Gasoline Phaseout News – November 2024
Gasoline Reduction and the New Administration
With U.S. gasoline use accounting for about one gigaton of carbon pollution annually and 20% of all US CO2 emissions, the rapid reduction of gasoline use remains critical for preserving a livable planet. How do we keep reducing gasoline use despite an incoming president who has threatened to roll back federal electric vehicle incentives and emissions regulations?
Our strategy focuses on what works: helping the drivers who spend the most on gasoline save money by switching to EVs. Coltura is campaigning for state policies to help Gasoline Superusers (US drivers in the top 10% for gasoline use) switch to EVs, and to educate Superusers about the $4,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs savings they realize by switching to an EV. Because many Superusers live in more conservative areas, this work helps build support for EVs and gasoline reduction across the political divide.
Coltura Turns 10!
Coltura celebrates its 10th birthday this month. When Matthew Metz founded Coltura in 2014, electric vehicle sales were only a small fraction of what they are now, and gasoline consumption seemed poised to climb inexorably. Coltura’s original strategy was to raise awareness of the need to phase out gasoline use through artistic and cultural projects such as No Gasoline Day and the Gas Trap. In 2017, Coltura pivoted to policy, writing the op-eds that helped inspire the first bill to phase out sales of new gasoline vehicles in the U.S. That bill was followed by California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation phasing out new gas car sales by 2035, which has been adopted by 16 states. In 2021, Coltura pivoted again, this time pioneering the Gasoline Superusers concept and developing the most detailed data on consumer gasoline use ever created.
Coltura has been blessed with many excellent team members and donors who helped it grow to become a respected expert on gasoline policy. A hearty thanks to everyone who has helped Coltura reach this important milestone!
Data Insight of the Month: The Stable Advantage of Driving Electric
U.S. gasoline prices are on a rollercoaster ride, subject to wild fluctuations driven by global oil markets, economic crises, and geopolitical events, and periodically influencing great pain on consumers.
In contrast, electricity costs, measured in dollars per gallon equivalent, have remained remarkably consistent and much lower, provided stability and affordability for EV drivers.
This difference highlights the long-term economic advantage of EV ownership—not just for their lower costs but also for protecting drivers from big changes in the cost of fuel.
What’s the real problem: Gasoline prices of gasoline spending?
Many people complain about fluctuating gasoline prices, but what actually affects their finances is gasoline spending. For people who use very little gasoline, gas price spikes may be annoying, but they won’t have much of an impact on their household spending. In contrast, Gasoline Superusers (the US drivers in the top 10% for gasoline consumption) spend a large share of their household income on gasoline, regardless of changes in gas prices. Superusers spend an average of 10% of household income on gasoline, vs other drivers who spend just 3.5%. And when gas prices do spike, Superusers feel the impact more. In sum, gasoline spending is what causes real economic burden on families, and switching to an EV can solve that.
Your support on Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving December 3 – and Coltura is participating. We’re humbly asking for your support. With the election outcome, our mission to cut gasoline use at speed and scale has become even more urgent. We are at a critical juncture, facing an administration that has shown hostility to environmental protection and promised to roll back climate safeguards. Now more than ever, your support is essential in protecting our planet for future generations.
Thanks to a small group of staunch supporters, your Giving Tuesday gift will be DOUBLED. Give $100 and Coltura gets $200! Will you help us?
Want more stories like these in your inbox? Sign up below for your free subscription to Gasoline Phaseout News!
Culture Corner: Charging While Shopping
Americans love to shop—and now they can increasingly charge their cars at the same time. Retailers like Walmart and Costco see a strong future in adding public EV charging stations at their stores – not only from sales of electricity, but also from increased spending at the retailers’ stores. A new study found a 4 percent increase in monthly visits for retailers within 200 meters of chargers after they were installed, and a 5 percent increase in spending. Another recent study found that public charging stations “tend to attract higher-income, exploratory visitors and local residents,” and in low-income areas they “enhance businesses.” Key constituencies include truckers, ride-hailing drivers, people on long-distance trips and the 5% of EV owners who are not able to charge at home, many of whom live in apartment buildings and park on the street.
Gas Station of the Month: Valero in Galveston, Texas
Dickinson Bayou near Galveston, Texas, is rich with wildlife including herons, deer, turtles, and other animals. That wildlife suffered a serious blow when a fuel truck overfilled an underground storage tank and spilled an estimated 4,000 gallons of gasoline “all over the gas station”. The truck driver failed to report the incident. By the next morning, the gasoline had leaked into storm drains connected to the bayou.
