Share

Your weekly intelligence on EVs and Transportation Decarbonization
 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Nobody ever said weaning transportation from fossil fuels was going to be easy, and the news of recent months has been anything but encouraging for electric vehicle supporters. But as Aarian Marshall writes in Wired, a geopolitical shift this size happens in years, not quarters. It is too soon, she says, to hit the panic button.


With the existential question put aside for the moment, here’s a look at the latest news on the blocking and tackling required to make the transition, starting with Boston, which is installing hundreds of curbside EV chargers with a goal of putting every household within a 10-minute walk of a public charging station or EV car share.


Next to New York, where Consolidated Edison has introduced an EV charging program that seeks to use financial incentives to reduce grid stress at times of peak demand.


Meanwhile, Autoworld has a special report on an alternative to charging — swapping batteries — saying it may be worth a second look despite earlier failures.


And in South Carolina, Inside Climate News reports that while Donald Trump’s supporters have adopted his anti-EV rhetoric, Republican officials have backed hundreds of millions in state funding to help the state land 14 EV or battery projects totaling more than $10 billion.


This week’s curation also has:

  • Axios’ look at the challenges facing electrified air travel, starting with a need for batteries with higher energy density than those for EVs.

  • A story on a 100-foot catamaran that is completing a round-the-world voyage, having logged 63,040 nautical miles without using fossil fuels since it started sailing in 2017.

  • Reports by Wired and the MIT Technology Review on why hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have failed to gain traction.

All that and more in this week’s Intelligence Report.


Jump To

Aircraft
Electric Vehicles
Fuel Cell Vehicles
Heavy-duty Vehicles
Medium-duty Vehicles
Ships

 
 

International

Why hydrogen is losing the race to power cleaner cars

Hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles offer another alternative to internal combustion engine cars, but the technology has largely failed to gain traction with drivers because they're expensive, the infrastructure is not built, fuel cells are less efficient than batteries and clean hydrogen is in short supply and there are better ways to use it. MIT Technology Review


Return to Top
 

Aircraft

International

The batteries and motors that could help electric planes take off

Batteries for electric aircraft require higher energy density than those for electric cars because it takes so much power to get off the ground. Axios


Return to Top
 

Electric Vehicles

International

Biden Calls Chinese Electric Vehicles a Security Threat

President Biden took steps Feb. 29 toward blocking internet-connected Chinese cars and trucks from entry to the American auto market, including electric vehicles, saying they posed risks to national security because their operating systems could send sensitive information to Beijing. The immediate action was the opening of a Commerce Department investigation into security threats, which could lead to new regulations or restrictions on Chinese vehicles. The New York Times


South Carolina

South Carolina Welcomes Multibillion Dollar Electric Vehicle Projects, Even Though Many Echo Trump's Harsh EV Critiques

Volkswagen has made a $2 billion bet that rural Americans will fall in love with electric drive. Its formula: Resurrect a rugged, iconic U.S. brand, Scout, and court Republican state leaders, who provided a generous incentives package. Inside Climate News


U.S.

Understanding The Gas Station Business Helps Us Understand The Future of EV Charging

It's becoming apparent that amenities are a big part of the equation, as EV drivers stick around longer. CleanTechnica


U.S.

UAW commits $40M to organizing US auto, EV battery workers

The United Auto Workers said Feb. 21 it would commit $40 million to organizing non-union automobile and EV battery workers in the United States over the next two years. The UAW said in November it was launching a first-of-its-kind push to publicly organize the entire non-union auto sector in the U.S. after strikes helped workers win record new contracts with the Detroit Three automakers. Reuters


U.S.

How a geeky calculation could weaken 2 clean car rules

The Biden administration is about to release two major rules to expand electric vehicles and make gas-powered cars run cleaner. But a third rule could undercut those efforts. A regulation being finalized by the Department of Energy would revise formulas that translate the power consumption of an electric car into gasoline use, or the miles per gallon equivalent. DOE proposed slashing the estimated fuel economy of electric cars and trucks last year, then announced in the fall it would accept more comments on the idea. E&E News


U.S.

Electrified vehicles are becoming more popular in U.S., survey says

The report added that plug-in hybrids, which bridge the gap between a regular hybrid and an EV, are gaining popularity, as sales for PHEVs grew 60% last year. Reuters


U.S.

Car shoppers aren't electrified by electric vehicles

EV growth slows as skeptical consumers look to hybrids and plug-ins. Washington Post


U.S.

