Local, state and federal governments can offer rebates or tax credits but dollars are limited, Nunes said.

On that per-dollar basis, the hybrid takes the cake.

Cost also translates to accessibility. What good is an EV if it’s unaffordable?

If we’re talking about cutting the greatest amount of emissions relatively quickly, MacKenzie said, hybrids again probably win.

“Are we better off having 10 cars that cut their emissions by 100% or 50 cars that cut their emissions by 50%?” MacKenzie said.

(Hint: It’s the second option)

Don’t overlook compatibility either, MacKenzie said. EVs and plug-in hybrids must be, well, plugged in, and not everybody has access to their own charging station.

Think outside the box

Let’s not pretend like these are our only options, though.

Transportation accounts for nearly 30% of our greenhouse gas emissions in this country, and there are plenty of ways to cut that number down. We’d be remiss in assuming it’s a one-for-one scenario where a bad car goes out and a good car comes in.

If an EV produces about half as much carbon dioxide per mile as an internal combustion engine, a full bus could produce less than a fifth as much carbon dioxide as that same traditional engine.

Trains can offer similar — sometimes even better — savings, a 2022 U.S. Department of Transportation study found.

That’s not to say we need to immediately flood city streets with buses, MacKenzie said. These transit options must be accessible and practical enough to attract riders.

“Low emissions per seat-mile plus $5 gets you a cup of coffee,” MacKenzie said. “It means nothing unless there are butts in the seats.”

Ride sharing and carpooling can also help, Nunes said.

So can electric bicycles (for which rebates are also available), regular bicycles, walking, roller skates, Razor scooters or a friendly equine. You get the idea.

Anything to avoid that dreaded, single-occupant vehicle clogging the freeway and spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

There’s no one way to cut our emissions, individually or collectively. It’s going to take a little bit of everything.

©2024 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.