Skip to main content

ZEV standard: automakers to provide more hybrid and EVs, Quebec

The government of Quebec has approved its Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Standard to allow the province to regulate automakers and ensure sustained growth in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road for meeting needs of its citizenry. It is part of a continuum of solutions to improve air quality as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will come into effect in early 2018.
December 22, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
The government of Quebec has approved its Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Standard to allow the province to regulate automakers and ensure sustained growth in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road for meeting needs of its citizenry. It is part of a continuum of solutions to improve air quality as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will come into effect in early 2018.

 
Automakers covered by the standard will earn credits through the sale of ZEV or low-emission vehicles to residents. Credits will be awarded in proportion to efficiency in zero-emission mode. The percentage of mandatory credits will be calculated by the total number of new vehicles sold or leased in the province and manufacturers will start earning credits with model year 2018.
 
Major automakers who sell or lease more than 20,000 vehicles in Quebec annually, will need to earn a specified percentage of credits based exclusively on ZEV models, starting in 2020. Manufacturers that do not achieve their target will be required to purchase credits from other automakers that have excess credits available or pay a fee to the government. Income will be paid to the Green Fund and used to support climate change projects.
 
These regulations also permit vehicles that have been upgraded by car makers and licensed for the first time in Quebec to qualify for credits. This measure was included to make it possible for low-income households to choose ZEVs.
 
The ZEV standard is consistent with the targets set out in the Transportation Electrification Action Plan 2015–2020 and the 2013–2020 Climate Change Action Plan. It adds to a series of government measures, including a rebate on the purchase price of EVs, funding for charging stations, the development of an extended network of charging stations in all regions of the province and other ZEV benefits such as the free use of toll bridges.

Quebec's government has created a committee to monitor the evolution of the dossier; led by the Corporation des concessionnaires automobile du Québec and the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. Its representatives will rely on the Coalition zéro émission Québec and Steven Guilbeault, cofounder and senior director of Équiterre.
 
Isabelle Melançon, minister of sustainable development, environment and the Fight against Climate Change, said: "The current vehicle offering does not meet growing consumer demand. Many Québécois want to drive clean vehicles but face a dearth of cars on the market and/or discouragingly lengthy waiting times. We need to release these limitations on consumer choice, and that is the intent of the ZEV.”

More information about the ZEV standard is available %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external here false http://http//www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca/changementsclimatiques/vze/index-en.htm false false%>.

Related Content

  • Pedal power for parking attendants with ScanBike
    March 21, 2018
    A Tour de France winner it may not be but the ScanBike is a tour de force for parking attendants. Essentially, the ScanBike is a small plastic box weighing 14kg that can be attached onto the rear carrier of any heavy-duty bicycle and scooter. It is self-contained, working independently from the vehicle thanks to its own battery that operates the equipment for 3-5 hours. This gives operators high freedom of choice of the vehicle, explains Coen Borren, head of marketing for Scanacar, makers of the ScanB
  • RTD joins forces with Uber for trip planning in Denver
    February 6, 2019
    The Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, Colorado, has entered into an agreement which will allow its riders to view transit routes within Uber’s app. RTD says the collaboration will allow commuters to plan their travel with additional first/last mile options. Riders can select the app’s ‘Transit’ option to see available routes, real-time schedules and walking directions to and from stations. Looking ahead, the partnership intends to allow riders to purchase RTD tickets via the app,
  • ITS World Congress 2017 call for demos
    January 3, 2017
    As part of the Montréal World Congress 2017, conference organizers are planning to feature live demonstrations of ITS technologies. The city of Montréal will create a virtual test bed on the streets adjacent to the Convention Centre. This test bed will include an arterial loop circling the Centre and a section of a nearby limited access highway that will be equipped with DSRC roadside units integrated with local signal controllers to support demonstrations of connected vehicle technologies. In order to a
  • Q-Free shows ParQSense sensor at Intertraffic
    March 20, 2018
    Q-Free’s largest-ever stand at Intertraffic features a novel combination of the physical and virtual. The centre piece of the 120m2 exhibit is a table-top cityscape, upon which model cars roam. These trigger videos on surrounding screens which demonstrate the company’s comprehensive range of solutions for parking, tolling and traffic management.