About the Program
Welcome to the CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program (the “Program”), British Columbia’s Point-of-Purchase Rebate Program designed to make zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) more affordable for British Columbians. Through the combined leadership of the New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA), the Province of British Columbia, and BC Hydro, ZEVs in BC are more accessible than ever.
From the Front Seat – President’s Message
The New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA) is privileged to deliver the CleanBC Go Passenger Electric Vehicle Rebate Program, in partnership with the Province of British Columbia and BC Hydro.
The Program is intended to encourage and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in British Columbia for both their environmental and economic benefits.
The NCDA, on behalf of its Member dealers, has consistently advocated for funding that supports purchase rebates to increase the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), and through its ongoing commitment, the government has been a true partner.
In its 2022 Budget, the Province provided $67 million in funding for the program, and in doing so, is supporting customers who make the choice to purchase qualifying zero-emission vehicles. Additional rebates have been made available for charging stations, along with funding to support commercialization of medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
As the Minister responsible for the CleanBC Program has noted, Bruce Ralston (Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation):
“BC leads North America in the sale of zero-emission vehicles, positioning us to achieve our targets established in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030,” said the Honorable Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “As a result of CleanBC Go Electric initiatives, the number of clean energy vehicle options continues to grow…”
The New Car Dealers CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program has come a long way in providing British Columbians with more choices to purchase zero-emission vehicles. In 2021, ZEV sales represented 13% of all light duty vehicle sales, placing BC in a leadership position in North America, and putting the province in a positive position as we all strive to meet ZEV sales mandates in the coming years.
The Program is subject to change by government at any time but it is traditionally available until funds are depleted, and only NCDA Member stores in good standing may access the Rebate Program.
The NCDA continues to encourage competition amongst BC new car dealerships who recorded the highest sales across all brands and regions of the province, by recognizing them annually through the prestigious Green Star Dealer Awards. Congratulations to all our winners to date.
I invite you to visit the Program’s new website for detailed information on qualifying vehicles – be sure to carefully read through the new Program changes, effective August 2, 2022 and familiarize yourself with the new Program parameters: newcardealersGoElectric.ca. Thank you to our dealer members for your participation and making this program such a success. We look forward to working with you to provide even more zero-emission vehicles to the public.
Yours truly,
Blair Qualey
President and CEO
New Car Dealers Association of BC
About the program
The CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program is administered by the NCDA and was first announced on November 5, 2011. The program is intended to support the adoption of ZEVs in BC via providing point of purchase rebates for private and fleet ZEV purchases.
On March 23, 2015, from the floor of the 95th Vancouver International Auto Show, the Province made the announcement that they were renewing the CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program—formerly known as CEVforBC™.
The Provincial Government continued its commitment to the CleanBC Go Electric suite of programs and has continued to make considerable funding available to ensure ZEVs are more affordable and accessible to drivers. The government’s investments to date include:
- More than $40 million in February 2017
- $10 million in September 2018
- $20 million in January 2019
- $42 million and $20 million in the 2019 and 2020 BC Budgets, respectively
- $94 million in the 2021 BC Budget
- $67 million in the 2022 BC Budget
This funding supports financial rebates to customers who buy ZEVs, along with investments in charging and hydrogen fueling stations, education and outreach, fleet support, training, and funding to support zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
Thanks to the provincial investments in infrastructure, BC has one of the largest charging networks and the first cluster of public hydrogen fueling stations in Canada.
Over the course of the Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate program, it has supported the addition of more than 55,000 ZEVs in BC.
More than 1 in 12 of all new light-duty vehicles Canadians bought in the first quarter of 2022 was a Zero Emissions Vehicle. The Canada-wide ZEV market share increased to 8.3% in Q1 2022 — up from 5.0% in Q1 2021. In terms of full-year sales, Canadians have bought more electric vehicles in the last two years than in the previous eight combined.
In 2022, there are 68 different ZEVs available to Canadians (according to ‘The Road to 2035’), and that number is increasing rapidly.
British Columbia is leading the way in the adoption of electric vehicles, with ZEVs accounting for 17.1% of all new light-vehicle sales in the province in Q1 2022, the highest level of any province or territory.
The CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program encourages the adoption of new ZEVs. Qualified British Columbia residents (individuals) who purchase or lease qualifying new vehicles, are eligible for up to $4,000 off the final, after-tax vehicle price for qualifying new battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, longer range (over 85 kilometres of electric range) plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and up to $2,000 for a shorter range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
Businesses, non-profit organizations and local government organizations who purchase or lease qualifying new vehicles, are eligible for $3,000 off the final, after-tax vehicle price for qualifying new battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, longer range (over 85 kilometres of electric range) plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and $1,500 for a shorter range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
Program Framework
The Program consists of the following components:
- Vehicle point-of-purchase rebates
- Charging infrastructure rebates / investments (Level 2 and DC Fast Charging)
- Hydrogen fueling station investment (1 new public fueling station)
- Fleet rebates for adopting ZEVs, and;
- Research, training, and public outreach
The Program will run until funds are exhausted.
The purchaser or lessee of the vehicles must be an individual (who applied with the Ministry and was deemed eligible), 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 BC resident or the business, non-profit or public entity is based in British Columbia or has a BC-based affiliate.
Program Management
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation is responsible for overall CleanBC Go Electric Program management, including ensuring the Program and delivery partners meet expectations.
In order to meet Program targets, the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation can modify any component of the Program which can include, but is not limited to, the addition of new vehicle types, vehicle investment levels, and any program aspect that BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation wishes to change or amend.
Vehicle Rebate
The program enables the purchaser or lessee of an eligible vehicle to receive a point-of-purchase vehicle rebate. The rebate amounts will be reviewed regularly to determine if they are appropriate for the marketplace. EMLI will adjust the rebate amounts as necessary based on market performance. The rebate is applied to the purchase or lease price of a vehicle after all applicable costs and taxes have been applied.
This rebate 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 rebate that has been approved for each zero-emission vehicle. The dealership will then submit applications to NCDA for reimbursement for the total amount of rebates provided to eligible purchasers/lessees.
Effective August 2, 2022, Cars with an MSRP of over $55,000 and Larger Vehicles with an MSRP of over $70,000 shall not be considered eligible for the rebate. See table below for more information on Cars and Larger Vehicles:
| Vehicle Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Cars | Two-seater Minicompact Subcompact Compact Mid-size Full-size |
| Larger Vehicles* | Station wagon Pickup truck Sport utility vehicle Minivans Small pickup truck Van Special purpose vehicle |
*Larger vehicles include the vehicle types listed above, including vehicles classified as Class 2a vehicles (up to 8,500 pounds).
