States can eliminate pollution from cars and get off the gas-price rollercoaster for good.
States have a responsibility to protect their citizens. The Advanced Clean Cars Program is the best tool they have to fight back against dangerous air pollution and rising gas prices that wreak havoc on family budgets.
States are already adopting the Advanced Clean Cars Program, which is stronger than the federal standards, to eliminate the impact gas prices have on our budgets and address the rising pollution from vehicles across the U.S. that is fueling the climate crises and harming the health of vulnerable populations.
Free us from gas prices and oil dependence.
Being tethered to a global oil market makes our economy and our wallets vulnerable to inevitable gas price spikes that are out of our control. The only way to get off the gas price rollercoaster is to adopt standards that give us more gas-free vehicle options at the dealership.
We cannot drill our way out of a global oil market. Oil and gas prices are influenced - no matter where the oil comes from - by anything from bad weather to grounded ships and wars.
Electricity prices are more predictable and far less volatile than gas prices. Moving to 100% pollution-free mobility options, including public transit, means a family will never have to choose between feeding themselves or driving to work.
Driving on electricity provides savings households can bank on. With a national average gas at about $4/gallon and electricity prices at about $0.14/kWh, EV owners could save between $1,800 and $2,600 in operating and maintenance costs for every 15,000 miles they drive, compared to drivers of gas-powered vehicles.
Electric vehicle (EV) drivers will save money in overall operating and maintenance costs as long as gas prices are above 50 cents per gallon.
It’s already less expensive to own an EV than a similar gasoline model. For example, the Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up truck will be 17% cheaper to own than the gas-powered F-150, even though its initial sticker price is higher. It’s also cheaper to own the Volkswagen ID.4 compared to a similar SUV and a Chevy Bolt compared to a Toyota Corolla.
States that adopt the Advanced Clean Cars program will likely receive the newest EV models before other states since automakers will want to ensure these states meet the requirements of the program.
There are more than 40 pollution-free EV models available in the United States.
National EV cars sales have topped 3.2 million.
Protect public health.
Accelerating the transition to zero-emission technologies is critical to protecting and improving health.
Cars, SUVs and trucks travel trillions of miles in the U.S. each year spewing pollution that harms our lungs, shortens our lives and fuels the climate crisis.
Areas near high-traffic roadways often have much higher levels of pollution than the rest of the community. An estimated 30 to 45% of the people in North American cities live or work near enough to a busy road to experience significantly higher levels of pollution.
Tailpipe pollution is a source of significant air pollutants. Burning gasoline and diesel fuel contributes fine soot that lodges deep in the lungs, smog-forming pollution that can literally burn our lungs and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as climate pollution, into the air.
The disproportionate exposure to unhealthy air caused by polluting cars and trucks is the clearest example of how environmental racism, inequality and systemic marginalization - like redlining in communities - continue to harm the health of low-income communities and communities of color.
States can improve the health and quality of life of low-income communities and communities of color by eliminating the source of smog-forming pollution through vehicle electrification.
Create economic and job opportunities.
By adopting standards that drive pollution-free vehicle adoption states can create good jobs and invite new investment in the growing clean economy.
The electric vehicle (EV) industry has attracted more than $400 billion in investments over the last decade—with about $100 billion of that coming since the beginning of 2020.
Clean energy and clean transportation now employ more than 40% of all energy workers in America.
In 2020, there were more than 273,000 jobs associated with the clean vehicles industry nationally.
In 2021, new EV jobs increased by almost 30% nationally.
Research shows that EV manufacturing growth happens where there are strong policies designed to spur the market forward.
Vehicle manufacturers will see an increased demand for EVs, leading to increased production, resulting in more manufacturing and related jobs with manufacturers that specifically produce EVs.
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorized $7.5 billion for EV charging. It also includes $32.5 billion in eligible funding to support EVs, plus $10.5 billion for grid upgrades and battery development.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act authorized $47 billion in eligible funding to support ZEVs (not including tax credits or loan programs).
Leave a better world for future generations.
By adopting programs that cut pollution states can set up future generations for success and help states meet their climate goals.
If we don’t significantly cut our climate pollution, the average 6-year-old will live through roughly three times as many climate disasters as their grandparents, the study finds. They will see twice as many wildfires, 1.7 times as many tropical cyclones, 3.4 times more river floods, 2.5 times more crop failures and 2.3 times as many droughts as someone born in 1960.
In a recent survey of 16- to 25-year-olds, scientists found that three-quarters of respondents feared the future and more than half believed they would have fewer opportunities than their parents. Nearly 60% said their governments had betrayed them and future generations — making them feel even more anxious.
The transportation sector is the number one source of climate warming pollution in the U.S. We owe it to future generations to act boldly to cut climate pollution from cars and trucks.
Improve power security and grid resilience.
Standards that plug more EVs into the grid can create a cleaner more resilient electricity grid and help give residents energy security with EVs that connect to homes to supply emergency power.
Electric vehicles are batteries on wheels, which can provide families and businesses with a back-up power supply in case of a blackout or other grid emergency.
All major automakers offer, or are considering offering, electric vehicles that can provide backup power to homes, businesses, and emergency services.
Ford’s 2022 F150 Lightning, for example, will have the capacity to power a home for up to 10 days without air conditioning or three days with AC being used in the home.
Electric heavy-duty fleets can add electricity storage to support a cleaner and more resilient electricity grid with bi-directional charging. Heavy-duty electric truck fleets - like school buses - can feed electricity back onto the grid during periods of increased energy use.