Quebec will ban gas engines in cars starting in 2035 – or sooner?
Quebec, Canada’s second-largest province, passed a bill this week banning the sale of gasoline-powered light-duty vehicle starting in the 2035 model year – a timeline in line with the rest of the country’s ban, but the specifics of Quebec’s are even stronger.
In 2022, Canada unveiled a new emissions reduction plan with a mandate requiring scaling EV sales through 2035, at which point all new cars sold must be zero-emission vehicles.
That rule includes an exemption to allow the sale of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which still have an internal combustion engine, as long as the PHEV meets minimum requirements.
But Quebec decided to do one better, and passed a new bill this week which goes even further. It still has a 2035 target, but it also bans the sale of hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
Quebec is currently leading the rest of the Canada in new EV registrations, making up roughly half of the entire country’s EV sales despite only being a fifth of the country’s population. EVs hold about a 33% market share of new vehicle sales in the province, which is even more than California’s EV market share (Quebec and California share similar environmental philosophies – and even have a cross-border carbon cap-and-trade market).
Part of Quebec’s EV success is due to heavy government incentives through the Roulez vert (“green wheels”) program, though the government recently announced a temporary suspension of that program, and incentives will be cut in 2025 and eliminated in 2027.
It also competes for the cleanest electricity in Canada, with 94% hydropower and 5% wind power (Manitoba and Prince Edward Island also have ~99% renewable electricity grids).
So it’s a great place for an EV – and Quebec’s new bill recognizes that and turns it into law.
The specifics are that, as of Jan 31, 2034, Quebec will disallow the advertisement or sale of any model year 2035 light-duty vehicle with a combustion engine.
The ban also applies to used vehicles past model year 2035, thus disallowing import of cars from other provinces that might have more lax requirements than Quebec’s. This used car requirement not only protects Quebec’s law from the possibility of more lax laws in other provinces, but also from potential meddling by Canada’s federal government.
While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s long-running Liberal government has made climate change a priority, a potential future conservative government (which seems likely to come in the next year) might work to sabotage those efforts at improving the environment. If that does happen, Quebec’s provincial law would still apply.
Then later, on Dec 31, 2025, the sale or lease of new vehicles of model year 2034 or earlier would be banned. This later timeline will help allow dealerships to clear out inventory of older model vehicles.
It even applies to combustion engines themselves – you won’t even be able to sell the engines, unless it’s to replace an engine in a vehicle that’s already on the road.
The new law only applies to light-duty vehicles, not to medium/heavy duty vehicles or off-road vehicles like ATVs and snowmobiles (which are often run on two-stroke engines and are extremely noisy and high-polluting).
Quebec’s left-wing party, Quebec Solidaire, had requested that the timeline be set to 2030, rather than 2035 (something we’ve called for before, asking “why not sooner?” about California and Europe’s 2035 target). But the government was worried that not enough EVs would be available to supply Quebec’s market by that time.
However, there will be a chance to adjust this timeline. The bill directs the provincial government to analyze the market in 2026 and 2030, and potentially adjust the timeline for 2035 compliance. It’s possible that, if Quebec is way ahead of schedule, a 2035 timeline could be moved forward (after all, Norway came within shouting distance of its goal 3 years early). Maybe this is wishful thinking from this EV publication, but we’ll have our fingers crossed at least.
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Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
The Luxury Raffle
- Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
- Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
- Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
- Ticket price: $250.
- Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
- Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
- Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
- Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
- Ticket price: $100.
- Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek before December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
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The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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