WATCH: B.C. leading the way in North America’s ZEV uptake

• B.C. first jurisdiction in the world to adopt a 100% ZEVs law.
• Rising gas prices have people looking for a change
• Infrastructure in the province becoming more reliable

British Columbians are embracing zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) faster than any other jurisdiction in North America.

ZEVs represented 13% of all new light-duty vehicle sales in B.C. last year, according to the province's 2021 Zero-Emission Vehicle Update.

One of the many drivers joining the electric revolution is Doug Loepp, who works in Kelowna.

He just took delivery of a new Tesla and said that with the rise in gas prices, it made a lot of sense to switch over to a ZEV.

“It was costing me $30 a day with my other vehicle to get to and from work,” Loepp told Kelowna10, who commutes everyday from the South Okanagan.

He recently took a trip to Vancouver to pick up his Tesla, and said the cost of the return journey was $18 in charging costs. His wife who made the journey in her gas car spent $100.

The issue of range anxiety appears to be on the wane, as Loepp was happy to see how many charging stations there were along the way.

“Even at rest stops, there’s charging stations so you can top up to make sure you get to the next destination,” Loepp said.

According to him, it makes a lot of sense to consider going all-electric, especially if you’re doing a long commute to work.

“And not only that, it’s great for the environment as well.”

On Friday, Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, noted how B.C is quickly becoming a leader in the ZEV industry.

"The annual ZEV update shows that people and businesses in B.C. are eager to make the switch to cleaner energy, and we're helping people make this transition through our CleanBC Go Electric suite of programs,” Ralston said in a press release.

The 2021 ZEV update highlights the measures the Province is taking to encourage light-duty ZEV uptake, as well as uptake in the hard-to-decarbonize medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle sectors.

Two CleanBC programs - the Go Electric Commercial Vehicle Pilots (CVP) program and the Specialty-Use Vehicle Incentive (SUVI) program - are designed to encourage businesses, non-profit organizations, local governments and other public entities to adopt electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to replace gas or diesel vehicles in their commercial fleets.

Since November 2017, the SUVI program has provided 777 rebates worth $3.5 million for

zero-emission speciality-use vehicles.

The CVP program, launched in January 2021, has provided $9.6 million in funding to support the adoption of commercial ZEVs and supporting infrastructure.

Through this program, the Province has committed funds to four projects that have added 10 battery-electric vehicles, four hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and 11 commercial vehicle charging stations.

The annual ZEV update tracks British Columbia's progress toward its zero-emission vehicle targets and is a requirement under the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act, implemented in 2019.