Buying program cuts electric car prices

By Eric Smalley

Now’s the time to buy an electric car. Check out the Drive Green buying program from the nonprofit Mass Energy Consumer’s Alliance. The program, which runs through February 28, 2017, includes discounts from area car dealers. The discounts, which vary by make and dealership, are on top of a federal $7,500 tax credit and state $2,500 rebate. The deals make buying an electric car less expensive than buying a comparable gas-powered car.

The program covers buying or leasing a Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, Ford C-MAX Energi or Ford Fusion Energi. There’s also a waiting list for the new Chevy Bolt, which is expected to be available in Massachusetts by the middle of February.

With the current mix of generating sources on the electric grid in Massachusetts, driving an electric vehicle accounts for about a third of the carbon emissions of a gas-powered car. If you combine an electric vehicle with Mass Energy’s green electricity buying program, you can drive a truly zero-emission vehicle.