The province of British Columbia has announced plans to introduce legislation that would ban selling new gas and diesel cars by 2040, according Green Car Reports.
Accompanying this plan from the province will be a targeted phase-in of electric car sales, with staggered deadlines starting in 2025. Conventional cars already in use will not be affected.
“We need to make clean energy vehicles more affordable, available and convenient,” Premier John Horgan said in a statement acquired by Reuters. The initiative hooks into additional long-term plans to cut down on carbon emissions.
The legislation will be introduced next year. It proposes sales targets for electric vehicles of 10 percent in 2025, 30 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2040. British Columbia will also invest additional funds into an electric fast charging network and maintain its current incentives for electric car owners. Drivers who say goodbye to the gas pump can receive up to $5,000 (US $3,773) toward the purchase of an electric car or up to $6,000 (US $4,528) for a hydrogen fuel cell car.
Other Canadian provinces are also working on this: Quebec has a target for 15.5 percent of sales and leases of cars to be for zero emission vehicles by 2020. Ontario had an electric car rebate program that ended in July 2018 under Premiere Doug Ford in an effort to cut down on government expenses and lower gas prices.
