EDITOR'S PICK

21 Private Equity Firms Fund Over a Gigaton of Annual Climate Pollution

02 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"Private equity firms and their executives are making billions by investing public employees' retirement money into planet-destroying fossil fuel assets

"...energy portfolios of over 20 top U.S. private equity firms are responsible for an estimated combined 1.17 gigatons of annual greenhouse gas emissions...These billion-dollar companies make their profits while largely avoiding liability for the damages their fossil fuel investing causes frontline communities."

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Wishfully Winging It: WiGE Electric Aircraft Would Get Boost From Hydrogen

02 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"It's hard to know how seriously to take these early-stage renders...It's really too early even to get out the ol' back of the envelope and start wildly speculating on the effect that moving to hydrogen will have on this WiGE aircraft's range

"...Miami startup Sea Cheetah plans to...develop hydrogen-fueled ocean-skimmers...hydrogen generation, storage and fueling network...the US Coast Guard has confirmed it views them as marine vessels."

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Opinion: NYC's Car-Lite Future Is An Economic Imperative, Not A Fantasy

02 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"Congestion pricing is not just about alleviating traffic; it's about recognizing that a future designed around the automobile is one of economic stagnation.

"...needless delays to a program poised to pull the city's transportation infrastructure out of the dark ages and into a brighter, more economically vibrant and tech-forward future.

"..a car-lite city, enabled by robust public transit and a thriving micromobility sector - is not some utopian fantasy; it's an economic imperative..."

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Should I Get A Hybrid Or Go Full Electric?

01 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"...are critical of hybrids, saying the fuel savings are exaggerated and that they don’t cut greenhouse gas emissions.... Sales of hybrid cars in the United States were up 33% from January through July...

"...fully electric vehicles are a far more effective weapon against climate change...A plug-in hybrid produces twice the greenhouse gas emissions of a fully electric vehicle over its lifetime...owners of plug-in hybrids with 40 miles of range typically drove only 45% of the time on battery power."

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Why US Car Plants Are Being Under-Utilized

01 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

Video report looks at the problem of US car factory utilization caught in the doldrums of lagging sales and heightened EV sales expectation with companies from Ford and GM to Rivian reporting production well below their ideal 80%+ capacity levels. The result could mean billion dollar losses, job cuts and potential supply chain chaos. Automakers, industry analysts and even governments are adjusting expectations and preparing for an uncertain future."

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Visualizing the Decline of Copper Usage in EVs

01 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"Copper intensity in passenger battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has steadily decreased over the last decade, driven by numerous technological advancements...According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the copper intensity per vehicle is expected to decline by almost 38 kg, from 99 kg in 2015 to 62 kg by 2030.

"Copper used in wiring has dropped from 30 kg per vehicle in 2015 to a projected 17 kg by 2030."

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USA Up To 8% BEV Share Of Auto Market

01 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"...even in the United States, the large auto market with the weakest EV policies...electric vehicles see their sales increasing year after year. In the second quarter of 2024, compared to the second quarter of 2023, sales of 100% electric vehicles increased by 16% in the US.

"In volume terms...46,000 more electric vehicles were sold in Q2 2024 than in Q2 2023. And going back to Q2 2022, you can see that the quarterly sales had increased by 156,000."

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Cars Are King Of The Commute. But Employers May Have A Once-In-A-Generation Chance To Change That

01 Oct 2024 | Synopsis

"A perhaps overlooked element of the return-to-office conversation: How employees get to work in the first place."

"...Seattle Children's Hospital...patient volume with a workforce that numbers close to 10,000 employees, and it became clear to officials the number of new parking spaces needed would cost millions and create traffic congestion...employees who arrived by bus, bike or carpool would receive a roughly $5 bonus every day."

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Worrying Images Show How E-Bike Battery Explosion Sparks Devastating House Fire

30 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"...Green Watch attended a house fire involving an e-bike which was on charge...Many of these fires are caused by incompatible chargers, modifications to e-bikes, or faulty or counterfeit products which are purchased online. This includes chargers, lithium batteries and conversion kits for e-bikes.

"The fire service reminded e-bike owners to use the correct charger, never leave the device unattended and allow the battery to cool before charging."

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The Hydrogen Economy In America Faces A Number Of Challenges

30 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Energy Innovation...report entitled Hydrogen Policy's Narrow Path - Delusions and Solutions [reports] 'We need clean hydrogen to fulfill our climate goals, but this will happen if and only if it's truly clean and applied to highest value applications

"...three policy principles to make that happen. One is subsidizing truly clean hydrogen production. Two is investing in only high value uses. And three is reversing support for hydrogen''s low value uses."

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I Surrendered Charging Decisions To My EV, And Then Worried About Something Else

30 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Instead of mapping out my own charging strategy using various apps on my smartphone, and factoring in a significant buffer in my [Hyundai Ioniq 5] EV's state of charge, I let the machine do the planning...the route planning software was a terrific co-pilot for me and my family. It directed us to fast-chargers over the 3,400-kilometre journey from Toronto to Nova Scotia and back that required fewer stops than last year."

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Why Stellantis Is Bringing Chinese Carmaker Leapmotor To Europe

30 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"In exchange for access to the European market, the vehicle manufacturer is making its technology available to the French-American-Italian group...the T03, which has a range of 265 kilometers and can accommodate four people, will be particularly competitive against the Dacia Spring (Renault group), its only real rival, which is less technologically advanced...

"...two models are the first salvo in an offensive that aims to distribute 500,000 vehicles a year by 2030..."

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