EDITOR'S PICK

Six Climate and Environment Takeaways From the Election

08 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"... climate change and the environment weren't really on the ballot this year. Compared with other hot-button issues like the economy, women's rights, and democracy, environmental concerns fell pretty low on most voters' lists of concerns.

"Xrump 1.0 was environmental maliciousness smothered in incompetence; Xrump 2.0 threatens to be environmental maliciousness spiked with ruthless efficiency."

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Guy Makes 'Dodgy E-Bike' From 130 Used Vapes To Make Point About E-Waste

06 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"Chris Doel took 130 disposable vape batteries (the bigger "3,500 puff" types with model 20400 cells) found littered at a music festival and converted them into a 48-volt, 1,500-watt e-bike battery, one that powered an e-bike with almost no pedaling more than 20 miles

To be clear: Do not do this.
"We are tossing out a lot of battery materials that could be doing a lot of other things."

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Lime First To Sign New E-Bike Charter Created By Blind And Partially Sighted People

06 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"The charter calls for operators, local authorities and governing bodies to sign up to Sight Loss Councils’ six key principles...The charter recommends that operators, local authorities and governing bodies: provide parking bays and racks where users should park e-bikes...Further recommendations include working towards ensuring all rental e-bikes are fitted with some form of audible alert equipment...

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New York City Tests A Solar-Powered Electric-School-Bus Microgrid

06 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"Four battery-electric school buses are onsite today, with 12 more expected by the start of next school year. They’ll be bolstered by a 500-kilowatt solar array and a 2-megawatt-hour battery onsite...All the assets at the site in eastern Brooklyn - buses, solar panels, and batteries - can modulate when they pull power from the grid

"Similar electric-bus V2G projects are being launched in multiple states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts."

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Fixing EVs' Ecological And Social Problems Needs Circularity And Transport Redesign

06 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"While fully electric vehicles don’t emit carbon during their use, they still have environmental and human rights impacts all along their supply chain... Experts say this entire auto supply chain needs an overhaul.

"...public transport, biking, walking need to be part of the discussion when we’re talking about transport. It can’t be just about cars, and any conversation that is just about cars or vehicles is too narrow at solving a problem."

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Joby Aviation Completes First International Air Taxi Flight In Japan Alongside Toyota

04 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"Early believers like Toyota Motor Corporation, who joined the eVTOL fold in 2019, have invested hundreds of millions in funding...Last month, Toyota nearly doubled its previous investments in Joby Aviation, providing $500 million to help the company reach certification and scale production of its eVTOL air taxis.

"Joby Aviation completed a demonstration air taxi flight above Toyota's Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan, without a pilot."

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Major Chinese Manufacturer Known For Its Budget TVs Is Entering The EV Space - And Its First Car Boasts Some Incredible Specs

04 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

Skywell..."is unveiling the Q, a 'competitively priced' EV set to hit Europe in 2025...offers two battery options, including one that holds a charge of over 300 miles. This large charger could give 10% to 80% recharge in 20 minutes. The Q can also go 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, which is a notable acceleration time for an EV.

"Skywell plans to sell the vehicle with a 'seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty and an eight-year, 155,000-mile warranty for the battery."

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Public EV Chargers Are Good For The Planet. They're Also Good For Business

04 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"since opened seven more in three states..so far..the [business model] is holding up pretty well.

"...journal Nature Communications looked at chargers in California and found that, pre-pandemic, businesses saw an average annual boost of $1,500 when at least one of the devices stood nearby...Supercharger installations nationally and saw they brought a 4% increase in visitors to a business."

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Are EV Sales Slowing - Or Setting New Records? The Correct Answer As, Both.

04 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"Electric vehicles continue to grow in the United States but not at the pace of 2021 to 2022, when estimated annual increases were 89% and 65%...The 2023 annual increase was 46%, and in the most recent quarter of this year, year-over-year growth was about 11%...

"Boston Consulting Group survey of 3,000 consumers earlier this year found that 6% already own an EV, 38% intend to purchase an EV as their next vehicle, and another 27% are considering buying one in the future."

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I Tried An E-Bike For A Week. Here Are The Pros And Cons.

03 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

"In Baltimore, roughly 54% of trips are three miles or shorter...The real test would be if it could handle trips I would typically use my car for because of distance or hills.

"The first time up a hill when the pedal assist kicked in, I felt like the whole city had just opened up to me...

"An e-bike won't make sense for everyone. But, for those looking for a new way around town or to save on the high cost of owning a car, it could be a game changer."

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Lawmakers Propose New Legislation That Would Make 'Big Polluters' Pay $1 Trillion: 'This Is So Serious'

03 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

""Big polluters can no longer run from their responsibility to address the harm they have done.

"There is a growing nationwide push to hold gas and oil companies accountable for knowingly contributing to the climate crisis and deceiving the public...Only the largest U.S. fossil fuel extractors and refiners - as well as foreign companies that do business in the U.S. - would have to pay into the fund."

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Tested! Would Chinese EVs Work in America?

03 Nov 2024 | Synopsis

Given the fact that it's effectively impossible for foreign visitors to legally drive in China [Motortrend] relied on our partners in this endeavor... to purchase an assortment of what they thought were both the best and most interesting Chinese vehicles...They came back with 18 electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electric vehicles...

"...All of the vehicles we tested were either purchased, rented, or borrowed by DCar..."

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