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What is ZEVIP?

(Zero Emission Vehicle Incentive Program)

A broad program aimed at making EV charging and hydrogen refuelling stations more accessible and affordable for Canadians coast to coast. The initiative is administered by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and is planned to run until 2027. It aims to increase the availability of localized charging and hydrogen refuelling opportunities where Canadians live, work, travel, and play.

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Canadian private and public sector companies can receive up to 50% towards the total of cost of deploying EV charging stations, and ​Indigenous businesses and communities can receive up to 75% of the total project costs in the following cases:

  • Public Places: including but not limited to service stations, retail, restaurants, arenas, libraries, medical offices, park and ride, etc.

  • On-Street: EV charging deployed by local governments along public streets.

  • Workplaces: any location where employees perform duties related to their job.

  • Light, Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Fleets: including fleets of taxis, car rentals, municipal vehicles, car sharing, last-mile delivery trucks, school buses, refuse trucks, public utility vehicles, etc.

  • Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs): any residential building with at least three (3) dwelling units.

 

Each project can receive a maximum contribution of $5 million for Canadian private and public sector companies, and for Indigenous businesses & organizations. ​

 

The most important nuance of ZEVIP is that it is a multi-phase, RFP-based program. While the overall program addresses many use cases, specific RFPs will address different use-cases at different times. If your business is seeking funding to deploy workplace EV chargers and you apply to the fleet RFP, your application will be rejected—and vice versa.

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Get help with your ZEVIP application

To be eligible for EV charging infrastructure projects, your proposal must include:

  • A minimum of 2 DC fast chargers of 50kW or above; OR

  • A minimum of 20 Level 2 chargers

How does it work?

Natural Resources Canada releases an Applicants Guide at the start of each ZEVIP round. Organizations have until the submission deadline to put together a detailed project proposal. After a review period, NRCan will send notices of funding decisions to app applicants.

Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Conditional Approval and shortly afterwards sign a Contribution Agreement with NRCan. Each round of ZEVIP has different requirements for minimum and maximum project size, deployment timeline, and supported use cases.

What does it Cover?

For accepted ZEVIP projects, NRCan contributes 50% of Total Project Costs up to a maximum per-charger amount.

Eligible Expenditures for an approved Project under the Program must be directly related to, and necessary for, the implementation and conduct of the Project and will include:​

  • Salary and benefits

  • Professional services (e.g. scientific, technical, management; contracting; engineering; construction; installation, testing and commissioning of equipment; training; marketing; data collection; logistics; maintenance; printing; distribution)

  • Reasonable travel costs, including transportation, meals and accommodation

  • Capital expenses, including informatics and other equipment or infrastructure

  • Rental fees or leasing costs

  • License fees and permits

  • Costs associated with Environmental Assessments

  • GST, PST and HST net of any tax rebate to which the recipient is entitled

  • Overhead expenses directly related to the Project will be considered to a maximum of 15% of Eligible Expenditures

 

For most ZEVIP RFPs, NRCan contributions are conditionally repayable. If you profit from EV chargers funded by the program, you must repay NRCan's contribution on a pro-rata basis.

The maximum funding per type of EV charger is as follows:

ZEVIP Chart

*Level 2 Funding requires a minimum of 20 connectors to elgible.

Fast chargers that can simeltaneously and independantly charge multiple vehicles may have additional funding.

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Disclaimer

ZEVIP is a competitive program administered by NRCan. Dez Energy is not a delivery agent of NRCan and has no influence over the ZEVIP selection process.
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For the most comprehensive information on ZEVIP, check the official webpage: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/transportation-alternative-fuels/zero-emission-vehicle-infrastructure-program/21876

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