Weekly Wire Blog Archive 2023

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December 26th, 2023

THOUSANDS OF AUTO DEALERS SIGN UP TO OFFER NEW ON-THE-SPOT TAX CREDIT

To help gear up for the insta-credit program, more than 7,000 car dealers have signed up with the Internal Revenue Service to ensure they can offer the point-of-sale rebate to EV buyers starting January 1 – that accounts for nearly half of all new car dealerships in the US, reports Automotive News.
Written by Jennifer Mossalgue for Electrek

December 19th, 2023

WHITE HOUSE BACKS INDUSTRY EFFORT TO STANDARDIZE TESLA'S EV CHARGING PLUGS

The White House is lending its support to an auto industry effort to standardize Tesla’s electric vehicle charging plugs for all EVs in the United States, part of a broad effort to stimulate their sales to help combat climate change.
Written by Alexa St. John for The AP

December 12th, 2023

STARBUCKS IS OFFICIALLY IN
​​​​​​​THE EV BUSINESS

Starbucks has opened electric vehicle charging stations at 15 locations along the thousand-mile stretch between Denver and Seattle as part of its partnership with Swedish automaker Volvo.​​​​​​​
Written by Laura Bratton for Quartz

December 5th, 2023

US EV SALES PASS 1 MILLION,
AN INCREASE OF 50.7%
​​​​​​​YEAR-OVER-YEAR

Year-to-date US EV sales have surpassed 1 million – the first time EV sales exceeded that threshold in a single sales year. The National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) reports that through 11 months of 2023, BEV sales totaled 1,007,984 – an increase of 50.7% year-over-year.
Written by Michelle Lewis for Electrek

November 28th, 2023

USED EVS ARE FACING 33% PRICE DROP, LONGER SELLING TIMES: REPORT

Electric vehicle sales are growing year-over-year, but monthly and quarterly trends often ebb and flow, causing uncertainty about what’s actually happening. A new report from car buying and research firm iSeeCars emphasizes these fluctuating sales patterns, especially with regard to used EVs.
Written by Suvrat Kothari for InsideEVs

November 21st, 2023

IN A FIRST, EV NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS SURPASS DIESEL IN EUROPE

Here’s a breath of fresh air, literally. In a new milestone, the number of new electric car registrations has exceeded those of diesel-powered vehicles in Europe for the first time, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Written by Jennifer Mossalgue For Electrek

November 14th, 2023

THIS NEW ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS HAS A 300-MILE RANGE

Just two weeks after launch, GreenPower says it’s received orders from its exclusive California dealer Model 1 for 25 of the Mega BEAST school buses for the Montebello School District in Los Angeles County, and 10 BEAST school buses for the Garden Grove school district in northern Orange County.​​​​​​​
Written by Michelle Lewis For Electrek

November 14th, 2023

UTAH IS GOING TO DOUBLE ITS DC FAST CHARGING IN 2024

Utah will double its current DC fast charging capacity by the end of 2024, thanks to National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding.
Written by Michelle Lewis for Electrek

November 7th, 2023

AND JUST LIKE THAT, ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE LOOKING MORE AFFORDABLE

A year or two ago, amid supply-chain shortages, you had to get on a waiting list for most EV models. Now there’s an oversupply, and competition is driving prices downwards. The auto industry might be having heartburn, but it’s good news for consumers.
Written by Dave Reed, Opinion Piece for The Post Independant

October 31st, 2023

FORD IS ADDING AN EXTRA 3K TESLA EV CHARGERS, BRINGING ITS NETWORK TOTAL TO OVER 100,000

Ford EV drivers will have access to 15,000 Tesla Superchargers, higher than initially expected. The company announced Monday it will add an extra 3,000 Tesla chargers as its network grows to over 106,000 stations.
Written by Peter Johnson for Electrek

October 24th, 2023

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE IEA PREDICTS THAT GLOBAL EMISSIONS WILL PEAK BY 2025

Clean energy will transform the global energy system by 2030, and solar and EVs are providing “hope for the way forward,” according to the IEA’s new “World Energy Outlook 2023,” released today.
Written by Michelle Lewis for Electrek

