EDITOR'S CHOICE

Why More Voltage Makes for Better EVs

12 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"Beyond 'more is better,' it gets hazy. Even automakers have a hard time explaining it. It's understandable, because measuring the direct performance impact of higher voltages isn't straightforward...voltage is equivalent to the pressure in the pipes...adding higher voltage to an electrical power supply means it pushes more energy...In EV terms, a higher-voltage architecture needs less current to push the same amount of power to the motor."

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Why Biden Is Hedging On A Climate Emergency Declaration

12 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"While Biden's list of environmental actions is significant in its own right, an official climate emergency declaration would unlock a suite of federal funds and executive actions to bolster the government's climate change agenda.

"...they also belie a fundamental reality for this administration: Republican opposition to more sweeping actions such as a full emergency declaration..."

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Why E-Bus Builder Proterra Went Bankrupt

12 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"...move blamed on new product lines failing to overcome the high costs of e-bus manufacturing...Proterra's demise points to another issue: Even with unprecedented levels of government support and customer interest, some sectors cannot compete against top manufacturers in China.

"The company reported a loss of $250 million in the first quarter of this year, five times more than in the same quarter last year..."

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General Motors JV Launches Baojun Cloud EV In China Starting Under $14K

12 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"SGMW is a joint venture between General Motors, SAIC, and Wuling Motors in China...The five-seater compact EV is available in four versions...the Boajun Cloud EV is expected to compete against the BYD Dolphin and Volkswagen ID.3... five-seater is offered in two different battery options, 37.9 kWh and 50.6 kWh, for 360 km (223 mi) and 460 km (285 mi) cruising range."

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France Is Shifting From Short Flights To Trains. Here's How They Stack Up.

12 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"While flying is the most carbon intensive mode of travel, intra-Europe flights are almost always cheaper than comparable train journeys.

"For many popular routes, such as Valencia to Paris, the relative cost of train travel increases significantly, with rides costing up to 12 times more than flights...Banning flights between Toulouse and Paris in favor of trains could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 244,000 tons each year...

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Colorado Proposes Generous Electric Vehicle Incentives For New Buyers

11 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"A previous version of this article stated that Colorado residents could combine all of the aforementioned incentives for a total of $26,500 in savings, but that's not the case.

"Colorado Energy Office told InsideEVs "one individual would not currently be able to take advantage of all these incentives at once...state is also offering credits of up to $12,000 for hybrid and pure electric trucks."

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Tested: Why Teslas Show Unrealistic Range Estimates Compared with Other EVs

11 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

Car and Driver "found that Tesla's range display indicator doesn't adjust to account for driving conditions in the same way that other EVs' distance-to-empty estimates do.

"...report from Reuters alleges that Tesla 'rigged' the software in its cars to overestimate the estimated range remaining..found distinct differences in the way that Tesla EVs' in-dash range displays operate compared with those from other automakers' EV models."

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Ford CEO Road-Tripping F-150 Lightning Across American West

11 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"Farley and his party set off this week from Silicon Valley, driving south to Los Angeles and then northeast to Las Vegas...among the planned stops will be a charging station that Farley says prompted Ford's deal to adopt the Tesla charge port...Farley plans to visit "researchers, businesses, dealers, salespeople, EV conversion shops, EV drivers, and communities" and use the same roads and charging infrastructure as ordinary EV drivers..."

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BYD Calls On China Automakers To Unite, 'Demolish The Old' In Global Push

11 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"It's an emotional need for the 1.4 billion Chinese people to see a Chinese brand."

The call by BYD - Tesla's closest rival in the global electric vehicle sales race - prompted widespread praise, and underscored how China's automakers are riven by competition at home and chasing growth overseas...China's automakers are locked in a bruising price war that was started by Tesla in January and which shows no signs of easing."

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E-bike Companies Are Fighting To Be Exempted From Right-To-Repair Laws

11 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"The industry claims it's a matter of safety, and that people without the proper training should not attempt to repair e-bikes - especially not the batteries...manufacturers want to see dead and broken batteries recycled

[Righ-to-repair] "advocates worry that safe battery handling is being used to distract from another problem they say right-to-repair would help solve: Cheap, hard-to-repair e-bikes are flooding into cities..."

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