FILE PHOTO – The Peachland electric car (EV) charging station is one of the few where usage and costs are tracked.

(KATHY MICHAELS / iNFOnews.ca)

Zero-emission vehicles are catching on in B.C. faster than any other province or state in North America, according to the B.C. government.

They accounted for 13% of last year’s new light-duty vehicle sales in B.C., according to new provincial data.

"With the highest reported uptake rate of ZEVs in North America, B.C. is quickly becoming a leader in the ZEV industry," Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Bruce Ralston said in a press release.

"The annual ZEV update shows that people and businesses in B.C. are eager to make the switch to cleaner energy, and we're helping people make this transition through our CleanBC Go Electric suite of programs."

British Columbians are incentivized to purchase ZEVs through two programs – the Go Electric Commercial Vehicle Pilots (CVP) program and the Specialty-Use Vehicle Incentive (SUVI) program. They encourage businesses, organizations and local governments to switch their gas and diesel-powered fleets to electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

READ MORE: Canada's new electric-vehicle registrations soar in 2021 but still lag behind Europe

Since the CVP was launched in January 2021, $9.6 million has been funded to support the adoption of commercial ZEVs and infrastructure. The program has so far secured funding for four projects that added 10 battery-electric vehicles, four hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and 11 commercial vehicle charging stations.

The SUVI program became active in November 2017 and has since provided 777 rebates worth $3.5 million for ZEVs.

"People are increasingly choosing electric vehicles as the clean and lower-cost option, and we have achieved our 2025 target for ZEVs five years ahead of schedule," Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman said in the release.

"The switch to electric vehicles for personal and commercial use means less carbon and air pollution, a cleaner environment, and lower fuel and maintenance costs for the growing number of ZEV users."

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