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https://thedriven.io/2025/03/14/i-dont-think-anyone-needs-to-be-told-why-tesla-cut-from-ev-charger-and-battery-rebates/>
"Electric vehicle and battery storage company Tesla has been cut from programs
including rebates for home EV chargers and household batteries in the Canadian
province of British Columbia, as the blowback against CEO Elon Musk and the
tariffs imposed by president Donald Trump continues.
The decision was announced on Thursday (Canada time) by British Columbia energy
minister Adrian Dix, who said it came after a review of the scheme operated by
the energy utility BC Hydro.
“I thought they [Tesla products] shouldn’t be made available on a public
subsidy program right now. I don’t think anyone in British Columbia needs to be
told why, and I think most people would support their removal from that list,”
CBC reported Dix as saying.
According to local media reports, the exclusion of Tesla products includes EV
chargers, energy storage batteries and inverters. BC Hydro said in a statement
that it was giving preference in its rebate program to Canadian goods, while
excluding “where practicable”, goods made in the US.
The move comes amid seething anger and outrage in Canada over Trump’s
determination to make Canada the 51st state of the US, and to impose tariffs on
its neighbour and closest ally to try and force the issue. Musk, who has
described Canada as “not a real country” has been the target of consumer
backlash because of his close association with Trump.
It is not the first time this has happened. The province of Ontario has already
cancelled a $C100 million contract with Musk’s Starlink, and the city of
Toronto has excluded Tesla from its own driver incentive program.
Some federal political leaders have suggested 100 per cent tariffs on Tesla
cars, by far the best selling EVs in the country, while more than 200 car
dealers have accused the company of gaming rebates in the Incentives for
Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program after four Tesla-run showrooms claimed a
total of 8,653 EV sales in just 72 hours.
Meanwhile, protests continue. A petition to strip Musk of his Canadian
citizenship has attracted more than 300,000 signatures, and protests at Tesla
dealerships have turned ugly, with Tesla drivers reportedly threatened and
abused. “Burn a Tesla – save democracy”, was one placard featured in the
Canadian press this week."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
