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Ontario boosts incentives for electric vehicles

Ontario has announced extra incentives for people who buy or lease electric vehicles that could boost available help to as much as $14,000.

Province now offers rebates of up to $14,000 for buying a plug-in electric vehicle

In this September 2015 photo, Darshan Brahmbhatt unplugs a charger from his electric vehicle at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District charging station in Sacramento, Calif. Ontario has become the latest jurisdiction to sweeten its incentives to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)

Ontario has announced extra incentives for people who buy or lease electric vehicles that could boost available help to as much as $14,000.

Currently, incentives range from $5,000 to $8,500 per vehicle. The province is increasing that to a range of $6,000 to $10,000 for the purchase or lease of eligible plug-in electric vehicles, 

It will also offer an extra $3,000 incentive for electric vehicles that have larger battery capacities and an additional $1,000 if the vehicle has at least five seats.

The revised incentive program is primarily aimed at the cheaper EVs. For vehicles priced at more than $75,000, the incentive will be capped at $3,000.

The new incentives have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of the less expensive electric vehicles. The Chevrolet Spark EV, for example, starts at $31,745.  

Ontario says transportation emissions account for 35 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the province — the single largest source.

There are about 5,800 electric vehicles in Ontario.