EDITOR'S CHOICE

US EV Fees Point to a Looming Policy Challenge

29 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"...a new trend: electric-vehicle owners in Texas getting notices in the mail to pay $200-a-year fees to register their cars. It sounded like a brazen effort to hinder the transition away from fossil fuels

"...it’s reasonable to see this rush to levy fees on EV users as an attempt at discouraging EV purchases...A rough estimate shows that Texas's EV fees come to more than twice the average Texan's gas taxes"

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You Bought An Electric Car. Why Did Your Carbon Footprint Grow?

29 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"...research project...found EV buying incentives often fail to deliver on the government’s investment. Not only do U.S. subsidies flow to the well-off...but it turns out tax credits...can incentivize the wrong buyers...If you're somebody who drives a fair amount then you are likely well-suited to drive an electric vehicle...the typical non-luxury EV needs to log between 28,069 and 68,160 miles before netting any emissions benefits."

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EV Chargers Should Be Dumber

29 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"...on a recent 750-mile road trip in an EV, I had a revelation: We’re over-engineering our public charging infrastructure. If we want to speed up the electric car era, we should put aside the apps, doodads, and expensive fast chargers and embrace the cheap dumb plug...Lucid Air’s mobile charge cable comes with an adapter that allows its cord to be plugged into any NEMA 14-50 outlet, common at RV parks and campsites all across the country."

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Some 'Leaders' Refuse To 'Measure What Matters' When It Comes To Climate Crisis

29 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"House committee that oversees financial markets held a hearing on “how mandates like ESG distort markets and drive up costs...The event had an 'Alice in Wonderland' feel

"House Republicans who called the hearing made no mention of studies by consulting firms like PwC and McKinsey that have found huge majorities want to do business with and work at companies that lead on [environmental, social and corporate governance]."

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More Private Companies Are Investing In Passenger Rail - Here's Why

29 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"The company developing the new route [in Florida] also owns the tracks, and a bunch of nearby real estate..This was a real estate development project for them...as they built out the rail, they built out apartments and condominiums. That gave the company built-in ridership.

"...there's a wild card: Climate change...You've got to make sure that the infrastructure that is being built now is going to be resilient. Not just for today, but for a warmer climate going forward."

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The Electric Vehicle That Suburbia Needs Could Be a Golf Cart

28 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"With about 9,300 golf carts registered among its 13,000 households, [Peachtree City] 31 miles southwest of Atlanta might be the most golf-cart-friendly municipality in America. A hundred miles of car-free multi-use paths crisscross the town’s 25 square miles, and many shopping centers and public buildings provide dedicated golf cart parking

"A 2007 study from the UK's Lancaster University suggests that the golf cart paths of Peachtree City could help reduce transportation costs and alleviate the social isolation endemic to car-oriented suburban life."

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Technology Adoption: Electric Cars Pass 5% Crucial Tipping Point In 23 Countries

28 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"Countries that cross the tipping point have seen rapid rates of EV adoption, with a median sales growth of 55 per cent last quarter compared with a year earlier

"The newcomers - Canada, Australia, Spain, Thailand and Hungary - join a cohort that also includes the US, China and most of western Europe. The trajectory laid out by these early adopters shows how EVs can surge from 5 per cent to 25 per cent of new cars in just four years."

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Electric Car Charging Speeds: Why They're Still A Pain Point For Owners

28 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"...there are 159,300 electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) or EV charging ports in the United States, it's important to understand that only 33,344 (20%) of them are fast charging (as of August 2023)...DCFCs can charge EVs up to 80% in as fast as 20 minutes, they take up less than a quarter of available charging ports in the U.S.

"...with the ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to improve the EV battery supply chain, we're likely to see more development in EV fast-charging batteries in the near future."

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33 States Charge Electric Vehicle Drivers for Not Pumping Gas. Is Yours One of Them?

28 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"At least 33 states assess annual EV fees, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, ranging from $50 in Colorado, South Dakota and Hawaii to up to $225 for some EV owners in Washington...Several states have also looked at taxing the electricity used at public charging stations

"The nonprofit Environment Texas calls the state's $200 toll a "punitive fee," pointing to research by Consumer Reports that suggests recouping lost gas taxes would only cost $71 per vehicle."

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Amazon Has Over 6K EVs In Its India Delivery Fleet, To Reach 10K By 2025

28 Aug 2023 | Synopsis

"The company worked with Altigreen (Bengaluru-based commercial EV maker) to custom-build the first 177 cubic feet, 100-kilometre range, three-wheeler EV...[Amazon] working with almost every electric vehicle manufacturer in India that has the potential to meet the demand from Amazon and its delivery service partners

"The company said it is committed to deploy 10,000 EVs in India by 2025."

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