Frequently Asked Questions

Switching a commercial fleet from combustion engines to electric vehicles raises a lot of practical questions, from operating costs and charging infrastructure to vehicle range, incentives, and how the transition actually works day to day. The answers below cover the questions we hear most often from fleet operators across Canada, whether you are assessing if your fleet is ready to electrify, comparing the total cost of ownership against diesel, leasing vehicles and chargers, or planning the support and data you will need along the way. If you do not see your question here, our team is glad to help.

• How do I start in finding out if electrification is feasible for my fleet?

Our project team has developed a generic model that allows you to model different options based on the Total Cost of Ownership. By knowing the main operational characteristics of your fleet, we can help you assess attractiveness. This model will be further refined through the project.

• If I'm a small operator interested in starting the process to convert to electrification. How would 7Gen help and support me?

We would perform a fleet and operations analysis to determine which electric vehicles and chargers are suitable for your operations.

• Ev's are brand new to me. What kind of support can I expect when partnering with 7Gen?

When leasing with 7Gen, you will have full support right from the discovery phase when choosing the right vehicle for your business. You'll be supported if needed when considering upfitting, decaling or wraping the vehicle. Support with applying for/receiving your Provincial and Federal incentives. New EV Delivery orientation either in person, or from our comprehensive orientation package for training your drivers. You'll also have post delivery support via our 24 hr support telephone line, email or Customer Support Portal.

• Where can I see and try out an Electric Vehicle from 7Gen?

7Gen operates under a Lease to Own finance model and does not rent out Electric Vehicles. That being said, 7Gen works directly with OEM's so we may be able to organize demo's for the type of vehicle that works best for your business operations.

• Can I lease any type of vehicle with 7Gen, of any classification from class 1 to class 8?

7Gen offers EV as a Service for medium and heavy duty vehicles (class 3-8) in Canada and the US. That said, depending on the opportunity, we can consider light duty vehicles and pickup trucks.

• What is the delivery lead time for EV's?

Lead times for EV's vary by vehicle class and manufacturer. It varies from 2 weeks to 6 months. 7Gen advises to start sooner than later to maximize the rebates that are currently in place.

• Which is the truck or commercial vehicle with the longest range on the market?

Technology is evolving quickly. Contact us directly to know which vehicle has the most range. As an example, the GM BrightDrop delivery van offers up to 250 miles (400 km) of range on a full charge.

• What is the minimum/maximum period to sign the service with 7Gen?

In order to obtain full federal and provincial subsidies, we are required to lease a minimum of 48 months. The maximum would be 6 years and in some cases can be more.

• If I lease an Electric Vehicle, does it come with a charger?

In some cases it comes with a charger but this charger will take well over 24 hours to charge your vehicle. We lease level 2 or level 3 chargers, as well as the installation of the charging infrastructure on a monthly leasing basis.

• Will I own the charger or the vehicle at the end of the leasing period?

In most cases, our residual values are set to $1 so your option to purchase everything at the end of the term is $1. Alternatively, it could be 20% for example, which would lower your monthly payments but if you wanted to own everything at the end of the term, you would have to pay the residual value.

• How can I find out how many (if any) chargers my building can facilitate?

7Gen is an approved vendor for BC Hydro site assessments. This will answer all of the questions surrounding the current electrical capabilities of your building, as well as a plan if needed to bolster the amount of electricity coming in to facilitate all of your charger needs.

• Could electric vehicle charging infrastructure be financed with 7Gen?

Absolutely! Rates vary between the types of assets that we finance as well as the specific industry your business is in. Contact one of our sales associates to get a detailed quote.

More about fleet electrification

Lower operating costs over the long run. One of the main reasons fleets move away from combustion engines is cost. Electric drivetrains are far more energy efficient than gas or diesel engines, and electricity is generally a cheaper and more stable fuel than diesel, so the cost per kilometre tends to be lower. Maintenance is lighter too. An electric vehicle has far fewer moving parts than an internal combustion engine, needs no engine oil changes, and uses regenerative braking that reduces brake wear. Independent analyses generally find routine maintenance costs run meaningfully lower than a comparable gas or diesel vehicle. Higher upfront prices are real, but when you compare the total cost of ownership over the life of the asset, the lower fuel and maintenance spending is where fleets save money in the long run.

Planning a successful deployment. A successful transition is less about any single truck and more about a clear fleet electrification plan. The first step is understanding how your vehicles actually work day to day: the routes they run, the distances they cover, and how long they sit between shifts. That data is what determines which models fit, what range and battery performance you need, and how charging should be sized. From there 7Gen helps you decide what to deploy first and how to scale across the rest of the fleet, so the change happens in a controlled way rather than all at once. Fleet management and telematics software then let you track energy use, vehicle health, and performance once the fleet is on the road, which is essential to keeping operations efficient as you grow.

Incentives and funding across Canada. Electrifying commercial transport is supported by a mix of federal and provincial programs, and the funding landscape changes often. In Quebec, the Écocamionnage program reopened in late 2025 and is funded through March 2028, helping operators in Montreal and across the province offset the cost of electric trucks and related equipment. Other provinces, including Ontario and British Columbia, have their own incentives and rebates for vehicles and charging stations, and federal programs for medium and heavy duty zero emission vehicles have also supported adoption. Because eligibility and amounts shift from year to year, 7Gen helps you find the programs you can access, confirm what is currently available in your region, and apply, so you capture the funding that lowers your investment and supports lower emissions transport.

Updated: June 2026