Incentives

Federal, provincial and even private industry incentives are accelerating EV adoption.

Rebates and other perks have a big impact on accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles in BC. They are provided by the federal government, provincial government, and even private industry. Some are administered by the team here at Plug In BC, but others are handled by governments, utilities or not-for-profit organizations.

CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program

The CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program is a sub-program of the CleanBC Go Electric Program and is intended to increase the number of public Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) stations throughout B.C. to support the growing number of ZEVs on the road.

The Program aims to fill current gaps in the public DCFC network in B.C. such as Indigenous communities, rural and northern areas, and city centers experiencing long queues for DCFCs due to high ZEV uptake.

Medium- and Heavy-Duty Public Charger Program

The CleanBC Go Electric Medium- and Heavy-Duty Public Charger Program is a sub-program of the CleanBC Go Electric Program and is intended to increase the number of public Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) stations throughout B.C. to support the growing need for public charging for medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicles.

The Program aims to fund DCFCs in locations with high MHD vehicle utilization to support the transition of the MHD industry to ZEVS.

Home and Workplace Charger Rebates

Applications for the CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate are now open for BC Hydro and FortisBC customers in their respective service areas. As of June 15 2023, BC Hydro will not longer accept applications for single-family home rebates or condo/apartment EV ready rebates. BC Hydro customers will have access to Government of Canada funding to install charging stations in multi-unit residential buildings beginning on June 15. See the BC Hydro site linked below. FortisBC continues to accept applications for single-family home and EV ready rebates while funding remains.  For news about these programs, please subscribe to the Plug In BC e-Newsletter.

EV Advisor Service for Strata and Workplaces

EV advisors can help walk you through the process of getting electric vehicle charging in your building by providing lunch & learn sessions, presentations at AGMs/SGMs, or webinars for decision makers.

Please note that EV advisory services are available to Workplaces and Multi-unit residential buildings with shared parking garages in British Columbia. Detached houses, duplexes, rowhouses and townhouse units with individual private parking areas are not eligible for the EV Advisor service.

Visit the EV Advisors page to find out more.

CleanBC Go Electric Fleet Charging

The CleanBC Go Electric Fleet Charging program aims to support fleets in their transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by providing training, advisory services, and financial supports.

Fleets can access rebates for ZEV readiness assessments, infrastructure assessments and upgrades as well as the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure to support the future of their fleets. For a limited time, eligible fleets can access enhanced rebates for the Go Electric Fleet Charging program.

CleanBC Go Electric Rebates (formerly SUVI)

The Go Electric Rebates Program provides rebates on cargo e-bikes, zero-emission motorcycles, utility trucks, buses & more!

The purchaser or lessee of an eligible vehicle can receive money back by applying to the program. Successful applicants will receive a rebate of 33% of the vehicle MSRP to a maximum dependent on the vehicle class and category. The amounts are subject to change and may be adjusted during the program period. Additionally,

  1. Any eligible organization (business, non-profit, public-sector organization) applying for a rebate under the On Road Medium and Heavy-Duty category and any Class 8 Terminal Tractors from the Airport and Port Specialty category may receive a maximum of ten rebates per calendar year from the program.
  2. Any eligible organization applying for a rebate under other categories (Electric Motorcycle, Low-speed, Cargo e-bikes, Utility and other Airport and Port Specialty vehicles) may receive a maximum of ten rebates for the lifetime of the program.
  3. Any eligible individual may receive a maximum of five rebates from the program.

 

Requests for more than ten rebates for all the instances mentioned above will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Any exception is at the sole discretion of the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low-Carbon Innovation.

Applications for any vehicle category incentive must be received within 90 days of purchasing the vehicle.

Cargo E-Bikes and E-Bikes

The CleanBC Go Electric Rebates program provides rebates up to $1,700 for businesses, public entities, non-profits to purchase e-cargo bikes.

The BC Electric Bike Rebate program provides rebates for e-bikes, but please check their website for availability. Rebates are means-tested based on income, and are subject to available funding.

As of April 21, 2021, PST is not collected on qualifying e-bikes (including cargo e-bikes) and equipment used to convert a non-motorized bicycle into an e-bike. See the PST bulletin here.

Passenger Vehicle Incentives

BC drivers can take advantage of three incentives to support the purchase of electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrids. These incentives can be combined for big savings! Furthermore, EVs benefit from a higher luxury surcharge tax threshold (additional tax is applied on vehicles priced at $75,000 instead of $55,000) and used EVs are exempt from PST.

Federal and provincial incentives can provide up to $9,000 off the purchase of a new electric vehicle. You may also be eligible for an additional rebate on a new or used electric vehicle if you are retiring an older gas vehicle through BC SCRAP-IT.

HOV Lane Access

Electric vehicles (EVs) displaying an official decal are allowed in provincial highway and municipal high-occupancy-vehicle lanes in British Columbia regardless of the number of passengers in the car, unless a sign is posted indicating otherwise.

See the listing of specific highways, examples of signage, and the application form here on the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure site.

Education and Outreach Incentives

Electric vehicle owners are eager to share their experiences and answer questions about EVs. The Emotive education and outreach program allows electric vehicle champions to do just that by accessing funding and other resources. Local governments, non-profit organizations and businesses are eligible for Emotive Community Outreach Incentive support.