Electric vehicle sales in Canada may grind to a halt in the coming months, some industry watchers fear, as consumers wait for the federal government to clear up uncertainty around a new $5,000 tax credit.
It’s unclear whether plug-in hybrid cars will qualify for the subsidy, or if it will be restricted to pure electric vehicles, although budget language about “zero-emissions vehicles” suggests that the former may not be included. The same conundrum could hit drivers eyeing a 2019 Nissan Leaf. According to the company, the Leaf SV has a MSRP of $40,698 and the Leaf S Plus at $43,998, but the Leaf SV Plus and the Leaf SL Plus — which can come with premium features such as automatic braking and pedestrian detection and leather-wrapped steering wheels — are too expensive to qualify.
In response to follow-up questions after the budget was released, the Department of Finance wouldn’t offer anything in the way of specifics. Zhang said the $45,000 threshold would likely push consumers away from higher-priced cars and towards cheaper options.“If I were considering the Model Y before, and all of a sudden the Chevy Bolt is five grand cheaper, I might give the Chevy Bolt another look.”
Dammit! The poor should subsidize my electric hobby car!