Ontario regulator cautioning consumers
Thinking of buying an EV? If you live in Ontario, you need to think carefully and strategically. It was one of only three provinces — B.C. and Quebec are the other two — that offered large incentives to buyers entering the electric-vehicle market. But the newly elected Conservatives are about to rip that rug out from under consumers.
Whether you’ve been for or against helping your neighbour become an early adopter, the fact remains that Ontarians have been rather used to the idea of receiving $7,000 to $14,000 to relieve the sticker price of the green cars.
The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) is the province’s independent car dealership oversight body, and it has some useful advice for those wondering if they can sneak in under the wire.
“If the EV is not registered, plated and delivered, by September 10, 2018, that buyer would no longer qualify for an incentive,” according to a recent news release. Each part of that transaction must be followed to the letter, or consumers risk losing out on that rich incentive that no doubt played a large role in their original decision to go electric.
OMVIC points out this should pose no problem for vehicles that are in stock; the issue will arise if you are ordering a vehicle. But the organization offers a solution.
“Make the deal conditional,” OMVIC says. “Have the dealer include a clause on the bill of sale stating that the vehicle must be delivered, registered and plated by September 10 and that the purchaser qualifies for the Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program incentive.”
Use their wording, and make sure the dealer is aware of your intentions. If the conditions aren’t adhered to, a consumer can get the deposit back and get out of the contract, but it must be written directly on the bill of sale.
If a dealer is hesitant to include your condition, or refuses to, go find another dealer. If stock isn’t available on the model you set your heart on, be wary of counting on that incentive.