What makes the plug-in hybrid cleaner than a regular gasoline car?
There are a number of factors. An electric motor is much more efficient than a gasoline engine. This is especially true for stop-and-start driving, and the CO2 content of the fuels used to make electricity is significantly lower than gasoline. Central Vermont’s power supply mix is very low emitting. The electric generation in New England that would be used to charge cars at night is primarily from natural gas. Electric plants are more than 50 percent efficient, while car engines can range from 15 to 30 percent efficient. It is also more economic to control emissions at large power plants instead of at each tailpipe, and future electric system power supplies may be even cleaner and more efficient.