130+ House, Senate Republicans join forces in opposition of Biden's upcoming EV mandate

A bicameral coalition of more than 130 Republican lawmakers penned a letter to the White House on Feb. 22, urging it to withdraw proposed tailpipe emissions regulations, forcing a transition to electric vehicles. Fox News


New York

Con Edison expands SmartCharge EV incentive program to commercial stations in NYC

Ride share and fast charging provider Revel will be the first participant in Consolidated Edison's new EV charging program, which seeks to reduce grid stress at times of peak demand in exchange for financial incentives. Officials say program incentives should help lower station operating costs. Utility Dive


International

EV sector grapples with layoffs, production cuts and altered plans

A global slowdown in electric-vehicle demand is rippling through the industry, costing jobs and leading to changes in strategic plans, layoffs and production cuts, suggesting pain in the near term could slow the transition away from gasoline-powered combustion engines. Reuters


New Jersey

South Jersey legislators want to 33% cut in gas tax, annual fees for electric cars

Seven South Jersey lawmakers are introducing a 33% cut in the state's gas tax and proposing an annual registration fee on electric cars could create recurring revenues for the state's Transportation Trust Fund. New Jersey Globe


New Jersey

Say goodbye to the sales tax break for buying electric vehicles in NJ

Over the next three years, New Jersey will phase out a sales tax waiver for people buying new and used electric cars, state officials said alongside Gov. Phil Murphy's state budget address Feb. 27. New Jersey last year announced all new car sales must be electric starting in 2035, a regulation that will be phased in starting toward the end of 2026. NJ Advance Media


Massachusetts

Boston is going is going big on installing curbside EV chargers

Boston is EV-friendly, but it needs more accessible chargers, so it's going to install hundreds of public curbside EV chargers. Boston's "Recharge Boston: Boston's Zero Emission Vehicle Program," has a goal of every household being within a 10 minute walk of a public EV charging station or EV car share, so installing 250 curbside EV chargers is part of that program. Electrek


Kentucky

Bill filed to protect Kentucky 'filling stations'

As electric vehicle charging stations expand, a new proposal in the Kentucky legislature, House Bill 581, aims to protect gas stations. State Rep. Ken Upchurch said the bill would ban local governments from restricting gas stations in favor of electric charging stations, allowing consumers to take the wheel. WKYT


International

The Switch to Electric Vehicles Was Always Going to Be a Slog

Welcome to the electric transition. To some degree, experts say, the ups and down were expected. A geopolitical shift the size of the one that the automotive industry is trying to pull off happens in years, not quarters. It may be too early to hit the panic button. WIRED


International

The electric vehicle battery swap revival

The idea of swapping out a depleted battery for a fresh one has attracted EV makers for decades, but nobody has managed to make a success of it. The benefits are clear and are enough to prompt Asian players to invest, and the region boasts rapidly growing swap networks across the two-wheeler, passenger car and CV segments. Is it time for the rest of the world to follow? Automotive World


International

Even the World's Biggest Electric-Vehicle Market Is Slowing

Chinese electric-vehicle makers that enjoyed years of explosive growth now face a slowdown in domestic demand, spurring them to push overseas and challenge global auto giants already struggling with a transition to battery-powered cars. The Wall Street Journal


Wisconsin

Assembly amendment sends EV charging station bill back to Senate

Legislation that will open the door to more electric vehicle charging stations in Wisconsin passed the Assembly after being amended recently, sending it back to the state Senate before it can go to the governor's desk. Wisconsin Examiner


Return to Top
 

Fuel Cell Vehicles

California

Some Hydrogen Car Owners Are Still Waiting For the Future to Arrive

High prices, a volatile hydrogen market, and the closure of fueling stations have bedeviled many of the California drivers who bought fuel-cell electric vehicles in hopes of going greener. WIRED


Return to Top
 

Heavy-duty Vehicles

California

Electric Semis Are Hitting the Road in California

Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, or JETSI, was funded by a handful of state sustainability agencies and aims to prove electric power can replace dirty diesel for trucking, at least for regional runs. Soon, about 100 electric trucks divided between two shipping companies will be driving around Southern California, delivering cargo while discovering just how challenging it will be for American trucking to run on battery power. JETSI took a big leap toward its goal this week as NFI, one of two companies that will operate the electric semis, opened a 50-stall high-power charging depot next to its Ontario warehouse. Heatmap


Return to Top
 

Medium-duty Vehicles

U.S.

Tired Of Diesel Fumes, These Moms Are Pushing For Electric School Buses

Diesel exhaust from school buses potentially affects one-third of U.S. students, their parents and educators each day, according to federal data. The Associated Press


Return to Top
 

Ships

International

Zero-emission ship nears finish of round-the-world voyage

The 100-foot catamaran, dubbed the Energy Observer, has logged 63,040 nautical miles without using fossil fuels since it first started sailing in 2017. TechXplore


Return to Top
 
iconShare
iconTweet
iconShare
iconForward

Copyright © 2024 RTO Insider LLC, All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
RTO Insider LLC, 2415 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD 21224-4733, United States

You are receiving this message, the NetZero Insider Weekly Intelligence Report on EVs and Transportation, as part of your paid subscription. You can set your email delivery preferences here - and change them any time you want. Note: if you're not logged in, do so and then click "My Account" in the top-right corner and scroll down to the "Requested Emails" section.

Unsubscribe





Email Marketing by ActiveCampaign