EDITOR'S PICK

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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."

Read Full Story

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..."

Read Full Story

Canoo's Oklahoma Plant Becomes First Automotive Foreign-Trade Zone In The State, Cutting Red Tape And Reducing Fees

30 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs) are specially designated sites close to U.S. ports that importers and exporters use to move goods in and out of the country. Companies operating in FTZs pay reduced or zero duties, taxes or fees...Canoo's Oklahoma plant, which the company opened last April, occupies close to 500,000 square feet

"Canoo's delivery vehicles are designed to be modular, built for global roads and a variety of commercial uses."

Read Full Story

The Masterplan To End EV "Range Anxiety" Forever

28 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"The US needs 28 million EV chargers by 2030. Here’s how it can get there.

"...there are more than 70 EV models available for purchase in the US, and Americans are buying them in record numbers...the median range of EVs in the US a decade ago was only about 80 miles, it was 270 miles in 2023

"...several more radical ideas could also help convince people to trade in their gas-guzzlers for an EV...Wireless charging is one of them."

Read Full Story

California Lawmakers Drive Solutions For EV Battery Recycling

28 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Eighty-six percent of a vehicle by weight is either reused, repurposed, recycled or the parts go down to remanufacturing

"But electric vehicles are different from gasoline-powered cars. They don't have metal engines or traditional gearboxes. Their batteries have complicated components. These cars can't just be thrown into the existing recycling system...

"There were more than 3 million EVs on U.S. roads last year. It could be 10 times that many by 2030."

Read Full Story