Charge Your Ride

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Transitioning vehicles to electric and other low-emission modes of transportation is likely to be the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas reduction in our region.

In 2023, 22% of new car sales in BC were electric vehicles – the highest per capita in North America!

There are lots of reasons why people are switching to electric transportation and an increasing number of electric vehicle (EV) and electric bicycle (e-bike) options are available.

blue car240Benefits of charging your ride include:

  • saving money on commutes 
  • reducing carbon pollution
  • improving health and fitness

Rebates for electric vehicles

New electric vehicles purchased or leased in BC are eligible for up to $9,000 in rebates:

  • Up to $5,000 in federal rebates automatically applied at the point of sale
  • Up to $4,000 in provincial rebates for income-qualified individuals and households (application required)

New plug-in hybrid electric vehicles purchased or leased in BC are eligible for up to $7,000 in rebates:

  • Up to $5,000 in federal rebates automatically applied at the point of sale
  • Up to $2,000 in provincial rebates for income-qualified individuals and households (application required)

To view vehicle and income eligibility and apply for the provincial rebates, visit the CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program website.

To view vehicle eligibility for the federal rebates, visit the Federal Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program website.

The Scrap-It Program offers an additional $300 cash rebate to scrap a combustion engine vehicle.

Rebates for electric bikes

Rebates for charging infrastructure

Municipal top-ups for EV infrastructure:

The District of Saanich is currently offering a top-up rebate program for Multi-family buildings and stratas undergoing EV Ready planning and infrastructure installation. To learn more, visit their website and watch this video about a local strata that has successfully become EV Ready.

Types of Charging

There are three general categories of chargers, each category includes a range of power levels e.g. level 2 chargers can provide between 7-19 kW, level 3 chargers can provide between 20-300 kW. The most common public chargers found in the region provide 7 kW and 50 kW respectively. Based on this information, the following scenarios are typical for EV drivers in the region:

  • Level 1: Any regular 120V outlet can be used to charge your EV. Sometimes called ‘trickle’ charging, this is the slowest way to charge, taking between 20-24 hours to go from 0% to 100%. A regular wall outlet can be used to top up your battery overnight at home. 
  • Level 2: Level 2 EV Chargers are the most common residential and commercial charging type. Level 2 EV Chargers take approximately 8-10 hours to charge your EV from 0% to 80%. Level 2 EV Chargers can be installed by a certified electrician at home through a 240V connection.
  • Level 3: Level 3 EV chargers are often referred to as fast chargers as they are the quickest way to charge your EV; going from 0% to 80% in approximately 40 minutes. These chargers are typically found in public settings and are not yet manufactured for personal use.

Charging In Public

Public charging stations are often located in hubs such as malls, recreation centers and restaurants. Public charging rates range from free to about $3 an hour for Level 2 charging and from about $10-20 an hour (a full charge) for Level 3.

Paying for public charging can be done using a charging network app or card — like this one from BC Hydro, which also works with FLO and ChargePoint charging stations.

There are over 350 public charging stations in the capital region! Check out charging station maps, such as Charge Hub or PlugShare, to help you find the nearest available EV charger on a map.

Don't know where to start? This two-minute video from BC Hydro explains how to charge.   

Electricians:

As adoption of electric vehicles increases in BC, so will the demand for in-home charging infrastructure. Charge Your Ride is working with the Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC) to respond to the emerging maintenance and installation training needs.

Watch this webinar by the EJTC and CRD for installation professionals to learn about the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) and review best practices for Red Seal electricians including, Canadian Electrical Code, safety, customer service, and cost considerations. The session also provides insight into Level 1, 2, and 3 supply stations and their availability.

Check out the training courses offered at EVITP.

Automotive technicians:

Prepare yourself to get the skills you need to work on electric vehicles (EVs) and meet the growing demand for EV maintenance and servicing.

Camosun College has courses to give you the knowledge and skills required to safely diagnose, service, and repair high voltage electric vehicles.

Fleet Managers:

Transitioning commercial fleets to electric or other low-emission vehicles presents an opportunity to save running costs and reduce emissions.

Check out these programs that will help you assess the best way to switch over your fleet. The Province of BC also has detailed information for businesses on their website.

Resources for Strata:

Check out the Charge Your Ride and Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association (VISOA) ‘Planning EV Charging for Your Condominium Strata Corporation’ workbook.

This workbook is a guide for strata corporations with condominium buildings or any residential strata corporation planning for electric vehicle charging stations that will use common electricity (electricity billed directly to the strata corporation).

VISOA has a library of webinars and resources on for Strata pursuing EV charging: Electric Vehicle Charging for Stratas - VISOA.

Learn more about electric vehicles

What options are available for electrified vehicles?

  • Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) use energy stored in a large, rechargeable battery to power the electric motor. These vehicles are the least expensive to run and do not produce any tailpipe emissions.
  • Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have a battery that powers the vehicle for the first 30-60 km before the vehicle switches to operating like a regular gas powered hybrid. The battery can plug into the same chargers as fully electric vehicles to charge the battery, or fill up at the gas station if needed.
  • Hybrid vehicles have a gas combustion engine that is supplemented by an electric system to improve fuel economy. Hybrids generally have some form of regenerative braking to recharge the battery when the car slows down.

Check out this list of different makes and models of EVs and PHEVs offered in BC making it easy to compare vehicle ranges, costs and rebate eligibility. 

Can electric vehicles save you money?

