EDITOR'S CHOICE

Tesla Convinces Jury Its Autopilot Wasn't At Fault In First Lawsuit Blaming A Fatality On The Technology To Go To Trial

01 Nov 2023 | Synopsis

"Jurors in state court in Riverside, California, on Tuesday sided with Tesla in the first lawsuit blaming a fatality on Autopilot to go to trial...Lawyers representing the crash survivors argued that a manufacturing defect in Autopilot mode caused the car to sharply swerve off the road. The company contended Lee had been drinking alcohol before he got behind the wheel and that there was no evidence he had even activated Autopilot before the collision."

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Don't Give Away EV Battery, Car Production to Other Countries

01 Nov 2023 | Synopsis

"Imagine China cornering the market on the manufacture of EVs or even just the batteries that power those vehicles. It could be a disaster for American manufacturing and, in the long-term, for the planet’s environment.

"if we increase our domestic manufacturing capabilities now, the U.S. will be in a better position to drive innovations in the future...America should not rest and give away EV battery and car manufacturing to other countries, especially to economic adversaries like China."

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The First Frontier For Electric Aviation: Short-Haul Flights

01 Nov 2023 | Synopsis

"..there's a growing market in commuter flights - trips that are less than 250 miles - that is perfect for its electric planes...Commuter flights made up 29 percent of flights in the U.S. in 2019...if factors align, the short-haul segment could grow from $75 billion to $115 billion by 2035, closing in on 700 million passengers a year.

"Beyond electrifying larger airports, electric planes could help kick off a return to smaller regional airports

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Hate The Chesapeake Bay Bridge? These Electric Ferries Might Help

01 Nov 2023 | Synopsis

"A futuristic electric ferry that skims the waves like a flying pelican is seen by some Maryland officials as a way to revitalize rural communities and alleviate traffic jams along the nation’s largest estuary.

"Getting back and forth between Annapolis and Baltimore city on a ferry would be faster than driving in a car on the roads - and it would be a whole lot more fun...The counties'' ferry study comes as the U.S. Department of Transportation is spending tens of millions of dollars to promote the adoption of electric or low-emission ferries."

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New Map Reveals The US National Parks Electric Vehicle Charging Corridors

31 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

The Biden administration's {EV] push features a venture to create an electric vehicle charging corridor that will include the 425 national park sites across the nation...NPS has an unparalleled opportunity to engage across communities to support an environmental ethic

"The new NPS EV charging map, developed with NREL’s support, invites visitors to participate in and contribute to our goals..."

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Rivian Vehicles Charged From Wind, Solar Energy To Be Delivered Soon

31 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive Inc RIVN announced that its customers will soon be getting vehicles that had their initial charge supplied by entirely renewable energy sources.

"The company has installed a fully commissioned 2.8-megawatt wind turbine at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, to generate wind energy...The company has installed a fully commissioned 2.8-megawatt wind turbine at its manufacturing facility company in early 2022..."

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The Dirty Secret Behind the Hydrogen Hype

31 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"Technological fixes to climate change are tempting, and the Biden administration has not resisted the lure of hydrogen...Hydrogen is dangerous, partly because it distracts from the real climate solutions we so desperately need.

"A staggering 99% of hydrogen production relies on fossil fuels, primarily methane, or 'natural,' gas...Key recipients of this first $7 billion of public money are oil, gas, and chemical corporations"

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Airbus To Launch New Low-Carbon Ocean Fleet Featuring Flettner Rotors

31 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"The new streamlined vessels will feature six Flettner rotors, which are large, vertical, rotating cylinders that act like airfoils and use the wind to generate thrust to drive the craft. In addition, the ships will incorporate two dual-fuel engines running on maritime diesel oil and e-methanol.

"According to Airbus, the new technology will reduce carbon emissions from 68,000 to 33,000 tonnes by 2030."

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StoreDot Says Its EV Battery Cells Didn't Degrade After 1,000 Extreme Fast Charges

31 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"StoreDot ran an extended set of charging profile tests in which XFC was applied from 10-80% of the charge in 10 minutes...Despite each cycle applying XFC for 70% of the charge, the cells demonstrated no additional degradation

"Volvo Cars, a strategic investor in StoreDot, signed a multi-year strategic collaboration agreement with the EV battery maker to work together to develop XFC cells. Other strategic investors in StoreDot include Polestar, Daimler, Samsung, VinFast, and TDK."

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Fund Manager Says EV Sales "Reacceleration" Coming In 2024 Due To These 3 Factors

30 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"Future Fund's Gary Black said he sees a recovery could be in the offing. U.S. EV tax credit allowed under the Inflation Reduction Act 2022 will go to off-invoice on Jan. 1, 2024...category news driven by the Cybertruck launch will spark new interest in all EVs...renewed interest in global EV adoption is likely as autonomous driving systems reach Level 3 and Level 4 automation...

"If the Federal Reserve begins reversing its rate hikes

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China's EV Threat Sharpens As U.S. And Europe Stumble

30 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"China's electric vehicles (EV) are getting cheaper, while the reverse is happening in Europe and the U.S...The price gap has widened, with the average retail price of an electric car available in China now less than half the price seen in both Europe and the USA...China's EVs are not only competing on price but also in terms of quality and power.

"Western (manufacturers) must shift their focus towards the research and development of new technologies and production processes designed specifically for a fully electrified future."

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Cruise Suspends Robotaxi Operations, What They Must Do To Fix It

30 Oct 2023 | Synopsis

"General Motors' Cruise robotaxi unit, which last week was forced to suspend customer operations in San Francisco...Waymo, generally considered the leader in this game, has had almost none of the problems Cruise has had

"Both Cruise and Waymo have gathered statistics on the safety of their vehicles...Waymo has been more direct at publishing this information and disclosing the details of their incidents...To accept robotaxis, the public and public officials must understand that all driving creates risk

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