News
Good news for BC residents, businesses, non-profit organizations and local government organizations that are considering buying an electric or hybrid vehicle. The Clean Energy Vehicles for British Columbia is again being made available for the next three years beginning on April 1, 2015.
Consumers will be eligible to apply for the CEV incentive program through local dealerships that sell or lease qualifying new vehicles. CEV for BC will be administered by the New Car Dealers Association of BC on behalf of the Province of British Columbia.
The Province of BC is providing $7.5 million over the next three years for CEV for BCT™. The funding will go to point-of-sale incentives, and dealers sales staff incentives for electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. That's up to $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and up to $6,000 for a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. When combined with new SCRAP-IT program incentives, total savings could be up to $8,250 for an electric vehicle.
The new incentives are part of Phase 2 of the Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) Program and will distribute $10.6 million from the Province’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund over the next three years for the following purposes:
- $7.5 million for point-of-sale incentives for electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
- $1.59 million for investments in charging infrastructure and hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.
- $1 million for incentives for commercial fleet purchases of clean energy vehicles.
- $500,000 for research, training, and public outreach on clean energy transportation technology.
Investments in infrastructure will be based on the results of a charging infrastructure analysis, to commence immediately, that will identify where there are gaps in the location of charging infrastructure and where provincial investments can have the most impact.
Today, electric vehicles typically cost about 25% more than non-electric vehicles but can save drivers about 75% on their fuel costs, which adds up to $1,600 per year. It is hoped that these incentives will narrow the price gap and encourage more British Columbians to purchase an electric vehicle.
The first phase of the CEV program ran from 2011 to 2014 and helped support the purchase of 950 electric vehicles and the development of over 1,000 charging stations, and resulted in 57,000 tonnes of direct emissions reductions.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines will administer and implement the CEV program through partnerships with the New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia, the Fraser Basin Council, and the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
The ICE Fund is designed to support government’s energy and environmental priorities and advance British Columbia’s clean energy sector. It receives funding through a 0.4% levy on the final sale of specified energy products such as natural gas, fuel oil and grid-delivered propane.