Battery electric cars are gaining more momentum as a viable choice of transportation for Canadians. The Canadian government has put forth targets of EV sales of 10% by 2025, 30% by 2030 and 100% by 2040. but there are still hurdles to overcome. One important hurdle is the financial commitment to purchasing an electric vehicle. With rebates and incentives, Canadians can get access to electric vehicles with ove
r 400 km of range for under $40,000. By comparison, “Nova Scotia noted an average new internal combustion vehicle price of $37,025”. Furthermore, the environmental benefits of electric vehicles are clear. Even for an
electricity grid powered primarily by coal fired plants, the emissions from an electric vehicle are far lower than an internal combustion vehicle. Kamiya writes “simulation results find that, compared to 2015, 2050 fleet average PEV emissions are 40–52% lower in British Columbia, 57–74% lower in Alberta, and 36–46% lower in Ontario. Overall, we find that PEVs offer substantial GHG emissions benefits compared to conv
entional vehicles in all scenarios explored” (George Kamiya, 2019). Thus, the environmental benefits are clear, and the financial element of the discussion is beginning to make sense.
One final hurdle to address however, is the accessibility of charging stations for these vehicles. Natural Resource Canada’s “Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program”, ZEVIP for short, aims to address this discrepancy.
One round of request for applications has already closed June 11th, that targeted multi unit residential buildings (MURBs), workplaces and light duty vehicle fleets. Subsequent rounds of applications will be targeting public places and street parking. The breakdown of funding is shown below:
Source: Natural Resources Canada
Transportation in Canada is on the verge of a colossal shift, and the way in which we fuel our vehicles is going to fundamentally change. We will be fuelling intermittently at our homes and at our places of work and play. Overcoming the barrier of access to charging is a major step and Canada’s ZEVIP program is working to address this.
If you’re interested in learning more about the eligibility requirements, application process, or want to apply, reach out to our PV specialist via [email protected] and we’ll help you out.
