As gas prices continue to skyrocket across the country, more drivers are thinking of “going electric” – but what does that actually mean?

To help you stay in-the-know, we’re busting four of the most common myths about electric vehicles.

Although they operate differently, Toyota electric and gas vehicles follow the same maintenance schedule – every 6 months or 8,000 km.

When you bring an electrified vehicle to your local dealer for maintenance, Toyota University Trained Technicians provide the same quality service and use similar Toyota Genuine Parts to those that you’d expect with a gas vehicle. Plus, depending on how the vehicle is driven, a hybrid electric system can even reduce how often other areas of the vehicle need servicing.

Toyota Service Connect allows you to be proactive and informed when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Get vehicle health reports, receive warnings, and access information you can show your Dealer when you’re in for an appointment.

You can also lower maintenance costs with an electric vehicle. For example, BEVs don’t have an engine or transmission. With fewer mechanical parts that need service or replacing, you can lower your overall cost of ownership over time.

Because gas is more costly than electricity, an electric vehicle automatically helps you save money by not relying on fuel. If you want to compare how much you could save with an electrified vehicle, check out our helpful gas savings calculator.

Another way electric vehicles can help put more money in your pocket is with the federal government’s iZEV program, available in select provinces & territories. It offers incentives and deals of up to $5,000 for the purchase of a zero-emission vehicle, like a PHEV.

Electric motors generate 100% of their available torque instantly. This means you can accelerate faster, smoother and more quietly than you can while driving a gas-powered vehicle. In a PHEV, you can travel even faster and further in EV-mode than conventional hybrid electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles were created to help reduce greenhouse gasses and lessen our impact on the environment by using renewable energy. Since 1997, electrified Toyota vehicles have prevented over 94 million tons of CO2 emissions globally.

Using hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, vehicles with Toyota’s revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell electric (FCEV) technology emit only water vapour from their tailpipe – an entirely carbon-free process. Lowering our carbon footprint today can help us create a cleaner, more sustainable tomorrow.