A survey last year on EVs by Pollara Strategic Insights found Canadians feel generally positive about EVs and are open to buying one, but are still concerned about cost and technology.Doug Ives/The Canadian Press

Dr. Arvind Gupta is a professor and academic director of professional programs in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto.

Electric-vehicle sales have softened. Ottawa has paused its zero-emission vehicle mandate. The federal rebate program has run out of money and several provinces are pulling back on their EV incentives. From the outside, it is easy to conclude that Canada is losing interest in electric vehicles altogether.

But look under the hood and a different picture emerges. This is not a retreat – it is a transition away from short-term consumer subsidies toward a long-term plan focused on innovation and commercial strength across the entire EV supply chain. What will help us become leaders in the industry is investing in research and development, otherwise we risk losing out to other countries.

The challenges facing EV adoption in Canada right now are practical, not ideological. Used EVs account for a growing share of Canada’s used-vehicle market,........

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