  • Electric vehicles make financial sense when considering the total cost of ownership - accounting for the operating and maintenance costs in addition to the purchase price. With no belts or spark plugs, oil or exhaust, maintenance is a breeze for an EV. Plus, charging costs approximately 75% less than fueling up with gas or diesel. In 2018, BC Hydro published a report illustrating that several battery electric vehicles were already cheaper to buy, fuel and maintain over the first 5 years of ownership than their gas-powered counterparts.
  • While there is currently a premium to buy electric, up to $8,000 in rebates from the Provincial and Federal governments are helping residents offset the difference. The BC Scrap-It Program offers an additional $6,000 for a new EV or $3,000 for a used one when you trade in your gas or diesel-powered vehicle. Read the factsheet (PDF) 

  • In a recent report, Clean Energy Canada compared the lifetime costs of a variety of new electric vehicles to their gas equivalents. In almost every case, they reported electric vehicles to be cheaper in the long run. For example, the electric Hyundai Kona was found to be $10,500 cheaper than the combustion engine version of the Kona.

Will I run out of charge? Where can I charge my vehicle?

Electric vehicle ranges are increasing and are more than enough for everyday driving. 

Watch the video: Electric Vehicles Can Go the Distance 

  • Most new electric vehicles can travel 300 to 600 km between charges. In Victoria and Saanich, residents drive just over 16 km per day on average–that means that most EV drivers could go more than two weeks on a single charge.
  • If starting in Victoria, a 300 km range can get you all the way to Campbell River on a single charge. See how far an EV can take you by using this app to map the range of various EV models to help you choose what is right for you!

Watch the video: Charging Stations in BC

  • Electric vehicle charging stations are popping up all over BC - including rural areas. The capital region has the highest rates of EV ownership in the country and we have the public charging network to go along with it. There are nearly 2,000 Level 2 and 375 DC Fast Charging outlets available to the public throughout BC, with more coming online all of the time! Public EV charging stations are easy to find using apps such as PlugShare and ChargeHub. 
  • A string of fast-charging stations all across Vancouver Island now make electric-powered road trips possible and easy.
  • EV drivers often top up their vehicle’s battery overnight, just like plugging in their phone when they go to sleep. You can install a home charger or charge your EV using a standard wall outlet.
  • EV drivers are allowed to use carpool lanes even if only one person is in the vehicle, as long as they display the official decal.
  • Read the factsheet (PDF)

Are EVs better for the environment?

Electric vehicles are better for the environment and produce significantly less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional vehicles. 

Watch the video: Electric vehicles reduce emissions 

Electric vehicles run on electricity, which in BC is generated using 97% renewable energy sources. Personal vehicles are one of the largest contributors to community greenhouse gas emissions in the capital region. By shifting to EVs, we can significantly reduce our community emissions and help reach our climate targets. And the good news gets better: EVs outperform gas-powered vehicles even when accounting for total lifecycle emissions. 

Because EVs store power in large lithium-ion batteries, which are material and energy-intensive to produce, their emissions at this early manufacturing stage can exceed those of conventional vehicles. In the operations stage, however, EVs in BC generate 99% fewer emissions than their gas-powered counterparts. 

Can EVs handle the weather? What are EVs like to drive?

Don’t let a cold snap or a trip to Mount Washington put you off, electric vehicles are tough and stand up in extremely cold (or hot) weather. 

  • Electric vehicles are proven to be as tough as winter and are ready for driving in freezing cold (and smokin’ hot) temperatures in BC. Temperature extremes do affect battery range, so it’s good to be aware of how that may impact your trip. For EVs, the temperature ‘sweet spot’ is about 21°C, where vehicles actually achieve about 115% of their rated range on average. At -15°C, an EV may drop to about 54% of its rated range, so a car rated for 402 km will get an average of 217 km. Check out this Temperature Range Tool for EV Range to find out the specific impact for your model, then get planning your weekend getaway to your favourite BC ski hill! 
  • Read the factsheet (PDF) 
  • Electric vehicles are fun to drive! EVs have plenty of get-up-and-go, resulting in a responsive and “zippy” ride.
  • Because of the electric motor, EVs accelerate smoothly and quietly without the lag of shifting gears.

Learn more about electric bikes

Is an electric bike right for you?

  • Electric bicycles or e-bikes assist the rider’s pedaling efforts with an electric motor, allowing the you to go further, travel faster, climb hills more easily, and carry more in comparison to a regular bike.
  • In addition to reduced emissions, e-bikes also reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, increase user fitness, and cost much less than a vehicle to own and operate.
  • Cargo e-bikes are larger and more capable than regular e-bikes, allowing parents to carry children and groceries or small businesses to transport supplies; there’s an e-bike for everyone!

What does an e-bike cost?

  • Electric bikes start at around $1,000 and run as high as $7,500 for larger cargo bikes that can transport kids, or groceries, or both. A very good e-bike with accessories can be purchased for about $3,000.

How far will an e-bike take you?

  • Electric bikes can travel between 30 and 160 km depending on the capacity of your battery, degree of electric assist selected, the amount of hill climbing, and how much cargo is being carried. 
  • If you ever run out of charge, you can ride an e-bike as you would a regular pedal bike. It will just feel a bit heavier than a regular bike.

Who can ride an e-bike?

  • Anyone over the age of 16 is allowed to operate an e-bike in British Columbia.
  • Whether one has mobility issues, is carrying cargo or children, has longer commutes, or wants some assistance on our region’s many hills, e-bikes offer quick and convenient transportation option. Riding an e-bike is very similar to riding a regular bicycle. 

Useful links

Thank you

Charge Your Ride is made possible by a financial contribution from Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative.

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Thank you to our municipal partners:

and others!