What you need to know about the new Quebec automotive law

A law in Quebec that requires automakers to sell a minimum number of zero-emission vehicles is causing upset within the industry. Here are some key facts about the new legislation:

• A minimum of 3.5 percent of auto sales of 2018 vehicles must be from electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. In 2025, this threshold will rise to 15.5 percent.
• Under one percent of auto sales in Quebec were of electric sales last year.
• Auto manufacturers that fail to meet the threshold will have to purchase credits from other companies that do.
• The Quebec government wants to have 100,000 electric vehicles on state roads by 2020. As of last August there were 11,619 electric vehicles, according to the Environment Department’s website. The site doesn’t specify how many plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are in the province.
• There are no other law’s like Quebec’s in Canada. Ten US states have similar, but not identical legislation.
   

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