A bill passed in June 2021 requires the state of Rhode Island to develop a plan to improve statewide access to electric vehicle (EV) charging by January 1, 2022. The state has initiated a stakeholder engagement process to solicit feedback from organizations and individuals about what the plan should look like.

If you’re an EV driver (or if you’d like to drive an EV, but lack of charging infrastructure is holding you back), you’re an expert on this topic. We encourage you to share your experience with the public charging network and what ideas you have to improve charging infrastructure in RI at an upcoming public session. 

Updated October 8th. More electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is on the horizon in Massachusetts. The investor-owned utility companies (Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil) recently submitted proposals to expand their EV programs through 2025.

In the coming months, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the public agency responsible for utility oversight, will review the ideas and decide whether the proposals will be executed as is or with modifications.

Electric vehicles are already a smart and practical choice for many drivers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. However, the conventional wisdom is that electric cars aren't ready for primetime yet. For this reason, in addition to offering discounts on electric vehicle purchases, our Drive Green program spreads awareness about the benefits of EVs, including cleaner air, a safer climate, better driving experience, and lower cost of ownership. 

General Motors recently issued a recall and stop-sale for all Chevrolet Bolt EVs and Bolt EUVs. In addition to being the Executive Director at Green Energy Consumers, I’m also a Bolt driver, so this news hits personally. Here's what you need to know about the recall, and how I and my family are feeling about it. 

As frequent readers of our blog will know, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts. The cars, trucks, and buses on our roads are also responsible for pollution that causes direct and widespread harm to human health – harm that disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. Right now, there’s something you can do about it: get your legislator to attend an upcoming briefing on bills that will work on these issues!

From 1982 to 2016, Green Energy Consumers Alliance focused our attention on building energy for homes and businesses. But in 2016, alarmed at the rise in greenhouse gas emissions from cars, we became aware of the potential of vehicle electrification as a measure to reduce those emissions. Since we are an alliance of consumers and, at our core, connect energy users to cleaner options through our program offerings, we looked outside the house and began our Drive Green program in order to educate people about electric vehicles (EVs) and to give them a chance to get one at a more affordable price.

If you’re like 99% of Massachusetts and Rhode Island drivers, the car you own now has an internal combustion engine (ICE) that runs on gasoline. Now might be a smart time to trade in your gas-powered car for an EV. Here’s why. 

I often hear EV skeptics say some variation of, “Unless electric vehicles are charged with 100% renewables, they’re still contributing to pollution.” That seems intuitive, but we don’t have to wait for 100% zero-emissions electricity to have a huge impact on the climate by transitioning to electric vehicles.

During the early years of the electrification era, the choices in electric vehicles were slim. The earliest version of the Nissan LEAF offered a comforting dose of normalcy but unfortunately was accompanied by a small electric range. Then came the super-suave Tesla with more of everything, including the sticker price. But it wasn’t until the Chevrolet Bolt came on to the scene that consumers finally had a car to choose that was highly functional and affordable.

New Incentive for Electric Trucks in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) recently announced that the popular rebate program for electric vehicles, MOR-EV, will now offer incentives for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks too. This is great news for the climate and public health in Massachusetts.