In keeping with the spirit of National Energy Awareness Month, WalletHub has
released its annual state rankings for home energy and
auto efficiency, excluding Hawaii and Alaska. Top spots went to Massachussetts, New York and Rhode Island; the bottom rungs belong to West Virginia (46), Alabama (47) and South Carolina (48). No doubt,
Hawaii would have enjoyed a spot very near the top, as it consistently ranks very highly for energy efficiency and overall environmental responsibility.
Connecticut only ranked 15th for home energy efficiency, but can be very proud of its position in vehicle efficiency. Take a drive down the Post Road in Milford and you will be struck by the number of EV charging stations in front of the Post Mall. Similar 'burbs are seeing such an influx. Driving a Tesla or Toyota Highlander is no longer the purview of the "tree hugging" elite or mocked, but a sign of civic and environmental responsibility.
I sent
WalletHub's analyst Jill Gonzalez a handful of questions, to which she responded as best she could. Readers are encouraged to keep a Google Alert for "Tesla" or "Hybrid Cars", etc. to stay abreast of the news nationally and in our state.
What makes Connecticut #4 for auto energy efficiency? Can you please explain in simple terms?
Connecticut is fourth for auto energy efficiency mostly due to its vehicle fuel efficiency. This is 19.23 miles per gallon - third best in the country. Transportation efficiency is another factor that contributed to this ranking. This translates to the state having a low number of vehicle miles driven per capita.
Thank you. I noticed in Milford that there seem to be more and more electric charging stations. What are the Connecticut stats over time?
We don't have data about the number of charging stations. (Connecticut had over 360 public EV charging stations as of April 2020,
according to CT.Gov.)
What are the top autos Nutmeggers are buying? Have incentives by Governor Lamont or ? facilitated or spurred this on? How so?
We don't have information about the autos that are being bought in each state, and we can't comment on trends. You can find a list of the metrics used in the analysis
here.
Why aren't we no 1? What would it take to get there?
Connecticut is currently the ninth most energy efficient state. Home energy efficiency is what kept it from ranking higher. More specifically, the state ranks below average in terms of annual degree days. This refers to the days when the temperature outside is above or below a reference value (i.e. 65°F) and implicitly requires either cooling or heating the house.
Doesn't the price of a hybrid or electric vehicle remain prohibitive for many? Describe why or why not.
While hybrid and electric vehicles do have sustainability and low running costs, sale prices still remain prohibitive for many. Electric cars in particular have significantly bigger price tags than hybrids. In fact, all electric cars tend to cost more than their petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid counterparts. This happens because they are produced in smaller numbers and incorporate more advanced technology.
For more information on buying electric vehicles in the state, please visit this site.:
Images: TOP: A Tesla charging station in Greenwich, By Z22 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33769202; Bottom: Analyst Jill Gonzalez, used with permission from WalletHub
To read the entire report and see WalletHub's rankings, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/most-and-least-energy-efficient-states/7354
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