October 17th, 2023

BMW GROUP TO ADOPT NACS ACROSS ITS EV BRANDS, ENABLING TESLA SUPER CHARGER ACCESS

BMW Group is the latest legacy automaker to confirm it will adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS), delivering EV drivers in the US and Canada access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Written by Scooter Doll for Electrek

October 17th, 2023

2024 NISSAN LEAF BECOMES ELIGIBLE FOR $3,750 EV TAX CREDIT

Nissan has just announced that the new 2024 Nissan Leaf will qualify for the $3,750 federal tax credit through December 31, 2023.
Written by Mark Kane for InsideEVs

October 10th, 2023

HYUNDAI IS SWITCHING TO TESLA-STYLE NACS PLUGS FOR ITS EVs IN LATE 2024

Hyundai announced that it's the latest automaker to adopt the North American Charging Standard for its battery electric vehicles. Developed by Tesla, NACS was opened up late last year and, since this May, has seen a flurry of automakers pledge to drop the existing Combined Charging Standard plug...
Written by Jonathan M. Gitlin for ARS Technica

October 3rd, 2023

MANY COLORADO HOMES AND POWER GRIDS AREN'T READY FOR MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING. HERE'S WHAT EXPERTS SAY NEEDS TO BE DONE.

With hundreds of thousands more electric vehicles expected on Colorado highways in the next few years, CBS News Colorado has learned many power grids aren't yet ready to handle the added power demands to charge those vehicles. ​​​​​​​
Written by Kati Weiss for CBS News Colorado

September 26th, 2023

HONDA NOW BUILDING THESE TINY ELECTRIC CARS FOR CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS

Honda has partnered up with its local dealer associations to start production of the Honda Shogo, an electric ride-on vehicle that will transport young patients at children’s hospitals across the US.​​​​​​​
Written by Micah Toll for Electrek

September 19th, 2023

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE?

Few people know what a kilowatt-hour costs them, so they don’t realize how cheap EV home charging is versus gasoline. On the road, it's more complicated. We'll help you sort it out.
Written by John Voelcker for Car and Driver

September 12th, 2023

ELECTRIC CARS HAVE A ROAD TRIP PROBLEM, EVEN FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY

When Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm set out on a four-day electric-vehicle road trip this summer, she knew charging might be a challenge. But she probably didn't expect anyone to call the cops.
Written by Camilla Domonoske for NPR

September 5th, 2023

BMW, MERCEDES LAUNCH BIGGEST EV PUSH YET TO CATCH TESLA WITH NEW MODELS

European carmakers, which have been perceived to be behind Chinese companies like Warren Buffett-backed BYD and Elon Musk’s Tesla, have had to move quickly to show the market they’re ready to be major players in the electric era.​​​​​​​
Written by Arjun Kharpal for CNBC

August 29th, 2023

GERMANY OKS FORD'S SEMI-AUTONOMOUS BLUECRUISE FEATURE, ENABLING HANDS-FREE DRIVING

Ford Motor Company has announced that Germany is the next market where customers will gain access to its BlueCruise driver assistance technology. Following approval, Ford drivers in Germany can now take advantage of true hands-free driving on certain roadways.
Written by Scooter Doll for Electrek

August 22nd, 2023

SMOOTH TRAVELS WITH EV RENTAL CARS: NAVIGATING THE ELECTRIC JOURNEY

As an avid EV enthusiast and ambassador, I'm always on the lookout for opportunities to drive electric whenever I can. So, when I embarked on a journey back to the Netherlands, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that not only Sixt but also Hertz had embraced the electric revolution by offering electric vehicle (EV) rental options. While the road to electric mobility is undeniably exciting, it's important to acknowledge that a few bumps along the way can still exist.​​​​​​​
Written by Paul Nijssen, Founder and President of EVCharge4U Inc.

