Gasoline Phaseout News – September 2025

EV Tipping Point Drawing Closer

EV adoption is pushing towards a tipping point where EVs become the vehicle of choice for American consumers. Cheaper batteries, a full range of models, a wave of reliable used EVs, and an increasingly robust charging network are reinforcing one another to create a virtuous cycle that will unlock accelerating adoption and blow past headwinds caused by the loss of federal incentives.

Battery packs are expected to cost half as much in 2026 as they did in 2023. Auto manufacturers are committed to building new, lower-cost models. Ford, for example, has committed $5 billion to retool factories and introduce a midsize EV pickup starting around $30,000 by 2027. At the same time, U.S. charging stations grew by 19% in the year ending June 2025, with total charging power up 52%.

The surging used EV market opens the EV path for households unable to afford a new vehicle. In July 2025, used EV sales jumped more than 40% over July 2024. As leased EVs come off their contracts, they’ll enter resale channels, allowing more people access to electric mobility at a lower cost.

With these forces converging, millions more families will soon find that driving electric is the clear and affordable choice, and speed America away from gasoline. With new, cutting-edge, AI-driven tools (announcement coming soon!), Coltura is poised to capitalize on this moment to accelerate EV adoption and reduce gasoline consumption even faster.

Global EV Sales Continue Steady Rise

World EV sales topped 17.5% of all new auto sales in July 2025, roughly double the level of three years ago. The growth is spread across all corners of the world, with year over year EV growth rates of 117% in Chile, 96% in Ireland, and 84% in Singapore.

CO2 Levels Continue Climb, Fueled by Gasoline

While EV sales are increasing, corresponding reductions in US greenhouse gas emissions are not happening fast enough – or at all. CO2 levels continue their upward march.  In August 2025, atmospheric carbon reached 425.5 parts per million (ppm), up from 423 ppm in August 2024 and up from 368 ppm in August 2000.  Ninety percent of the rise in CO2 levels is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels, and nearly 80% of the global temperature increase is caused by human-produced CO2.  Gasoline and diesel in transportation would need to fall by one-third by 2030 to align with the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero by 2050 scenario.

Coltura Welcomes Namita Patel to Board of Directors

We are thrilled to announce that Namita Patel has joined Coltura’s Board of Directors. Namita brings more than a decade of experience advancing sustainable transportation across the automotive and aerospace sectors. She worked on autonomous EV fleets and mobile EV charging at Ford, as well as on sustainability at Boeing. She served as Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council’s Data Analytics Working Group at the US Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

A Terra.do Climate Fellow with training in sustainable transportation networks at Johns Hopkins, Namita is passionate about electrifying mobility systems and building a cleaner, healthier future. She brings deep expertise in data analysis, product development, and policy, as well as a commitment to applying these skills to accelerate America’s transition away from gasoline.

We are excited to welcome Namita’s leadership, insight, and passion to our mission.

Coltura Partners with Native Sun to Steer EVs to Gasoline Burdened Drivers on Tribal Lands

Coltura is collaborating with Native Sun’s Electric Nation Project to shine a light on the gasoline burden faced by higher-mileage drivers on tribal lands in the upper Midwest.

Because tribal lands are more rural and remote, people drive more, consume more gasoline, and spend a greater percentage of household income on gasoline. 1.52% of U.S. drivers live on tribal lands, yet they consume 1.84% of the gasoline.

The good news is that the potential for EV fuel savings as a share of household income is much higher. Even with current EV prices and existing charging infrastructure, transitioning higher-mileage drivers on tribal lands can provide much-needed financial relief.

Coltura will work with Native Sun and other stakeholders to help households on tribal lands make the switch by providing analyses of gasoline spending, cost calculators, and EV shopping tools.  

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For Our Kids, For Our Future

The need to cut planet-warming carbon is greater than ever. Every gallon of gasoline burned adds to the pollution driving climate change, harming our health, and threatening the world our children will inherit.

Coltura is fighting back. We’re using cutting-edge data to spotlight the drivers spending the biggest share of their income on gasoline, and showing how switching to EVs can slash their costs and maximize pollution reduction at the same time.

We need your support to make this work happen. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. Your donation today helps us accelerate this transition, protect our planet, and ensure cleaner air for future generations.

Please give now to help build a gasoline-free future.

Gas Station of the Month: Walla Walla Chevron

In 2023, we reported on a leak of nearly 2,500 gallons of gasoline from a Chevron in downtown Walla Walla, Washington, contaminating groundwater and triggering evacuations of the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel and nearby buildings due to hazardous vapors. The station’s owner now faces a $738,000 penalty plus $4.1 million in cleanup costs after state funds were used to contain the disaster.  Earlier in 2023, Washington enacted a bailout of the underground storage tank insurance system, which will require the state to absorb up to $2 million in cleanup costs.

Culture Corner: Electric RVs Hit the Road

Road trips are getting a clean-energy makeover. A new wave of electric RVs—from Winnebago’s solar-powered camper to Lightship’s sleek towable trailers—is transforming vacations with quiet rides and zero tailpipe emissions. Equipped with solar panels and big batteries, these EV campers cut pollution while making off-grid adventures easier than ever.

As EVs change daily driving, electric RVs are doing the same for leisure travel, offering freedom without the fumes. At Coltura, we’re excited about this shift: a future where road trips are quieter, cleaner, and better for the planet.