Many Canadians remain hesitant about switching to electric vehicles, and VinFast is trying to smooth the transition by tackling not just costs and charging gaps but also the small "firsts" that can make or break a driver's confidence.
Canada's electric-vehicle market continues to cool. In the second quarter of 2025, zero-emission vehicles accounted for 9.2 percent of new registrations, slipping further from 9.7 percent in the first quarter and well below the 18.9 percent recorded at the end of 20241.
Incentives, cost, and infrastructure remain decisive factors, yet the slowdown points to something more subtle. For many drivers, the real barrier is psychological. The first charge at home, the first winter commute, or the first service visit can feel like make-or-break tests. If those moments go badly, interest can turn to regret. If they go smoothly, adoption becomes easier.
Why Firsts Feel Bigger in Canada
Canadian geography and climate add weight to those first experiences. Driving between cities often means long distances with fewer charging points, which heightens the risk of range anxiety. Winters, with their sub-zero mornings and icy highways, stir doubts about performance and safety. Families depend on their vehicles not just for commuting but for daily routines and weekend trips. A misstep during one of those early experiences could disrupt far more than a single drive.
Survey work reinforces that caution. J.D. Power's 2025 study found only 28 percent of new-vehicle shoppers say they are likely to consider an EV2. The figure suggests that while Canadians are familiar with electric cars, many hesitate to take the leap. Their concerns are not only about infrastructure or price. They are also about trust, habit, and the fear of being stranded during a first attempt. These anxieties may not always appear in official charts, but they echo in conversations across online forums and dealerships.
How VinFast Helps Drivers Navigate the Firsts
VinFast, the best-selling automaker in Vietnam, has built its customer-centric philosophy around easing anxieties with features and policies designed for beginners. For the first charge, its mobile app connects to a wide North American charging network and helps manage home charging schedules. The company also sells home chargers that can be monitored remotely, turning a potential point of confusion into a routine.
The first Canadian winter is another hurdle. To counter fears of battery decline, the VinFast VF 8 comes with a 10-year, 200,000-kilometre vehicle warranty and a 10-year, unlimited-kilometre battery warranty. Advanced driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control and traffic jam assist add another layer of reassurance when roads are slick.
Concerns about service often appear quickly, especially for first-time EV owners still learning how everything works. The VinFast app covers early service worries by letting owners schedule maintenance or request roadside help without delay, while a Digital Welcome Kit explains common tasks through guides and videos. For those worried about long-term obsolescence, the vehicle's update capabilities signal that functions will evolve. And inside the cabin, a voice assistant allows drivers to explore features without navigating complex menus, softening the learning curve that can overwhelm first-time EV owners.
For some early adopters, these measures have helped ease the transition. "I'm a year and a half in and I have never been left stranded," wrote one Quebec driver R.M. Others point to solid service. M.S.B., who received a VF 8 in Ontario in 2023, described "a top notch customer service especially the folks in Mississauga."
Canada's EV slowdown highlights the structural issues of incentives and infrastructure, but it also exposes how fragile the first experiences can be. Those moments carry the weight of decision-making. By offering support at each step, VinFast is betting that easing the firsts will make the switch feel less like a gamble and more like a natural choice.
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2 https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2025-canada-electric-vehicle-consideration-evc-study |
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