Ontario suspends registrations of converted electric vehicles (update: ban lifted)

[ShadeTreeMech]

I remember watching a video on YouTube about electric cars that were built by a small factory in Canada (I think it was Ontario) but the gov't wouldn't allow the vehicles to be sold at home. Seems the Canadians are sleeping with Exxon if you ask me. Either that or Government Motors, seeing as they are trying to sell the Volt pretty soon.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

I remember watching a video on YouTube about electric cars that were built by a small factory in Canada (I think it was Ontario) but the gov't wouldn't allow the vehicles to be sold at home. Seems the Canadians are sleeping with Exxon if you ask me. Either that or Government Motors, seeing as they are trying to sell the Volt pretty soon.

Sounds like zenn but there are actually 2 cars that fit that bill, seems like zebra or whoever sold the 3 wheel jobbers had a lot of grief.

[bennelson]

ZENN made a neat little car. It's a shame they aren't making them any more.

I thought they had the best NEV-class vehicle out there.


From all that I have heard from Darin, other Canadian friends, and general EV news, Canada just hasn't been as friendly to EVs as it could be.

On the other hand, I have also talked to people in other places who said that vehicles are controlled so tightly that a conversion with two different brand headlights wouldn't pass inspection!

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by bennelson

ZENN made a neat little car. It's a shame they aren't making them any more.

I thought they had the best NEV-class vehicle out there.

Looks very similar to an Audi A2 or Citroen C2.


As for Canada, the Nissan Leaf will be available in Vancouver. Made me wonder if maybe a moratorium on conversions would increase sales of new EVs?

[DW Wood]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I'm looking for more details, but it appears the forward-thinking province of Ontario (Canada's most populous province, and location of most of Canada's conversions) has put a moratorium in place on the registration of electric conversions.

Not yet sure how this will affect the ForkenSwift, or whether it only applies to new applications.

Nice little forum you got here. I have been saving for many years to get all the parts needed for a conversion and when I was told I couldn't register, I started calling politicians.

I got a letter from the Minister or Transports office (Program Development & Evaluation Branch) that outlined why there was a moratorium on EV conversions. Here is the highlights....

1) "first responders complaining"...have problems with EV Conversions
2) "insurance companies don't like to cover EV's"...calls to many tell me they will however insure a fully electric vehicle from one of the major auto manufacturers
3) "EV conversion is a developing industry"......EV conversion industry has been around longer than many of the major car makers...where do you think they learned how to build them

This all from a government that ran on being more Green and getting more EV's on the road.

What they meant was they are in bed with insurance and major auto companies (that the tax payers own in some cases - bail out money) and by more EV's on the roads they mean ones you buy from the big 3 auto makers. You know the ones, they dont go as far, the batteries are not that great and the over all quality had it been a home job would never have passed the muster for a safety.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by DW Wood

1) "first responders complaining"...have problems with EV Conversions

More than likely total BS, a case of they heard that something may happen kind of thing and are afraid of what MIGHT possibly happen.

Originally Posted by DW Wood

2) "insurance companies don't like to cover EV's"...calls to many tell me they will however insure a fully electric vehicle from one of the major auto manufacturers

Are they really any different than a hobbiest car which can be insured?

Originally Posted by DW Wood

3) "EV conversion is a developing industry"......EV conversion industry has been around longer than many of the major car makers...where do you think they learned how to build them

This all from a government that ran on being more Green and getting more EV's on the road.

What they meant was they are in bed with insurance and major auto companies (that the tax payers own in some cases - bail out money) and by more EV's on the roads they mean ones you buy from the big 3 auto makers. You know the ones, they dont go as far, the batteries are not that great and the over all quality had it been a home job would never have passed the muster for a safety.

More Green = More money for them.

Needless to say if the possibility of a large interest possibly loosing a few dollars occurs the government strikes back fast. Just like our local WPS utility, people aren't using enough power so we must jack up rates, by the way we still want to build another power plant. Makes perfect sense to me.

Oh and if I were you I would leave the gasser in and register it as a gasser then put an electric, but thats just me

[MetroMPG]

I have heard from some members of the Ottawa EV group that there are individuals on the side of the conversion crowd actively working with the government to resolve this.

As for the "first responders" concern with electricity in cars, I would have thought that had been raised and resolved ten years ago when gas/electric hybrids arrived on the market.

2) "insurance companies don't like to cover EV's"...calls to many tell me they will however insure a fully electric vehicle from one of the major auto manufacturers

That's not true, but so what if it is? Why is it the government's job to ban vehicles because the insurance companies may not like them? If that were the case, there would be a ban on about one billion riced out cars.

Melloche Monnex will insure a converted EV, provided it's inspected by a professional (eg. Rick Lane @ REV Consultants in Ottawa).

[gasstingy]

IMHO, they are probably trying to figure out how to squeeze the road use tax out of the EV'r that would otherwise be levied on a gallon of gas. Which I think is entirely fair....just as soon as they start issuing checks to the EV'r for the public health benefits of not causing the health degrading side effects as a petroleum fueled vehicle.

[bennelson]

I think Gasstingy may be right-on.

Doesn't seem fair to deny someone their cool ride though, just because the beer-o-crats can't figure out the best way to tax them.

While nobody is yet paying EVers for the health benefits - there ARE many places that allow EVs to use carpool lanes with a single driver, don't tax them going into congested cities the way gas cars are, etc, etc.

I read about the Fisker Karma, that part of the plug-in hybrid specs on it are designed to meet certain "EV-only" requirements for several congested European cities.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by gasstingy

IMHO, they are probably trying to figure out how to squeeze the road use tax out of the EV'r that would otherwise be levied on a gallon of gas. Which I think is entirely fair....just as soon as they start issuing checks to the EV'r for the public health benefits of not causing the health degrading side effects as a petroleum fueled vehicle.

Yeah that way they can quit missing out on charging the 40 or 50 small lightweigh EV cars in Canada higher road taxes than they would otherwise to penalize them.

I'm sure $1000 a year in lost taxes is killing the whole nation of Canada. http://forum.ecomodder.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
http://forum.ecomodder.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif