The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

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Fossil Fuel Subsidies, A Price Spike, & Governor Healey’s Changes To The APS

Massachusetts created the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS) back in 2008 to subsidize several technologies and actions, which, in theory,...

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Electric vehicles/Transportation (16)

Electric vehicles/Transportation

Consumer Reports: Electric cars are cheaper... really!

A new report by Consumer Reports has found that the average electric vehicle (EV) driver saves between $6,000 and $10,000 in lifetime costs compared to a gas-powered car. Their analysis considered a survey of 10,000 EV drivers and a review of depreciation, financing, sale prices, and fuel costs to reach a remarkable conclusion: EVs, like those that are available through our Drive Green program, win out compared to the best-selling, top-rated, and most-efficient cars in their class.  

by Mal Skowron
Energy policy & advocacy Electric vehicles/Transportation Phasing out fossil fuels

Policy is rigged to favor gas guzzlers over climate, health, & consumers

In April 2020, while the economy shuttered and infection rates for COVID-19 in the US skyrocketed, pickup truck sales exceeded sedan sales for the first time. Passenger cars are the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and more people than ever believe man-made climate change is happening. So how are biggest gas-guzzling cars taking over the industry?

by Mal Skowron
Energy policy & advocacy Electric vehicles/Transportation Climate change

We Need the Transportation & Climate Initiative and It Must Be Equitable.  Advocates and Governors, Let's Get it Done Right

There is so much happening these days it’s hard to track everything, but if you haven’t heard much about the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI), you will soon. It’s an idea that could result in a compact of 11-states (plus D.C.) in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to address transportation emissions. It would do so by setting a cap on emissions, a cap that declines over time. 

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien , Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek Priscilla De La Cruz 
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Mal Skowron
Electric vehicles/Transportation Climate change

Larry went on the Energy Nerd Show to Talk about Smart Charging EVs

It’s imperative that we all switch from internal combustion engines to electric cars for several compelling reasons. The most important is that reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions enough to save the planet depends upon it. But what’s particularly exciting is: we can magnify the benefits of EVs by managing when we charge them.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Electric vehicles/Transportation Guest blog/Member spotlight

Why I Leased a Chevrolet Bolt instead of Keeping my Malibu

Why I Leased A Chevy Bolt Instead of Keeping My Malibu
We often get questions along the lines of: "should I get an electric car now, or should I wait until my current car *really* gives up the ghost?" Well, one of our EV Ambassadors, Xavier, recently grappled with this question himself and kindly offered the following blog post to us! The below is all his text, with some additions (in italics) from us here at Green Energy Consumers.
by Xavier Pereira (Guest Blogger)
Electric vehicles/Transportation

Looking for an electric SUV? Here’s what’s coming.

In the United States car market, big cars rule. In April 2020, crossovers, pickups, and SUVs together made up 70% of new vehicle sales in the “light” vehicle market. 70%! As we work to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), it’s clear that we need competitive EVs in these segments. There are already some excellent larger EVs available – check out the Hyundai Kona Electric, Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), Kia Niro EV and PHEV, Audi e-tron, or Tesla Model X on our Drive Green page. And we’ve previously written about the electric pick-up trucks headed our way. But automakers have announced or released several larger EVs that we’re keeping our eyes on. Here are the electric SUVs that we think are the ones to watch in 2020 and early 2021.

by Tori Yanco
Electric vehicles/Transportation

The surprising overlap between heat pumps and electric cars

We at Green Energy Consumers Alliance like to connect the dots between technology, markets, and policy to help people make smart green energy choices. Electric cars help dramatically lower the carbon footprint of passenger vehicles, just as electric heat pumps replace the fossil fuels used to heat our homes; this is why we’re helping people to make the switch to both. But there’s an overlap between these two technologies that we find interesting and important.

by Mal Skowron
Energy policy & advocacy Electric vehicles/Transportation

Massachusetts Expands MOR-EV Program

At yesterday's Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Commission's quarterly meeting, the state announced a change to the MOR-EV rebate program. This important electric vehicle incentive will now be available to commercial fleet owners, as well as individual residents of the Commonwealth. We applaud the state for taking this step and are encouraged by conversation that further program changes may follow. In fact, we have a couple of ideas...

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Electric vehicles/Transportation

The EVs of the Seas - Cargo Ships, Sailboats, Yachts, and ferries

When we think of pollution and the emissions associated with transportation, planes, trains, and automobiles are often the first modes of mobility that come to mind. Cars in particular have been at the forefront of the electrification conversation, for good reason -- according to the EPA's 2017 report on US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a cumulative 82% of transportation emissions came from passenger vehicles and medium to heavy duty trucks combined. (Transportation accounted for 29% of overall GHG emissions, so that 82% of transportation emissions translates roughly to ~24% of total GHG emissions.) We've written extensively on vehicle electrification, and our Drive Green program works to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Now we'd like to take a look at EVs nautical counterpart -- boats.

by Tori Yanco