The Electric Vehicle Associations and Owner Groups of British Columbia - June 20, 2024
BC NDP [email protected] David Eby, Leader
BC Green Party [email protected] Sonia Furstenau, Leader
BC United Party [email protected] Kevin Falcon, Leader
BC Conservative Party [email protected] John Rustad, Leader
Calling on BC Political Parties to Support the Electrification of Transportation and Electric Vehicle Adoption
We, the electric vehicle (EV) associations and owner groups of British Columbia, representing the interests of a rapidly growing population of EV owners and their families across the province, seek to ensure electric vehicle adoption remains a priority for the new government.
During the four years since the last Provincial election, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on BC roads has increased from 42,000 to over 170,000. It is important that the new government continues to evolve and advance policies to enable all British Columbian residents and businesses to share in the economic and environmental benefits of electric vehicles (EVs).
We are reaching out to each political party during the run-up to the October 19th Provincial Election to consider ten (10) policy recommendations we have identified based on the collective experience and knowledge of our members over the last 15 years of driving electric here in BC
We invite each political party to include these policy measures in your platforms for theOctober 19th election. Please contact us at [email protected].
Recommended Policy Initiatives for the new government:
1) Support the current Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Legislation and ZEV Incentives regarding Light Duty Electric Vehicles (LD EV) to help BC meet our Climate Change commitment.
2) Enhance current ZEV Legislation to include medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles (MHD EV) at 35% sales in 2030 and 100% by 2040.
3) Remove Plug-In-Hybrids (PHEV) and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCV) from the ZEV definition by 2025 as these powertrain types only reduce, not remove, GHG and toxic emissions from our vehicle fleet. Incentives for both types would logically be
ended at the same time.
4) Encourage and aid BC municipalities and BC crown corporations to achieve 26% EV fleet purchases by 2026 and 100% by 2035.
5) Direct BC Hydro and encourage other BC utilities to provide a preferentially reduced electricity rate, without demand charges, for providers of Direct Current FastChargers (Level 3) to encourage commercial build-out of the Fast-Charging Network across the province.
6) Implement measures to ensure all public EV charging stations are accessible in compliance with accessibility rights protected by the BC Human Rights Code, so that persons with disabilities, like everyone else, are able to access charging for their vehicle.
7) Support a comprehensive and accelerated build-out of public EV fast-charging infrastructure on all primary and secondary highways in the province, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous areas, to enable province-wide travel, commercial
transport, and EV adoption.
8) Ensure all vehicle owners are made aware of the emissions of their vehicles, by
requiring:
a. that advertising for all new vehicles in BC include average greenhouse gas emissions in Kg per 15,000 kms for each model and
b. ICBC to include a notice that is initialed by the person renewing their insurance such as: “Driving your 2020 Honda 4 Dr 4Cyl Automatic for the BC average kilometers (15,000) will emit 3120 Kg of greenhouse gases per year. Consider lower, or zero, emission vehicles when replacing this vehicle.”
9) Require BC municipalities to achieve 100% coverage of Level 2 EV charging for all residential units in new multiple unit residential buildings, and expand policies and support for retrofitting Level 2 EV charging for residential units in legacy buildings,
whether strata owned condos or rental apartments.
10) Support Low Income Residents’ access to EVs by implementing income-tested incentives and removing Provincial Sales Tax on all used and new EVs in accordance with the incentives criteria.
The following BC Electric Vehicle Associations and Owner Groups have endorsed these
recommendations.
