Electric vehicle owners in the Canadian province of British Columbia will now be able to use high-occupancy vehicle lanes (carpool lanes) regardless of the number of passengers in the car, following a recent decision by the authorities there.
There’s apparently a caveat, though, that this only applies so long as there isn’t a sign indicating otherwise (locals may want to comment and let us know how likely/often this caveat is to matter).
This rule change of course only applies to electric vehicles (EVs) with the sticker decal, shown above, displayed in the window.
Here’s the exact wording via the province’s website (for those who don’t trust my paraphrasing of the matter):
Electric vehicles (EVs) displaying an official decal are allowed in high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in British Columbia regardless of the number of passengers in the car, unless a sign is posted indicating otherwise.
Eligible vehicles include: Battery electric vehicle (BEV); Fuel cell vehicle (FCV); Plug in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV); Extended range electric vehicle (EREV).
To apply for an HOV lane/electric vehicle permit and decal, please complete the application form and return the signed application and a copy of the vehicle registration by facsimile, email or mail. Your vehicle make, model, year and fuel type will be checked against the eligible vehicle list maintained by British Columbia’s Clean Energy Vehicle Program to confirm eligibility.
The eligible vehicle list can be found here.
(Tip of the hat here to “SteveW25561” on the Tesla Motors Club forum for this.)