Clarence Hayes is a Representative Town Meeting member, and an ardent environmentalist. He says:
I’ve written here before about Westport’s outsized contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
On a per capita basis, Westport is among the very worst polluters on the planet – higher even than the worst country: Qatar.
Some emissions are direct – driving big cars, heating big houses, flying to Florida. Others are indirect, like our high consumption of goods and services, each with its own carbon footprint.
I’ve also written about the town’s progress in adopting electric vehicles. Below is this year’s update, based on 2024 data, and the last 5 years.
The analysis uses the motor vehicle grand list, EPA data, and a VIN matching tool I built which leverages a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database. I determined the greenhouse gas emissions for every distinct model registered in Westport over 5 years: 34,246 models.
(NOTE: I created this tool, because I was unable to find any government or private tool. I will soon offer it to other towns in the state.)
The GHG rmissions include both “tailpipe CO2” – what comes out of the car — and “upstream” emissions. For an EV, upstream means the emissions produced in generating electricity. For a gas vehicle, it means those produced in extracting, refining and transporting oil-based fuels.
The average EV, which gets 3.6 miles per kwh, generates 80 gCO2e per mile. The average gas car in Westport generates 482 gCO2e per mile – 6 times more.
Between 2022 and 2023, Westport added 275 EVs; between 2023 and 2024, 323. The total is now up to 6.5% of all registered vehicles.
But we have a long way to go. It is easy to notice an EV, and assume they’re everywhere. But one tends to not notice all the non-EVs.
An electric BMW 17.
We still emit 5.3 tons of CO2 per Westporter from cars only. In France, meanwhile, 6 tons per person is emitted from every CO2 source – the total carbon footprint.
I didn’t own an EV myself until recently. My gas car was old, but in good condition.
And building any new vehicle carries a GHG cost. Manufacturing a Tesla Model Y emits 14 tons of CO2 — more than the 9 tons for a comparable BMW X3.
It’s the battery. It takes 16,500 miles of driving to break even in CO2 emissions. Unless you have a gas guzzler, keeping your current gas car is greener than buying anything new.
But my wife recently started a new daily activity in Redding, and one car was no longer enough. So I finally got an EV. I was surprised – it’s great!
For only $15,800, I got a mint condition used 2024 Nissan Leaf with only 5,000 miles on it, and full factory warranties. A 5-seater, I easily fit both my grandkids in the back seat and have plenty of cargo space.
Driving an EV was a revelation. Instant acceleration and engine braking make it fun to drive. It’s low maintenance, and as quick as my 2002 BMW 325i. EVs have caught up. Even the Leaf is terrific.
The market is mature. There are EVs for every type of driver, from minimalist to luxury. You can drive to Stowe or DC on one charge. And EV prices continue to come down.
Due to our high electricity prices, unfortunately, EV fuel costs are only slightly lower than those of a gas car — for example, 8.0¢/mile (at $0.29/kWh and 3.6 miles/kWh) vs. 9.7¢/mile for a gas car getting 32 mpg, at $3.11/gallon.
(Your electricity rate may differ by a cent or two. depending on your usage. Eversource offers a $300 annual credit if you program your EV to charge anytime other than noon to 8 p.m. weekdays.)
Here is a cost comparison for 2025 new cars for a range of vehicle types:
Click on or hover over to enlarge.
EVs match gas cars in size, features and performance.
If you regularly take 400+ mile trips and worry about charging, get a plug-in hybrid. Much of your driving around town will be electric; on long distance trips they get far better mileage. You will at least emit half of what you would with the average straight gas car.
Here are more EV examples – still just a subset of what you can get now:
The 86 worst-polluting cars in Westport emit the same CO2 as the 1,000 cleanest.
The choices of 70 households cancel out the gains made by the 572 others who chose EVs. And they weren’t compromising. These are nice cars: Lucid Air, BMW i4, Genesis G80, Mercedes EQ450, Audi Q4 eTron, etc..
Make your next car electric.
(Questions or interest in the source data? Email Clarence: chayes@westportct.gov)
(“06880” regularly covers the environment, transportation, and much more. If you enjoy stories like these, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
How about we stop building all of these multi living units that add 25-50 cars and painful traffic and exhaust backup at every corner!
Has the author incorporated the emissions reductions from those homes with solar panels? We have a lot in town. Also, I only charge my EVs using solar energy stored in my power walls. So, my emission adjustment for my EVs would be much better, right?
How can the emissions generated from local elecric powerplants burning gas, coal or whatever fossil fuel not be factored? Is that a convenient ommissiom, or am I missing something? The tail pipe is either on your ICE or up i95 in Bridgeport and its called a smokestack.
They are ‘factored’ in. You are referring to the upstream emissions of EVs – the emissions from producing electricity – which I point out in my article above and which are included in the analysis. The average EV generates 80 gCO2e per mile – which is listed in the article above. Some generate less (a tesla), some generate more (a rivian). But the avg gas car in Westport generates 482 gCO2e per mile.
