Electric vehicle sales are soaring

If you have been noticing more EVs on the road, you are not imagining things. A new report shows that EV sales in the US exceeded 7.5% of total passenger vehicle sales in 2022 and are tracking on 9% in 2023. This means Americans will purchase over 1 million EVs this year.

In California, EVs account for 25% of total new car sales, with Washington and Oregon right behind at 18% and 17%. That means these west coast states are ahead of global EV sales which hit 14% of new cars sold in 2022.

Other states with over 10% EV sales in 2022 were Hawaii (15%), Nevada (14%), Colorado (13%), New Jersey (13%), Massachusetts (11%), Virginia (10%) and Maryland (10%). 10% is considered a key milestone because leading markets have shown this is when sales begin to greatly accelerate.

Find all the EVs that are available today, and compare models.

More miles for the money!

A good way to appreciate the incredible energy efficiency of EVs is to compare the Hyundai Kona EV with the identical version of that car with a gas engine (ICE). These cars are exactly the same in every way except the drive trains. The Kona EV will get nearly 5 times more miles than the Kona ICE for the same amount of fuel. This will vary by state, but in every case, you get many more miles for the money.

This increased energy efficiency translates to dramatically lower carbon emissions for EVs. And, these emissions can be reduced to zero by charging at home with renewable energy from rooftop solar or community solar. As the grid gets cleaner every year, the emissions from EVs get lower and lower.

With incentives and falling battery costs, EVs are close to matching the sticker price of gas cars, and over a few years of operation they are actually cheaper to own. This is because of the much higher fuel costs and maintenance costs for gas cars. The fuel costs for EVs can be 5 times less and they require virtually no maintenance.

Find out how why EVs are cheaper than you think!

Test drive an EV during Drive Electric Week

The best way to appreciate how much better and more fun it is to drive an EV is to go for a test drive. During National Drive Electric week, there are events all over the country where you can see and drive lots of different models.

Our local Oregon EV Association Test Drive on October 8th at the Tesla Service Center in Portland, OR will feature models from BMW, Chevy, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian, Tesla, VW and Volvo.

Find an EV Test Drive Event near you!

The next generation of refrigerants is coming

Low GWP Refrigerants - October 9th, 12 Noon Pacific

Refrigerants are used in many familiar products from refrigerators to air conditioners, automobiles and of course, heat pumps. Refrigerants are critical to the efficiency of these devices as they capture and move heat to condition our spaces and heat our water.

Currently, most refrigerants have a high global warming potential (GWP) which means that if they escape to the atmosphere they can have negative climate impacts. While heat pumps still produce vastly lower emissions than gas furnaces even when considering the relatively low levels of refrigerant leakage, reducing the GWP of refrigerants is critical to combat climate change.

Legislation requires that current refrigerants like R410A, which is common in heat pumps today, be phased out and replaced by the next generation of lower GWP refrigerants. Join us as we explore the details of this transition, what it will likely mean for the products in our homes, the industry and more.

Learn more and register here

Worse than coal and getting more expensive

A newly published report from researchers at Brown University, Harvard, Duke, RMI and NASA confirms what some scientists have been saying for decades - even small leaks in our gas system makes the climate impacts of natural gas worse than coal. And the evidence of significant and ongoing leakage is mounting due to better tools to detect those leaks globally.

Another report from ACEEE concludes that household gas bills are expected to rise sharply due to the higher cost of lower carbon gas fuels, the transition to electric heating and the need to replace aging gas pipelines. The report finds that gas costs could

• Quadruple if biogas (Renewable Natural Gas) replaces fossil gas

• Increase 130% for remaining customers if many gas users electrify

• Double if large numbers of gas pipes are replaced as planned

Another gas utility has been penalized for greenwashing. SoCalGas has been fined $175,000 for its claims suggesting that natural gas is ‘renewable’. California authorities found that the company made broad ‘renewable’ marketing claims about its products even though very small amounts of “renewable natural gas” is provided by the utility.

Find out why natural gas is not clean and green

Cool things happening!

Check out these local events to learn more about the products and resources available to help you make the transition to an all-electric home.

AARP California - Power Your Savings Webinar - October 4th

Electrify Portland! 2023 Home Electrification Fair - October 7th

OEVA Electric Vehicle Test Drive and Expo - October 8th

Electrify Now youtube channel!

Our youtube channel has videos on every electrification topic from heat pump water heaters to induction stoves, ductless systems, electrical panel upgrades and more.

If you have questions or comments, or need some advice about electrification in your home, please contact us at: brianstewart@electrifynow.net

Please share this newsletter with your friends and family.

Thanks and good luck with your electrification projects!