EDITOR'S PICK

Auto Industry Push To Plug-In Hybrids Has Surprising Outcome

01 Aug 2024 | Synopsis

"On paper, plug-in hybrids sound like a great 'middle of the road' alternative to EVs...Although most plug-in models do not have the equivalent electric range of a full battery-powered EV like a Tesla, they are often seen as great for trips around town and left to charge overnight.

"manufacturers are resting a lot of faith on the idea that buyers are being properly educated on how to plug in their cars and that their buyers actually plug in."

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Why Elon Musk's Politics Are So Problematic For Tesla - In One Graph

01 Aug 2024 | Synopsis

"... several astute analysts have also argued that the politics of Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, are dragging down its car sales. Musk has increasingly trafficked in right-wing, transphobic, white supremacist, and conspiratorial communications since purchasing Twitter

"Overall, Musk's net rating was -9 (40% favorable vs. 49% unfavorable), with 34% of U.S. adults rating him very unfavorable and only 17% holding a very favorable opinion of him."

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Germany Sets A New Renewable Power Generation Record In Q1

01 Aug 2024 | Synopsis

Germany produced a whopping 121.5 billion kilowatt hours from renewables, an 11.6% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, the output from fossil-fuel power sources plummeted by 25.4%, making up just 41.6% of Germany’s total electricity production.

"Wind power made a notable contribution, generating an additional 5 billion kilowatt hours – up 12% from last year – and now accounts for 38.5% of the country’s electricity."

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Want To Buy An Electric Car But Unsure You Can Justify It? Here's How The Arguments Against EVs Stack Up

29 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"...for Australia to reach net zero it needs to electrify vehicles (and expand public transport use)...arguments against electric cars: they have limited range and many owners can't easily charge at home. They cost too much, resale values are poor and insurance costs are higher than for other cars.

"Aside from justifiable concerns about human rights abuses, most of the perceived barriers to EV uptake aren't really barriers at all, or soon won't be."

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Scientists Created Revolutionary EV Batteries Derived From Shellfish

29 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"... a 2022 study, experts from the University of Maryland’s Center for Materials Innovation developed batteries that use a product derived from crustacean shells to store energy...Researchers were able to use chitin, a substance found in the shells of crustaceans, to power batteries when combined with zinc.

"...the chitin-zinc batteries being 99.7% efficient after over 1,000 battery cycles or 400 hours of use."

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MIT Engineers Create Hydrogen Fuel From Soda Cans, Seawater, and Caffeine

29 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"Carrying a tank of volatile hydrogen to power a fuel cell is also a problem. The MIT team was searching for ways to solve these issues when they turned to aluminum.

"Using a small pellet of treated aluminum, the experimental setup generates 400 milliliters of hydrogen in just five minutes when exposed to deionized water... adding imidazole, a component of caffeine..can pierce the surface of aluminum, increasing the available surface area for hydrogen production."

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Swiss-Based Electric Aviation Company H55 Raises $74USD Million From Gov't of Quebec

29 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"Swiss-based H55 was founded by... the former management team of Solar Impulse, the first electric airplane to fly around the world, propelled by solar energy

"The company now specializes in certified electric propulsion, battery packs, and energy management solutions... with a goal to achieve sustainable air travel... funds will enable the company to complete EASA final certification testing requirements.

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Florida Law Bars Cities From Regulating EV Chargers

29 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"Senate Bill 1084 'has far-reaching implications for various stakeholders in Florida,' potentially invalidating local ordinances...giving that authority instead solely to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

"...giving that authority instead solely to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)."

" This could slow the adoption of EVs in the state."

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Ford Compares New Low-Cost EV Platform To Rivian And Tesla, Says Rivals Will Turn To China

28 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"Ford is betting on smaller electric cars as the future. Its 'Skunkworks' team is not so small... Ford has added about 50 ex-Rivian employees, over 20 from Tesla, another 20 from Lucid, and several from Apple.

"Ford is designing a 'super efficient platform leveraging innovation across our product development, supply chain and manufacturing teams... focus on two segments: work and adventure. Smaller, more affordable vehicles use fewer battery materials, reducing costs and improving margins."

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From Skiing To Disaster Relief: Inside Biden-Harris Administration's Green Legacy Job Boom

28 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

As President Joe Biden prepares to depart the Oval Office ...he leaves behind a long legacy now firmly capped with the title of the first green president."

"In addition to rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, he passed signature legislation, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the landmark Inflation Reduction Act...

American Climate Corps "aims to provide jobs and training in sustainable industries and across various agencies at the state and federal levels."

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The Airplane Engine Of The Future Could Look Radically Different

28 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"The aviation sector, which accounts for about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and growing, is aiming for net zero emissions by 2050 — but sustainable aviation fuels can get you only so far...

"CFM International...is working on a potentially revolutionary 'open fan' engine concept...RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) ...jet engine with 20% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions...

"...RISE project is fuel-agnostic, in case, for example, hydrogen is ready for commercial airliner use..."

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Why Won't Automakers Tell Us How Often People Actually Charge Their Plug-In Hybrids?

28 Jul 2024 | Synopsis

"So how frequently do owners charge their PHEVs? ...we don't know because automakers won't tell us.

"A Toyota Prius Prime is about $5,000 more expensive than the regular Prius, and it's probably worth it if you take advantage of its EV range. If you don't, it only gets 52 mpg combined compared to the normal Prius's 57. So you're literally wasting money on a less fuel-efficient car."

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