Electric Vehicles

Did you know? Provincial and federal sales targets regulations will require all new passenger vehicles sold in BC to be zero emissions by 2035. Each year automakers are introducing more EV models with ever-increasing driving ranges, which means there is likely already an EV that is right for you. View this brochure from EmotiveBC to see a list of available EVs in BC.

Electric Vehicles 101

- 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!

Charging 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

Type	Level 1 Charging (110V)	Level 2 Charging (240V)	Level 3 Charging (480V)
Range	1 hour = 8 km range	1 hour = 30 km range	30-60 minutes = 80% charge
Charging Locations	Home (trickle) charge	Home, work, on-the-go	On-the-go, usually for long distance trips

While an EV currently costs more to purchase upfront than a comparable gas-powered vehicle, it costs significantly less to operate and maintain an 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
- Learn more about EV power management devices, including available BC Hydro rebates on EV power management devices and level 2 EV chargers.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Rebates

The City of Kamloops has partnered with the Province and BC Hydro to offer several top-up rebates through the CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program to help Kamloops residents prepare for the transition to electric-powered transportation.

The municipal portion of the rebate offers, where applicable, are administered and disbursed by BC Hydro. The municipal offers are added on top of the provincial offers, up to the lesser of the municipal top-up dollar limit or the amount that makes the total incentive reach the permitted percentage of eligible costs.

The rebate offers listed below are available until March 31, 2026, or while funding lasts. Note that newly constructed buildings are not eligible.

Receive up to $500 when you purchase and install an eligible Level 2 (240 volt) charging station in your single-family home, duplex, or other semi-detached housing type.
The total combined rebate value from municipal (up to $150) and provincial (up to $350) funding contributions for EV charging station installations at single-family homes must not exceed the lesser of 75% of project costs or $500.
There are 3 types of EV charger rebates for condominiums, apartment buildings and townhouses. Note that you will need to apply for pre-approval to maintain eligibility for the EV Ready Infrastructure and the EV Charger rebate offers outlined below.
1. EV Ready Plan Rebate
An EV Ready plan is a professional document prepared by a licensed electrical contractor and/or electrical engineer that includes details about how your MURB complex will provide each residential unit at least one parking space with the necessary electrical infrastructure to support a Level-2 charging station.
Eligible Kamloops stratas or building owners can get a rebate of up to 100% of the costs, to a maximum of $4,000, to develop an EV Ready plan for a building. The total combined rebate value from municipal (up to $1,000) and provincial (up to $3,000) funding contributions for EV Ready plans must not exceed the lesser of 100% of project costs or $4,000 per plan.
2. EV Ready Infrastructure Rebate
To implement your EV Ready plan, you will likely need electrical infrastructure installed in your MURB complex. This is considered EV Ready infrastructure.
Eligible Kamloops stratas or building owners can get a rebate towards the infrastructure and installation costs. The total combined rebate value from municipal (up to $100) and provincial (up to $600) funding contributions for EV Ready infrastructure installations must not exceed the lesser of 75% of total project costs or $700 per parking stall. The project maximum for provincial funding for this offer is $120,000 per MURB complex and municipal funding is applied in addition to the provincial project maximum until the 75% of project costs limit is reached.
To apply for an EV Ready Infrastructure rebate, you must have previously applied for an EV Ready Plan rebate. Alternatively, you may apply for both rebates at the same time.
3. EV Charger Rebate
Rebates are available to stratas, building owners or individual residents to help cover the cost of purchasing and installing EV chargers at your building regardless of whether you apply for the EV Ready rebates.
For applicants that apply for EV Ready rebates (#1 and #2 above), the total combined rebate value from municipal (up to $1,000) and provincial (up to $1,400) funding contributions must not exceed the lesser of 75% of total project costs or $2,400 per charging station.
For applicants that do not apply for EV Ready rebates, the total combined rebate value from municipal (up to $1,000) and provincial (up to $2,000) funding contributions must not exceed the lesser of 75% of total project costs or $3,000 per charging station.
**Note: If you have questions about any of these MURB rebate offers, please contact Plug In BC to access up to five free hours of expert advice with an EV charging advisor, who can help you plan your EV charging project.

How to apply

To start your application, please visit the BC Hydro website for the EV Charger Rebate Program.

Resources

Do you live in a condo building and want to champion EV charging in your building?

PlugInBC has developed a guidebook that provides a step-by-step template on the process of selecting, installing, and maintaining EV charging systems in multi-unit residential buildings.

City of Kamloops

Electric Vehicles