1. Use the PlugStar  “Browse Electric Cars” tool, an interactive online guide of models that helps you decide which vehicle is right for you by having you answer a few questions: How many miles you drive per day, what kind of long trips you make,  and how much passenger and cargo space you need.
2. Check out this great EV buying article and read Testimonials on this site.
3. Once you know which models you're interested in, go to the Drive Green website to see if they have any good deals at the moment. Through its Drive Green program, Green Energy Consumers Alliance has arranged with Massachusetts car dealerships to provide large discounts for purchase or lease of many brands and models of EVs. These deals change every month! Also, don't assume the dealers will offer you these deals. You need to bring the deal to them. (Handy benefit: you can skip the sales pitch by showing the unbeatable DriveGreen deal.)
4. Test drive some cars at the dealers.
5. Let us know how it went by leaving a Testimonial under the tab above.

Emissions, anyone? In Massachusetts, transportation accounts for significant portion  of our greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles, in combination with renewable, carbon-free electricity generation, can dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions because they have lower lifecycle emissions than gas-powered cars, even after accounting for extra emissions from battery manufacturing. (You can buy 100% renewable electricity  at a small premium with Green Powered.)

With a renewably-powered EV, the only source of emissions comes from the manufacturing process. If the electricity comes from fossil fuels, driving an EV is obviously not entirely pollution free. Still, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, EVs and plug-ins have a much smaller carbon footprint than conventional cars no matter what the source of the electricity.

There are a lot of great choices on the market right now, from all-electric to hybrids with plug-in options. They're fun to drive with their great pickup and power. And they’re cheaper to run. According to the Department of Energy, electric vehicles can save as much as $1,200 per year in fuel costs. 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 and many other moving parts.

Range anxiety? Fully electric vehicles (EV) are constrained by their battery capacity, but the battery range improves by the year. For example, the new highly-rated Chevrolet Bolt has a range of 259 miles. The Tesla Model 3 has a range of 250-322 miles  depending on the option you choose and the network of charging stations keeps expanding, with many apps that help you locate public charging stations and let you know if they are available in real time. There are, for instance, 1,870 Tesla Supercharger Stations in North America (these can't be used by other makes, though). Most chargers are located conveniently at restaurants or roadside rest stops.  Chargers are being added to new locations all the time!  And there are multiple phone apps to help you find charging stations when you're on the road.  

You can plug your car into any standard 110-120V outlet, but many EV owners install a Level II 240 Volt charger, which speeds up charging time up to 6X. Equipment plus installation of these chargers cost in the range of $800 to $1,200. This cost is tax deductible. An electrician can install this for you.

Rebates. Qualifying battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles are eligible for a Massachusetts $2,500 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 both federal income tax credits and state rebates. The amounts depend on the battery size of the vehicle, the model, and, of course, your tax liability (check here, and the dealer will advise you as well). Tax credits and rebates are available to car purchasers only.