EDITOR'S CHOICE

Experts Weigh In On Claim That Electric Cars Have A Mining Problem: 'These Problems Have Always Existed'

19 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

The International Energy Agency estimated that electric cars use 381 pounds more of minerals such as lithium, nickel, and copper compared to internal combustion engine cars.

"However, scientists found that the mineral use for electric cars in the long run is actually far lower than gasoline and diesel's mineral usage when accounting for oil needed for fuel-burning cars...The majority of battery minerals used in cars are likely to be recycled."

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Is Electric Car Charging Any Better In 2025? Here's What Owners Say

19 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"...the number of EVs on U.S. roads has tripled since 2021 to more than 5 million by the end of last year...It's no longer just early adopters or techies up-to-speed on all things EV, but regular folks who can't always tell a kilowatt from J.J. Watt.

"At these water coolers of the electric world, we've talked about cars or commiserated about the dodgy state of (non-Tesla) charging...They don't need to know as long as their car does its job"

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Can-Am Surprises With Launch Of Naked And Dual-Sport Electric Motorcycles

19 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"...pair of bikes will roll out with 8.9 kWh battery packs, putting them on the lower end of battery capacities these days. Those battery packs offer an estimated city range of 100 miles (160 km) or 90 miles (145 km)...The batteries fall just below the capacity of models offered by LiveWire...but above Zero Motorcycles’ entry-level electric rides...The bikes also share a 47 hp (35 kW) electric motor..The bike is priced at US $13,999..."

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Who Owns Polestar and Where Its Cars Made?

16 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

While its corporate headquarters are located in Gothenburg, Sweden, with an R&D facility housed in the U.K., until recently, all of Polestar's production has been based in China...After the Polestar 1 came the Polestar 2, also built in China...

"As of August 14, 2024, the Polestar 3 will be built in South Carolina, as well as in its Chinese factory...the move to U.S. production for the Polestar 3 will help the company avoid tariffs applied to Chinese EV imports."

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Solid-State Batteries: The Promise and the Perplexities

16 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"Solid-state batteries have emerged as a promising contender to revolutionize energy storage...widespread adoption of this technology faces significant hurdles...While the potential of solid-state batteries is undeniable, several challenges hinder their widespread adoption...Achieving high ionic conductivity within the solid electrolyte remains a critical challenge...The manufacturing process...is complex and currently expensive..."

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New York Is Now Coming For Your Fast And Heavy Electric Bikes

16 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"New York Govenor...Hochul proposed in her State of the State address yesterday that Class 3 electric bikes weighing over 100 lb (45 kg) be excluded from existing electric bicycle regulations and instead be treated more like mopeds.

"Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes can reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) on motor power...New York State has stricter Class 3 limits that provide for speeds up to just 25 mph..."

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Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor In Wyoming Hits Key Milestone

16 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"In Kemmerer, Wyoming, the Naughton Power Plant has been burning coal to provide electricity since the 1960s...plant would be shut down by 2025...it is the site where Natrium, America's first coal-to-nuclear project...US Department of Energy...gave the company an $80 million grant in October 2020 as part of its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project program...The permit allows TerraPower to begin building the non-nuclear portions of its plant.."

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Island 1,200 Miles Off The Southwest Coast Of Africa Is Now Home To The World's Most Remote EV Charging Point

15 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"Subaru UK partnered with Easee, a Norwegian EV charger brand, to set up the world's most remote public EV charging point in St Helena...The isolated island is a part of the British Overseas Territory and is mainly inhabited...the same place where Napolean was exiled..likely why Subaru UK sent a Solterra EV as part of its test...The island currently has four more electric vehicles that can benefit from the newly installed EV charging point."

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Toyota Exposed For Funding Climate Denialism Designed To Slow EV Transition

15 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"Instead of innovating, Toyota has bankrolled lobbyists and climate-hostile lawmakers to help it defeat EVs," according to Public Citizen.

"In the report, titled Driving Denial, Toyota has emerged over the last three election cycles as the auto industry's top financial backer of climate deniers in Congress - donating to 207 of their campaigners... Toyota was named by InfluenceMap as the third-worst company in the world for anti-climate lobbying, after only fossil fuel giants Chevron and ExxonMobil."

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World's First Liquid Hydrogen Powered Turbine Engine

15 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

" Turbotech, Safran, and Air Liquide teamed up to validate the feasibility of using liquid hydrogen to power a turbine engine...Hydrogen inherently has an extremely high flame temperature of up to ~5,500 °F (3,038 °C), ripe for creating NOx..Liquid hydrogen requires even more specialized equipment, as it must be kept at or below -423 °F (-253 °C) to remain liquid."

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Breaking: California Abandons Diesel Truck Ban And Other Clean-Air Rules Ahead of Regressive New Adminstration

15 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"The withdrawal comes after the Biden administration recently approved the California Air Resources Board’s mandate phasing out new gas-powered cars by 2035, but had not yet approved waivers for four other standards

"California's Advanced Clean Fleet rule, which phases out diesel trucks, was one of the most far-reaching and controversial rules...would have ended the sale of new fossil-fuel trucks in 2036 and required large trucking companies to convert their medium and heavy-duty fleets to electric or hydrogen models by 2042."

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Ford Sold More Electric Mustangs Than Gas Mustangs In 2024

13 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"...every year since Mach-E sales rose while Mustang sales dipped until last year when Mach-E sales trumped the sales of its gas counterpart under the same nameplate.

"Ford Motor Co. sold 51,745 Mustang Mach-E SUVs in the U.S. last year, trumping the sales numbers of its gas-powered counterpart Mustang [44,003] for the first time since the EV's sales commenced in late 2020 (3 sold)."

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