Alabama
Birmingham ranks among the worst cities nationally for electric vehicle charging stations, but is among the fastest improving, according to a study by a prominent car sales website. The weakest EV charging network among the 50 largest metro areas belongs to Louisville with only 412 chargers, followed by Birmingham at 428 and Milwaukee at 455. But Birmingham also ranks as the seventh-fastest improving city, going from a charger for every 5,711 people in 2022 to one for every 3,936 people in 2023. Alabama Media Group
California
The California Air Resources Board is at a crossroads: It can stay the course on its widely criticized Low Carbon Fuel Standard -- or transform it to meet climate goals. Canary Media
California
Fisker has been going through a rough time lately, with its stock possibly being delisted due to low share prices. It also indicated in its recent quarterly report that there is "substantial doubt" that it can continue operating, and that it was seeking outside investment. Electrek
California
The cost to charge electric vehicles will increase with PG&E raising rates for a second time this year. PG&E would have to raise rates astronomically for it to be cheaper to fill up a gas car than charge an electric vehicle at home, but the recent electric rate hikes are going to eat into those traditional savings enjoyed by owners of electric vehicles. On March 7, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a rate hike that will increase PG&E bills by roughly $5 a month. NBC Bay Area
California
California wants residents to buy electric vehicles to fight climate change, to the point of ending the sale of new gasoline-fueled cars in 2035. But after a 20% rate hike this year by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., charging a car -- one of the single biggest items on electric bills -- just got more expensive. And the trend is unlikely to let up anytime soon: State regulators are considering further rate increases for PG&E this year. San Francisco Chronicle
Georgia
Rivian Automotive shares are rising in premarket trading March 8 as it pauses construction of $5 billion Georgia factory to cut costs and says it expects savings exceeding $2.25 billion. The company will now shift production of its R2 mid-sized SUVs to its existing facility in Illinois. Investopedia
International
Washington promised incentives for domestic manufacturing through the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, successfully wooing foreign giants like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Samsung, and LG to invest in the U.S. But these same companies are now worried about their U.S. projects, wary of high costs and uncertainty about subsidies. Fortune
International
President Joe Biden has announced that he has directed the Department of Commerce to investigate the potential national security risks from imported Chinese vehicles. The announcement follows comments by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at the Atlantic Council on Jan. 30 about several specific concerns. Modern vehicles contain a multitude of sensors that could aid Chinese intelligence services in collecting data around sensitive US facilities, such as military installations. Atlantic Council
International
British Forces Cyprus has awarded Beam Global a $1.05 million contract to provide electric vehicle charging solutions, with delivery expected by summer 2024. The contract will provide British Forces Cyprus with 10 transportable electric vehicle charging points and an accompanying trailer to allow the movement of chargers. Beam experts will also provide onsite training upon delivery of the equipment. Innovation News Network
International
New research has found that some electric vehicles could see their actual range plummet in colder temperatures, with some cars potentially seeing a real-world drop of more than 100 miles. The official Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure, which is used to measure range, was found to be particularly unrealistic in cold conditions, with shortfalls reaching almost 40% for some cars. GB News
International
The production of battery-powered vehicles creates more carbon dioxide than making those that run on gasoline, a new report says. But EVs overcome the emissions difference relatively quickly. An average EV produced in the U.S. in 2023 will close the gap in about 2.2 years or 25,000 miles, according to analysis released March 11 by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Scientific American
International
One anti-EV trope doing occasional rounds on social and even mainstream media is the reliability of battery electric cars, and the unsubstantiated claim that "due to their electronic complexity, BEVs are more likely to leave you stranded." UK breakdown rescue business Start Rescue analyzed its breakdown assistance data for new to 10-year-old cars and discovered BEVs of an equivalent age are almost 60% less likely to require breakdown assistance than ICE ones. The Driven
Maine
The Legislature's two top Democrats and a group of minority Republicans want to take control of Maine's electric vehicle rules. A bill proposed March 12 would give lawmakers, not a citizen board, the final say on clean car standards meant to curtail vehicle tailpipe emissions, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The standards, which are still being developed, would require increasing the share of zero-emissions and near-zero emissions cars and trucks sold in Maine to 51% of all vehicles sold in 2028 -- up from 43% as previously proposed -- and 82% of all vehicles sold in 2032. Portland Press Herald
Nevada
The Biden administration is providing a shot of energy into America's flagging electric-vehicle industry. The country's biggest lithium-mining project is on track to get a $2.26 billion loan from the Energy Department, part of the administration's push to increase domestic production of the rechargeable batteries that power EVs. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey
New Jersey officials have mandated that all sales of new passenger vehicles that weigh less than 8,500 pounds be electric or plug-in electric hybrid by 2035. But significant challenges remain for those buyers who embrace electric. Public charging options are limited. Experts say that New Jersey rebate programs for electric vehicle purchases are so popular, they dry up quickly. In addition, roughly half of the state's population say they have no plans to give up on gas-powered vehicles. Asbury Park Press
North Carolina
North Carolina has led the country in new electric vehicle manufacturing and battery supply chain investments since August, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. North Carolina has added $8.9 billion in new investments in the electric vehicle sector since environmental nonprofit and consulting firm WSP last updated the numbers in August 2023, leading the United States over that period. Raleigh News & Observer
Oregon
Oregon residents hoping to lower the cost of buying or leasing electric vehicles will get a brief window this spring to apply for a state rebate before the program is suspended, again. Rebates through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program will be available from April 3 to June 3. Only vehicles bought or leased during that period will be eligible to apply for the rebate. The Oregonian
U.S.
