VICTORIA - Good news for potential buyers of clean energy vehicles! If you thought you had missed out on your chance to save up to $5,000 on a qualifying CEV - don't worry. British Columbia's point-of-sale incentive program has been extended for another year.

Environment Minister Terry Lake made this announcement today at the Vancouver International Auto Show.

The Clean Energy Vehicles for British Columbia program - which provides B.C. residents with up to $5,000 off the pre-tax sticker price for qualifying new battery electric, fuel-cell electric, plug-in hybrid electric and compressed natural gas vehicles - was originally due to wind up on March 31.

In order to build on the sales momentum created by the program over the past 16 months, $2.5 million will be carried over from the original $14.3 million Clean Energy Vehicle Program to extend the incentive program through the 2013-14 fiscal year. The New Car Dealers Association of B.C. will continue to manage, administer and promote the program on behalf of the Province.

In addition, the LiveSmart BC Residential Charging Point Rebate Program - which provides rebates of up to $500 per unit for residential electric charging stations that meet identified eligibility requirements - also has been extended for another year.

The CEV for BC and residential charging point rebate programs are part of the B.C. government's Clean Energy Vehicle Program, which is a comprehensive program designed to provide British Columbians with a variety of clean and green choices for their transportation needs.

Clean Energy Vehicle Program achievements include:

• 431 vehicles purchased to date with CEV for BC incentives.

• 111 residential charging point rebates have been issued.

• Over 500 Community Charging Infrastructure Fund supported Level 2 (240-volt) publicly available charging stations are expected to be in operation this spring.

• 13 direct current (DC) fast-charging stations are being strategically located along the Highway 1 corridor this spring.

• $600,000 in funding for design, research and curriculum development on clean energy vehicles provided to a range of post-secondary institutions in B.C., as well as BC Hydro and multi-family housing associations.

Quotes:

Terry Lake, Minister of Environment -

"By having a significant network of charging stations in place throughout the province, we now have the opportunity to make B.C. the clean energy vehicle centre of North America. Extending the CEV for BC point-of-sale incentive program by another year will allow even more British Columbians to make better, clean transportation choices."

Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas -

"This makes it easier for all British Columbians to choose clean electricity transportation. Climate-friendly vehicles not only help lower travel costs, they improve the air quality in the communities where we live and work."

Blair Qualey, president and CEO, New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia -

"B.C.'s new car dealers are pleased with the provincial government's decision to extend the Clean Energy Vehicle for B.C. program. We've been working closely with auto manufacturers to attract new CEVs to our market - and with this news we'll be able to continue along our already successful path. The feedback from customers who've taken advantage of the financial incentive has been very positive, and we're looking forward to seeing more CEV options on our roads as we move forward."

Learn More:

CEV for BC point-of-sale incentive program: http://www.cevforbc.ca/

LiveSmart BC Residential Charging Point Rebate Program: http://www.livesmartbc.ca/incentives/transportation/CEV-rebates.html#residential

Clean Energy Vehicle Program: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/mitigation/cev.html

Community Charging Infrastructure Fund administered by the Fraser Basin Council: http://www.e3fleet.com/plugin_bc.html

Locations of the CCI funded charging stations can be viewed at the following link: http://www.livesmartbc.ca/incentives/transportation/CEV-rebates.html

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834