B.C. Ferries will no longer allow tow trucks with non-operational EVs on board

Akshay Kulkarni · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 30, 2025 8:22 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

B.C. Ferries says it's clarifying its interior policies to nary longer let tow trucks carrying non-operational electrical vehicles (EVs) connected committee its vessels.

Transport Canada has had a argumentation connected the books since 2014 that mandates damaged oregon defective conveyance batteries beryllium removed and transported separately from the vehicles themselves on committee ferries.

It comes amid increasing concerns of the occurrence hazard associated with vehicles' lithium-ion batteries, particularly arsenic they spot increasing adoption crossed B.C.

Now, the province's ferry authorization says it's giving unit amended guidance erstwhile it comes to EVs that aren't acceptable to beryllium driven.

While EVs that are inactive functional are capable to spell connected committee ferries, those that are damaged oregon not operational aren't being allowed.

"EVs tin inactive question with us," said a B.C. Ferries spokesperson connected Monday. "The updates are astir information and clarity, not restrictions connected mundane drivers."

A tow motortruck relation connected the Gulf Islands — which are peculiarly reliant connected B.C. Ferries, erstwhile it comes to accessing large services — says helium was caught disconnected defender by the clarified interior policies.

Jonathan Vipond, the proprietor of Salt Spring Island Towing, said that elemental repairs to EVs tin beryllium done connected the island, but much elaborate repairs would request to beryllium done by a dealership that's a ferry thrust away.

"Currently, astatine this point, we person 1 enactment of perchance putting them connected a landing trade and barging them disconnected the island, but we truly don't person a large solution astatine this point," Vipond said.

That enactment would outgo upwards of $1,000, an amount that would person to beryllium paid by the conveyance owner, and Vipond said determination were 2 EVs stuck connected the land already amid the clarified policies.

In its statement, B.C. Ferries says that it's seeking clarification from regulators connected whether harmless options to transport non-operational EVs tin beryllium introduced.

In summation to non-functioning EVs, the ferry authorization says that charging EVs isn't allowed connected terminals oregon connected board, and determination aren't charging stations successful those locations anyway.

Requirement since 2014

Transport Canada says that nary information incidents regarding EVs connected commercialized marine vehicles person been reported to them.

It said that the transport of a damaged artillery oregon a conveyance tin beryllium arranged done alternate means, similar a commercialized cargo oregon barge operator.

"Damaged oregon malfunctioning lithium batteries whitethorn airs a superior occurrence hazard, which is an adjacent greater hazard to information successful the confined conveyance abstraction of a roll-on/roll-off ferry," a Transport Canada spokesperson wrote successful a statement.

The regulations regarding transporting EV batteries are peculiarly applicable fixed expanding EV adoption crossed the country, with occurrence chiefs telling CBC News they're having to accommodate to the particular risks associated with EV fires.