Emissions, anyone? In Massachusetts, transportation accounts for a whopping 42%  of our greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles, in combination with renewable, carbon-free electricity generation, can dramatically reduce your greenhouse gas emissions because they have lower lifecycle emissions than gas-powered cars, even after accounting for extra emissions from battery manufacturing. (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.

What are the benefits of buying an EV?

• Environmentally Friendly
  Gas-powered vehicles are a major cause of climate change, accounting for a large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. EVs on the other hand are emissions-free-and that’s great news for our planet and our health.

• Low Cost of Ownership
  While in some cases an EV may cost more money up front, they may be more economical in the long run. In fact, all-electric models are proven to require less maintenance than gas-powered vehicles.

• Financial Incentives
  Incentives for EVs and charging are available from a wide variety of entities. Funding sources are available at the state and federal levels, as well as through National Grid. See “What programs and financial incentives are there?” and State and Federal Incentives below for more details.

• Safe
  EVs are incredibly safe. All EV models meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and undergo the same rigorous safety testing as gas-powered vehicles.

• Fun to Drive   
  With their ability to travel longer distances, smooth and quiet ride, advanced infotainment systems and drive assist features, today’s higher-performance EVs are more fun to drive than ever!

• Charge at Home  
  EVs have the ability to tap into the existing electricity supply at your home. That means most of the time, you can “fuel up” without visiting the gas station.

Swampscott has several public charging stations:

• Townhall Right, 22 Monument Ave

• Townhall Left, 23 Monument Ave

• High School #1, 200 Essex St

• High School #2, 200 Essex St

• High School #3, 200 Essex St

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 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. You can enter “charging stations Swampscott MA” into Google Maps and you’ll see all the different charging stations in the neighborhood.

There are over 2,550 Tesla Supercharger Stations with 27,777 Superchargers in North America. You can use Tesla Destination Charging locations, usually located conveniently at restaurants or roadside rest stops, to not only charge a Tesla but with some other EVs.

You can plug your car into any standard 110-120V outlet, but many EV and plug-in owners install a Level II 240 Volt charger, which speeds up charging time up to 6X faster. Equipment plus installation of these chargers cost in the range of $1,000 to $1,200. This cost is tax deductible. And we can recommend an electrician to install one for you.