Help Reduce Our Transportation Emissions
Fully electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, so when you drive one, you won’t contribute any greenhouse gas emissions into Colorado’s air. That means less smog blurring out our views, too. Read below to understand how driving electric is one of the most important things we can do to reduce the air pollution in our state.
Fully Electric Vehicles Have Zero Tailpipe Emissions
Fully electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3, or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 produce zero tailpipe emissions, the sorts of emissions that create smog and contribute to climate change. So when you drive a fully electric vehicle, you are personally making a positive impact on Colorado’s air quality!
Interested in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) instead? You’ll also help reduce Colorado’s transportation emissions. Because PHEVs run partially on an electric battery, many of your quick trips around town will likely be all-electric and produce zero emissions too!
- Reducing smog
The Denver Metropolitan area ranks as one of the smoggiest cities in the country. Driving fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will help change this! - 940,000 EVs by 2030
To meet its 2030 air pollution reduction targets, the state of Colorado has set a goal of 940,000 EVs on our roads. Learn more about Colorado’s EV goals and plans! - 80% reduction in GHG emissions
By 2030, Colorado will see an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation, primarily due to lower fossil fuel usage and an increase in renewable energy. That means an EV purchased today will continue to get cleaner as more and more renewable energy is deployed.
EVs Have 60-68% Lower Lifetime Emissions Compared to Gas-Powered Vehicles
Studies have been conducted to compare the lifetime emissions between EVs and gas-powered cars, taking into consideration the supply chain, the manufacturing process, utility-generated emissions related to charging, tailpipe emissions and end-of-life recycling. The findings show that in the US for a medium-sized vehicle, the lifetime emissions for EVs are 60-68% lower than similarly sized gas-powered vehicles. Want to compare total emissions between an EV and the typical gas-powered vehicle in your area? Check out the Department of Energy’s “Beyond the Tailpipe Emissions Calculator” to see just how much less the total emissions of your favorite EVs are!
As the Grid Gets Cleaner, So Do EVs
Colorado’s current energy mix for power generation is 34.5% renewables, 33.3% coal, 30.6% natural gas, and 1.6% hydroelectric (as of November 2023). But as a part of Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Roadmap, the state is committed to the swift transition away from fossil-fuel generated electricity to renewable electricity to meet its 2030 goals. As such, charging your EV in the state will only become more environmentally friendly as time goes on.