The Legault government is sounding the death knell for the Roulez vert program. You have until the New Year to take advantage of the $7,000 rebate on the purchase of an electric vehicle. The subsidy will then be cut by 50% before disappearing in 2027.
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The Ministry of Finance is cutting its popular and generous subsidy which allowed it to accelerate the electrification of transport.
“These subsidies are not the most effective expenditures in terms of reducing greenhouse gases,” said Finance Minister Eric Girard. “It is a decision by the Minister of the Environment who seeks to invest these dollars in the most effective measures to achieve our reduction target [de GES] by 37.5%.”
His ministry believes that the electric vehicle market is on the verge of reaching maturity.
Prices are lower, batteries have better autonomy and supply is growing, officials report in the 2024-2025 budget.
According to the government, this incentive was “necessary in order to initiate the electrification of the automobile fleet in Quebec in a context where there were few models available.”
Today, the growing popularity of electric models is undeniable, believes Quebec. During the third quarter of 2023, more than one in five vehicles sold in its territory was electric.
“Today there are more than 240,000 electric vehicles on the roads of Quebec,” it is noted in the budget to justify the decision.
Thus, “rebates on the purchase of electric vehicles will be gradually reduced and will cease to be offered for vehicles registered from 1er January 2027” (see box at the end).
Currently, Quebecers can still benefit from a federal subsidy of $5,000 for the purchase of a green car until March 31, 2025 or until the funds run out. It is clear that consumers will very soon have to pay full price to purchase a new electric vehicle from the dealership.
Quebec ensures that the amounts released will be used to finance the fight against climate change. The amounts will soon be detailed by the Minister of the Environment.
The terminal remains
Furthermore, the subsidy for the installation of home charging stations is resistant to the ax. The objective is to develop the electric charging network in the region.
“The government will continue to invest in the electrification of transportation by targeting, in particular, the measures of the Quebec Strategy on electric vehicle charging, such as rebates for charging stations,” notes the budget document. “We are arriving at a time when we need more terminals to encourage the use of electric vehicles,” added the minister.
Targeted manufacturers
Remember that the government wants to reach the target of two million electric vehicles on our roads by 2030. A law also provides for a ban on the sale of gasoline cars in 2035.
For several months, the Legault government has been banking on its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) standard in order to complete the electrification of transport for citizens. Gradually, through regulations, Quebec forces manufacturers to supply and sell an increasingly high percentage of electric vehicles each year, to reach 100% within 10 years. When they do not reach the target, they must purchase carbon offset credits.
THE END OF THE SUBSIDY
100% electric vehicles
- 2024: $7000
- 2025: $4000
- 2026: $2000
- 2027: $0
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
2024: $5000
2025: $2000
2026: $1000
2027: $0
Electric motorcycles
2024: $2000
2025: $1000
2026: $500
2027: $0