Tesla emerged as the leading brand in the federal Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program in Canada for the year 2023.
The electric vehicle maker recorded an impressive 43,654 deliveries eligible for the rebate program, as per data from Transport Canada. This figure nearly equals the combined total of its three closest competitors.
The iZEV program, which offers a $5,000 rebate for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) with an electric range greater than 49 kilometers, has seen Tesla take a significant lead.
Vehicles eligible for the program must meet certain price criteria, with zero-emission passenger cars starting below $55,000 and higher-cost variants up to $65,000, and larger vehicles such as pickups, minivans, and SUVs capped at a base price of less than $60,000.
Hyundai followed Tesla as the second-highest brand in terms of rebates, with 16,735 deliveries. Toyota, Chevrolet, and Kia completed the top five, shipping 14,651, 13,365, and 9,263 eligible ZEVs respectively. The federal program experienced a banner year, supporting the purchase of approximately 146,000 ZEVs in 2023, a significant increase from 58,000 vehicles in the previous year, according to Automotive News.
Tesla’s Model Y topped the list of most-rebated BEVs in 2023, despite being eligible for the program for only eight months. The company delivered 26,775 eligible Model Ys from May through December. The Model 3, Tesla’s second model eligible for the iZEV program, recorded 16,879 deliveries.
In the PHEV segment, the Mitsubishi Outlander led with 9,182 deliveries, followed by Toyota’s Rav4 Prime and the Jeep Wrangler 4xe.
The majority of BEV and PHEV deliveries occurred in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, with Quebec leading with 68,154 vehicles. Ontario and British Columbia followed closely with 33,459 and 33,153 deliveries, respectively.
Tesla said during its Q4 2023 earnings that the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car globally for the year, out of all gas and electric cars. The Model Y’s popularity continues to skyrocket worldwide, and that was especially the case in Canada as well, helped by these federal rebates thanks to Tesla pricing the vehicle to qualify.
