Which federal EV rebate applies in Canada right now?

The iZEV program has ended. It was replaced by the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP), live since February 16, 2026, offering up to $5,000 for battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids. Two conditions must both be met: the final transaction value must be $50,000 or less (no cap for EVs assembled in Canada), and the vehicle must be manufactured in Canada or a country with an active free trade agreement with Canada.

Why is the Tesla Model 3 not eligible for Canada's EV rebate?

Canadian-market Tesla Model 3s are built at Giga Shanghai, and China does not have a free trade agreement with Canada. EVAP requires manufacture in Canada or a free-trade-agreement country, so the Model 3 is ineligible even at $39,490, well below the $50,000 cap. The Tesla Model Y, imported from Giga Berlin in Germany, does qualify. Quebec's provincial rebate has no free-trade requirement and still applies to the Model 3.

Does Ontario have its own EV rebate?

No. Ontario's provincial EV purchase rebate ended in 2018 and has not been reinstated. Only the federal EVAP incentive applies in Ontario, plus any dealer or manufacturer incentives on your specific deal.

How much does it cost to charge an EV in Ontario?

On Ontario's Ultra-Low Overnight rate of 3.9 cents per kWh, a typical electric SUV costs roughly $1.32 per 100 km. The same vehicle on a public fast charging network at $0.69 per kWh costs about $13.66 per 100 km. Comparable gasoline SUVs cost roughly $10 to $15 per 100 km.

Do EV batteries need replacing?

Rarely. Geotab's study of more than 22,700 real-world EVs found batteries degrade about 2.3% per year, retaining roughly 81.6% of capacity after 8 years, above the 70% threshold most manufacturer warranties guarantee. Only about 0.5% of modern EVs ever need a replacement pack.

Is EV insurance more expensive in Canada?

On average yes, roughly 36.8% more. Canadian data shows EVs average $3,131 per year versus $2,289 for gasoline vehicles, driven by higher repair costs, parts availability, and ADAS recalibration. Premiums vary widely by model, so quote your specific trim before buying.

Public EV Charging Cost in Canada

Public DC fast charging can cost about 12× more per km than charging at home overnight - and the gap between networks is just as large. Here's what each one actually charges, converted to a real $/100 km figure.

home overnight (ULO): $1.05/100km
gas (mid-size): $14.87/100km
reference efficiency: 18.5 kWh/100km

All public network figures below use this same 18.5 kWh/100km reference efficiency so networks are compared on a like-for-like basis - your actual vehicle's efficiency will shift these numbers up or down; see your model on the vehicle catalogue.

Network by network

Network	Off-peak	Peak	Est. $/100km
Tesla Supercharger (Tesla vehicles)	$0.28/kWh	$0.51/kWh	$9.44
Tesla Supercharger (non-Tesla via NACS)	$0.45/kWh	$0.72/kWh	$13.32
Petro-Canada Electric Highway	-	$0.50/min	Depends on charge rate
Electrify Canada	-	$0.50/kWh	$9.25
Ivy Charging Network	-	$0.69/kWh	$12.77
BC Hydro (reference, non-Ontario)	-	$0.31/kWh	$5.74

Official source · Verified Sep 2026

Per-minute networks (like Petro-Canada Electric Highway) cost more per 100km for slower-charging vehicles and less for fast ones, since you're paying for time, not energy - the $/kWh networks above give a more predictable cost regardless of your vehicle's charge curve.

When public charging still makes sense

Road trips. You're paying for speed and coverage, not the cheapest possible electron - compare against the cost of stopping for gas instead, not against your home rate. Worked corridor: Toronto to Montreal charging. Plug adapters: NACS vs CCS.
No home charging. If you rent or live in a condo without assigned charging, public networks (ideally off-peak) are your baseline cost, not an occasional top-up - budget accordingly.
Tesla Supercharger access. Non-Tesla NACS access is priced higher than Tesla-owner rates on the same hardware - a Tesla-brand vehicle has a real, calculable cost advantage here, not just a network-size advantage.