EDITOR'S PICK

Ban On Off-Brand E-Bike Battery Sales Lands In Congress Budget Deal, Spurred By New York Tragedies

19 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"A measure prohibiting retailers - including Amazon and other online sellers - from selling untested, unsafe lithium-ion batteries...is in the U.S. Senate budget package, paving the way for the law to go into effect by year's end.

"Since 2019, fires caused by highly explosive e-bike batteries have resulted in 929 fires, causing 507 injuries and 33 death as of early September."

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Enthusiasm Grows for Curbside EV Charging

19 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Voltpost...can retrofit an existing lamppost into a Level 2 charger in one to two hours, at a fraction of the cost of installing direct-current units. Those chargers can send 7.6 kilowatts to EVs, perfect for overnight fill-ups or other longer stints at the curb...sleek silver units feature a pair of 20-foot-long (6.1 meter) cables, enough to reach two vehicles parked along a curb...the chargers offer low upfront costs for cities or private host: Roughly $25,000."

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Research Indicates Electric Vehicles Create More Jobs than Fossil Fuel Vehicles

17 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Researchers at the University of Michigan have shown that plants in the ramp-up stages of transitioning to full-scale EV production saw assembly jobs increase as much as 10x. And at one plant studied, now with over a decade of EV production, the number of workers needed to make each vehicle has remained 3x higher.

"What we're seeing, with the data that's available, is that the loss of employment predicted for EVs is not happening."

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Astronaut Who Observed Earth From Space For 178 Days Says He Realized Humanity Is 'Living A Lie'

17 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"When we see our planet from the perspective of space, certain things become undeniably clear...issues such as global warming, deforestation and biodiversity loss, as standalone issues, when in reality, they're just symptoms...we don't see ourselves as planetary...

"Garan realized that a 'paper-thin" atmosphere is protecting a myriad of species in our planet...it's obvious from the vantage point of space that we're living a lie..."

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Tesla Fights To Avoid The Steep Cost 0f Scrapping Elon Musk's Pay Package

17 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Over $100bn in accounting and tax charges may await electric-car maker and CEO if they are forced to abandon 2018 deal...

"...a new package could trigger a $50bn-plus corporate accounting charge and separately impose a punitive tax rate of up to 57 per cent on Musk's shares, triggering a massive tax bill...If Tesla prevails in its appeal, which must be filed within 30 days of the December 2 ruling, Musk would pay the standard federal rate of 37 per cent tax for stock compensation when he exercises his 2018 options, which he is under no obligation to do until 2028."

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BYD's $10,000 Seagull EV Outsold All Cars In China (Even Gas Models) Again In November

17 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"With sales surging, the low-cost EV took back the best-selling car title from the Tesla Model Y in China last month...The Seagull EV is available in three trims in China with two BYD Blade battery options (30.08 kWh or 38.88 kWh), good for up to 252 miles (405 km) CLTC range.

"BYD sold a record 506,804 new energy vehicles (EVs and plugins) globally last month, topping its previous record of 502,657 in October."

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Street Smart: Using Data to Remake Thriving, Walkable Cities

16 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Dozens of major research labs dot the streets of Kendall Square...[and for] Andres Sevtsuk's City Form Lab, the streets of Kendall Square themselves...are subjects for research...[but] fewer people have studied how urban planning affects walking and cycling

"...Sevtsuk and some research assistants began studying foot traffic in several cities...Sevtsuk and his colleagues also released a novel open-source tool, called TILE2NET...

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2026 Dust Hightail First Look: Electric Dirt Bike from Oregon

16 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"Built in America by Detroit-based Bloom, the 2026 Dust Hightail is a slightly downsized dirt bike for trail use..The battery on the 2026 Dust Hightail is relatively small at 4.4 kilowatt-hours...trail riders can get two hours of seat time out of the battery, while hard chargers will be limited to about 35 miles of range...The motor puts out 42 horsepower...sound output of the 2026 Dust Hightail is 55 dB...brought to market until late 2025 [for] $10,950 MSRP."

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CATL's New Sodium-Ion EV Battery Works In -40 Degree Cold

16 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"CATL's second-generation sodium-ion cells can reportedly discharge normally even at -40 degrees Celsius (-40F as temperature scales converge)...That means EVs with such batteries won't lose range under frigid temperatures,which could help address some of the lingering concerns regarding the extreme weather performance of batteries... In extreme cold, chemical processes within a cell slow down..."

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Climate Protection: How Will We Switch To Electric Cars And Trucks?

16 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"The downside of leaded gas was that it added lead to car exhaust...That lead lowered their average I.Q. by about 3 points and increased their chances of ADHD, depression, anxiety and neuroticism.

"When you buy a new gas car, you are committing people to burning about 8,000 gallons of gasoline....In contrast, you could buy or lease an electric car or truck. That prompts manufacturers to make another electric vehicle, avoiding those 8,000 gallons.

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EV Drivers Are Not Going Back To Gas Cars, Global Survey Says

14 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"...survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only of 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid...reports of declining EV popularity are greatly exaggerated...Global EV sales, including hybrids and PHEVs, are expected to reach 16.26 million in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023...

"The survey also revealed that the top motivation of EV buyers, beyond environmental concerns, is that EVs have lower operating costs."

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This 'Magical' Material Made Almost Entirely Of Air Can Stop EV Fires From Spreading

14 Dec 2024 | Synopsis

"...researchers seem to have come up with a type of anti-fire aerogel that is made almost entirely of air and can keep the fire from spreading...new anti-fire aerogel isn't designed to stop the battery from catching on fire...stop the fire from spreading... causing the entire battery to explode.

Aspen aerogel "material is already being placed between the cells in EV batteries found inside certain vehicles made by Toyota, Honda, GM..."

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