Media Release: Plug’n Drive welcomes proposed discount electricity rate for EV chargers in Ontario
May 1, 2024-
Reduced electricity rate for public chargers in rural communities good for EV adoption
May 1, 2024, Toronto, Ontario – Plug’n Drive, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across Canada, welcomes an initiative by the Government of Ontario to introduce a new Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Rate for electricity for public EV charging providers in rural and low-use areas.
“Introducing an incentive to make charging more affordable is an important step in encouraging EV adoption,” says Cara Clairman, President and CEO of Plug’n Drive. “Making public charging more economical in rural and remote locations means more public charging stations will be built and EV driving will become more accessible to more Ontarians, benefiting both the environment and the local economy.”
As announced today during the keynote address at Electric Autonomy’s EV and Charging Expo 2024, the Public consultations on the new Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Rate will be opened this month by the Ontario Energy Board with a target implementation date for the new rate of January 1, 2026.
Background
- Canada has over 27,000 public chargers and is on track to greatly expand on that as governments, car manufacturers and various charging network providers build out the public charging network.
- Plug’n Drive has EV charging resources to help with public charging, home charging, charging at work, and retrofitting condos.
- In December of 2023, the federal government introduced a sales mandate for 100% zero emission light duty vehicles by 2035 (ZEVs – passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks) with an incremental target of 20% by 2026.
- In Q3 2023, the market share of new ZEV registrations in Canada surged to a new all-time high of 12% according to Stats Can.
- Presently, there are well over 700,000 electric and hybrid electric vehicles on Canadian roads and over 70 different EV models available, with more on the way at increasingly affordable prices.
- With over 83 percent of Canada’s electricity coming from non-emitting sources (e.g., hydro, nuclear, wind, solar), the transition to electric vehicles will greatly reduce Canada’s climate-changing emissions. Light duty vehicles account for about half of Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. The transportation sector accounts for about 25 percent of Canada’s overall GHG emissions.
- Plug’n Drive has a Find Your Match app to browse and compare vehicles, cost savings, and incentives available across Canada, including the federal $5000 incentive for the purchase of a fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric car. For example, the cost for the electricity needed for a mid-sized electric vehicle to travel 400 kilometres is roughly $10 compared to $50 for gasoline.
- Plug’n Drive offers pressure-free EV education and test drives through various programs available in Ontario and other jurisdictions: downtown Toronto Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre; the Mobile Electric Vehicle Education Trailer (MEET); the Electric Vehicle Roadshow; and the Employee Engagement Program.
- Visit the Plug’n Drive events calendar to see where the Plug’n Drive EV Roadshow and MEET are currently scheduled.
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About Plug’n Drive
Plug’n Drive is a not-for-profit organization accelerating EV adoption in Canada to maximize the environmental and economic benefits of an electrified transportation sector. Since 2011, we have made incredible strides in our mission through a variety of consumer education programs, including the launch of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre (EVDC) in Toronto, the Electric Vehicle Roadshow event series as well as the Mobile EV Education Trailer (MEET). Our corporate partnerships include EV auto manufacturers, utilities, EV charger manufacturers, and others. For more information about Plug’n Drive’s programs, services, and events, visit plugndrive.ca and sign up for our newsletter. Join Plug’n Drive’s EV Owners Club. Join our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Alan Downward
Communications and Project Coordinator
Plug’n Drive
(647) 449-9715
