2023 Ontario EV Registrations by Region

Ontario registered 46,704 electric vehicles in 2023, with battery-electric models dominating the market at nearly four times the volume of plug-in hybrids. Central Ontario emerged as the province's EV powerhouse, capturing more than half of all battery-electric registrations, while northern regions lagged far behind despite showing late-year momentum.

Ontario BEV Registrations by Region — 2023

Battery-electric vehicle registrations showed consistent quarterly growth across Ontario's five regions throughout 2023.

Data source: Ontario EV registrations (BEV and PHEV), aggregated by region for 2023. Prepared by EV Quotes.

Central Ontario's dominance in the BEV market reflects the concentration of population and wealth in the Greater Toronto Area's surrounding municipalities, including Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, and Vaughan. The region's 20,078 registrations dwarfed Toronto proper's 6,554 units, suggesting suburban households with detached homes and private charging access are adopting battery-electric vehicles at higher rates than urban condo dwellers. Southwestern Ontario, anchored by London, Windsor, and Kitchener-Waterloo, contributed 4,864 registrations, while Eastern Ontario added 4,700 units.

The most striking regional story emerged in Northern Ontario, where BEV registrations remained minimal at just 684 vehicles for the year but surged 91% in the final quarter alone, jumping from 165 units in Q3 to 315 in Q4. This late-year acceleration, occurring during winter months when range anxiety typically peaks, suggests growing confidence in cold-weather battery performance or expanding charging infrastructure in communities like Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie. Across all regions, BEV registrations maintained upward momentum through each successive quarter, avoiding the slowdown that plagued plug-in hybrids.

Ontario PHEV Registrations by Region — 2023

Plug-in hybrid registrations followed a markedly different trajectory, peaking mid-year before losing steam in the final two quarters.

Data source: Ontario EV registrations (BEV and PHEV), aggregated by region for 2023. Prepared by EV Quotes.

Ontario registered 9,824 plug-in hybrids in 2023, with Central Ontario again leading at 4,107 units (42% of the provincial total), followed by Eastern Ontario's 1,868 registrations and Southwestern Ontario's 1,739. The PHEV market showed strong early momentum, particularly in Central Ontario where registrations more than doubled from 514 units in Q1 to 1,158 in Q2. However, growth stalled dramatically in the second half of the year, with Central Ontario registrations declining slightly from 1,229 in Q3 to 1,206 in Q4, and Toronto dropping from 449 to 409 units over the same period.

This divergence between BEV and PHEV adoption patterns suggests Ontario buyers are increasingly opting for full electrification rather than the transitional technology of plug-in hybrids. The 3.8-to-1 ratio of BEV to PHEV registrations indicates that concerns about range and charging infrastructure may be diminishing, particularly as battery-electric models continued their steady quarterly climb while hybrids faltered. Northern Ontario registered 589 PHEVs for the year—6% of the provincial total—suggesting that even in remote regions where range anxiety might favor dual-power systems, buyers are either choosing full battery-electric vehicles or sticking with conventional powertrains rather than adopting the more complex and expensive plug-in hybrid technology.

Please note: The registration data presented in the tables above is sourced from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. This data reflects EV vehicle registrations by Forward Sortation Area (FSA) and does not distinguish between business and private registrations. Additionally, it is not known whether all registered vehicles have been plated at the time of reporting.

Region Reference

The concentration of EV registrations in Central Ontario and steady quarterly growth throughout 2023 signals robust demand for residential charging infrastructure installation, particularly in suburban communities with detached housing stock. With battery-electric vehicles maintaining momentum while plug-in hybrids fade, installers should prioritize Level 2 charging solutions capable of supporting full BEVs rather than the lower-power equipment sufficient for smaller PHEV batteries. The 91% fourth-quarter surge in Northern Ontario BEV registrations, despite harsh winter conditions, suggests emerging opportunities beyond the traditional southern Ontario markets as range confidence grows and provincial charging networks expand into previously underserved regions.

Data source: Ontario EV registrations (BEV and PHEV), aggregated by region for 2023. Prepared by EV Quotes.