03 May 2024 04:58:59 UTC

 EDITOR'S CHOICE

Tesla Isn't Too Good for Advertising Anymore, Elon Musk Says

17 May 2023 | Synopsis

"Elon Musk is finally thinking about advertising his cars, probably because he now owns a platform that needs advertising to survive.

"Tesla has long prided itself on word-of-mouth among its fan base to market its vehicles. It's built a formidable brand without paying for television, radio or print ads.

"It's unclear what form Tesla's ads will take because, as Musk admitted, there's no strategy yet. Will there ever be a strategy?"

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The Likelihood That Earth Briefly Hits Key Warming Threshold Grows Bigger and Closer, UN Forecasts

17 May 2023 | Synopsis

"There's a two-out-of-three chance that the world will temporarily hit a key warming limit [of 1.5°C] within the next five years [according to] United Nations weather agency...

"Scientists expect a temporary burst of heat from El Nino...to supercharge human-caused warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas to new heights.Temperatures are expected to then slip back down a bit.

"Scientists in a special 2018 United Nations report said going past that point would be drastically and dangerously different with more death, destruction and damage to global ecosystems."

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The Best Bike Is One That Gets You Out of Your Car

17 May 2023 | Synopsis

"We can't beat climate change by simply switching petroleum for plugs; we have to use less energy, period...Fortunately, e-bikes do exactly that. The energy capacity in a single Tesla Model 3 battery is enough to power 100 e-bikes.

"That car will produce 36 tons of carbon dioxide in its total life span, including production. An e-cargo bike will create about 300kg of CO2...I need to replace about 1,000 car miles to 'offset' the lifetime emissions from making the bike."

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Toyota Became An Inadvertent Marketing Agent For Tesla On Scott Burns' Car-Hunting Adventure

17 May 2023 | Synopsis

"A nationwide search for new RAV4 plug-ins...revealed only 311 available nationwide...Two were priced at a stunning $66,397.

" there is an alternative. Go full electric. We could buy a Tesla model Y. Add a destination fee of $1,390 and a $250 order fee and the grand total is $51,880...Subtract the $7,500 tax credit and the net cost is $44,380. That gets a car conceived and built in the USA. A car that costs less...to operate and maintain...has a great environmental ''dividend'' - far less pollution."

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China Is Kicking America's Ass In the EV Battery Race and It's Going To Define the 21st Century

17 May 2023 | Synopsis

"China's state-supported enterprises (i.e. China Inc.) dominate in every aspect of the development of batteries for electric vehicles, from the mining and refining of raw materials to the manufacture of the batteries themselves.

China has been working to dominate the battery space since at least 2015...a clear goal: to corner the market for key materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel; invest in their extraction; and [build battery factories]

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History Shows EPA's Proposed Vehicle Emissions Rule Can Be Done - It's Worth Trillions!

16 May 2023 | Synopsis

"Despite all the pushbacks, misinformation, and bluster, the auto industry consistently meets, and often exceeds, such standards...in 2012, we assumed only 3% of all new vehicle sales in 2025 would be zero emission, electric vehicles...as of the first quarter of 2023, U.S. EV sales were 8.3% - more than double that estimate

"Not surprisingly, these historic standards have once again come under bad faith attacks that propagate false information while ignoring its significant benefits."

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Researchers Discovered A Lithium-Ion Battery Alternative That Could 'Revolutionize' EVs - And They're 50% Cheaper To Make

16 May 2023 | Synopsis

"The battery is 10 years in the making, using inexpensive and abundant materials - aluminum, salt, nickel, and ceramic...The CERENERGY batteries cost 40% to 50% less to make...

"The breakthrough is the result of a joint effort between two labs - Australia-based Altech Batteries and Germany's Fraunhofer...Among the improvements: a lifespan of greater than 15 years, the ability to operate in extreme temperatures, and no explosions."

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State Supreme Court Overturns Judge's Ruling Prohibiting Tesla Dealership in Delaware

16 May 2023 | Synopsis

"In a ruling last year, a Superior Court judge determined that Delaware's Motor Vehicle Franchising Practices Act prohibited Tesla...from selling its electric cars directly to customers in Delaware...the franchise act was enacted to address the disparity in bargaining power...justices said the law's definitions exclude Tesla because the company sells its vehicles directly to consumers...the Franchise Act regulates the business relationship

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Watchdog Group Launches Counter Attack on "Dangerous Carbon Capture Hype"

16 May 2023 | Synopsis

"...Food & Water Watch...unveiled a new interactive multimedia resource where users can learn more about 'false narratives' regarding carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology pushed by fossil fuel companies

"Despite evidence that CCS is more expensive than its proponents admit as well as being energy-intensive and actually contributing to a net increase in emissions, the [US EPA] unveiled new power plant rules that rely heavily on the unproven technology..."

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Now Is the Time to Lease, Not Buy, An EV

16 May 2023 | Synopsis

"Under the current rules of the Inflation Reduction Act, as it pertains to acquiring a new electric vehicle, for a vehicle to be eligible for the max $7,500 tax credit, it needs to undergo final assembly in North America.

"The way the Inflation Reduction Act is written, a leased vehicle qualifies for the tax credit. It's considered commercial because you're technically renting your vehicle from the bank that owns it."

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