Federal Budget 2016 to fund charging and "replace government limousines with electric vehicles"

[rypalmer]

Charging infrastructure promised in the budget: Editorial: The budget with the electric car

there’s a surprisingly detailed promise to provide $62.5 million over two years to the National Research Council to support alternative transportation fuels “including charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.” The government will work with the provinces and municipalities to “support technology demonstration projects that advance electric vehicle charging technology.”​

Spotted in Budget 2016: PM vows 'historic investments' for First Nations

Funding for green technology, including a somewhat symbolic plan to replace government limousines with electric vehicles​

There's only really two EVs that come to mind as being appropriate for the job as government limos!

Can't find the official budget document to confirm details on either point yet.

 

[S'toon]

That editorial was a bit snarky, wasn't it?

As for the replacing government limousines with EVs, that just makes sense. A few years ago someone noticed that government limousines for cabinet ministers were being run all day, just burning gas driving nowhere, just in case the minister in question came out and needed to have a warm/cool car to be driven around in. An EV would reduce all that wasted gasoline and be cheaper in the long run.

Of course, in deference to the "needs" of the cabinet the only EV being sufficiently "luxurious" would be the Tesla S or X.

 

[Face_Disguise]

Was I the only one hoping for a federal EV rebate announcement....?

 

[S'toon]

Was I the only one hoping for a federal EV rebate announcement....?

Aye. I was hoping for that too. Disappointed.

 

[Canuck]

Was I the only one hoping for a federal EV rebate announcement....?

Another disappointed person here. I can't say it comes as any surprise though. I'm not even surprised by the fact that this new government is going to use our hard earned tax money to replace their government limos. And since there are no electric limos, and we know they won't be driving around in Leafs, i-miev, or i8's, guess what they will be driving around in? Yes, what they are really doing is just giving themselves Tesla's and giving us Trudeau's father's “Salmon Arm Salute”.

A federal rebate you ask? No, how silly, we are buying Tesla's outright for us, and nothing for you, the taxpayer! But look how green we are and how much we care about the environment.

 

[Jaff]

Aye. I was hoping for that too. Disappointed.

I guess we working folks in the real world lost out to politicians wanting to come out of buildings into warm / AC temperate vehicles so they can do what they do in comfort...was is it they do again?

 

[S'toon]

$63 million over two years to build charging stations for electric vehicles and hydrogen and natural gas refuelling stations.

Budget links green infrastructure with economic development
Sigh. Natural gas is not clean energy. 95% of hydrogen is made from natural gas. This isn't helping a darned thing.

Also, nobody buys natural gas and hydrogen vehicles. Useless waste of money.

They could have gone so far, and they're doing almost nothing.

 

[decibel]

http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/plan/ch4-en.html#_Toc446106762
"Budget 2016 proposes to provide $56.9 million over two years, starting in 2016–17, to Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada to support the transition to a cleaner transportation sector, including through the development of regulations and standards for clean transportation technology."

Budget 2016: Chapter 4 - A Clean Growth Economy
"Budget 2016 proposes to provide $62.5 million over two years, starting in 2016–17, to Natural Resources Canada to support the deployment of infrastructure for alternative transportation fuels, including charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations."

"Budget 2016 proposes to expand eligibility for accelerated CCA in two important emerging areas: electric vehicle charging and electrical energy storage. First, the incentive will be extended to include electric car charging stations, with the most generous treatment provided to chargers that provide enough power for long-distance travel."

"Electric vehicle charging stations set up to supply at least 90 kilowatts of continuous power will be eligible for inclusion in Class 43.2. Those charging stations set up to supply more than 10 kilowatts but less than 90 kilowatts of continuous power will be eligible for inclusion in Class 43.1."
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2016/docs/tm-mf/si-rs-en.html#_Toc445892223

 

[Pollux]

I haven't read the proposals so can't debate the details but wanted to reiterate that Canada's actions (especially what was accomplished in BC with carbon tax) continue to be a source of inspiration to those of us paying attention here in the States.

And, as in the States, I wish that those people committed to fostering a hydrogen fueling infrastructure at great public expense would at the very least make the subsidies only available for hydrogen fueling infrastructure that doesn't require carbon emissions as part of the fuel-creation process. Just like the electric fueling infrastructure. So no subsidies for steam methane reforming (SMR)!

Alan