Local electric vehicle (“EV”) buyer’s groups offer significant discounts (as much as $10,000 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price) on the purchase of select models of EV’s. Switching from a gasoline-powered to an EV can significantly reduce your household or business carbon footprint. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.7 metric tons of CO2 annually. Operating a battery-powered electric vehicle on basic service in New England, which is getting cleaner every year, produces 32% of the emissions of a gasoline-fueled car; the 68% reduction in CO2 emissions equates to 3.2 metric tons of CO2. Other options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2 metric tons of CO2 annually are:
- Drive 7,669 fewer miles. The average passenger vehicle in the U.S. drives 11,346 miles per year.
- Consume 360 fewer gallons of gasoline. The average passenger vehicle in the U.S. consumes 533 gallons annually.
- Burn 315 fewer gallons of home heating oil. The average household in New England uses 600 gallons of home heating oil annually.
- Reduce household electricity usage by 47 per cent.
Clearly, the switch from a gasoline-powered vehicle to an EV is the easiest way to reduce household emissions by 3.2 metric tons of CO2 annually. The switch is easier to do with “range anxiety” becoming a thing of the past. New EV’s can run in excess of 100 or even 200 miles on a single charge. For more information about the New England EV buyer’s group, please click this link. EV buyer’s groups are available in Utah, Colorado and other states; you can see if there is one in your area by searching online.