October 2023 Gasoline Phaseout News
How EV Incentives Can Do More for the Climate and Equity
Since 2008, the US federal and state governments have funneled over $10 billion into EV tax credits and incentives. These incentives have helped increase the EV market share to 8% of new car sales in the US in 2023 and over 40 EV models on the market. But now that the EV market is established, it’s time to re-engineer EV incentives, which have mainly catered to affluent drivers who use below-average volumes of gasoline. We need to focus on the goal of reducing gasoline use faster and more equitably.
The top 10% of US drivers in terms of their gasoline use (“Gasoline Superusers”) are burning nearly 40% of US gasoline. Targeting EV incentives to Superusers would maximize the gasoline displaced by each EV.
More than five million Superusers spend more than 10% of their household income just on gasoline, and another 5% of their income on maintenance and repair. Predominantly driving older gasoline cars, these Superusers are financially vulnerable to surges in gasoline prices and unpredictable repair costs.
To more effectively address climate change and economic disparities, the focus of EV incentives should shift. By targeting EV incentives to Superusers, especially those below the median income, we can achieve a twofold win: a rapid reduction in gasoline consumption and financial relief for households most burdened by gasoline expenses.
The Perfect Holiday Gift: Sparky’s Electrifying Tale Children’s Book
Holiday season is just around the corner! Give a gift that educates the young people in your life about the harms of gasoline and benefits of cleaner alternatives like EVs. Order your copy of the award-winning children’s book Sparky’s Electrifying Tale today!
EV Tax Credit Changes Make EVs More Accessible to Millions
The US Department of Treasury issued new rules that will make new and used EVs more affordable and accessible starting in 2024. First, eligible buyers of qualifying electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids will receive $7,500 at the time of purchase as a discount, rather than having to wait to take the credit at the time of tax filing. Second, taxpayers who don’t owe enough tax to be offset by the credit will still be eligible for the full credit. This discount, plus any state-level EV discounts, will make it possible for millions of Superusers to save on total monthly costs by trading in their gas car for an EV, even with an EV loan payment. Roughly 125 million taxpayers could benefit from the new rules.
Click to Check out Coltura’s EV Cost Savings Calculator
Eugene, Oregon Mulls Gas Station Ban
The Eugene City Council is considering a ban on the construction of new gas stations in the city. There are currently 42 gas stations in Eugene, a city of 175,000 people. (Seattle, with a population of 734,000, has 110 gas stations). If the ban is approved, it would be the first ban on new gas station construction outside of California, where 11 municipalities have banned gas stations.
“At a point when our transportation systems should be accommodating the exponential growth of electric cars and trucks, it makes no sense to expand gas station construction in Eugene,” said Lisa Arkin, the Executive Director of Beyond Toxics.
Coltura’s End-of-Year Matching Challenge
As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time for Coltura’s End-of-Year Matching Challenge! Thanks to a generous group of donors, every dollar you contribute will be DOUBLED, amplifying your impact.
Your support is critical to advance our mission to move away from gasoline and vehicle emissions and toward cleaner air and a healthier planet for all.
Let’s end this year with a resounding message of hope and commitment and steer towards a brighter, less polluted 2024. Your gift matters, now more than ever. Every dollar counts! #GasolineFreeFuture
Chart of the Month: How the Number of EVs on the Road Lags Percentage of EV Sales
Many headlines state that EVs will be 50% or more of new car sales by 2030 in the US, but that doesn’t mean that 50% of the cars on the road will be EVs by then. Fewer than 7% of vehicles on the road are new each year, so even if all of them were electric, the vast majority of cars on the road would still be powered by gasoline.
Forecasts for the share of cars on the road in the US that will be electric by 2030 range from 5.5% to 16%. How much gasoline those EVs will displace depends upon how much gasoline the driver is avoiding by switching to an EV. Gasoline use varies widely from driver to driver, so to maximize the gasoline reduction of the EVs on the road, the biggest gasoline users should be the drivers switching to EVs.
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Gas Station of the Month: Chevron – Downtown, Walla Walla, WA
A Chevron station in downtown Walla Walla caused a catastrophic leak that closed the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel for one month, along with the main post office and several streets in the heart of downtown.
The Chevron’s 10,000-gallon single-walled plastic underground storage tanks were installed 42 years ago. Gasoline underground storage tanks are at very high and increasing risk for leaks after 25 years. Roughly half of the gasoline underground storage tanks in the US are older than 25 years. Most states, including Washington State, provide insurance subsidies that permit the continued operation of the gas stations with the oldest storage tanks at the highest risk of leakage.
Culture Corner: Toledo Public Schools Leads Way on EV Education
Toledo Public Schools is breaking ground on a major new electric vehicle center. The EV Center aims to give students a way to access the enormous growth in EV-related jobs. It will offer classes on design, maintenance, and EV innovation for high school students as well as training for auto workers, car dealers and mechanics. UAW Local 14 in Toledo supports the project.
