Charge Your Ride
Transitioning from fossil fueled vehicles to electric and other low-emission modes of transportation is an important part of reducing our carbon pollution and fighting climate change. Transportation accounts for more than half of our community’s greenhouse gas emissions.
There are lots of reasons people are switching to electric transportation and there is an increasing number of electric vehicle (EV) and electric bicycle (e-bike) options are becoming available. BC now leads North America with the highest rate of EVs sold per capita!
Benefits of charging your ride include:
- saving money on commutes
- reducing carbon pollution
- improving health and fitness
Learn about rebates and resources available to help you get started. Scroll down for more information and tools to help you Charge Your Ride.
Thank you to those who entered our e-bike contest. The winner has received their new ride!
Rebates for electric vehicles
New electric vehicles purchased or leased in BC are eligible for up to $9,000 in rebates:
- Up to $5,000 in federal rebates automatically applied at the point of sale
- Up to $4,000 in provincial rebates for income-qualified individuals and households (application required)
New plug-in hybrid electric vehicles purchased or leased in BC are eligible for up to $7,000 in rebates:
- Up to $5,000 in federal rebates automatically applied at the point of sale
- Up to $2,000 in provincial rebates for income-qualified individuals and households (application required)
To view vehicle and income eligibility and apply for the provincial rebates, visit the CleanBC Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program website.
To view vehicle eligibility for the federal rebates, visit the Federal Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program website.
The Scrap-It Program offers an additional $500 to scrap a combustion engine vehicle and buy a new or used EV.
Rebates for electric bikes
Rebates for charging infrastructure
Municipal top-ups for EV infrastructure:
The District of Saanich is currently offering a top-up rebate program for Multi-family buildings and stratas undergoing EV Ready planning and infrastructure installation. To learn more, visit their website and watch this video about a local strata that has successfully become EV Ready.
Types of Charging
- Level 1: Any regular 120V outlet can be used to charge your EV. Sometimes called ‘trickle’ charging, this is the slowest way to charge, taking between 20-24 hours to go from 0% to 100%. A regular wall outlet can be used to top up your battery overnight at home.
- Level 2: Level 2 EV Chargers are the most common residential and commercial charging type. Level 2 EV Chargers take approximately 8-10 hours to charge your EV from 0% to 80%. Level 2 EV Chargers can be installed by a certified electrician at home through a 240V connection.
- Level 3: Level 3 EV chargers are often referred to as fast chargers as they are the quickest way to charge your EV; going from 0% to 80% in approximately 40 minutes. These chargers are typically found in public settings and are not yet manufactured for personal use.
Charging In Public
Public charging stations are often located in hubs such as malls, recreation centers and restaurants. Public charging rates range from free to about $3 an hour for Level 2 charging and from about $10-15 an hour (a full charge) for Level 3.
Paying for public charging can be done using a regular credit card or through a charging network app or card — like this one from BC Hydro, which also works with FLO and ChargePoint charging stations.
There are over 200 public charging stations in the capital region! Check out charging station maps, such as Charge Hub or PlugShare, to help you find the nearest available EV charger on a map.
Don't know where to start? This two-minute video from BC Hydro explains how to charge.
Upcoming events
Check back soon!
Have questions about electric vehicles or e-bikes? Check out the resources on this page or contact us.