1. Go to Drive Green and browse through the latest available discounts on EVs.
2. Research other cars with the PlugStar "Browse Electric Cars” tool. This interactive online guide of models can help you decide which vehicle is right for you through your answers to a few questions about: (1) how many miles you drive per day; (2) what type of long trips you make; and (3) how much passenger and cargo space you need.
   
3. Check out what other EV drivers say and read the "Testimonials" tab on this site (see above). If you are already an EV driver, please write a Testimonial now!
   
4. If you want help thinking through your options, contact EV coaches in our neighboring town Concord. (And consider volunteering to become a Boxborough EV Coach, contact us here.)
   
5. Test drive some EVs at the dealerships. (This is the most enjoyable step!)
   
6. Once you know which models you’re interested in, check back with Drive Green to review current deals. Also, don't assume the dealers will automatically offer you these deals — you need to “bring the deal to the dealer.” (Handy benefit: you can skip the sales pitch by showing the unbeatable Drive Green deal.)
   
7. For your greatest convenience, consider a charging station for your home. See Drive Green for detailed info on charging stations. Watch for substantial state or utility rebates and incentives for installing chargers. This is an important step, as public charging infrastructure and availability are growing, but currently limited in some areas.
8. Let us know how it went by leaving a Testimonial under the tab above.

Emissions Benefits. In Massachusetts, transportation accounts for 43% of our greenhouse gas emissions.  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. (Learn more why EVs are better for the climate here.)

With a renewably powered EV, the only source of emissions comes from the car manufacturing process. 

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 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 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 and LELWD, Boxborough's Electric Utility. (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 are eligible for a $2,500 Massachusetts rebate. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with an all-electric range of 25 miles or greater are eligible for a $1,500 rebate. 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. You can check here to learn more about incentives; dealers will be able advise you, as well.

How important are electric vehicles for meeting Boxborough’s 50% reduction by 2030 carbon goal?

For most Boxborough 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). 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. 

To the best of our knowledge, Boxborough has only 66 EV owners: 46 BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and 20 PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles). Please see statistics of EV in neighboring Massachusetts towns here.  Increasing the number of EVs in Boxborougn is very important in meeting our Town's carbon reduction goal.

The Top 5 Actions for Cutting Household Carbon Emissions

Sources: MassEnergize Carbon Calculator Methodology, Energize Boxborough conversions to metric tons based on 2,204.62 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 one household to the next, but if a household does all five Actions in this table, the carbon savings would be approximately 10.4 tons of carbon annually.  Note: To keep the calculations simple, additional savings for EV due to renewable source of electricity was omitted from the 10.4-ton total. 

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 PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), 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.  Energize Boxborough converted pounds of carbon dioxide to metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent using 2204.62 pounds/metric ton.