Ontario (Canada) proposes EV rebate

[Thalass]

I just found this out: The Ontario government wants to have a $10,000 rebate for plug-in hybrid and EVs. So far it seems to be aimed at new cars - the Volt in particular. Of course it's been greeted with criticism.

Perhaps they could be talked into extending it to conversions, too? If it can I might be able to take advantage of that - I might be living in Ontario in a few years :P

*edit: some links:
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2009/0...he-charge.html
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/668699
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1224268/

[mcmahon.craig]

Originally Posted by Thalass

I just found this out: The Ontario government wants to have a $10,000 rebate for plug-in hybrid and EVs. So far it seems to be aimed at new cars - the Volt in particular. Of course it's been greeted with criticism.

Perhaps they could be talked into extending it to conversions, too? If it can I might be able to take advantage of that - I might be living in Ontario in a few years :P

I hope so, but I sort of doubt it.

So far, the Ontario government hasn't really been all that supportive of EVs. It was only this past month or so that electric bikes were permanently legal in the province.

The Ontario government has essentially banned the Low-Speed Electric Vehicle category by instituting random new safety requirements no product currently meets, even Ontario's own ZENN.

However, the green plates that were also announced should apply to all "E" fueled vehicles in the province.

[Thalass]

Hopefully they'll come around. Or ZENN will be forced to upgrade the car to the same standards as regular road vehicles. It's almost as big as a normal hatchback anyway. Obviously it's not a quick change to make, but it can only help the EV cause to move away from the go-kart image.

Also: I've received more replies from the email I sent to transport canada than I ever have to any emails I've sent to the australian government. Unfortunately it's all "Not my department, but I've forwarded your message to someone else!"

Huzzah for duck-shoving.