BC gas rebate = free charging for EV owners

That's wild. They should just give us another rebate (don't call it a gas rebate), like last year, because of all these years of ripping us off with highest in North America car insurance premiums. Better yet, get rid of ICBC altogether and we will save even more.

But this "gas rebate" through ICBC does beg some questions. When will it happen? And how will it be prorated, if you sell your car?

 

So as long as it was registered in Feb, I should get the rebate? My Kona is sold, I think, unless a cheque bounces. I will find out at the end of next week, as that is how long the bank said it will take to clear the cheque. Transfer of ownership (and cancellation of my insurance) will happen on Apr 4th if all goes well.

 

Eddy, I think you’re EV mileage figures are a bit low for those of us charging for free at the airport (shhhh, don’t tell ).

As for the refund I think you’ve described it accurately regarding having sold a vehicle or taken it off the road. That’s how the three previous recent rebates worked.

And, RP, the myth about insurance would be cheaper without ICBC has been debunked a number of times. Still fun to lump them in with banks, governments and other big entities and complain though.

 

I guess it depends on who is doing the "debunking". Here are some facts.
https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/earnings-ratings/canadian-drivers-pay-least-auto-insurance-1004134702/
They are trying to reform it now, but too little too late, IMO. I have for a long time got my optional collision and extended liability insurance from other providers, and they have been way cheaper than ICBC.

 

Too complex to get into typing on my phone - and likely off topic for an EV forum, so last comment here from me, but that article was from 2018, while BC was the last full-tort jurisdiction in Canada. So an apples/oranges comparison with other provinces. Totally different results now with last year’s changes.

 

Like I said they have finally seen the light and are reforming. But we are still the highest in Canada.
https://www.arcinsurance.ca/blog/average-car-insurance-rates-across-canadian-provinces/

And for the many past years we were ripped off by allowing the lawyers to get rich, fraudsters to flourish, and bad drivers, incl new young drivers, not paying their fair share. We have friends and family in other provinces and would always envy them when I hear what they pay for their insurance.

But you're right, getting off topic here, and probably not appropriate for this forum.

 

Sorry off topic... Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) the province's license issuer is giving a $100 rebate to each licensed vehicle. This almost covers the $150 surcharge on each electric vehicle that was imposed this year.

 

Yup - it was supposed to start costing last year, so no complaints. Got someone coming in a couple weeks to advise on roof solar panels. Not exactly free, but kinda sorta related?