https://driving.ca/nissan/leaf/auto-news/news/nissan-leaf-sales-collapse-in-ontario-after-incentive-axed
[As I have long said, incentives matter. As we continue to subsidize
the use of oil through our taxes, people will continue to see the
economic advantage and still with GHG-emitting options.
I also worry about the Doug Ford government's ability to do math.
Saving a billion dollars via an incentive that likely averaged around
$10,000 per vehicle (The Toyota Prius Prime only got $5,000 while most
PHEVs got $7,000), implies they expected to see 100,000 plug-ins qualify
in the next three years (2019-2021). I'm a pretty serious advocate for
EVs, but even I don't believe the incentive was going to drive 100,000
sales of plug-ins in that short a time.]
Nissan Leaf sales collapse in Ontario after incentive axed
Ontarians are willing to go electric, but only if they get some money back
by Coleman Molnar | 2019-10-09
Since taking power, Ontario’s Doug Ford-led government has been
heavy-handed with cuts across the board.
The Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle and Charging Incentive Programs are a
few of the rebate programs that got the axe in July.
But the cuts aren’t just affecting Ontarians’ bank accounts—auto
manufacturers are feeling the pinch, too.
Sales of Nissan’s Leaf electric hatchback have plummeted since the
incentive program was turfed.
According to Nissan Canada, it sold 695 electric vehicles in Ontario in
August. By November, those sales dropped to 10. That’s not a typo. The
company literally sold 10 of its Leafs. That month in Quebec, however,
the number was 283.
Previously, Ontario residents could receive up to $14,000 in rebates for
opting for an electric vehicle such as the Leaf, which seemed incentive
enough. But without the rebate, electric vehicles don’t seem to be as
appealing.
Green rebates still exist elsewhere in Canada, albeit limited to British
Columbia and Quebec, which means both provinces are enjoying an influx
of EVs. That in turn lowers the amount of time that people in those
provinces have to wait for their new cars, now that Ontarians aren’t
interested.
The Ontario government believes that by ending the Electric and Hydrogen
Vehicle Incentive Program, the province will save around $1 billion over
four years.
