New Brunswick introduces EV Rebate program

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New Brunswick is the latest Canadian province to offer rebate initiatives to customers who purchase or lease certain electric vehicles. The program will cover certain EVs, plug-in hybrids, and even the scattered used car.

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Drivers who purchase or lease new qualifying battery electric vehicles and long-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may receive up to $5,000, while those who elect to purchase or lease new short-range plug-in hybrids may receive up to $2,500. There’s also $2,500 and $1,000 on the table for purchasers of certain second-hand BEVs and PHEVs, respectively.

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The province will use the same list of vehicles that are part of the federal government’s Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program. That incentive also tops out at $5,000, meaning some New Brunswickers may be eligible for a cool ten grand in combined rebates. Financial support for the three-year program, which comes from the Climate Change Fund, will be approved annually. For fiscal 2021-22, $1.95 million was approved.

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Smart shoppers can use these rebates to dramatically reduce the cost of entry to certain vehicles. As an example, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime currently qualifies for the maximum rebates thanks to its high-capacity battery pack. Its base sticker price of $44,490 means that, with incentives, the RAV4 Prime ends up being cheaper than just about every trim of the RAV4 Hybrid, despite being more efficient and having a higher level of standard equipment.

Your author can speak first-hand to the smart placement of Level 3 chargers along New Brunswick’s portion of the Trans-Canada Highway following a road trip through the province while driving from Montreal to Halifax in a Chevy Bolt four years ago. The decision was made to install the chargers fairly consistently at Irving fuel stations, locations known in that part of the country for ample amenities and easy access from highways.

This added a level of predictability to charger locations, a key consideration for people considering a jump to EV ownership. There are 87 Level 3 DC fast chargers in the province, with one popping up roughly every 65 km on major routes, plus about 200 Level 2 charging stations.

Speaking of, the NB program also allows for $750 towards the installation of a Level 2 charger in one’s home. Savvy customers will note a similar offer to the tune of $1,500 is available from General Motors for customers selecting a 2022 Bolt or Bolt EUV.