EDITOR'S CHOICE

A Cute, Sub-$20,000 SUV Can Be The Gateway For Cheap EVs In America

11 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"VinFast lifted the wraps off the VF 3, a small, all-electric SUV originally designed for the Vietnamese market and now destined for American shores.

"...the company expects to begin taking reservations for the VF 3 later this year... could have a sticker price of $20,000 or less.

"VinFast did not give any hints toward any specs regarding battery capacity or power, but it says that it is targeting an EPA range of 125 miles."

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Segway's New E-Bikes Are Basically High-Tech Motorcycles

11 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

E-bikes "...feel like the future...they're fast, sustainable, and most importantly, not another car clogging up roadways...introduced two sleek e-bikes called the Xafari and the Xyber...Segway also says the bikes have an integration with mobile health apps...

"Segway doesn’t list top speed but says that the Xyber can go from 0 to 20 mph in about 2.5 seconds. With both batteries equipped, Segway says the Xyber can get a formidable 95 miles..."

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Growing The Vertical Flight Community

11 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"...aerospace engineer Angelo Collins...reflects on his experiences so far leading the Vertical Flight Society.

"Since 2014...corporate membership [grew] from about 70 to more than 185 today, and individual members have expanded from 5,500 to 6,500. As a member-driven organization...large vertical flight-aligned defense contractors are competing for the same small piece of the larger defense R&D funding pie..."

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Tesla Model 3s From Hertz Are Going For As Low As $14,000

11 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

The rental company's Tesla fleet has been growing over the last few years, and it reported that Tesla vehicles are increasing Hertz's customer satisfaction. Hertz likes to keep its fleet updated, and it is already selling its older Model 3 vehicles.

"Some vehicles were selling for as low as $17,700. In the US, there's $4,000 tax credit for used EVs. The company sells its older rental vehicles directly on its own website.

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This New Google Maps Feature Is Designed To Help Out Electric Vehicle Drivers

11 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"The new feature will allow EVs that are compatible with Android Auto - an interface, similar to Apple Carplay, that connects Androids to compatible cars - to share real-time battery information with Google Maps, allowing Google Maps to provide battery level estimations at different stages of a given journey, suggest charging stops along the way and estimate how long it will take get up to a full charge.

"The feature will be available first on the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning."

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Earth Shattered Global Heat Record In '23 And It's Flirting With Warming Limit, European Agency Says

10 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"The European climate agency Copernicus said the year was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. That's barely below the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit

"The United States lurched through 28 weather disasters last year that caused at least $1 billion in damage, smashing the old record of 22 set in 2020...They combined to kill 492 people and cause nearly $93 billion in damage, according to NOAA."

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MIT Researchers Outline A Path For Scaling Clean Hydrogen Production

10 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"...the paper proposes a phased approach to qualify for the tax credits. In the first phase, hydrogen created from grid electricity can receive the credits under looser standards as the industry gets its footing.

"...as hydrogen demand for renewable electricity grows, and market competition drives an increasing quantity of renewables deployment, transitioning to hourly matching will be necessary to avoid high emissions."

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Kia Introduces Modular 'Platform Beyond Vehicle' Strategy, Teases Several Concept EVs at 2024 CES

10 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"Kia introduced its fully customizable Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) to provide businesses and individuals with modular, fit-for-purpose EVs...Kia's new technology enables one vehicle chassis to meet multiple purposes. The automaker shared that the entire area behind the fixed cab can support interchangeable upper bodies it calls 'life modules.' ...it is a taxi, mobile boutique, cargo van, or a recreational vehicle."

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VW Solid-State Battery Retains 95% Capacity Over 1,000 Charge Cycles In Lab Testing

10 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"In the automotive industry, companies shoot for no worse than a 20 percent capacity loss after 700 charging cycles. QuantumScape's solid-state cell blew these results out of the water, losing just five percent of total capacity by the end of a 1,000-cycle...there's no reason why an older EV couldn't be refurbished with a new age solid-state battery pack and continue to operate reliably for many more years."

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Electric Vehicle Tax In Pennsylvania Would Punish Drivers For Being Responsible

10 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"Government policy should incentivize behaviors that help our communities and discourage behaviors that harm them. This regressive tax does the exact opposite.

"Pennsylvania's proposed tax nearly 30% more expensive than the next highest state tax. Among the 29 states that charge a flat annual registration fee for electric vehicles, the average is roughly $125, less than half of the state's proposal."

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