Canada Ontario Modernized Electric Vehicle Incentive Program

[LockH]

Gov. page:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/vehicles/electric/electric-vehicle-incentive-program.shtml

In part:

In 2010, the Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (EVIP) was introduced to support the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), to reward early adopters, and to create market demand for new technology. To further support the goals of Ontario’s Climate Change Strategy and promote increased EV adoption, new EVIP program parameters were developed to make EVs even more affordable. The new EVIP is effective February 10, 2016.

The EVIP has been modernized to:
make EVs more affordable;
provide additional incentives for vehicles with large batteries and greater capacity to carpool;and
to cap incentive amounts for luxury vehicles.

These changes will serve to encourage faster EV adoption and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our transportation sector.

... while completely ignoring the most energy efficient (lightest weight) bettery-electric vehicle for personal use in urban spaces. The Canadian "power-assisted bicycle" (which includes trikes).

So. Anybuddy here see where a manufacturer or importer of a Canadian road legal "Power-Assisted Bicycle" can NOT apply to this "EVIP" program so that its customers can apply and receive this rebate? For watt is in theory the most energy-efficient "EV" in "bicycle" et al style/format out there today?

PS.

 

[Doctorbass]

I have heard about that a bit .

Apparently you guys in Ontario could get 12k$ in rebate for buying EV ?... So lucky you are! That's 4k$ more than we have :lol:

Doc

 

[Grizzl-E]

Ebikes are not eligible according to the guide. Too bad.


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[LockH]

Ebikes are not eligible according to the guide. Too bad.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ACK! The "guide"? Honestly didn't think to look there (DUH), just figuring the gov. would be up front about... stuff. Not bury bits in the "fine print", so to say: And yah, guide says:


"electric bikes"? "e-bikes"??? Seems some gov lacky doesn't need to use the proper legal terminology. In Canada the "power-assisted bicycle". [SIGH]

I say again "in theory the most energy-efficient "EV" in "bicycle" et al style/format out there today".

So this government figures it's more "Eco-Friendly" to have our urban spaces, roads, etc clogged with large, heavy, expensive vehicles designed to go MUCH faster than almost all speed limits with enough energy stored on board to go MANY times the average distances that most travel most of the time... but hits and runs over and kills in a more eco-friendly way (and is really hard to pedal for exercise and warmth, etc).

Suspect this program written by someone Benny F. had in mind.

 

[Altair]

Very well said, LockH
The government doesn't see e-bikes as a potential major transportation means yet, probably because they haven't been told that this is a quickly growing segment. They surely won't figure it out by themselves either.
I think that we need a national association to regroup all e-bikers, so we can make our opinion count.

 

[LockH]

Hehe... Mon ami? I dashed of a letter (email) to current Ontario Minister of Transportation:

Dear Minister

A question for you please?

Recently, Ontario has modernized its Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (EVIP).

And in the Guide, among the variety of vehicles listed as NOT eligible for an incentive, "electric bikes ("e-bikes")".

The book author/futurist William Gibson is quoted as pointing out that "the future is already here but not evenly distributed". In other words that new ideas and products have to start *somewhere*, and then spread?

It's of course a huge country, but reports are from China that there are now MANY tens of MILLIONS of these e-bikes in that "Land of Bicycles".

... and news reports from Europe talk about use of their "electric power-assisted cycle" (EPACs) taking off now in countries like Britain, Germany and Italy. And in THEIR "Land of Bicycles" the Dutch reported that the tiny country of the Netherlands in 2012 had over ONE MILLION EPACs on their roads!

And now some cities in Europe are moving to ban and severely restrict the personal car entirely! London and Paris and Stockholm etc all making moves in this same direction.

AND North Americans seem to have a "weight problem"? And the electric bike does also allow the rider to pedal. To extend ranges per charge and the life of the battery before replacement and recycling, but also for warmth AND exercise.

Anyway. It may appear that our government plans to replace vehicles powered by fossil fuels with many battery electric cars. And that compared to the bicycle these are large and heavy and expensive vehicles intended to go much faster than most urban speed limits with no opportunity for exercise. And STILL will clog our "congested" highways.

... and there is talk about "self-guided" cars now. At some point in the future, after the inevitable "growing pains". Perhaps.

However, with a view to the here and the now, Ontario already has the Canadian "power-assisted bicycle". And while Federal law in the USA limits motor output to one whole horsepower (750 watts), Canadians at least can ride around "pony-powered" at 500 watts. (At a maximum speed from the motor of 32 km/h. Which is quite capable, in an increasingly urban world?)

While Europe started with 250 watts of power for their EPACs, from their experiences with the ebike news reports suggest they are now moving to more powerful "fast" pedal-electrics.

So my question to you is, why does Ontario appear to ignore the smallest and least expensive "electric vehicle" option in transportation for personal use that it seems has taken off in popularity elsewhere?

Best wishes to you and yours, and have a great summer!

Regards

Laughlin ("Lock") Hughes
Toronto

(J'ai essayé d'être poli . )

 

[LockH]

Minister of Transportation
Today at 9:35 AM
To lock

Thank you for your email addressed to the Honourable Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. Your email is important to us. It has been forwarded to the appropriate ministry office for review.

Thank you for bringing your concerns to the attention of the ministry.

So remains to be seen (as my Uncle the funeral director used to say...).