In July, Empire Clean Cities officially launched Mission Electric, a campaign and information center to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), cut fossil-fuel transportation and promote cleaner air in New York. Mission Electric invites individuals, for-hire vehicle drivers, fleets, municipalities, industry partners and environmental enthusiasts to join the electrification movement and EV community in New York.
Mission Electric builds off of New York’s ambitious goals to increase electrification in the transportation sector and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles do not produce any tailpipe emissions, helping meet greenhouse gas targets and improve local air pollution. Zero-emission vehicles also help eliminate emissions that are known to produce toxic air pollutants that are detrimental to human health. A preliminary study by Harvard University also found that coronavirus death rates were higher in areas with slightly higher levels of air pollution, making the need for long-term solutions to air quality more important than ever.
According to Tom Conboy, Program Coordinator at Clean Air NY, “In New York State, 33 percent of carbon emissions are caused by vehicle travel. Poor air quality can affect our health and can be especially harmful to children, the elderly and people with asthma, lung damage and other respiratory conditions. Re-thinking your transportation choices can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make New York’s air healthier.”
Mission Electric hosts resources and comprehensive guides to electric vehicles, charging basics and an opportunity to be part of an electric vehicle community in New York. Additionally, users can find cost savings programs and other ways to save on the purchase and long-term ownership of an electric vehicle, such as information about available tax rebates, utility programs and regional policies in a way that is easy to understand.
“Consumers and businesses can rely on the site for technology updates, charging station locations, buying tips, and data showing the economic and environmental benefits of EVs. Empire Clean Cities is making it easier and more convenient for New Yorkers to choose and drive electric vehicles,” according to Britt Reichborn-Kjennerud, Section Manager of Electric Vehicles at Con Edison.
ECC believes that electric vehicles are a safe, sustainable and zero-emission solution to clean transportation that protects our local health through air quality and our regional resilience to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
“Electric vehicles are part of a green transportation system we must create now and that must focus on repairing the legacy of environmental pollution, which has burdened low-income communities and communities of color for decades,” according toMark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “We thank Empire Clean Cities for their continued partnership and leadership in ensuring New Yorkers have better ways to understand their transportation options.”
Mission Electric is dedicated to ensuring every New Yorker receives the information they need to make the switch to electric vehicles and sustainable mobility options. You can find a press release announcing our launch here, and be sure to follow Mission Electric on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To learn more about the campaign and access available resources, visit missionelectric.org.
