EDITOR'S PICK

Why Ohio Companies Are Investing in Hydrogen Cars Despite Infrastructure Issues

09 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"The Ohio companies' focus on fuel cell passenger vehicles is unique nationwide, especially for a state that doesn't yet have any public hydrogen fueling stations...[Engineering firm DLZ] station in Columbus can generate about 20 kilograms of hydrogen per day, using electricity from a solar array atop a large building on company property...Whether hydrogen-powered passenger vehicles are the best use for renewable energy remains questionable."

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New Wave: 11 Electric Boats For A Nautical New Year

07 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

"From cutting-edge electric hydrofoils to elegant speedboats, here are some of the newest innovations to take to the waves"

"2025 looks set to be the year of the electric boat. There's now a small fleet of innovative new watercraft available, from speedboats to ferries and electric hydrofoils, scaled up in size and intent thanks to leaps and bounds in new battery technology..."

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Solar EV Gets More Slippery For Production-Intent Las Vegas Debut

06 Jan 2025 | Synopsis

Aptera is driving into CES 2025 for the first public showing of its production-intent solar electric vehicle... a completed three-wheeler has made its way to the Las Vegas Convention Center for its public debut this week, after a short detour to Italy.

"...the vehicle that's heading for production will have a 700 watts of integrated solar cells on its upper surfaces – which is reckoned good for up to 40 miles (64 km) of range without needing to plug in thanks to the vehicle's slippery body design and lightweight construction."

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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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