August 15th, 2023

DITCHING GAS JUST GOT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME EV BUYERS IN CALIFORNIA

California has added a new $2,000 incentive for low- and moderate-income EV buyers, bringing the total state incentives to $9,500.​​​​​​​
Written by Jameson Dow for Electrek

August 8th, 2023

IS IT CHEAPER TO REFUEL YOUR EV BATTERY OR GAS TANK? WE DID THE MATH IN ALL 50 STATES


Written by Michael J. Coren, Climate Advice Columnist for The Washington Post

August 1st, 2023

SUBARU 3-ROW ELECTRIC SUV TO BE BUILT IN THE US...BY TOYOTA

A new three-row Subaru electric SUV is expected to hit the market in the next few years. Toyota will build the EV at its manufacturing facility in Georgetown, Kentucky.​​​​​​​
Written by Peter Johnson for Electrek

July 25th, 2023

CHEVY BOLT IS RETURNING TO MARKET, MONTHS AFTER GM SCRAPPED IT

General Motors said it will bring a new model of the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle to market on an undisclosed date, reversing its decision three months ago to scrap the company’s most popular and affordable EV.​​​​​​​
Written by Jeanne Whalen for The Washington Post

July 18th, 2023

CHINESE ELECTRIC VEHICLE MAKERS LEAD THE WORLD, RIVALING U.S. PIONEERS

Chinese EV companies have grown rapidly in recent years, becoming major competitors for American automakers like Tesla.
Written by Janis Mackey Frayer, Beijing-Based Correspondent for NBC News, And Larissa Gao, Fellow on NBC Asia Desk, Based in Hong Kong

July 11th, 2023

EXPLORING THE PROS AND CONS OF THE FORD LEASE PROGRAM FOR UBER DRIVERS

As the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, Uber drivers are presented with an enticing opportunity to reduce their expenses and contribute to a cleaner environment. 
Written by Paul Nijssen, Founder and President of EVCharge4U Inc.

July 4th, 2023

GM ACQUIRES SOFTWARE STARTUP TO HELP MAINTAIN EV BATTERY HEALTH

General Motors (GM) has acquired “substantially all the assets” of ALGOLiON Ltd, an Israel-based battery software startup, the company announced on Friday. The company’s technology helps detect irregularities in cell performance that will be used to maintain battery health in GM’s EVs.​​​​​​​
Written by Peter Johnson for electrek

June 27th, 2023

GM CEO DISCUSSES CATCHING UP TO TESLA, ADOPTING NACS, HINTS AT BOLT SUCCESSOR

General Motors (GM) is going all-electric, but the transition hasn’t happened as quickly as many anticipated. The automaker is overcoming supply chain hurdles as it ramps up EV production. With several high-volume EVs launching, GM’s CEO Mary Barra believes “it will be dramatically different” next year. But will it be enough to surpass Tesla?
Written by Peter Johnson for electrek

June 20th, 2023

RIVIAN LATEST TO CLIMB ABOARD THE NACS HYPE TRAIN, WILL OFFER TESLA SUPERCHARGER ACCESS TO DRIVERS

American EV automaker Rivian Automotive announced it is embracing the North American Charging Standard (NACS) originally developed and implemented by rival Tesla. Rivian is the latest automaker to embrace the charging standard, joining an ever-growing list OEMs.
Written by Scooter Doll for electrek

June 13th, 2023

THE BEST EV CAR COMMERCIALS SO FAR

The automobile industry has decades of commercials to look back on, ranging from the serious to the silly. More and more are for electric cars, and we had a whale of a time looking through them and picking our most cherished ones.
Written by Suzanne Stougie

June 6th, 2023

STAFF EDITORIAL: MY NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE RENTING A TESLA

Renting a Tesla can seem like an exciting and eco-friendly option for a road trip or a special occasion. However, my recent experience with a well-known rental service and their Tesla Model 3 rental turned into a nightmare.
Written by Paul Nijssen, Founder and President of EVCharge4U Inc. & John King

May 30th, 2023

AUTOMAKERS ARE ROLLING OUT MORE AFFORDABLE EV MODELS. WHY?