Melody, thats pretty cool, Dan, can you do an article on all of the options available and best ways to get solar panels and power walls, and most efficient electricity managing tools? and we all may just go to a scooter town…. the traffic is entering the unbearable stage, and summer has not even kicked in yet
Thanks, Adam. I am open of course to posting any info that readers send!
Reality is there are two highways going through, winds bringing smoke in from hundreds or thousands of miles away , and the environmental impact of building an EV and later disposing of it especially the battery is nothing to pat yourself on the back on.
it’s far more complicated then a local issue.
As there are two types of hybrid cars, where are those that are not plug-in (but, rather, recharge while driving and braking) accounted for? We recently researched/shopped for a hybrid and saw many of that sort…and, in fact, purchased one. It’s serving us well and we see many around town.
I think that a particular problem in Westport is the number of idling vehicles. It seems like everywhere one goes there are people sitting in their cars with the engines churning out unnecessary emissions. It is a mindset problem. I don’t know how we can realistically stop it but somehow it needs to be reduced.
I leased a Volvo CR40 electric from the dealer in town and the car is excellent. I was surprised/disappointed about the cost of driving – which has increased with increasing electricity costs. But the drive far exceeds what a comparable gas vehicle offers – while range in this vehicle is at just about 200 miles. Excellent for how I use it, but not for long rides. Point being, as a user there may still be some compromises one has to consider, but the vehicles are really great to drive. With time, cost should come down and range will go up. I can’t see a future for gas cars – and that’s without considering environmental benefits.
I have a 2020 Lexus UX250 hybrid. For 30 years, I had leased all-gas vehicles and got a new vehicle (another lease) after three years. I leased the 2020 Lexus hybrid and bought it after the lease matured. Why? It gets 50 miles to the gallon. I have driven it 70,000 miles; it has not required any repairs. This was not my experience with all-gas vehicles and even though I had them for only three years each. The hybrid starts “on battery” (no emissions in my garage) and “idles” without emissions because of the battery. I love the “quiet” aspect of the hybrid.
l will never buy an all-gas vehicle again. I live in Maine now where EV charging infrastructure doesn’t exist so full-EV is out of the question until that happens. Until then, hybrid all the way.
This type of barking at the moon logic is old, stale and inflamitory.
If you are going to single groups, geographic locals and throw in some flawed science lets not forget to express this greenhouse gas, carbon foot print and incomplete analysis of natural based climate change then how does one differentiate how a global conditions like the over contrbution of INDIA and CHINA where about 3 Billion populations and almost no effective controls are in place. You honestly believe the US with a population of about 375 million with its major energy and emissions standards many in place for decades is going to even make a dent in the problem, YOU ARE ON A FOOLS ERRAND!
Why is it that readers of 06880 cannot be simply say “thank you” to Clarence for a very informative and well researched article.
While I am unlikely to rush out and buy an EV, I know a bit more about the subject than I did before reading his article.
Thank you!
So, I’m guessing you aren’t too happy that there are other views than that of Mr. Hayes and you find that annoying. Life would be so easy if everyone just embraced one view. And it would be perfect if everyone just automatically did what you wanted them to do, thought what you want them to think and bowed when you wanted them to bow and to know when that is without you having to tell them.
Thank you, Clarence.
I have been driving a hybrid since 2013.
Our family started buying Toyota hybrids with 2007 Prius. Now have 2016 Avalon hybrid(38-40 mpg), 2017 Highlander hybrid (26/28 mpg) and 2022 Prius plugin (50-55mpg on gas only- can go 25-30 miles on charged batteries). Incredible reliability. Would not consider a gas only auto. All plugins for now. Waiting for next generation of solid state lithium batteries- more range than my bladder allows and faster filling than gas station. Then EV!!
Also we have 32 panels and 2 batteries- monthly credit average over $250 instead of monthly bill average 250-300). That’s a $500plus swing. Plus no outages- tree fell on Wilton rd taking out service for over 7 hours in our area- but not at our house- seamless switch to batteries.
Doing nothing about climate change is not an option if you cherish the world you leave to your kids and grand kids.
Just my opinion
Nate Hagens is extremely helpful in understanding where humanity is at on this issue. I highly recommend this talk: https://youtu.be/cT5d8n1Syb8?si=0uBpTXvQ5CRGcG9c. And, once we as a community comes to terms with where we’re at, I recommend we start building community resilience. The Transformational Resilience Coalition is helpful in this regard: https://itrcoalition.org/.
Cost per mile for an EV is only 5.0¢/mile (half of what it is for a gas car) if you have rooftop solar panels financed with the CTGreenBank Smart-E Loans. Here’s the math: average cost for a 5 kw array producing 6,614 kwh/yr is $13,703 per EnergySage.com or $9592 net of the 30% tax credit; current GreenBank rate is 7.99% for 15 yr loan; debt service for the 5 kw array based on these rates is $1120/yr.). So power from rooftop solar only costs $1120/6614kwh = 17¢/kwh. 17¢/kwh divided by 3.6 miles/kwh = 5.0¢/mile