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Delivery Vans are Going Electric: Where and Why

Union of Concerned Scientists

This tells us which fleets are deploying electric vehicles, which types of these vehicles are being deployed, and where. In 2023, electric cargo vans represented over seven percent of new registrations nationally for this vehicle type. One indicator of this progress is the growing share of zero-emission truck and bus registrations.

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Can the Electric Grid Handle EV Charging?

Union of Concerned Scientists

As the adoption of electric cars, trucks, and buses gains momentum, many people are wondering if the electric grid is up to the task of charging all of those vehicles. And will the grid be able to handle all of the electric vehicles we will have as we progress toward a highly-electrified transportation future, by say 2040 or 2050?

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Driving on Electricity Is Now Much Cleaner than Using a Gasoline Car

Union of Concerned Scientists

Replacing gasoline with electricity greatly reduces the carbon emissions from driving. Based on where electric vehicles (EVs) have been sold, driving the average EV in the US produces global warming emissions equal to a hypothetical 94 mile per gallon gasoline car, or less than a third of the emissions of the average new gasoline car.

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Electric School Buses: The Best Choice for Our Kids and Communities

Union of Concerned Scientists

It turns out school buses are at the leading edge of the transition to electric heavy-duty vehicles. But just in case there was any doubt, UCS crunched the numbers to compare the different types of school buses from gasoline and diesel-powered option, to natural gas, electric and yes – even propane. Why not 100 percent?

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Electric bikes: a Less-Polluting Option for Commutes and Errands in the “New Normal”

Union of Concerned Scientists

But pre-COVID, most days I used an electric bike to handle the 11-mile round trip to and from the Oakland UCS office. Using an electric bike gave me the opportunity to get to the office as quickly as with a car, with virtually no pollution and the added bonus of some outside time. But why are electric bikes important?

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Electric Vehicle Sales in US Hit the Accelerator Pedal

Union of Concerned Scientists

With more electric vehicle choices than ever, EV sales in the US are hitting new heights. In just the first half of 2023, over 670,000 EVs were sold with over 80 percent of those fully-electric battery electric vehicles (BEVs ). Finally, let’s look at driving an electric SUV in Idaho.

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Today’s Electric Vehicles Can Greatly Reduce Emissions From Driving

Union of Concerned Scientists

Electric vehicles (EVs) can eliminate tailpipe emissions altogether and are also more efficient than gasoline vehicles making EVs an important technology for reducing both global-warming and harmful air pollution from personal transportation. Note: Acronyms refer to electricity grid regions as defined by EPA’s eGRID database.