After years of catering to the luxury market, the floodgates have opened – quite suddenly, across all major brands. Promises of budget-friendly models are everywhere, making EVs a serious contender for many Americans in the market for a new car.
Written by Suzanne Stougie

May 23rd, 2023

SCOTLAND'S FIRST ELECTRIC SEMI TRUCK IS GOING TO HAUL A WHOLE LOT OF WHISKY

Volvo Trucks and Chivas Brothers are launching a two-year pilot program that will see Scotland’s first electric semi truck transporting the country’s largest export – Scotch whisky.
Written by Michelle Lewis for electrek

May 16th, 2023

POLESTAR LOOKS FOR PARTNERS TO PROPEL THE SHIFT TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Polestar is emerging as a pioneer in the fight against climate change. After delivering over 51,000 vehicles last year, Polestar looks to keep the momentum going, forecasting between 16% to 46% YOY growth in 2023.
Written by Peter Johnson for electrek

May 9th, 2023

TO GET THE EV TAX CREDIT, YOU WILL NOW HAVE TO BUY AN AMERICAN BRAND

New restrictions on qualifying for the up to $7,500 credit mean that only U.S. brands currently qualify. Car buyers looking to get a tax break on a new electric vehicle will now confront an even narrower set of options and have to buy from a U.S. brand.
Written by Sean McLain and Andrew Duehren for The WSJ

May 2nd, 2023

GM TO SCRAP CHEVY BOLT, ITS MOST POPULAR AND LEAST EXPENSIVE EV

The Michigan factory that makes the Bolt EV and the larger Bolt EUV is being retooled to produce electric trucks
Written by Jeanne Whalen for the Washington Post

April 25th, 2023

EV MODELS OUTNUMBER PHEV CHOICES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2014

Plug-in hybrid tech continues to be something that neither automakers nor regulators can completely agree on. Some, like Toyota, Volvo, BMW, and others see them as a smart, effective bridge technology to EVs while others, including GM and Honda see them, at least for now in the U.S., as an unnecessary complication in the shift to EVs. 
Written By Bengt Halvorson for Green Car Reports

April 25th, 2023

CALIFORNIA MIGHT REQUIRE BIDIRECTIONAL CHARGING CAPABILITY IN EVS

The California legislature has introduced a bill that would mandate bidirectional charging capability for all new EVs sold in the state beginning in 2027.
Written By Stephen Edelstein for Green Car Reports

April 18th, 2023

CLEAN VEHICLE TAX CREDITS: THE NEW 2023 RULES IN A NUTSHELL

The new 2023 rules for getting EV tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act come into effect today, reducing the number of car models that qualify for the full federal tax credit. We’ll explain why that is, what the new rules are and how you can make sure your clean vehicle is eligible for the full tax credit of $7,500.
Written By Suzanne Stougie

April 11th, 2023

E.P.A. IS SAID TO PROPOSE RULES MEANT TO DRIVE ELECTRIC CAR SALES TENFOLD

In what would be the nation’s most ambitious climate regulation, the proposal is designed to ensure that electric cars make up the majority of new U.S. auto sales by 2032.
​​​​​​​Written By Coral Davenport for The New York Times

April 4th, 2023

HOW TO MAKE YOUR EV'S BATTERY GO THE DISTANCE

Most EVs are decked out with high-performance lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These are the kind of batteries you'll already have lying around the house - in your laptop, mobile phone, cordless drill - only bigger. Your car will have a whole host of Li-ion batteries, bundled together in a neat, lightweight package, making it possible to power a whole car over hundreds of miles.
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

March 28th, 2023

BERKELEY HILLS RESIDENTS USE ELECTRIC CARS MORE THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE IN STATE

Two Berkeley Hills ZIP codes rank among the top 20 in California for electric car ownership.
​​​​​​​Written By Nadia Lopez & Erica Yee for CalMatters

March 21st, 2023

NEW HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 OWNERS WILL RECEIVE TWO YEARS OF FREE CHARGING FROM ELECTRIFY AMERICA

DC fast charging network Electrify America announced its latest complimentary charging program available for EV owners today. Looking ahead, future owners of the upcoming Hyundai IONIQ 6 will receive two years of free 30-minute charging sessions on its network, offering speeds up to 350 kW – perfect for the electric streamliner’s 800V e-GMP platform.
​​​​​​​Written By Scooter Doll for electrek

March 14th, 2023

VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES FIVE-YEAR $193 BILLION INVESTMENT AS ELECTRIFICATION GATHERS PACE

Volkswagen on Tuesday announced plans to invest 180 billion euros ($192.6 billion) between 2023 and 2027, with more than two thirds targeting “electrification and digitalization.”
​​​​​​​Written By Elliot Smith for CNBC

