a test drive around the block, both Mr. Truong and I were confident I was ready to head out on my own.
For the three days that followed, I used the Ioniq 5 in the same ways I would any other car. I drove my daughter to school, picked up groceries and visited friends.
I quickly learned important details about how an EV fits into my daily routine. For example, I drive less than 30 kilometres per day on my usual schedule, which means it would take me two weeks or more to use up this Ioniq 5′s 488-kilometre range in typical conditions. I also used the $25 ChargeHub credit that comes with an EValuate booking – which is how I found out that there aren’t many Level 3 chargers in my neighbourhood yet. If I buy an EV, I’d likely opt to install a Level 2 charger in my driveway so the car is full and ready to go each morning.
The three-day booking whipped by without a hitch. Returning the car was also a breeze, taking less than 10 minutes. Upon arriving at my scheduled drop-off time, a dealership representative came out to take a quick look to confirm its condition. I didn’t need to extend my booking, but I was given the option to do so through prompts from the Turo app.
As more Canadians consider ways of reducing their overall environmental impact, access to longer-term test drives is key to EV conversion. The EValuate program from Hyundai and Turo provides that opportunity, and in doing so helps alleviate concerns like range anxiety and other common roadblocks that make people apprehensive about going electric.
The $500 incentive is a nice touch, helping offset the booking cost for people who decide to take the plunge – and that is, of course, in addition to any federal or provincial rebates that may sweeten the deal. With these incentives, EValuate is a great way to help new EV drivers get behind the wheel with confidence.
Visit the website to learn more and try EValuate out for yourself.
*Turo provided a three-day booking at no cost to the journalist
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with Hyundai. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.