Assessing the Functional Dynamics of Ontario’s Electric Vehicle Technology Innovation System Under the Current Niche-regime-landscape Structure

Reducing transportation emissions is one of Ontario’s goals to tackle climate change. This thesis research analyzes the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by using the technology innovation system (TIS) and the multi-level perspective (MLP) approaches to assess the functional dynamics of Ontario’s EV TIS under the current niche-regime-landscape structure. Although Ontario has outstanding domestic auto industry capability, the diffusion of EVs is relatively low. However, the analysis shows that Ontario might be on track to achieve the goal of light-duty vehicle emission reduction by 2030 due to the potential transition to the mass EV market. Entrepreneurial initiatives and the exogenic-driven legitimacy functions are recognized as the main motors to reinforce the functional dynamics and development of Ontario’s EV TIS. However, the lack of robust supply and demand-focused policies to open and lead the market to entrepreneurial enterprises and to innovate the status quo of the established auto industry regime in a timely manner may inhibit the formation of competitive EV TIS in Ontario.