British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in the world to legislate a 100 % zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales requirement.
In the Roadmap to 2030, the province committed to increasing the stringency of the ZEV Act with targets of 26% of ZEV sales by 2026, 90% by 2030, and 100% by 2035, and to implement targets for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The legislation aims to ensure greater availability of ZEVs at more affordable prices in B.C. The province now has the highest uptake rates of ZEVs in North America. With 13% of new light-duty vehicles sold in B.C. and more than 79,000 light-duty ZEVs on B.C. roads today, the province is becoming a leader in the industry.
According to a recent public opinion survey, up to 80% of Canadians are open to the idea of purchasing a ZEV as their next vehicle.
75% of those that participated in the survey supported current government policies to encourage more people to purchase an EV.
To help consumers make the transformation away from gas-powered vehicles, the B.C. government has recently introduced a number of new incentives and programs. These include measures to help:
- Bring down the price of ZEVs.
- Make it easier to charge or fuel a ZEV.
- Support research, jobs, training and economic development in B.C.’s ZEV sector.
- Increasing availability of ZEVs for British Columbians.
B.C. is well on its way to achieving the 2026 ZEV sales targets. In 2021, there were 24,263 new ZEVs registered in B.C. for a total of roughly 60,000 BEVs and 20,000 PHEVs registered in the province.
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