Manitoba handed out $1.3M in Tesla rebates before vehicles were pulled from EV program

Steve Lambert · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 9:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Owners of Tesla vehicles were the biggest beneficiaries successful caller months of electric-vehicle rebates offered by the Manitoba government, recently released documents show.

The state announced past summertime that it would connection rebates of up to $4,000 to radical who bargain oregon lease electrical vehicles with a suggested retail terms of little than $70,000. The rebates were disposable retroactively for purchases made arsenic acold backmost arsenic the erstwhile summer.

Between past August and February of this year, Tesla vehicles accounted for much than 20 per cent of each approved rebates — or 337 vehicles — for a full of conscionable nether $1.3 million, according to a spreadsheet obtained by The Canadian Press nether the state of accusation law.

Ford was successful a distant 2nd spot with 226 vehicles and $864,500, followed by Hyundai, Chevrolet and others among 22 car companies.

The Manitoba authorities ended rebates for purchases of Tesla vehicles and those made successful China arsenic portion of its fund successful March, to protestation against tariffs imposed by the United States and China.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala had said the determination was portion of an "elbows up" response. Tesla has travel nether occurrence due to the fact that its main executive, Elon Musk, has served arsenic an advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump.

The NDP authorities is reviewing immoderate of its contracts for distant net services with Starlink, different Musk company, though nary determination has been announced.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives said the government's changing rebate strategy is wrong.

"I'm opposed to the NDP singling retired Teslas, currently, that they person been trying to propulsion connected Manitobans by bringing successful this rebate programme to statesman with," Tory concern professional Lauren Stone said Wednesday.

"There are amended ways to walk wealth close present successful presumption of helping with affordability with each Manitobans," she said, pointing to rising spot taxes and nutrient costs.

Sala said the rebate programme has been a success.

"Manitobans privation an affordable enactment to usage cleanable vigor and erstwhile Donald Trump threatened Canada's sovereignty, Manitobans wanted to nonstop a connection to the U.S. administration. By banning Teslas from the program, Manitobans tin present bash both," Sala said successful a written statement.