The cars pass almost silently, but you see hundreds of them on the streets. Salt Spring Island, Canada's green magnet, claims to have the highest concentration of electric vehicle owners in North America.

And it stands to reason. The island, off the B.C. coastline, is just 27 kilometres end to end. A round trip is well within reach of even the EVs with the most limited range on the market. Temperate winters also mean EV batteries aren't subject to extreme cold, which can reduce range by up to a quarter in Canada's more frigid communities.

The provincial government also offers a rebate which, as of this month, can be combined with a new federal rebate of up to $5,000 to buy electric vehicles.

But while Salt Spring Island might seem like an EV utopia, not everyone who'd like a set of greener wheels is perfectly happy. And it's for largely the same set of reasons keeping many Canadians in other parts of the country from letting go of gasoline-powered transportation.

Slim selection

Salt Spring Island resident Bob Wray unplugs his electric vehicle after grocery shopping. (Glen Kugelstadt/CBC)

Size matters in the car-buying environment, and for those seeking zero emissions there's currently little available beyond small cars.

Need to haul a lot of material to work or a bunch of kids to their game? For those who need more seats or bigger cargo capacity, there's just one model to choose from in Canada at the moment when it comes to affordable electric vehicles.

"With my business, it's all about how many people I can get in the van and sell more seats to make it financial viable," says Jason Griffin, who runs a tour business for visitors to Salt Spring.

The minivan he bought, "was my only real option for a vehicle this size," and it isn't purely electric. The plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica runs on an electric motor for 50 to 100 km until the battery depletes, and then a gasoline engine takes over.

Griffin says he plans his trips around the short 50 km electric range of his hybrid van, so it's sufficient for his tour company’s needs. (Jill English/CBC)

Mind you, Griffin plans his trips and charging stops around that to maximize his electric mileage. He says he still has the same tank of gas in the van that was there when he bought it nine months ago.

Manufacturers are well aware of the demand for larger and more diverse designs, and they're racing to broaden their EV product lines.

Hyundai has introduced a small electric five-seater SUV called the Kona, joining Tesla's much larger (and more expensive) Model X. Kia has a comparable model in the new Niro.

Meanwhile, both Tesla and Ford are working on a pick-up truck that they say will have extended electric-powered driving range.