The province is ponying up $40 million to encourage British Columbians to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support investment in made-in-B.C. green technology.
The funding for the Province’s Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) Program will be distributed over the next three years to support continued point-of-sale purchase incentives of up to $5,000 for battery electric vehicles and $6,000 for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. When combined with SCRAP-IT program incentives, total savings could be up to $11,000 for a new electric vehicle.
Programs funded within the $40 million are also under development to:
- Expand public, residential and workplace charging and hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.
- Support research, economic development and job training in the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sector.
- Increase public awareness of the benefits of ZEVs.
- Continue purchase incentives for specialty-use vehicles used in vehicle fleets such as light-duty zero-emission trucks, buses and motorcycles.
- Provide incentives for bikes, electric bikes, electric scooters, car share credits and transit passes when someone scraps an older vehicle.
“Transportation accounts for nearly half of the emissions by the average B.C. family, and light-duty vehicles account for 14 per cent of B.C.’s overall emissions. With 98 per cent of our electricity in B.C coming from clean or renewable sources, encouraging people to buy or lease a zero-emission vehicle is one of best ways we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure British Columbia remains a climate action leader,” said Minister of Environment Mary Polak, in a press release.
The vehicle price cap established for the CEV Program in March 2016 remains in effect – vehicles priced above $77,000 are ineligible for purchase incentives. The vehicle incentives will continue to be administered and delivered by the New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia.
The funding provides more money per year to meet growing demand for rebates on vehicles and specialty-use vehicles, and supports the expansion of charging stations, hydrogen fuelling stations and the development of new research and training programs, fulfilling the Province’s undertaking in the Climate Leadership Plan to expand the CEV Program to support new vehicle incentives and infrastructure, as well as education and economic development initiatives.
Funding for incentives of $500 toward the cost of bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, car-share credits and transit passes when someone scraps an older vehicle will be distributed by SCRAP-IT BC. Incentives from SCRAP-IT BC for the purchase of a new electric vehicle have been increased from $3,250 to $6,000, and SCRAP-IT BC is also now offering incentives of $3,000 for the purchase of a used electric vehicle.
