Overview
- Quebec’s government formally reduced its 2035 zero‑emission vehicle (ZEV) sales target to 80% and widened the ZEV definition to include plug‑in hybrid electric vehicles.
- The province materially lowered interim benchmarks, cutting the 2026 requirement to 26.0%, the 2027 requirement to 30%, and the 2030 target to 51%, making the electrification timeline much gentler.
- Under the revised rules manufacturers and importers meet obligations through a credit system that gives full credits for battery‑electric and fuel‑cell vehicles and partial credits for qualifying plug‑in hybrids.
- The change follows pressure from provincial leaders and industry groups and mirrors federal shifts that replaced a mandatory national sales standard with stricter fleet GHG rules, voluntary federal EV goals and a C$2.3 billion rebate program (EVAP).
- Because gasoline car sales remain legal after 2035, the move eases costs for automakers and dealers but keeps Quebec more ambitious than the federal 75% voluntary target and could slow near‑term emissions reductions and market shifts.