Rarely do two emails hit my inbox with such perfect timing.

Almost in unison came a note from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC) on the rebound in EV sales in Canada, alongside AIA Canada’s latest report on what EV drivers are thinking.

Start with DAC. The February bump was tied directly to the return of federal ZEV incentives—up to $5,000.

“Despite only being available from February 16th, the incentives brought immediate results, with ZEV sales surging more than 50% in a number of provinces,” DAC noted. Quebec, in particular, drove much of the story. After a weak Q1 following the reduction of provincial incentives at the end of 2024, the province posted a 16.8% increase—though against a very soft comparison. Every other province saw declines.

DAC’s Andrew King took the feds to task, noting that while incentives had an immediate impact, “incentives alone do not constitute a coherent ZEV policy.”

That’s probably true. But expecting a fully coherent national policy on anything might be a stretch. Getting different levels of government pulling in roughly the same direction—at least some of the time—is about as good as it gets.

As for the oft-cited “disconnect” of provinces adding ZEV fees while the feds offer incentives, that’s hardly unique.

“Only in Canada would one level of government be incentivising consumers to buy ZEVs, while another penalises them.”

Not really. South of the border, EV pioneering jurisdictions like California have long charged EV owners additional road-use fees. Provinces need revenue, and fuel taxes have traditionally funded roads. If EV drivers aren’t paying at the pump, governments will look elsewhere.

There’s no free ride—even if you drive a Tesla.

Which brings me to AIA Canada’s report, Data and diagnostics: Inside the mind of Canadian electric vehicle owners.

If incentives drive sales, attitudes will drive aftermarket activity.

One finding stands out: EV and hybrid drivers say they want to learn about vehicle technology at roughly twice the rate of ICE drivers. But in practice, there’s little difference in how much they actually use it. The real gap shows up in comfort level—ICE drivers are far more likely to feel overwhelmed and just want to get from A to B.

There is also not a massive difference in how either group views the ability of the independent shop to deal with technology.

There’s a lesson there for service advisors.

The report also reinforces a familiar challenge: awareness of Right to Repair remains low. Yet once consumers understand it, most support it.

Put it all together, and the takeaway is straightforward. ZEV drivers look a lot like ICE drivers in most respects. The key difference is their comfort with technology—and often the income and mindset that comes with it.

And that’s what should shape how we deal with them at the counter.

The bottom line–the underlying truth hinted at in the headline–is that succeeding in the EV space, (or ICE space for that matter), is not just about the cars or the technology, but how you handle the customer.