The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[ssiguy]

While I don't have a problem for subsidies/rebates for cheaper EVs {ie under $50}, what really pisses me off is that it is so damn elitist.

If the gov't REALLY wants to get us off our ICE addiction then they would offer a similar amount of subsidy/rebate on non-new vehicles for an upgrade to an EV. Depending on the model/battery strength etc, an EV conversion can be done for about $10 to $12k in Canada. That would result in a massive switch over to EVs.

Not only is it fairer to the average person but also vastly superior for the environment. It is far better to reuse than recycle. New cars {including EVs} still produce a lot of GHG emissions in their production. From the coal needed for the steel, to mining, to getting the vehicles to market.........a new EV is just as polluting as an ICE.

Not only would providing assistance for EV conversion have environmental benefits but also huge economic ones. Such conversions would provide LOCAL jobs in every area of the country as opposed to now where all EVs do is provide jobs to Californians at the Tesla plant. Such a plan should also be in place for trucks for smaller and larger trucks with smaller ones probably being battery while long haul being hydrogen.

Until Ottawa/provinces bring in such a plan, rebates will continue to be viewed {and rightly so} as nothing more than a subsidy to the wealthy.