WASHINGTON, D.C. July 10, 2012 - With the right policies in place, plug-in vehicles can reduce America's dependence on oil by nearly 111 million gallons per year, according to a new report released today by Environment America.
"It's time to plug in, power up, and protect our planet because plug-in vehicles have arrived," said John Cross, Transportation Advocate with Environment America.
Recent research by the Center for Automotiave Research shows that more than 460,000 U.S. drivers could purchase their first plug-in vehicle within the next three years. Environment America's new report, Charging Forward: The Emergence of Electric Vehicles and Their Role in Reducing Oil Consumption, has now found that these vehicles would reduce our country's global warming pollution by approximately 630,000 metric tons per year. If the plug-in vehicles were powered by clean sources of electricity, these savings would rise to nearly 2 million metric tons annually.
"For decades, driving a car has meant consuming oil. Today, drivers finally have a choice," said Cross. "Thanks in part to smart policies adopted by states and the Obama administration, every major automobile manufacturer is offering a new plug-in vehicle powered primarily by electricity. For the first time, we can power our cars with clean energy."
President Obama has proposed fuel efficiency and carbon pollution standards for new vehicles in model years 2017-2025 that Environment America credits as being the most important step ever taken to build clean, advanced technology cars that will get us off oil. His administration has also made investments in critical technologies, such as advanced batteries and high powered charging stations.
The Environment America report shows the impressive technological breakthroughs that have helped move plug-in vehicles into the fast lane, from advanced batteries that have dropped in price by over 80 percent, to faster charging stations that have reduced charge times by over 90 percent.
To make plug-in vehicles a choice for more consumers, Environment America's report calls for more work to be done to build the infrastructure of the charging stations that can service these vehicles, as well as more investment in the technologies that will drive down prices. Environment America also called on decision makers across the country to help plug-in vehicles achieve the greatest possible pollution reductions by adopting policies that will ensure we get more of our electricity from clean, renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
"Electric vehicles offer all Americans hope for a cleaner, healthier future. But to make this promise a reality, continued public investment will be necessary to ensure that these vehicles are as convenient and as affordable as cars powered by oil," concluded Cross.
Environment America is a federation of 29 state-based, citizen funded environmental advocacy organizations working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future. www.EnvironmentAmerica.org
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