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More Funds To Encourage Electric Vehicle

More Funds To Encourage Electric Vehicle Sales

Sep 24, 2018 | 3:00 PM

The BC government is putting an extra 10 million dollars into the program that makes buying a clean energy vehicle more affordable.

The program offers up to $5,000 to buy or lease a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, and up to $6,000 for a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.

Energy Minister Michelle Mungall (pictured) says due to the success of the program, the original 27 million dollars funding is running out sooner than expected.

“We are making it easier for everyone in our province to choose a clean-energy vehicle as their next purchase,” says Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “These additional funds will make transportation more affordable today, while supporting our long-term work to build a cleaner future.”

Mungall says the additional funds are being added to maintain the program until the provincial government releases a strategy for a clean-growth future later this year. A new CEVP is expected to be part of this strategy.

The government says British Columbians who purchase electric vehicles typically save about 75% on their fuel and maintenance costs, which adds up to about $2,400 per year.