Welcome from the New Car Dealers Association of BC

Welcome to the Clean Energy Vehicle for BC (CEVforBC™), British Columbia’s Point of Sale Incentive Program designed to make clean energy vehicles (CEV’s) more affordable for British Columbians. Through the combined leadership of the New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA) and the Province of British Columbia, CEV’s in B.C. are more accessible than ever.

Since the start of the program, the Government of British Columbia has recharged the initiative on numerous occasions as CEV’s surge in popularity, with more than $100 Million in incentives provided to provincial consumers via BC’s New Car Dealers. Eligible consumers in B.C. can apply for the CEV incentive program through local dealerships that sell or lease qualifying vehicles.

The NCDA is pleased to be working alongside the Province of British Columbia in facilitating the province’s increased appetite for clean energy vehicles, reflected by the ever-growing demand for rebates and incentives on vehicles.

Across the country, each province is working to collectively lower its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In fact, British Columbia’s 2016 Climate Action Plan included a pledge to support alternative, more fuel-efficient vehicle technologies as well as investment in charging infrastructure.

The transportation sector is at the forefront of the green revolution and new car dealers in British Columbia are spearheading it. The auto industry experienced a shake up when CEV’s rolled into the market, at a time when many recognize the need for long-term sustainable solutions when it comes to the environment.

Government intervention through initiatives like CEVforBC™ are part of the solution – but a large part of the long-term solution depend on collective action and B.C.’s dealers are certainly stepping up to the plate.

CEV’s have the potential to significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and dealers across the province are showing their environmental commitment to help B.C. move to a greener future.

Incentives make an impact on British Columbians, affecting green transportation decisions. The responsibility to provide support and knowledge to consumers who want to reduce their environmental footprint falls largely on dealers’ shoulders.

Since 2015, new car dealers in the province have been collaborating with the Provincial Government to incentivize the sale of EV’s and to maximize the potential of point of sales programs.

Every year, dealerships in the province are recognized for significant sales of CEV’s through the CEVforBC™ Green Star Awards. Thanks to their continued commitment to sustainable values, electric vehicle sales in the province have been steadily increasing, with 11,000 EVs sold in Canada in 2016 – a 56 per cent increase from the previous year. For a list of the award winners, please visit this link.

B.C. is a leader on the electric vehicle front, because of the efforts of its dealers, boasting the highest sales of electric vehicles per capita in the country, and one of the largest charging networks in Canada. For the Canadian consumer today, there are more options than ever for CEVs, including plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles.

Please explore the CEVforBC™ website to learn more about qualifying clean energy vehicles. Click here for a list of all the eligible vehicles.

Yours truly,

Blair Qualey

President and CEO

New Car Dealers Association of BC

About The Program

CEVforBC™ is administered by the New Car Dealers Association of BC and was first announced November 5, 2011. Meant to provide point of sales incentives and adequate charging infrastructure across the province for CEV owners and potential owners, the government originally committed $14.3 Million to develop the marketplace for CEV’s. On March 23, 2015, from the floor of the 95th Vancouver International Auto Show, former Minister of Mines and Energy, Bill Bennett, made the announcement that the Province of B.C. was renewing the CEVforBC™ program. With another announcement made on February 3, 2017, the government has committed more than $40 Million to make CEV’s more affordable and accessible to drivers across British Columbia. And on September 24, 2018, the Provincial Government announced an additional $10 Million in funding. In addition to the point of sales incentive, funding has also been allocated to programs to expand public, residential and workplace charging. Thanks to these investments, B.C. has the largest charging network in Canada with over 1,100 public, Level 2 charging stations and 30 fast-charging stations, with these numbers growing rapidly. Over the course of the program, CEVforBC™ has supported the addition of more than 5,000 clean energy vehicles in BC. British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec account for 95 per cent of all electric vehicles sold and their popularity is only rising. In 2016, new electric vehicle sales totaled 11,000 (a 56 per cent increase from 2015). According to Cleantech Information and Communications Technology company, FleetCarma, both Quebec and B.C. see EV sales representing over 6 per cent of their respectable new vehicle sales. CEVforBC™ encourages the adoption of new, clean energy vehicles. B.C. residents, businesses, non-profit organizations and local government organizations who purchase or lease qualifying new vehicles, are eligible for up to $3,000 off the final, after-tax vehicle price for qualifying new battery electric, and up to $1,500 for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Program Framework

Overview

The Clean Energy Vehicle Program consists of the following components:

Vehicle point-of-sale incentives

Charging infrastructure incentives / investments (Level 2 and DC Fast Charging)

Hydrogen fuelling station investment (1 new public fuelling station)

Fleet incentives for adopting CEVs and

Research, training, and public outreach

The CEV Program will run until funds are exhausted.

The purchaser or lessee of the vehicles must be an individual, business, non-profit, or public entity (including municipal and regional governments and first nations, but excluding provincial, crown, and federal government agencies) that is a B.C. resident of the business, non-profit or public entity is based in British Columbia or has a BC-based affiliate.

Program Management

The Ministry of Energy and Mines is responsible for overall CEV Program management, including ensuring the CEV Program and its delivery partners meet expectations. BC Ministry of Energy and Mines will work with stakeholders through Plug-In BC, the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA), the New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia (NCDA), automakers, vehicle owner groups, and program participants, to seek advice on the CEV Program.

In order to meet CEV Program targets, BC Ministry of Energy and Mines can modify any component of the CEV Program. This program modification can include but is not limited to, the addition of new vehicle types, vehicle and fuelling investment levels, and any program aspect that BC Ministry of Energy and Mines wishes to change. The CEV Program will be reviewed and evaluated by BC Ministry of Energy and Mines staff in an interim basis at 12, 18, and 24 months, with a full CEV Program evaluation at 36 months or whenever the current funding is fully expended.

The CEV Program components will be administered by partner organizations. The point of sale vehicle incentives will be administered by the NCDA, while the charging infrastructure investments and incentives will be administered by the Fraser Basin Council Society (FBCS), and the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure investments will be administered by the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA).

Vehicle Incentive

The vehicle incentive in the CEV Program enables the purchaser or lessee of an eligible vehicle to receive an after-tax point of sale vehicle incentive of up to $3,000. The incentive amounts will be reviewed yearly to determine if they are appropriate for the marketplace. BC Ministry of Energy and Mines will adjust the incentive amounts as necessary based on market performance.

This incentive is not part of the price negotiation process, the dealership will be required to mark down the final vehicle price by the amount of the incentive that has been approved for each clean energy vehicle. The dealership will then submit an application to NCDA for reimbursement for the total amount of incentives provided to eligible purchasers/lessees.

Effective June 22, 2019, vehicles with a MSRP of over $55,000 shall not be considered eligible for the incentive rebate.