Taking the electric vehicle plunge

Saying goodbye to the trusty but GHG-emitting Accord

I bought my 2001 apple red Honda Accord when it was two years old. The prized ride of an elderly gent who had recently given up driving, this little darling had only 20,000 well-maintained clicks when I purchased her through the buy-and-sell at work.

Since then she has gamely ushered our family through two career changes, one engineering degree, a host of short-haul trips around the Lower Mainland, and innumerable errands. Most recently, I loaned her for a few months to my daughter, a nurse who needed Covid-friendly transit to and from work. 

It’s been 17 years and 235,000 km of (mostly) reliable, comfortable transportation. Much appreciated by all of us.

But it’s over. Last year she started to show signs of age that spell the end for any car of mine. I am loyal, or maybe I’m just lazy, but I’m not crazy. When the annual repair bills are bigger than the insurance costs, I’m out. 

My husband and I started plotting to buy a new car – and this time it would be an electric vehicle (EV). 

Why buy an EV? 

We knew we didn't want to keep driving a gas-powered vehicle. This was our chance to take a big step toward reducing our family's carbon footprint. So we started with research. What kind of mileage are EVs getting these days on a charge? What rebates and incentives could we qualify for? What are they like to drive? 

We took a few cars out for a spin. Turns out they are a blast to drive. When EV fans talk about instant torque and quick acceleration, they’re not kidding. And I love the idea of zooming around without spewing CO₂ into the air.

Running costs are lower too. An EV costs about $2 for the electricity to go 100 km, compared to $12-$14 worth of gas. The ChargeHub calculator helped us figure out how much we'd save over a year.

And EV drivers save a whack of money on maintenance, since the electric motors are so much simpler than combustion engines.

As more EVs roll off the assembly lines, their battery power is increasing. Now a standard battery will get you well over 400 km. You’re no more likely to run out of battery power now than you are to run out of gas.

The network of charging stations is expanding too. PlugShare is a free app where you can see all the charging stations on your route. The app displays the type of charge available (regular or fast, aka level 2 or 3), user ratings and whether there's a spot open.

Currently it doesn’t cost anything to use a charging station in BC, though it won’t be that way forever. But it’s a nice short-term incentive.

Incentives and rebates

Speaking of incentives, the provincial and federal governments have some pretty great ones for EVs.

BC offers up to $3,000 off the price of a new battery electric vehicle and up to $1,500 off the price of a new plug-in hybrid electric (a car that uses both gas and electric power). These incentives are managed through car dealerships. The rebates apply to vehicles up to $55,000 in value. A prorated amount is available for leased vehicles too. 

This is a time-limited program that happens each year, so it's important to time your purchase carefully. 

The federal government’s iZEV program offers up to $5,000 off the purchase price of a new battery-powered vehicle, and $2,500 - $5,000 for a plug-in hybrid. These incentives are also managed at the dealership.

What to do with your old vehicle? SCRAP-IT. That’s the the program that recycles your old gas-powered car and pays you $3,000 if you’re purchasing a used EV, or $6,000 if you’re purchasing new. There are quite a few caveats to qualify for the SCRAP-IT program, so read all the fine print before you even start to shop.

Information on the provincial rebates, federal iZEV program and SCRAP-IT, as well as rebates on home charger installation, can be found on BC Hydro's EV Incentives in BC web page.  

From the Canada Revenue Agency there’s more good news. Businesses can write off 100% of the value of their EV up to a maximum of $55,000. As a business owner, you can either apply for the iZEV program or write off the value of the vehicle – but not both.

The happy/sad ending

So... after deliberating, tire-kicking, researching, mulling it over and going through the gazintas a bazillion times, we finally took the plunge and are now the proud owners of a kicky little Kona. Which, as noted earlier, is a blast to drive. 

RIP little red Accord. We'll always think of you kindly. But we won't miss your pollution-producing, GHG-emitting ways.

This article was originally published in the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News and has been updated for the Maple Ridge Climate Hub blog. Yes, it did take us a year to plan, plot and buy. So start early.  

Maple Ridge Transportation Plan ready for five-year overhaul

Biking in Copenhagen

Last week I went for a bike ride.

I’m one of the lucky ones who worked from home even before COVID-19 came to visit, so my work routine hasn’t suffered while we all stay at home and master the art of Zooming.

But my exercise record has definitely suffered. So with the incredible weather we’ve had egging me on, I performed an archeological dig in my garage and retrieved my bike.

And shortly after biking queen Jackie Chow re-posted a 20-km “easy” bike route from the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Cyclist website, I hopped onto my bike and headed out. 

Discovering my new/old home

Of course HUB Cycling is not currently hosting their group rides due to the pandemic, so this was a solo venture. I had my phone tucked away in case I got a flat or ran out of steam. I had water. I had the flashing lights I bought from MEC two years ago and never used. I had my helmet, my gloves, my emergency rations. I was set.

I'm a fair-weather, lily-livered rider who had really not ridden much other than on the dikes. Traffic concerns me. And it still does, but Jackie’s route kept me out of trouble.

It took me through neighbourhoods I had never seen in the 20+ years I’ve lived in Maple Ridge. I rode through lovely little pocket parks. I passed grand estates. I encountered sheep (I think that was the bleating I heard). I got a tan (this is April, people). I got home in one piece. 

A week later I’m still going to bed early to recover.

Transportation plan could lower emissions 

Later that day I attended (online through streaming video) the workshop where the city’s manager of engineering, David Pollock, made a presentation to council on the strategic transportation plan, which is up for renewal this year. (David also appeared in January as a guest speaker at Maple Meadows Green Drinks, where the topic was green transportation in our communities.)

The city’s transportation plan sets the stage for the next five years – the roads we'll build, the bike paths, sidewalks, etc. Although it looks forward 20 years, it prioritizes concrete actions in five-years stages. The transportation strategy will integrate with Translink’s plans for mass transit, and the province’s plans for highways.

It’s a huge opportunity for this community to get ambitious about green transportation options. We know that more than half of our district-wide greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) come from the cars and trucks on our roads. How can our transportation plan help Maple Ridge curb our emissions?

Council considers

The (virtual) talk around the council table was encouraging, with some councillors enthusiastic about exploring micromobility options, such as wide pathways to accommodate electric bikes and scooters as well as regular bikes and pedestrians. There was talk of bike lockers around the R3 bus stops.

Others pointed to the need to complete and enhance the existing network of bicycle and pedestrian options, which I can attest to after my excursion last week. 

With traffic at an all-time low it was a calm experience, but the presence of a painted line being all that separated me from moving vehicles, while I cycled along 18 inches of marginally maintained blacktop – at points interrupted by parked cars – doesn’t inspire me to keep going when traffic returns to normal.

Consulting the public – that’s us

The city is now ready for a consultant to draft the strategy. Part of their work will include public consultation.

What that will look like during lockdown isn’t clear. But if you’re eager to see a fully-developed transportation network that is safe for pedestrians and cyclists, that integrates smoothly with public transit, and stretches from north to south and east to west throughout Maple Ridge, stay tuned. 

We’ll do our best to let you know when and how to make your support known.