Because much of Wisconsin’s electricity is still generated with coal, the environmental impact of driving an electric vehicle charged by the power grid is roughly akin to driving an internal-combustion vehicle that gets 40 mpg — about 10 miles per gallon less than the current hybrid fleet — according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Cabs will be fully charged overnight and topped off between shifts, Kalluri said. The cars have a range of more than 300 miles per charge, more than enough to cover average use.

Zerology plans to install a 600-kilowatt solar array at Green Cab’s garage to cover the daytime charging and offset the nighttime electricity use.

Zerology, which will lease the vehicles to Green Cab, is also developing a new app to make it more convenient to book a ride.

Kalluri said he chose Teslas because of their safety record and because the data each vehicle collects will help Zerology get the most use out of each car and reduce wasted trips.

“We can actually help with urban planning,” he said.