Be a Climate Minuteman: Gain Independence from Fossil Fuels!

In 1776, the colonists were rebelling against the tyranny of King George. We now must rebel against the tyranny of fossil fuels, which threaten our very existence. Our revolt is to abandon such fuels as quickly as possible.

John Adams, 1776

“I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure it will cost us to maintain this declaration... Yet… I can see that the end is worth all the means. This is our day of deliverance.”

In 2026, Adams’ words are still relevant. There will be costs in toil and treasure to make the transition away from fossil fuels, but the end, the goal, is absolutely worth the means.

Driving an EV is one of the best ways to cut back on the use of fossil fuels. But there are lots of other good reasons to buy one. Here are some:

• Lower overall lifetime costs. Part of these savings come from much lower maintenance costs. The rest come from differences in fuel costs between gas and electricity. Electricity is expensive here, but so is gas now. It’s hard to say where they both will end up as time goes on, but electricity prices generally change slowly while gas prices can be very volatile. A recent NY Times article compared the gas and electric versions of the Chevy Equinox and showed the EV saved $17,500 over 15 years.

• EVs are more fun, with great performance. When merging onto 128 and you need to get in ahead of a fast-moving car, your EV will just fly when you floor it! They are also a quieter ride, without the noisy engine.

• Charge at home. No more looking for a gas station!

• Clean up Planet Earth! Ditching fossil fuels means fewer climate-wrecking emissions. Unless your rooftop solar or other renewable source provides the power you need, you’ll be drawing from the grid, which uses fossil fuels to generate much of our electricity. With the addition of Quebec hydropower in January, the grid got a lot cleaner, as the new power covers 20% of the state’s needs. In addition, state law requires the grid to get more power from renewables every year, and wind farms will (eventually!) push us to a really clean grid, where an EV produces virtually no emissions. A gas-powered car will never get there.

But, you say, EVs are expensive!  Many are, but more lower-cost EVs are coming to market. See below.

And you say that the federal tax credits are gone. True, but Massachusetts still has substantial incentives. Take a look at these:

The Massachusetts MOR-EV program offers excellent rebates that help to close the price gap between gas cars and EVs. The Chevy Equinox is a great example. The gas version is $30,000 and the EV is $35,000. With MA incentives, the difference virtually disappears if you trade in a working gas-powered car at least 12 years old. Here’s how:

• Standard Rebate: $3,500 for eligible new (or used if you meet income requirements) light-duty passenger vehicles.

• Vehicle Trade-in: $1,000 additional rebate if you trade in an older, operational gasoline-powered passenger vehicle (not applicable toward truck purchases).

So the cost difference between the two Equinox models falls to only $500.

• Interested in a pickup? There’s a great incentive for electric pickups:

MOR-EV Pick-Ups: $7,500 rebate for eligible Class 2b electric pick-up trucks.

• And for those with lower incomes, there’s another incentive:

MOR-EV+: An additional $1,500 adder for qualifying low-income residents, bringing the total rebate up to $5,000.

Interested? Go to HTTPS://MOR-EV.ORG  to see the details on eligibility and other guidelines.

Buying a used EV can drop your costs a lot! And leasing can be a very economical way to get an EV. Check out this site, which tracks lease offers nationwide: https://electrek.co/best-electric-vehicle-leases/ It’s updated regularly.

To quickly check out some popular EV models, go to the Green Energy Consumer Alliance’s site: GreenEnergyConsumers.org/drivegreen. This site also has lots of other great info about EVs, including a discussion about buying pre-owned EVs. One of the points they make is that it’s a lot less risky to buy a used EV than it is to buy a gas car, since an EV’s powertrain has far fewer moving parts. Here’s the summary from that discussion:

“Used cars are better for the environment. Manufacturing a new car releases carbon emissions, whether it’s electric or gasoline-powered. By purchasing a pre-owned car, you’re giving a second life to a vehicle that has already been produced, so the emissions have been accounted for. Buying a pre-owned EV is the greenest way you can own a car.”

And this site has a “Used Electric Car Finder” in the section on pre-owned EVs to help you track down a good bargain.

Let’s end with more words from American patriots:

“Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation [from fossil fuels.], the weeping voice of nature cries, ’tis time to part!”

Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776/2026

“Give me liberty [from fossil fuels] or give me death!”

Patrick Henry, 1776/Planet Earth 2026