BCBusiness

Auto Industry Evolution via Green Technology By Blair Qualey Technology is changing our world and no more so than that of the auto world. As countries around the globe work to curb their emis- sions, the auto industry is taking charge (both guratively and literally) by coming up with new localized solutions to help communities wean o greenhouse gases. In Canada, there are almost 30,000 electric vehicles on the road according to FleetCarma. In fact, the total sales for electric vehicles (EVs) were at an all-time high last year with 11,000 vehicles sold. As more and more vehicle manufacturers roll out with new electric models, consumers are starting to pay attention – a trend that was very apparent during the 2017 Vancouver International Auto Show. Every year, the Auto Show oers visitors the chance to test drive the latest EV models from various major automakers. Presented by the Clean Energy Vehicles for British Columbia program (CEVforBC™) and the Toyota LEXUS Hybrid Ride & Drive, the test drives at the 2016 Show saw a total of 984 people signed up. In 2017, the Electric Vehicle Experience Test Drive grew an amazing 27 per cent, with a total of 1,246 EV-curious Brit- ish Columbians signing up. Across British Columbia, governments are providing drivers with solutions to lower their carbon footprints and B.C. cities are at the forefront of the green auto industry movement. In 2012, the City of Surrey rolled out a policy that requires all new gas stations to accommodate at least one refuelling source for alternative fuel vehicles. In Vancouver, the EV Ecosystem Strategy approved in No- vember 2016, outlines the City's commitment of $3 million to build more EV charging stations over the next ve years. Vancouver already has over 250 charging stations and the City of Vancouver projects 300,000 EV's in the city by 2050. In addition, the City has the largest municipal electric eet in the country. ere are a number of DC fast charge options in B.C. as well, reducing the charge time to mere minutes (check out PlugShare.com for nearest charging locations). With all the new charging infrastructure being built in the province, and expanded battery range available in new vehicles today, EV's can go even further than before and drivers need to worry less and less about range anxiety. For consumers, various initiatives derived from govern- ment partnerships are also available to help British Colum- bians save money, with B.C. boasting the highest per capita sales of clean energy vehicles in Canada. e BC SCRAP-IT™ program is a voluntary early retirement program that provides incentives for B.C. residents to replace their older, polluting vehicles with cleaner transportation alternatives. Drivers can scrap their older gas-fueled vehicle for a new or used EV, and receive a $3,000 rebate in return. e CEVforBC™ program allows qualifying drivers to save up to $5,000 towards the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, and up to $6,000 towards the purchase of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Drivers can also pair the BC SCRAP-IT™ program rebate of $3,000 with the CEVforBC™ incentive for a combined saving of over $8,000 o a new EV. Both programs provide signicant savings when opting to purchase a new, or new-to-you EV. As most of the world pushes towards a greener future, the global auto industry is stepping up to create viable trans- portation solutions for drivers. New technology will benet both EV's and traditional gas powered vehicles as innova- tive technology makes autos more ecient. Visit your local new car dealer today to learn more about the newest EV models and technology on the market today. Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at bqualey@newcardealers.ca. SPONSORED CONTENT

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