Canadian car buyers have pulled in more than $190 million worth of federal incentives this year for new electric vehicle purchases, according to fresh figures released by Transport Canada.
The numbers, which cover claims filed through the end of June, show 44,315 applications submitted since the start of the year. Quebec drivers accounted for roughly half of those claims, underscoring the province’s continued lead in EV adoption compared with the rest of the country.
The rebate program, formally known as the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program, came back online early this year after Ottawa committed $2.275 billion to keep it running for up to five years. The relaunch followed a gap in funding after the previous incentive scheme dried up.
Despite the fresh cash flowing to buyers, momentum in the EV market appears to be leveling off. Statistics Canada figures show electric vehicles made up 9.6 percent of new vehicle sales in both April and May a noticeable slide from the 12 percent share recorded the month immediately after the rebates returned.
Program officials have set an ambitious benchmark of getting 840,000 additional electric vehicles onto Canadian roads through the initiative. To get there, the government is offering buyers up to $5,000 off the purchase of a new EV, while those opting for a plug-in hybrid can claim up to $2,500.
There is a catch for shoppers eyeing pricier models: the rebate only applies to vehicles priced under $50,000. One notable exception exists for vehicles built domestically currently limited to the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler Pacifica which are allowed to qualify for the incentive regardless of their price tag.
With more than $2 billion still available in the program’s coffers, attention now turns to whether demand will pick back up or continue its gradual cooldown through the rest of the year.
