• Battery EV (BEV) - Uses electricity to power a 100% electric motor and battery
• Plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV) - Uses an electric motor and battery with support of a gas engine
• Fuel cell vehicle (FCV) - Powered by oxygen and compressed hydrogen

With the market for EVs growing, so is the number of local drivers who own an EV. We've profiled one such Kamloops EV-owner in the video below. Rena shares what she loves about owning and driving an EV!

While EV drivers report doing the majority of charging at home, the network of public charging stations is ever growing, making it is easier and convenient to recharge your vehicle when you are on the go.

Visit PlugShare.com to find the EV charging stations near you.

Types of EV Charging

While an EV currently costs more to purchase upfront than a comparable gas-powered vehicle, it costs significantly less to operate and maintain and EV, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership.

Did you know?  Only 12% to 30% of the energy in gasoline is used to move a vehicle, with most of the remaining energy lost in heat. Over 77% of the energy in electricity is converted into vehicle movement when including regenerative braking.

Fuel Savings

Battery EVs are far more efficient than vehicles with internal gas engines, which saves you fuel costs. The cost to charge an EV is about 75% less than fueling up a gas-powered car, and you can expect to pay about $2-$4 for every 100km of travel, depending upon where you re-charge your EV (e.g. at home vs. public EV charging station).

Maintenance Savings

As EVs have fewer moving parts, you can expect to pay about 47% less on maintenance costs than a gas-powered vehicle.  And unlike an internal combustion engine, the following parts of an EV will never need servicing or replacement:

• Fan belts
• Spark plugs
• Oil changes
• Exhaust system
   

Environmental Benefits of EVs

In BC, 96% of electricity is clean energy so you can reduce your environmental impact further. Driving an EV with zero tail pipe emissions means you are helping to improve community health, reduce air pollution and fight climate change.

Other Benefits of EVs

• Many EVs have regenerative braking which harnesses the energy expended while slowing a vehicle to help recharge the batteries. It also greatly reduces the wear and tear on the regular mechanical brake system, which reduces maintenance costs
• EVs generate more torque than gas vehicles, with the power going straight to the wheels for instant acceleration
• EVs are quieter than gas powered cars, producing less noise pollution in urban areas
• EVs do not idle so you can pre-heat or pre-cool the interior air of the car exhaust-free

On September 20, 2022, City Council adopted zoning bylaw amendments regarding electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements for all new residential development at time of construction, effective January 1, 2023.

The intent of these requirements is to enable all new residential development to be equipped with electrical infrastructure that facilitates easy and cost-effective access to electric vehicle charging at home.

Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-9, 2022 (Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements) outlines three distinct definitions to guide developers and builders at time of construction: EV Capable Parking, EV Ready Parking, and EV Installed Parking, as highlighted in the illustrations.

Starting January 1, 2023, new residential development in Kamloops must provide, at minimum, one EV-capable parking stall per dwelling unit. Click here to learn more about the technical specifications for EV charging requirements that are required for building permit applications.

Background

Supporting access to EV charging at home is a priority action in the City's EV and E-Bike Strategy and Community Climate Action Plan.

The primary objective is to future-proof new residential development for the transition to electric transportation, which is being driven by provincial and federal sales target regulations that require all new passenger vehicles to be zero emissions by 2035.

The availability of EV charging infrastructure at home (and on the go) is a key factor in the decision to purchase an EV. New homes can be equipped with EV charging infrastructure at a relatively modest cost when compared to retrofitting.

The use of technology, such as EV energy management systems, which allow multiple charging points to safely use a single circuit simultaneously, also make it more feasible to install EV charging, particularly in multi-family residential buildings.

• Learn more about the City's Electric Vehicle and Electric Bike Strategy and discover what the City is doing to support the adoption and use of electric bikes and electric vehicles in our community. 
• Visit Plugshare.com to find charging stations near you
• Visit EmotiveBC.ca for a range of resources on EVs

Due to the popularity of the program, funding is currently unavailable for single-family homes. As of June 15, 2023, applications are no longer accepted.

Receive up to $500 when you purchase and install an eligible Level 2 EV charger for a single-family home, duplex, or townhouse with a private garage or dedicated parking area.

• Provincial base rebate: 50% of the purchase and installation costs up to $350
• City of Kamloops top-up: 25% of the cost up to $150
• Total combined: Up to 75% of the costs up to $500 (whichever is less)

If you live in a multi-family building such as an apartment or condo, rebates are available to help strata councils or building owners prepare to become EV ready. An EV-ready building can accommodate requests for EV charger installations by ensuring that some or all parking spaces have ready access to a power supply. There are also standalone EV charger rebates available. 

EV Charger Rebate*:

• If your building has participated/applied for the EV-ready plan and infrastructure rebates: Up to $1,400 per charger, up to a maximum of $14,000 per apartment/condo complex.
• If your building has not participated/applied for the EV-ready plan and infrastructure rebates, a standalone rebate is available: Up to 50% of the costs up to a maximum of $2,000 per charger, and up to a maximum of $14,000 per apartment/condo complex.

*Note: There is no municipal top-up available for the multi-family building EV Charger Rebate.

EV-Ready Plan Rebate
Due to the popularity of the program, funding is currently unavailable for EV-Ready Plan rebate. As of June 15, 2023, applications are no longer accepted.

Up to $4,000 for an EV-ready plan completed by a registered professional engineer. This plan outlines a strategy to make at least one parking space per residential unit EV ready and is required in order to be eligible for the EV-Ready Infrastructure Rebate*.

• Provincial base rebate: Up to $3,000
• City of Kamloops top-up: Up to $1,000
• Total combined: Up to 75% of the costs up to $4,000 (whichever is less)

EV-Ready Infrastructure Rebate**:
Due to the popularity of the program, funding is currently unavailable for EV-Ready Infrastructure rebate. As of June 15, 2023, applications are no longer accepted.

Up to $120,000 of costs to install the electrical infrastructure required to implement the building’s EV-ready plan.

• Provincial base rebate: Up to $600 per EV ready-made parking stall
• City of Kamloops top-up: Up to $100 per EV ready-made parking stall
• Total combined: Up to $700 per EV ready-made parking stall and a project maximum of $120,000

**Note: You cannot apply for the EV Ready Infrastructure Rebate unless you have previously applied for an EV-Ready plan rebate or are applying for it at the same time.

Learn more about the EV-Ready Plan, EV-Ready Infrastructure, and EV Charger rebates.

There are Provincial incentives for the purchase and installation of eligible EV chargers at workplaces, up to a maximum of $2,000 per charger. Learn more.