Electric car maker Tesla taking Ontario government to court over cancelled vehicle rebates //

TORONTO — The Canadian arm of Tesla Inc. is taking the Ontario government to court, claiming it has been treated unfairly in the cancellation of a program providing rebates to residents who bought electric vehicles.

In an application for judicial review, Tesla Motors Canada says the decision by Premier Doug Ford's government to halt the program in July left hundreds of its customers no longer eligible for rebates they expected to get when they ordered their vehicles.

It claims Tesla was left out of a program that allows purchasers of other brands to still get rebates during a transition period.

“The decision has already inflicted substantial harm on Tesla Canada in the form of lost sales and the creation of an impression among Ontarians that Tesla Canada may be singled out for future arbitrary treatment under the law,” says the statement filed Aug. 10.

It asks the Ontario Superior Court to quash the “arbitrary and entirely unreasonable” decision, adding the government has given it no reason for its exclusion from the rebate extension.

None of Tesla's claims has been proven in court.

In July, the government announced the cancellation of the rebate program but said incentives would be honoured for vehicles ordered through a dealership if they are delivered and registered by Sept. 10.

Tesla sells vehicles directly to customers rather than through a dealership, making its vehicles ineligible for the incentives.