On the heels of Canada calling an end to its ZEV rebate program about two months earlier than originally promised, manufacturers are responding by adding their own incentive programs for customers. While incentives aren’t the be all end all when it comes to battery electric vehicle (BEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) intenders, it’s widely speculated that not having the government kickback could be a deal breaker for some.
In that light, today Ford of Canada announced that it will be offering rebates on their roster of EVs and PHEVs, both new and pre-owned.
From January 13, 2025 and January 31, 2025, customers will be eligible for $5,000 off on any Ford F-150 Lightning Pro or Lightning XLT ranging from model year 2023-2025; $5,000 on any Mustang Mach-E ranging from model years 2023-2025; $5,000 off any Ford Escape PHEV from model years 2024-2025 and finally, $2,500 off any 2024-2024 Lincoln Corsair PHEV. Those figures are in-line with what the fed was offering up until now.
Ford isn’t the only brand that’s feeling (or is going to feel) the choke of the fed’s tightening purse strings; Hyundai/Genesis/Kia and General Motors have massive BEV and PHEV rosters and the Chevrolet Equinox EV was a huge hit last year. Now, we’ve driven that vehicle and it is good enough to sell on its own merits as a good, competent and stylish crossover. However; the fact that you could get one in Quebec for less that 40 grand after incentives (both federal and provincial) was surely a huge draw for many.
So far, General Motors has said that for the same period as Ford (January 13-January 31, 2025), all trims of the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Blazer EV as well as the new Cadillac Optiq small crossover will be eligible for a $5,000 rebate. Hyundai is also offering a $5,000 rebate on vehicles such as the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, and has backdated their rebate period to January 3, running all the way to January 31, 2025.
The Government of Canada ended the federal ZEV incentive program last week. It was originally set to expire March 31, 2025.