Electric cars in British Columbia
 

After talking about it for a year my wife and I have decided we are going to drive an electric vehicle. I have been doing some reading on the internet and have decided that a used medium speed electric vehicle fits our budget and needs. I see quite a few suitable cars online in the US but in British Columbia where I live I see almost none. Does anyone in British Columbia actually drive electric cars? of any sort? Can you drive them legally? some of the things I have read suggests not.

There is a start up company who hope to build a plugin serial hybrid, called FVT (Future Vehicle Technology) eVaro:

Future Vehicle Technologies

So, I think they are legal.

I seem to remember something about BC having very strict laws around modified vehicles making home built electric cars hard to build, more so because of vehicle inspections that highlight these modified vehicles.
Most other areas either don't have strict vehicle inspections or allow modified vehicles.

impressive looking, not yet producing I think.
Looking at it I would think it would be in the price range of a Volt or Leaf, very nice but cars for the rich.The eVaro, according to the web site video, is classed as a motorcycle and is in a different class with different rules, so says the guy.

I was hoping someone from BC or someone knowing someone in BC posted to this forum. They seem to change the rules every few years. CBC TV interviewed a guy from ZENN a few years back about it and he seemed upset, he talked about the Dynasty IT was made in BC, key word being was, they don't make ZENN anymore now. I read that LSV can be run in Vancouver, I live a long way from there. I see some occasionally for sale, I wonder if it is because they can't drive them? I don't know.

I live in Surrey, close to Langley City. I am collecting parts now and am planning to start the conversion in spring on my MX-3.

I have looked into it and talked some people (ICBC Autoplan agent and AirCare) and according to my ICBC Autoplan agent (for those of you not from here: our government owned mandatory car insurance company), he can change your vehicle from "G" to "E" so you don't need AirCare ever again.

And from the VEVA website:

"Owners of pure electric conversions quite often complain of being sent notices that their vehicle's fuel code has been set back to Gas from Electric.

Mr. Peter Hill, the Manager at Program Policy at Pacific Vehicle Testing Technologies (an operating subsidiary of TransLink) says there's no cause for alarm. EV owners will certainly receive a boilerplate letter from ICBC Vehicle Registration Support about their fuel code getting set back to Gas. If this is the case, simply give him a call at 435-7664 or contact him at peter_hill@translink.bc.caand he will correct your record. Don't wait until the last minute though, or it might be more difficult.

This is their procedure to weed out keying errors and Air Care cheaters. Twice a year, for those "E" vehicles licensed on April 30 and September 30, they automatically generate the letters and wait for responses.

There are about 30 "E"s registered each year. Of these, half a dozen are keying errors by Autoplan agents, and a dozen are people who state that they are running electric in order to avoid Air Care testing. There are about 10 or 12 genuine electrics licensed each year, and many are not insured year-round."

Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association - Links

Hope this helps. And I hope it's all true!

[QUOTE=mechman600;281012]I live in Surrey, close to Langley City. I am collecting parts now and am planning to start the conversion in spring on my MX-3.

I have looked into it and talked some people (ICBC Autoplan agent and AirCare) and according to my ICBC Autoplan agent (for those of you not from here: our government owned mandatory car insurance company), he can change your vehicle from "G" to "E" so you don't need AirCare ever again.

I would be really interested in seeing a build tread(found it) on this with whatever legal hoops you jump through.

Keep watching this:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...gun-19957.html

It will soon become my build thread once I have all my parts and spring comes.