Rebates on electric vehicles (EV) are increasing soon, according to an announcement made by Artic Energy Alliance (AEA) on Thursday.
Starting on April 1, eligible Northerners can get a rebate of up to $7,500 on passenger EVs, an increase of $2,500 compared to their announcement of $5,000 in January.
According to a statement from the AEA, the GNWT announced last year that it would be providing them with additional funding to increase the variety of EVs that they could offer rebates on.
An EV with a base cost of $65,000 or under, before taxes, are eligible for a rebate, increased from the previous limit of $60,000.
Rebates on level-two charging stations have not changed. The AEA is offering a rebate of 100 per cent of the purchase cost, up to a maximum of $500 for level two charging stations for homes purchased after April 1, 2022.
Rebates on passenger EVs and charging stations are eligible only in communities that run on hydroelectricity, which includes Yellowknife, Hay River, Behchoko, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Dettah, Ndilo, Enterprise and K’atl’odeeche FIrst Nation.
You can get back up to half the cost of electric on-the-land vehicles, which includes ATVs, snowmobiles and boat motors, up to a maximum rebate of $2,500, available anywhere in the NWT.
Similarly, up to half the cost of an e-bike is being offered for a maximum return of $750 if it is purchased after March 31.
Mark Heyck, executive director of AEA, stated in their news release that he was pleased e-bikes are now included in their rebate program.
“Since we launched our EV rebates less than three years ago, we’ve had a lot of questions about e-bikes in particular, but also about on-the-land vehicles, so we’re glad we’re finally able to offer rebates to help people buy them,” he stated. “Both of these options are a great way to save on energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
“E-bikes are an excellent option for commuting, especially in smaller communities like we have here in the Northwest Territories.”
He stated that their organization has an e-bike for each of their offices.
“We’ve seen that they can save a lot on energy costs compared to a bigger vehicle, while still making it easy to get around.
“The e-bike market is growing fast, so there are so many options out there for people.
“On the other hand, we recognize that there are fewer options for electric on-the-land vehicles right now, and that they still aren’t right for everyone. But going out on the land is a part of the way of life for many Northerners, and we want to get people thinking about these vehicles.”
The GNWT are funding the rebate program to support the objectives of the NWT’s 2030 Energy Strategy.