Percent of passenger vehicles that are hybrid/electric
Low and no emission vehicles help the Commonwealth reach its emission reduction goals outlined in the Global Warming Solutions Act and also help improve air quality for residents. While electric and hybrid vehicles make up a relatively low proportion of personal vehicles on the roadway in the state, it is important to track going forward, and as more vehicles are manufactured with alternative fuel types to gas and diesel, the hybrid/electric vehicle fleet will likely increase.
In FY22, the percent of active personal vehicle registration that are hybrid/electric and electric accounted for 3.2 percent of all active vehicle registrations. This is slight increase from 2.9 percent in FY21.
Percent of failed vehicles inspections due to emissions
For passenger vehicles, fourteen key components of a vehicle are evaluated during the safety inspection. One of those components is a vehicle emissions test. All passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs with model years 2005 and newer are subject to an emissions test. This emission test checks a vehicle’s on-board diagnostics (OBD). An inefficient engine or emissions control system adds pollutants to the air in our region and reduces a vehicle’s fuel economy.
This test is run through the APPLUS system. Vehicle emissions information is then sent to both the RMV and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
The most common causes of emissions test failures include: malfunctioning components that regulate fuel/air ratio, such as oxygen sensors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves, engine misfire, catalytic converter, and evaporative controls, including poor-fitting gas caps.
In FY22, 4.0 percent of vehicles that were inspected in Massachusetts failed the vehicle inspection due to emissions.
