ELECTRIVE — 2025-03-15
Automotive Industry
As the US-Canada trade war escalates, the government of British Columbia (BC) has announced it will now exclude Tesla products from its EV charger rebate program. The move has sparked criticism on the grounds that other US-made products are still available with a rebate.
Currently, the rebate program covers up to 50% of the cost of a Level 2 EV charger, as well as financial incentives for backup power options. Until now, Tesla charging products sold in the province were covered by the program, including its EV chargers, inverters, and the Powerwall home battery.
However, these will now be excluded. Anyone who has purchased or received pre-approval for Tesla products prior to 12 March will still qualify for the rebate, but moving forward, this will no longer be applicable.
The government of British Columbia has said the move is intended to ‘preference Canadian goods’ and exclude US-produced goods in its rebate programs, amid rising US tariffs on Canadian products.
However, questions have been raised about why Tesla is the only US company excluded under the new rules, with 95% of the companies on the rebate list reportedly still being US-based. You can view the full list of eligible products.
The decision comes amid declining Tesla shares and protests against CEO Elon Musk’s role in the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Its share prices have dropped by approximately 45% in 2025, with sales falling in some of its biggest markets, such as California.
Earlier this week, President Trump made a visible show of support for Musk’s company by announcing he was buying a Tesla outside of the White House.