March 7th, 2023

FORD TRIPLING F-150 LIGHTNING, DOUBLING MACH E PRODUCTION
​​​​​​​IN 2023

Despite an ongoing pause in F-150 Lightning production, Ford says it will boost output this year in response to overwhelming demand. Ford aims to triple Lightning and double Mach-E production as consumers continue gravitating toward its popular EVs.
​​​​​​​Written By Peter Johnson for electrek

February 28th, 2023

THE GREAT AND GOOD OF BANNING NEW ICE CARS IN 2035

Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are notorious carbon emitters, causing global temperatures to rise, that much we know. By adopting EVs wholeheartedly, we have a chance to reduce carbon emissions and avoid climate catastrophe. It’s the main reason why governments the world over are pledging to stop selling new gas-powered cars by 2035.
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

February 21st, 2023

EUROPE IS GOING 100% ELECTRIC IN 2035 - HERE'S HOW TO GET IT DONE!

First the European Union, now New Jersey… The world is swiftly following California’s lead, aiming for zero emissions from new cars and vans by 2035. In this blog post, we’re taking a look at the latest headlines, heralding the end of combustion engines the world over. And what’s needed to actually get us there.
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

February 14th, 2023

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES TOP $1 TRILLION IN WAKE-UP CALL FOR CARMAKERS

Global spending on electric vehicles is surging. According a new report published by BloombergNEF on investment in the energy transition, annual spending on passenger EVs hit $388 billion in 2022, up 53% from the year before.​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Written By Colin McKerracher for Bloomberg

February 7th, 2023

ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES GET A SECOND LIFE STORING SOLAR POWER

A California energy startup has turned more than a thousand electric vehicle (EV) batteries into solar power storage capsules, in an intriguing effort to prove out an alternative to traditional recycling.​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Written By Alex Fitzpatrick from Axios

January 31st, 2023

RANGE ANXIETY

It's been called 'one of the major psychological barriers preventing many people from getting an EV', making it an important concern to tackle in our quest to go electric. Range anxiety, or the worry that you won't make it to your destination (or the next available charging unit) before your EV's battery runs out, is a barrier for many drivers when seriously considering an electric car.
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

January 24th, 2023

YES - EVS ARE SAFE! LET US TELL YOU WHY!

We are all creatures of habit – it’s in our genes. Sticking to what we know makes us feel good and secure. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that the e-revolution is filling a lot of us with dread. One of America’s main worries about electric cars (besides a higher sales price) has been a lack of safety. Scaremongering news reports of the past have focused on exploding batteries, first responders getting electric shocks after EV accidents and the dangers of the ‘quiet car’ to pedestrians.
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

January 17th, 2023

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ICE CARS

When it comes to the health of our planet, ordinary, gas-fueled cars are bad news. They give off greenhouse gases (GhGs), warming up the earth and causing human-made climate change. They damage our food crops ad threaten our health and livelihoods. According to the UN, in the years from 2010 to 2019, an estimated 23.1 million people worldwide were displaced each year due to weather related events. It's a pretty dire situation.​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Written By Suzanne Stougie

January 10th, 2023

MERCEDES-BENZ WILL BUILD A $1 BILLION EV FAST-CHARGING NETWORK IN THE US

Working with ChargePoint, it will install more than 2,500 chargers at 400 sites by 2027.
Written by Jonathan M. Gitlin for ARS Technica

January 3rd, 2023

HYUNDAI NO LONGER SELLING ICE CARS IN NORWAY

Hyundai will stop selling any cars with ICE engines in them, including plug-in hybrids, in Norway starting 2023
Written by Jameson Dow for electrek

January 3rd, 2023

CEC APPROVES $2.9 BILLION INVESTMENT FOR ZERO-EMISSION TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

The California Energy Commission (CEC) today approved an unprecedented $2.9 billion investment plan that accelerates California’s 2025 electric vehicle (EV) charging and hydrogen refueling goals. The funds will support the deployment of thousands of zero-emission trucks, school buses and transit buses to deliver clean air benefits to communities hit hardest by the impacts of pollution from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
News release from energy.ca.gov