Victoria has the flower count. It has the bird count. And recently it has also gained the Spring Electric Vehicle Count.
The Victoria Electric Vehicle Association conducted its 4th Annual EV Count (Wednesday Morning) by posting volunteers at main highway entrances into the city between 6:30 AM and 9:00 AM.
In that time, they counted 3,117 battery electric vehicles. They did not include hybrids or other vehicles that weren't 100% electric.
The association says the number represents a 21% increase from the vehicles counted in 2023 and a 300% increase since the count began in 2021.
President Glenn Garry says it's not a scientific measure, much like the flower count is not an accurate accounting of blooms. But, much like how the flower count is meant to highlight our mild winter weather, he thinks there's value in highlighting Victoria's progress on adopting EV's. "Here's a place where we're moving ahead and we're rolling into the future by going electric. It's something for the people in Victoria to take pride in. Last year, 1-in-4 new vehicles sold in this city were electric."
Garry says his biggest takeaway from this year's Spring Electric Vehicle Count is how much more variety there was in different makes and models when compared to their first years.