EDITOR'S CHOICE

eVTOL Developer Lilium Gets $200 Million Reprieve From Going Bust

06 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"...there was a Christmas miracle on December 24, with investors throwing out a €200 million (US$206 million) lifeline... things are jumping at a pace not seen since the dotcom bubble of the 1990s when flash new companies had the lifespan of mayflies with a chronic cough.

"Mobile Uplift consists of the US private equity group Fifth Wall and an unnamed European financial investor along with battery producer CustomCells..."

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The Decline and Coming Fall of Oil

06 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"... the forces of Wrong-Wingism are determined to roll back all of that progress...they can certainly do some damage with Executive Orders, but they can’t pass laws through the bitterly divided House...renewables and storage, and has made major inroads into others among the Reddest states..

"Oil won’t die for lack of supply, but for lack of demand for fuel and petrochemicals...the Saudis and other oil kingdoms are discovering the sun..."

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California May Lose A Popular Carpool Program - And The Traffic Impact Could Be Huge For Everyone

02 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"... popular program that has allowed more than 1.1 million California motorists to drive solo in carpool lanes...Clean Air Vehicle decal program...will expire Sept. 30, 2025.

"Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation in September extending the program to Jan. 1, 2027...state law becomes moot unless federal officials lengthen a provision allowing such use of high-occupancy vehicle lanes...Hybrid vehicles with no plug-in option were allowed at first and later excluded."

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Why Executives Think The US Auto Industry Is Headed Towards A 'Breaking Point'

02 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

SAE Detroit Section's Global Leadership Conference...is so concerned with what they see coming in the automotive industry that, for the first time, they decided to publish this White Paper and issue a Call to Action...the combination of several major changes all happening at the same time that are pushing domestic auto manufacturers towards "breaking point."

"paper outright states that demand for cars has stopped growing in the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea."

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Survey: 67% Think Government Should Provide EV Purchase Incentives

02 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"...number shrank to 50% when respondents were asked about the federal government specifically... 61% of respondents said they wanted state and local governments to "increase their support and invest in electric vehicles" if the federal government ends EV incentives.

"The majority of current EV owners (78.2%) said they would still choose an EV without any incentives that reduce the vehicle's purchase price, as did 38.1% of non-EV owners."

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French Researchers Make Shocking Discovery After Examining Vineyard Grown Under Solar Panels

02 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"Instead of replacing farmland with solar arrays, agrivoltaics allows farmers to continue earning money via farming while also earning money from leasing that land to solar companies.

"In France...two pilot programs in the south of France...involved growing grapes for winemaking... reported...the experiment also actually increased yields...The yield of Chardonnay grapes increased by 60%, followed by Marselan at 30% and Grenache blanc at 20%."

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Passengers Threatened And Harassed In Driverless Taxis Feel 'Powerless' To Protect Themselves

30 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"...flip side to autonomous vehicles; the absence of a driver has emboldened harassment and threats towards passengers traveling alone...three women [in] dangerous situations that the driverless taxis put them in.

"If a rider feels their personal security is threatened while riding, they can reach out to 911 via the Waymo One App...Riders can also change their destination or add stops at any time in the app...

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China Hits EV Target 10 Years Early, Still Hasn't Reached 2020 Nuclear Target

30 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"...China Society of Automotive Engineers laid out a roadmap for how the country was going to achieve 50% of all cars sold in 2035 being fully electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen...projections from HSBC, UBS, Morningstar, and Wood Mackenzie, that’s actually going to happen in 2025

"The nation's wind energy capacity reached 281 GW, far exceeding the target of 210 GW. Solar power saw even more dramatic growth..."

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How Sustainable Is Cycling, Really? An Expert's Take

30 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"We asked ultra-distance cyclist and sustainability expert Dr Ian Walker how bikes can best help the planet.

"...avoiding car ownership is a key step, as the embodied emissions from manufacturing a car are significant. An e-bike can often replace a second car..cultural assumption that driving is the default, normal way to travel, while alternatives like cycling and public transport are dismissed...Replacing short car trips with cycling is space efficient, healthier, and fosters sustainability."

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French Company Unveils Game-Changing Electric Truck That Could Rival Tesla Semi - And It Has Unbelievable Range

30 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

Renault...E-Tech T trucks will have a single-charge range of 375 miles, approximately the distance between Los Angeles and San Francisco...specifically rivals the Tesla Semi's range of 300 to 500 miles...Renault has had hybrid and electric trucks on the market since 2009, with its mass production starting in 2020...its electric truck customers have saved 32,000 tons of carbon dioxide pollution...Orders for the E-Tech T will open in mid-2025.

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'Like Your Tesla Rental? Want To Keep It?' Hertz Is Trying To Unload Its Tesla Cars On Renters

27 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Tesla fleet boosted Hertz's customer satisfaction, but issues soon arose when Tesla cut prices...Hertz...relies on fleet value for its financial health...To mitigate losses, Hertz announced plans to sell about 20,000 Teslas

"...recent Hertz renter shared...offer that the rental company sent him about keeping his Tesla Model 3 after his rental...Hertz offered him to buy the 2023 Model 3 with 30,000 miles for just short of $18,000..."

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What Are The Implications Of $66/kWh Battery Packs In China?

27 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Power Construction Corporation of China drew 76 bidders for its tender of 16 GWh of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage systems (BESS), according to reports. Bids averaged $66.3/kWh, with 60 bids under $68.4/kWh.

"A full BESS price of $66 per kWh is going to be a bit higher for an EV battery pack...China will also put those battery packs into Chinese built EVs and ship them overseas...undercut western car manufacturers significantly even with tariffs."

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