According to new research from global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, U.S. Electric Vehicle battery recycling plants plan to have the capacity to recycle 1.3 million EV-equivalents of batteries annually, but only 341,000 will be available by 2030. North American Clean Energy
U.S.
Sales growth of electric vehicles in the U.S. has started to slow, and polls show it's due in part to anxiety over running out of battery power and too few charging stations. But Rick Wilmer, the new CEO of ChargePoint, an EV charging network, says the number of charging stations and plugs is increasing rapidly. The Associated Press
U.S.
Electric car owners are freeloaders who skirt around the gas taxes that pay for the upkeep of America's roads and highways -- all while using that infrastructure just as much as anyone else. That's what some people think, but a new study suggests that isn't entirely true. InsideEVs
U.S.
A broad return to a more mixed offering of vehicles -- with lineups of gas-powered vehicles alongside hybrids and fully electric options -- assumes an all-electric future at a much slower pace, and it calls attention to ambitious EV targets set for the years ahead. CNBC
U.S.
The cost of making EVs is decreasing faster than the industry anticipated. EV production will reach cost parity with ICE-equipped cars in as little three years, and the latest forecast from Gartner predicts that EVs will actually be cheaper to make than gas-powered cars by 2027. One would expect prices to go down as EVs get cheaper to make, but sticker shock could still await buyers when it's time to insure and repair these so-called cheap EVs, as Notebook Check reports. Jalopnik
U.S.
Gartner Research: New OEM incumbents want to heavily redefine the status quo in automotive. Tesla's most affordable model is now cheaper than its ICE peer, the BMW 3-series. The most vicious competition in the space will lead to the demise of many EV startups. Oilprice
U.S.
Former President Donald Trump aimed his criticism at Biden's EV policies during a March 11 CNBC appearance. Trump remarked that it may not be the right time to transition to EVs and that "alternatives" should be made available. Yahoo
U.S.
We need a federal program that incentivizes the buildout of EV charging infrastructure in cities by covering both a part of the capital cost and the operating cost, writes Jake Potent, director of public policy and government relations for Revel. Utility Dive
U.S.
Cities have borne the brunt of the internal combustion engine, with worse air quality and poorer public health outcomes like higher asthma rates. EVs are therefore poised to be transformational for cities. Bringing that transformation to every American requires more investment, not less, as these Republican members would have it, writes Jake Potent is director of public policy and government relations for Revel. Utility Dive
U.S.
Japan-based chemical company UBE Corp. will build an EV battery chemicals factory in Louisiana to set up a U.S. EV battery supply chain -- and compete with China. UBE will invest $500 million to build the first U.S. manufacturing facility for EV lithium-ion battery ingredients dimethyl carbonate and ethyl methyl carbonate in New Orleans. There are currently no DMC nor EMC production facilities in the US. Electrek
U.S.
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council and partners launched Charging Smart, a new designation program that awards communities for electric vehicle readiness with a special focus on EV charging. North American Clean Energy
U.S.
A new report by Environmental Defense Fund and WSP USA finds continued strong growth; Georgia continues to lead the states in both EV investments ($31.2 billion) and announced jobs (38,700). Environmental Defense Fund
U.S.
U.S. electric vehicle startups are turning to cheaper models, slamming the brakes on their production ramp-up plans and laying off employees to navigate a slump in demand due to steep borrowing costs and high repair expenses for the vehicles. Reuters
U.S.
Americans who have made the shift to electric vehicles so far tend to be richer, younger and more likely to live in urban areas than the average person, research shows. New York Times
U.S.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has spurred a "boom" in the EV sector. Automakers such as Ford and General Motors are cooling down their expectations for EV consumer demand after years of excitement around the sector, according to a new CNBC report. Biden has also reportedly reined in his EV push, extending the deadline for aggressive restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. CNBC
Wisconsin
A bill clearing the way for Wisconsin to start building a network of electric vehicle charging stations along the state's interstates and highways is headed to Gov. Tony Evers. The state Senate on March 12 approved a bill that changes state law to allow retail sale of electricity by charging station operators. Under current law, such sales are only allowed by regulated utilities. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin
A GOP bill that would bring Wisconsin one step closer to building a network of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles has cleared the state Legislature. The state Senate almost unanimously passed the bill March 12 that makes changes to state law allowing private businesses to own and operate charging stations without being regulated as utilities. It now heads to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers for his signature. WPR
Wyoming
The state of Wyoming has nearly 1,100 vehicles in its fleet, including two electric vehicles. State officials say the two EVs in Cheyenne work fine but the state is too spacious for any more. Cowboy State Daily Return to Top |