Emissions Benefits. In Massachusetts, transportation accounts for 43% of our greenhouse gas emissions. In Acton, carbon emissions from passenger vehicles totalled 79,000 tons (MTCO2e) in 2017, according to the Acton “Greenhouse Gas Inventory” published in 2019. Switching to EVs, especially in combination with accessing renewable, carbon-free electricity, can dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. EVs have lower lifecycle emissions than gas-powered cars, even after accounting for extra emissions from battery manufacturing.

If the electricity to charge an EV comes from fossil fuels, driving an EV is obviously not entirely emissions free. Still, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, EVs and plug-in electric-gas hybrids have much smaller carbon footprints than conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) cars — no matter the source of the electricity. (See Are Electric Vehicles Really Better for the Climate? Yes. Here’s Why.)

With a renewably powered EV, the only source of emissions comes from the car manufacturing process. Actonians can opt up to Acton Power Choice GREEN to charge their EVs with 100% renewable, Northeast-generated energy.

There are a lot of great choices on the market right now, from all-electric vehicles to electric–gas hybrids with plug-in options. EVs have great pickup and are less expensive to operate than ICE vehicles. For example, in 2019, New York City “spent between $204 and $386 maintaining each of its electric cars, compared to more than $1,600 for the average gasoline-powered car”, according to Electric vs. Gas: Is It Cheaper to Drive an EV? by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). EVs have fewer moving parts and are therefore much cheaper to maintain: they do not need oil changes, and have no transmission fluids, fuel pumps, timing belts, exhaust systems, or other typical gas-powered auto parts.

Range anxiety? Fully electric vehicles (EV) are constrained by their battery capacity, but battery range is improving by the year. For example, the new, highly rated Chevrolet Bolt has a range of about 259 miles. The Tesla Model 3 has a range of 250–322 miles, depending on the model.

The local and national network of charging stations keeps expanding, with many apps that help you locate public charging stations and track availability in real time. Most chargers are located conveniently at transit stops or roadside rest stops; in addition, many parking lots, places of employment, and hotels have also installed chargers. Plugshare is one app that finds charging stations anywhere you are going. EVgo is another, and lists fast-charging stations. ChargeHub is yet another that can help you plan long trips with EV charge stops along the way. ChargePoint offers many stations in the greater Boston area.

Charging an EV. You can plug your EV into any standard 110-120V outlet (known as “trickle charging,” but many EV and plug-in owners install a Level II 240V charger at home, which speeds up charging time roughly sixfold. This can be installed in a garage or attached to a home or building, close to where the car is parked. For home installation, the charger itself, plus installation by an electrician, may cost approximately $1,000–$1,200. This cost is tax deductible, and there may be incentives from the state or utilities. (The fastest charging option is DC charging, which uses direct current, and for most EVs, requires a different charging nozzle from the one that works for Level I and Level II charging.) 

Rebates. Qualifying battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles (under $50,000) are eligible for a $3,500 Massachusetts rebate. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with an all-electric range of 25 miles or greater are eligible for a $1,500 rebate. (See MOR-EV.) Some electric vehicles qualify for federal income tax credits, as well. The credits depend on the battery size of the vehicle, the model, and, of course, your tax liability. Drive Green has up-to-date info on federal tax credits or you can check  here to learn more about federal incentives; dealers will be able advise you, as well. (If you lease an EV, some dealers are still honoring full federal incentives in your lease price, even though the actual purchase of an individual model may no longer be eligible for federal tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act.)

How important are electric vehicles for meeting Acton’s net zero carbon goal?

For most Acton families, switching one car to electric is expected to cut about 2.6 tons (MTCO2e) every year from their carbon footprint (depending on the particular car models before and after the switch, and with APC Standard electricity). Switching 2 cars to electricity beats any other single action. 

Better yet, each switch to a renewable-powered EV cuts annual carbon emissions about 4 tons, because there’s an additional reduction of about 1.5 tons/year for each EV that’s powered by 100% renewable electricity through APC GREEN — on top of the 2.6 tons for each EV on APC Standard, and on top of the 1.5 tons from switching typical household electricity use to APC GREEN!

The Top 6 Actions for Cutting Household Carbon Emissions

Sources: MassEnergize Carbon Calculator Methodology, Energize Acton conversions to metric tons based on 2204.62 pounds/metric ton.

Each EV will likely cut more carbon than rooftop solar (with 2.5 tons) or insulation (1.5 tons for insulating “to the max”) or a more planet-friendly diet (approximately 0.6 tons). Reductions will vary from family to family depending on their situations, but if a family can do all 6 things in this table, they would eliminate approximately 13 tons of carbon from their emissions each year. That’s roughly 74% of the average 17.5 tons of emissions per household counted in the 2019 Acton Greenhouse Gas Inventory from home energy use and “passenger” cars in Acton. (Note: rooftop solar was omitted from the 13 ton total because most of solar’s potential emission reduction is achieved in this scenario by APC GREEN.) 

What is the basis for the estimate of 2.6 tons/year emissions reduction?

This estimate of emissions reduction is intended as an approximation of typical, average, or potential results in order to convey relative magnitudes of various Actions; this is not a prediction of actual results of individual EV purchases. According to MassEnergize Carbon Calculator Methodology, MassEnergize estimated 5,820 pounds/year reduction by (1) assuming that the car being replaced was getting 20.843 MPG (the 2014 average for passenger cars in Massachusetts, according to MAPC’s Vehicle State Summary Statistics) and (2) modeling the EV being purchased as a weighted average of an all-electric BEV (battery electric vehicle) and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), using 2016 average electricity use per mile of 0.320 kWh for US all-electric vehicles, 0.367 kWh/mile for PHEVs, and, for PHEVs, 37.9 MPG when not using electricity (source: Alternative Fuels Data Center). MassEnergize uses an electricity emission factor of 580 Lb/MWh from MassDEP. (For details on emission factors, you may see the Deep Dive tab under the “Insulate & Weatherize to the Max” Action.) Energize Acton converted to metric tons using 2204.62 pounds/metric ton.