Rebates on chargers

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    • #2160
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      I have just submitted an application for a BC rebate for installing a charging station in my garage. I am concerned that the Tesla connector is not listed as an approved device. The application invited me to type in the name of my device if it was not listed and I did this, but the concern remains. Do any members have experience with this situation? Am I likely to qualify for the rebate?

    • #2161
      Hugh-SG
      Participant

      Gud’morning Kenneth, Sunday, October 6th, 2019 at 09:14 PDT

      The short form answer is “NO” to Tesla’s Home Wall Connectors.

      Why?

      I also want a Tesla Wall Connector, so I put the same question up in the VEVA Discussion Mailing List. I did get a reply via the VEVA List that made sense.

      It was explained to us that the BC Hydro rebate program will only pay out to Wall Chargers that will work with ALL EV’s. As the Tesla Wall Connector will only work with Tesla, it is not eligible for the BCH Rebate on those grounds.

      Disappointing, but if I switch hats to that of an Engineering POV, IF someone was to sell their home, the next owner may not have a Tesla, but a Bolt or i3 or Hyundai, so paying for something that will be usable by the next owner does make sense.

      So, as Tesla Wall Connectors are not useable by any other type of EV, they are not elidgable for the BCH Rebate.

      Hope this is of some help to you. IF you get approved, Please let us know.

      Kindest regards,
      Hugh-SG

    • #2166
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      Thank you Hugh. Not what I wanted to hear of course, but good to have the information. I will let you know if there is an unexpected outcome.

    • #2167
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      Hello Again Hugh,

      Well, that did not take long. My application has been denied, but not for the reasons you explained. I failed to notice that the offer was not retroactive. The program only came into effect at the end of September; I made the purchase and had the installation done in August.

      Ken Jensen

    • #2235
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      What happened to the Newsletter? The last issue asked members to write to the BV Government concerting Tesla wall connectors. Here is my effort. (The formatting is not accurate in this copy and paste).

      Christina Ianniciello
      Director, Clean Transportation
      British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum
      PO Box 9314
      Station Provincial Government
      Victoria BC
      V8W 9N1

      Dear Director,
      The British Columbia government’s efforts to encourage a green economy are commendable. This letter is concerned with two of the programs intended to increase the use of electric vehicles:
      •a grant for the purchase of an electric vehicle;
      •a grant for the installation of charging stations in domestic venues.
      The program to increase the availability of public charging stations is also valuable, but is outside the scope of this letter.

      In August of this year we purchased a Tesla Model 3 and installed a Tesla Wall Connector in our garage. The $3,000 rebate that we received from the BC government for the purchase of the car was an important factor for our decision to join the electric car movement. We urge you to retain this program. As a means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions it has more immediate effect than grants for household improvements and increases public awareness of climate issues by providing visible local examples of an action that can be taken by individuals.
      We were not eligible for the EV Charger Rebate Program as we did the work before the grant program came into effect at the end of September. We have no criticism on that score; there is no case to be made for making the program retroactive. We do however have a strong criticism of another aspect of the programme. That is that Tesla Wall Connectors are not eligible for the grant.

      The programme requires that eligible level 2 charging equipment must have a “standard” plug (J1772). There is no logical basis for this stipulation.

      The Tesla connector is the most economical, reliable and user-friendly option for use with Tesla vehicles and Tesla vehicles comprise a large portion of electric car sales in BC. Indeed, if BC sales figures mirror those of other jurisdictions Tesla presently outsells all other electric vehicle brands in BC1. The cost of a J Plug EVSE of the same capacity and convenience as the Tesla Connector is typically much more expensive and not nearly as desirable for home use2. Why should the grant program encourage the installation of either inferior products or more expensive ones? Indeed, why should the program discriminate against the company that was the instigator of the electric car movement?

      The stated purpose of the grant is to encourage electric vehicle use. This means assisting with the cost of not just the purchase of the connector, but also the cost of installation. In our case the connector cost $635 while the wiring to the electrical panel and running the cable was $1,300. If the next owners our house do not own a Tesla they will still have a house that is wired and ready to utilize any other plug system. It is also worth noting that installation costs are all spent locally in BC.
      We strongly urge you to include the Tesla Wall Connector in the Home portion of the EV Charging Rebate Program.

      Yours truly,

      Ken Jensen
      Johanna Jensen

      cc. Honourable John Morgan, Premier; Honourable Andrew Weaver, MLA
      _________________________________________________________________________
      We could not find figures for BC; European and U.S. numbers show Tesla leading all EV sales. Indeed, in the U.K. and California Tesla outsells most ICE vehicles – third place in the latest sales figures in both jurisdictions.
      Products that are less expensive are inferior solutions that offer neither the convenience nor the capacity of the Tesla Connector. Products that are of a similar standard to the Tesla Connector are more expensive as these examples demonstrate (prices in Canadian $).
      Bosch EL 51254 30 Amp $ 885
      Charge Point 16 to 50 Amp $ 993
      Delta EV AC 30 Amp $ 795
      Siemans VC30GRYU 30 Amp $1,299
      Tesla Wall Connector 12 to 80 Amps $ 635

      • #2253
        pcarter
        Participant

        @Kenneth: RE: Letter, I’ve got nothing back either. Let me see if I can followup.

    • #2251
      Tim Lucas
      Participant

      Update to this thread. I was just looking at the BC Hydro website for eligible EV chargers list and the Tesla Home charger is listed with the following footnote;
      “**Tesla Wall Connector is an eligible charger for single family home rebate applicants only.”
      This EV charger list was updated October 2019.

    • #2252
      pcarter
      Participant

      [quote quote=2251]Update to this thread. I was just looking at the BC Hydro website for eligible EV chargers list and the Tesla Home charger is listed with the following footnote;
      “**Tesla Wall Connector is an eligible charger for single family home rebate applicants only.”
      This EV charger list was updated October 2019.

      [/quote]
      Yes, after much feedback, thanks to all who wrote in, it was added in!

    • #2263
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      Thank you. I will resubmit my claim.

      Ken Jensen
      774 Wright Road
      Gibsons, BC
      V0N 1V7

    • #2281
      Kenneth Jensen
      Participant

      Just to complete the record I will note that I am still not eligible for the rebate as I had the Tesla wall charger installed just before the rebate program was started. However I am pleased to see the government was ready to listen to feedback. It would be interesting to know how many letters and other messages they received urging them to include the Tesla wall charger in the list of authorized devices.

    • #4080
      Hugh-SG
      Participant

      An update note one year later! Oct 22nd, 2020.

      Well, the rebate did become available for Tesla Walls Connector’s and I was able to get it installed by Mott Electrical, who did a great job.

      The rebate turned up a short while later as a Credit on our BC Hydro bill.

      Mott also handled the upgrade of our home to a 200 amp service in preparation for the arrival of our Tesla Powerwall-2 home back up battery and running a 50amp circuit to our garage for the Tesla Wall Connector.

      I must say I was very impressed with the professionalism and knowledge of the crew from Mott Electrical. Worth the money to hire the best in Vancouver to get this sort of work done.

      Cheers, Hugh

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