Car Dealers Driving Environmental Leadership

October 31, 2016

BC – The New Car Dealers of British Columbia continue to drive environmental leadership and have helped pave the way for B.C. to have the highest per capita sales of clean energy vehicles in Canada.

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have been steadily increasing, jumping by 32 per cent from 2014 to 2015 according to Canadian auto research firm FleetCarma. One of the reasons for the steady increase in sales of EVs is the point-of-sale incentive programs. Funded by the Province of B.C. and administered by the New Car Dealers Association, CEVforBC offers up to $5,000 to B.C. residents who purchase or lease an eligible new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Many British Columbians pair this rebate with the SCRAP-IT initiative. SCRAP-IT provides buyers with a $3,000 rebate on a new EV if they trade in their older vehicle, making for up to $8,250 in potential savings.

Wallet-wary and environmentally aware consumers are also recognizing the benefits of going greener. Efficient vehicles are smart protection against increasing gas prices. Even with lower prices at the pump, an efficient vehicle is still a sound investment that can save you thousands over the course of the life of the vehicle.

Statistics from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants show that the average vehicle in B.C. is 11.08 years old. According to research from the University of Michigan, vehicles a decade or older produce an average of 16 per cent more emissions than new models. Understandably, helping B.C. turn over its fleet could lead to huge emissions reductions, another reason the government incentive program is a smart move for British Columbia.

Recently, the BC Government released the Climate Leadership Plan, which outlined a commitment to support and expand the clean energy vehicle point of sale incentives and infrastructure. With the government’s ongoing support, these innovative incentive programs help consumers make climate conscious decisions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower exhaust pollutants from across the province.

The CEVforBC and BC SCRAP-IT programs have helped British Columbia become a national leader for clean energy vehicle usage, and new car dealers across the province are aiming to maximize these incentive programs in the years to come.

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