CARS

The transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions: 29%. Cars are approximately 58% of that. As we move to reduce our use of those fossil fuels and accelerate our use of renewables– “greening” our electrical grid– electric vehicles are inevitable. Time for us to catch up with Norway where more than 90% of new cars sold are EVs or hybrids!

The good news: The data are in, and US auto buyers are increasingly keen on electric vehicles.  Nearly 300,000 EVs were sold in the U.S. in Q2 (increase of 48.4% from Q2 2022) with 257,000 registrations in Q1 (an increase of 63% from Q1 2022 and about 7% of the total market). Tesla took about 60% (up 37% from last year) of the EV market; non-Tesla took 40% (up 128% from last year). The IEA expects that growth in the US to continue this year, with electric car sales reaching over 1.5 million in 2023, so that would grow US electric car sales to around 12% this year.

It will continue to get better and here is why:

• In August 2021, President Biden signed an executive order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks, which sets a nonbinding target of making 50% of passenger cars and light-duty trucks zero emission vehicles by 2030. The executive order also directs EPA and NHTSA to develop standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles as well as passenger cars for model years 2027–2030, to be finalized by December 2022.
• In September 2021, New York passed a law phasing out most gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Governor Gavin Newsom of California had previously signed an Executive Order (9/2020) that would phase out all sales of ICE vehicles in the state by 2035. 
• In August 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act providing lucrative incentives for car purchasers and rewards for carmakers that increase their production of EVs and move their production lines to the United States, giving the companies new motivation to embrace the transition and promote the vehicles.
• In August 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved Newsom’s sweeping plan to restrict and ultimately ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 (35% y 2026, 68% by 2030).Not only is California the largest auto market in the United States, but an additional 13 states (Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont) and Washington D.C. have policies tied to California's, which makes them leading candidates to adopt their own versions of the 2035 ban.
• And, as of March 2023, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington made plans to follow California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule.
• Under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, states must either adhere to federal emissions standards or adopt California's more stringent guidelines. In April of 2023, the CARB asked the EPA to approve a waiver under the Clean Air Act to implement those new rules.
• Also,in April 2023  according to a new survey from the Energy Policy Institute at the U. of Chicago 41% of Americans say they would be at least “somewhat Likely” to purchase an EV.

There are many reasons for you to consider going electric…

• EVs are better for the environment, producing significantly fewer emissions, and reducing air pollution as well as mitigating climate change.
• They are as safe, if not safer than gasoline and diesel-powered cars.
• They are cheaper and easier to maintain, with fewer parts, no engine, no oil, less brake wear and parts that require little or no regular maintenance. According to Consumer Reports (Sept 2020), you can expect to save an average of $4,600 in repair and maintenance over the life of an EV. Some details from Repair Pal: “typical maintenance items on EVs include the cabin air filters that keep outside dust and particulate out of a car’s heating and air conditioning system; brake pads, tires, and suspension components, such as shock absorbers; ball joints; and steering tie rod ends. An EV has a cooling system that uses antifreeze, similar to what would be found in a gasoline engine’s radiator, but because there is no danger of contamination by engine oil or combustion by-products, it doesn’t break down and seldom needs to be changed. Regenerative braking systems found on EVs and some hybrids use resistance from the electric motors to slow the vehicle, so brake pads don’t see as much use as they would in a gasoline-powered car. Replacing a battery pack costs approximately $5,500 but they tend to last 8-10 years.”
• Warranties tend to be longer. 8-10 years or 100,000 miles.
• There are potential rebates and tax credits with purchase, federal tax credits of up to $7,500 for a new car and $4,000 for a used car, and potentially from cities and states as well.
• No more pumping gas. Plug in at home or, if on a long road trip, at a super charger. Map here. If you own a Tesla or a business that wants to install a Tesla supercharger, check this out.
• Charging away from home will get easier. Both Ford and General Motors have now signed on to Tesla’s charging technologies. They will have adapters for their cars by 2024 and, by 2025, their new vehicles will, as do Teslas, seamlessly supercharge at more that 12,000 Tesla charging stations.
• It’s useful, when thinking about making a transition to electric, to look at the whole process, from manufacturing to disposal. EVs produce roughly half of the climate-changing emissions of a similar gasoline car by the end of their lifetimes -- from the manufacturing of their batteries to their ultimate disposal or reuse. In a recent Forbes article covering this, it was concluded, after viewing numerous studies (including The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) report in July 2021) that battery-electric vehicles have the lowest lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. And, the article contended that, as the electric supply “greens” --with solar and wind power being added to the mix --it will only get better.

There are many options  --from major car manufacturers including Tesla, BMW, Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Subaru, Hyundai, Fiat, and General Motors. Because there are occasionally wait times for the purchase of an electric car, you might want to check out Drive Green (particularly if you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island). Very useful.