EDITOR'S CHOICE

GM Reverses All-In EV Strategy To Bring Back Plug-In Hybrids

01 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"...automakers are running up against the current limits of EV demand though, they're looking for other ways to curb fleet emissions. In GM''s case, that way is an about-face and return to PHEVs...plans include bringing our plug-in hybrid technology to select vehicles in North America

"This strategy is an almost 180-degree turnaround from GM''s electrification trajectory in recent years...GM's EV ambitions have been tempered by recalls and lukewarm product launches..."

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Congress Finally Agrees On Electric Bike Bill - But Not The One Everyone Wanted

01 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"A new bill pending in the House of Representatives seeks to give the Consumer Product Safety Commission an explicit directive to create federal standards for the construction and importation of electric bike batteries...

"Let's see if we can't find a way to build on this bipartisan momentum to actually get more e-bikes out there replacing cars - the real killers."

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As Electric Bus Market Expands In US, Manufacturers Struggle To Keep Up

01 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"Fueled by funding from the federal government, cities across the country are accelerating the transition to electric vehicles for public transit systems - although turmoil in the electric bus industry could hamper those rollouts.

"[There are] challenges with the market supply demand, with Proterra going bankrupt and Nova shifting out of the U.S. market, that really only leaves a couple of [original equipment manufacturers] that can build these buses - and everybody's transitioning."

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Sirius Aviation AG Debuts World's First Hydrogen-Electric Ducted Fan Powertrain

01 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"This historic occasion marked the inaugural firing of an aviation engine within a presentation room, releasing only water vapor and zero pollutants...The hydrogen-electric powered jet propulsion has the potential to revolutionize the aviation industry by providing an emissions-free option.

"Jet will take flight in two versions: Sirius Business Jet tailored to private jet needs, and Sirius Millennium Jet, crafted for commercial aviation."

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The True Cost Of Japan's Linear Bullet Train

01 Feb 2024 | Synopsis

"The magnetically levitated ('maglev') bullet train can reach speeds of 500 kilometers per hour and is scheduled to link Tokyo to Nagoya in 40 minutes by 2027 and to Osaka in just 67 minutes by 2045

"...the Linear will, in fact, use anywhere from three to four times as much energy per person to power as the current Tokaido Shinkansen...'pro-Linear groups just emphasize how great the Linear is,' but tend to ignore its negative aspects."

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Electrified Transport Investment Soared Globally in '23, Passing Renewable Energy

31 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"...because of the long lives of vehicles, investment decisions today will take a while to translate into emissions reductions.

"Global investment in the energy transition totaled $1.77 trillion in 2023, an increase of 17 percent from the prior year, according to the report. Electrified transport spending was $634 billion, an increase of 36 percent...The United States was second with an investment of $303 billion, up 22 percent from the prior year."

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Stigma Of 'Dirty Fossil Fuels' Is Driving Young People Away From Oil & Gas

31 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"The left's relentless attack on fossil fuels has left a lasting impression on the industry. It's driving young people away because of the narrative that oil & gas, are "dirty"...young people just don't want to go into it, and their labor force is aging...Needless to say, you should not have to apologize for working in the oil & gas industry, no matter what the left says."

[Meanwhile Texas just broke a record for how much power it got from the sun]

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Solar Pyrolysis To Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries Aces Proof Of Concept

31 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"Research at PROMES-CNRS laboratory...has just confirmed the feasibility of a solar-driven pyro-metallurgical process to recycle the lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other valuable components from lithium-ion batteries...The team successfully used high-temperature solar heat to produce a metal alloy containing lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese (iron)...solar resource best for concentrated solar technologies of at least 1800 kWh/per square meter..."

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Used Car Values In The UK Stabilise After 10.5% Fall | Positivity For Used EVs

31 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids fell by 1.8% at the three-year age point, equivalent to over £425, with BEVs dropping by 1.9% (£720) at one-year-old.

"However, there is some positivity for BEVs, with the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe looking competitively priced now and not moving in January, while the Mercedes-Benz EQC, electric BMW i3, and Mini Convertible Electric all increased in value in the month."

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Nikola Hydrogen FCEV Semi Completes 400 Mile Trip - Is It Enough?

31 Jan 2024 | Synopsis

"Coyote Container, drove the hydrogen Nikola over the hilly, 400-mile route that took the truck and its 17.7 ton trailer through California's Altamont Pass and Grapevine Canyon on the I-5 interstate between the Port of Oakland and the Port of Los Angeles in Long Beach...arrived at Pier C with about 140 miles of remaining range...Nikola Tre HFCEV semi was one of 35 hydrogen-powered trucks delivered to customers..."

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