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Provincial Government Puts B.C. On Path to 100% Zero-Emission Vehicle Sales by 2040
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Vancouver, BC, November 21, 2018--(T-Net)--In a move aimed at removing a major source of air pollution and climate change, the provincial government announced today that it has put British Columbia on a path to require the sale of all new light-duty cars and trucks to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by the year 2040.
Premier John Horgan has announced the government, in partnership with the B.C. Green caucus, will introduce legislation next spring to phase in targets for the sale of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
This legislation will set targets of 10% ZEV sales by 2025, 30% by 2030, and 100% by 2040, while government will take additional steps to make ZEVs more affordable.
"There's nothing more important than taking care of the place we call home," said Premier Horgan. "As a province, we need to work together to put B.C. on a path that powers our future with clean, renewable energy and reduces air pollution."
The Premier outlined a three-point plan to kick-start and fuel the rollout of the ZEV standard:
"If we want British Columbians to be part of the solution for reducing air pollution, we need to make clean energy vehicles more affordable, available and convenient," said Premier Horgan, who added that this initiative is the first major policy commitment of the government's upcoming strategy to meet B.C.'s legislated climate goals.
"Everywhere I go, I hear from British Columbians who are excited to embrace electric vehicles," said Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green caucus. "As an EV owner myself, I can attest to how good it feels to save fuel and repair costs, while doing my part to reduce emissions. The B.C. ZEV mandate is an exciting development that will support British Columbians as we make the shift to the low-carbon economy."
British Columbia already has one of the largest charging and fuelling infrastructure networks - electric and hydrogen fuelling - in Canada and, with 12,000 clean energy vehicles registered, the highest adoption rates of electric vehicles in the country.
Learn More:
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A backgrounder follows.
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Program support for zero-emission vehicle use and infrastructure
British Columbia is a leader in zero-emission vehicles, with one of the largest charging-infrastructure networks in Canada (over 1,500 public charging stations) and the highest per capita adoption rate of electric vehicles in the country with about 12,000 CEVs registered in B.C.
The B.C. government has committed more than $71 million to the Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) Program since the September 2017 Budget Update - encouraging British Columbians to choose clean, green vehicles that reduce their transportation greenhouse gas emissions. The program supports battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, along with hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Government's target is that by 2025, 10% of new light-duty passenger vehicle sales in B.C. will be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), increasing to 30% by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
B.C.'s CEV Program invests in five main program areas:
To make cleaner vehicles more affordable and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Province offers point-of-sale incentives through CEVforBC (administered by the New Car Dealers Association of BC) of:
The B.C. government's current support for zero-emission vehicles has: