While British Columbia is launching new incentives to promote the purchase of zero-emission vehicles, a shortage of new vehicles is dampening the enthusiasm of those who would like to take advantage of them.
© Evan Mitsui/Radio-Canada
Zero-emission vehicles include electric cars, fuel cell cars and plug-in hybrid cars. (Archives)
On Tuesday, the province announced new measures to encourage British Columbians to turn to these types of vehicles in order to reach its target of 26% of the vehicle fleet producing no greenhouse gases by 2026.
The government hopes that all vehicles will be zero emissions by the year 2035.
What is a zero emission vehicle?
Under the Zero Emission Vehicles Act of British Columbia, zero-emission vehicles include a line of passenger vehicles whose primary means of propulsion produces zero greenhouse gases.
The province considers several types of vehicles to be zero-emission:
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electric cars;
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cars using a fuel cell (hydrogen);
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cars that are powered entirely by electricity but have a gasoline engine that acts as a generator to increase range;
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plug-in hybrid cars.
Source : Government of British Columbia (in English)
Among the measures announced in the budget, the government is proposing a sales tax exemption on the purchase of a used zero-emission vehicle with at least 6,000 km and is reviewing the levels of its surtax on zero-emission passenger vehicles.
According to the recent provincial budget, this measure will cost $21 million this year and $29 million next year.
Even if many want to make the right choice for the environment, it is not always the most affordable“, recalled the Minister of Finance, Selina Robinson, during the presentation of the budget.
Difficult supply
The potential increase in demand caused by the new incentives, however, might be hampered by the thinness of the inventory, notes the president and CEO of the Association of Automobile Dealers of British Columbia, Blair Qualey.
You only have to show up at a dealership to realize that the yard is pretty empty right now.“, he explains.
The president and CEO of the electric vehicle promotion organization Electric Mobility Canada, Daniel Breton, recognizes that the new zero-emission vehicle market is experiencing failures.
He hopes all the same that consumers left on their hunger by the shortage or the price of new cars will turn to used vehicles.
Rebates funded by the federal and provincial governments are already allowing British Columbians to save on the purchase of a new zero-emission vehicle.
The non-profit organization Scrap-It also offers a discount to motorists who get rid of an internal combustion vehicle in favor of an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
The province also offers a rebate for the installation of a charging station.
With files from Chad Pawson
