BC Hydro will give you $700 towards the install and purchase of a level 2 charger. With spring/summer road trip season coming up we were thinking of taking advantage of this. Anyone else done it? What charger did you get? They have a long pdf list of approved chargers, but they all look to be on the expensive side so far.
Anyone used the BC Hydro charger rebate?
- Thread starter Llorgon
- Start date
- Replies 23
- Views 5K
Interesting. I would have to get the 240V installed in the garage so a electrician would be required.
We are trying to figure out if we should go with BC hydro or ZapBC. Hydro you get $700 for charger and install, ZapBC you get the full cost of the charger minus taxes, but it has to be the chargepoint they sell at London Drugs.
I guess it all depends on if we can find a cheaper Hydro approved charger.
We are trying to figure out if we should go with BC hydro or ZapBC. Hydro you get $700 for charger and install, ZapBC you get the full cost of the charger minus taxes, but it has to be the chargepoint they sell at London Drugs.
I guess it all depends on if we can find a cheaper Hydro approved charger.
I think ZapBC has exhausted its allotment for this year, so that might make your decision easier?
I do recommend having one at home, for the ease and quickness of charging when you really need it.
Here's an old thread that might be a good read.
https://www.insideevsforum.com/comm...ll-you-choose-for-your-new-kona-or-niro.3975/
Kathryne
Member
I received the full rebate from BC Hydro, but you better get moving as I think the doubled rebate is up soon and you need to have it installed by a certain date, which IIRC is the end of March. I got the Chargepoint that was wifi enabled. The app also tracks your energy usage, costs and trends. It has a chargepoint charger locator functionality and can also be programmed for charging at certain times. You can start and stop charging from the app as well. It's a duplicate of what the car and bluelink app can do, but is a much better app.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07WNXTHNW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I got the plug in model for easy change out if needed. You need an electrician to fill out their application form. Cost for me, which was a relatively easy install, was about $2400 with the charger pre-rebate. It looks nice and has easy cord management.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07WNXTHNW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I got the plug in model for easy change out if needed. You need an electrician to fill out their application form. Cost for me, which was a relatively easy install, was about $2400 with the charger pre-rebate. It looks nice and has easy cord management.
Thanks! That was really useful!
Ya I noticed that the date was the end of March. I was hoping I had more time. I was hoping to not have to spend $1000 on a charger, but all the Hydro approved ones look to be around that range.
Kathryne
Member
I think there were a few in the $600 range ... the install needs to be done and the paperwork at Hydro before the deadline. It took us two weeks to schedule an electrician and about a week for the charger to be delivered from Amazon, but I am in rural vancouver island.
Back in 2012 I installed an Eaton L2 (7200 W) and received a $500 rebate from B.C. Gov which brought the equipment cost down to $449 Cdn.
It has got me thru 2 Leafs and now onto my 3rd EV - Kona and works flawlessly.
That was the cheap part.
But of course being a Master Electrician I did a load calculation and had to upgrade my service to 200A, ( it was an old Square D 100 Amp panel that was on its last legs anyway). Cost for the parts to upgrade was $1100 Cdn (including an Eaton home surge protection unit and 200A service materials) -reasonable... however the B.C. Hydro hook-up charge was $650 (as they obviously had to change the overhead incoming line) and electrical permit $360 - doubling my cost to $2200 - those costs have increased also over the years.
I highly recommend a surge suppressor installed at your electrical panel if you have an EVSE and live on Vancouver Island (or any remote area) as I am sure with all the power fluctuations and brown/blacks outs occurring over the years would have most likely pooched some electronics in the EVSE and or car at some point.
It has got me thru 2 Leafs and now onto my 3rd EV - Kona and works flawlessly.
That was the cheap part.
But of course being a Master Electrician I did a load calculation and had to upgrade my service to 200A, ( it was an old Square D 100 Amp panel that was on its last legs anyway). Cost for the parts to upgrade was $1100 Cdn (including an Eaton home surge protection unit and 200A service materials) -reasonable... however the B.C. Hydro hook-up charge was $650 (as they obviously had to change the overhead incoming line) and electrical permit $360 - doubling my cost to $2200 - those costs have increased also over the years.
