Opening Aug. 1, the new program will provide up to $200,000 per charger to purchase and install chargers for MHDVs

A new funding program in British Columbia to get more medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDVs) electric chargers online open for applications Aug 1.

The CleanBC Go Electric Medium- and Heavy-Duty Public Charger Program will direct $19.5 million into increasing the number of DC fast chargers across B.C. in order to support the adoption MHDVs.

Successful applicants can receive up to $200,000 per charge port (depending on charger output), with the rebates covering up to 50 per cent of the project costs.

Funding for the new charger program is coming from the provincial government, which first committed to the program in April.

“The future of transportation is clean, electric and carbon emission-free. British Columbians are embracing zero-emission vehicles faster than any other jurisdiction in Canada, but we know it can be more difficult for the commercial vehicle sector to make the switch,” said B.C.’s Premier David Eby in a press statement at the time.

“Supporting industry with new heavy-duty charging stations and support to buy and develop zero-emission vehicles reduces emissions and means cleaner air for all.”

Eligibility, requirements and funding tiers

The funding program has a target to install 111 DC fast charging ports in areas with high MHDV usage.

For chargers with outputs of 150kW to 249kW, the program offers up to $150,000 per charger, covering up to 50 per cent of the costs. For chargers with output of 250kW or more, the rebate increases to $200,000 per charger.

The CleanBC Go Electric Medium- and Heavy-Duty Public Charger Program does not allow stacking funds with other CleanBC programs and certain federal programs, including Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).

Eligible applicants include businesses, not-for-profits, local governments, Indigenous communities, utilities and public sector organizations located in the province. Health authorities, school districts, universities and crown corporation can also apply for funding.

Additionally, the charger installation sites must meet the following conditions to qualify for funding:

• Accessibility: The charger site must be accessible to MHDVs 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
• Vehicle Accommodation: The site design must accommodate class 6 vehicles or larger.
• Simultaneous Charging: The site must be capable of charging a minimum of two MHDVs at the same time.
• Site Ownership: Applicants who do not own the site where they plan to install the charger must include a written agreement showing they have the right to use the site for 10 years.

Data sharing

The Ministry of Energy, Mines & Low Carbon Innovation is overseeing the program. The Fraser Basin Council, a non-profit, is the program administrator on behald of the ministry.

One of the Fraser Basin Council’s responsibilities is to handle data collection processes, including conducting surveys and other methods to gather information on the funded projects.

Applicants must agree to share performance and usage data for the chargers funded by the program for at least one year of operation.

This data includes:

• charger uptime;
• start and end times of charging sessions;
• charger utilization; and
• charging session details, such as the average length of sessions and the average power delivered.

The first call for applications will run from Aug. 1 through to Nov. 29, 2024, and the program will continue until the funding is depleted.

More information on the program is available in the guide here.