I highly recommend a surge suppressor installed at your electrical panel if you have an EVSE and live on Vancouver Island (or any remote area) as I am sure with all the power fluctuations and brown/blacks outs occurring over the years would have most likely pooched some electronics in the EVSE and or car at some point.
Looks like Chargepoint has a new "future proof" model. They didn't have this option last year, and the original Chargepoint home was about the same price.
https://www.amazon.ca/ChargePoint-C...d_r=RYA4A6ZVD9EQB9Z0C99G&psc=1&qid=1583440883
They give you back half of your costs up to $700. If you already have a plug in your garage, or need minimal changes to your electrical, the whole thing might only cost you $700 (after your rebates). Maybe think of it as you re-deploying some of what you will be saving this year in gas, to something you will use for years and years.
You can look into ones like this one for a fraction of the cost, and not require any rebates. You'll have to do your own research for the best ones, and whether you already have the receptacles or not.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DHFH8LW...pY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1
I will have to check again. They just have a big pdf of the approved ones. Not the easiest to go through.
I'm in Kelowna, but a surge protector is a good idea. I will have to look into that.
I was actually looking at that charger. I figured I would wait for the electrician to come and give me a quote for setting up he electrical side since I don't have the plug in my garage. And then pick whichever will end up being cheapest.
This is the surge protector unit I installed but note it must be installed exterior to the electrical panel:
https://www.amazon.ca/EATON-CHSPT2S...s=eaton+surge+protector&qid=1583451855&sr=8-2
Here are 2 examples of actual surge protector breakers that fit right into the existing electrical panel (easier to mount especially if your panel is recessed) of course you have to match the panel manufacturer to the appropriate breaker:
https://www.amazon.ca/Square-Schnei...ocphy=9001616&hvtargid=pla-309875150815&psc=1
and:
https://www.canadabreakers.ca/products/brsurge?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&utm_campaign=gs-2018-12-27&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk9SuzMGE6AIVhaDsCh3-hwD7EAYYAyABEgLHkPD_BwE
which ever method you use, try to get the surge protection as close to the mains as possible, even if moving existing breakers away from the lugs closest to the main breaker is required.
Cheapest isn't always best lol!! I'm sure you will make the best decision for you.
Very true. The electrician comes on Tuesday to give a quote. So we will see what the quote is and go from there.
Lex23
Member
I went with ZapBC last year, I applied I think right after they ran out of incentives for the year but put my self on wait list. But they contacted me around a month later to let me know they had one more available. I would recommend it if you aren’t in a rush to get the charger to put yourself in the wait list as they get so many cancellations afterwards that they go through that wait list very fast. And if you get the other rebate beforehand then you can cancel. I just checked the website and it says they are still taking applications until everyone completes their install.
Charger works great and as mentioned it tracks your consumption which works very well too
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Charger works great and as mentioned it tracks your consumption which works very well too
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Oh that's good to know.
Had the electrician come today. He said it should be a easy job. He quoted me $400, but said it should come out closer to around $200 as long as there are no surprises when they get started.
Lex23
Member
That’s great pricing for it! I think it has a lot to do if you have space in your panel.
Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
so I noticed this on the pdf of approved chargers
"Single-family homes, townhouses or duplexes require a permanent, hard-wired installation; plug-in chargers are only permitted if there is an existing 240-volt outlet available. The Tesla Wall Connector is only eligible for single-family homes, townhouses or duplexes. Apartment, condo and workplaces require a networked charger that must be connected to a central system via standard internet protocol."
Does that mean getting the electrician to install the outlet and buying a plug in charger would not qualify for the rebate?
"Single-family homes, townhouses or duplexes require a permanent, hard-wired installation; plug-in chargers are only permitted if there is an existing 240-volt outlet available. The Tesla Wall Connector is only eligible for single-family homes, townhouses or duplexes. Apartment, condo and workplaces require a networked charger that must be connected to a central system via standard internet protocol."
Does that mean getting the electrician to install the outlet and buying a plug in charger would not qualify for the rebate?