Transitioning to electric power has been a major focus of state and local agencies trying to meet ambitious emissions reduction goals. That involves rolling out more charging stations, bolstering the grid, and offering incentives for drivers to go electric; but consumers will also need plenty of cars to choose from. American-made options, however, are going to be limited.
electric cars
Electric school buses test V2G technology
Dominion Energy in Virginia is in the midst of buying electric buses for schools across Virginia. When not transporting kids to and from school, the buses will serve as batteries to feed power back into the electrical grid. Using buses for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power benefits Dominion Energy because it helps smooth out demand on other power sources. Schools get new, clean buses that do not require diesel fuel for free, saving money and cutting emissions around the schools.
Global SUV sales undo gain from electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce emissions and the climate impact of transportation. But the global increase in SUV sales—led by but not exclusive to the U.S.—is more than neutralizing these reductions. That is the message from an analysis of the World Energy Outlook 2019, due out on November 13th.
Hawaii moves toward road usage charge and a clean energy future
With continuously declining fuel tax revenues and growing interest in sustainable modes of transportation, many states have initiated conversations around vehicle miles traveled fees. Hawaii has addressed this topic more aggressively than many others. To compensate for the declining revenue source and consciously prepare for 2045, Hawaii is set to launch its VMT demonstration project this fall. A VMT system is a logical intervention as Hawaii moves toward its goal of an all-electric vehicle fleet, and a mileage-based fee carries a strong price signal for all drivers.
Was 2018 the year of peak ICE?
With slowing growth in light-duty automotive markets overall, and an increasing share of electric vehicles within that market, last year may have been the high point for internal combustion engines. Such is the conclusion drawn by Financial Times, based on interviews with and reports from a variety of automotive industry experts.
How do we prepare for the “hockey stick growth” of the EV market?
The latest forecasts by Bloomberg show the current sales of electric vehicles increasing from 1 million worldwide, to 11 million in 2025, and then surging to 30 million in 2030. Many other forecasts come very close, and a recent report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory describes the future market of EVs as following a ‘hockey stick growth’ pattern. Are U.S. electric utilities, regulators, and the infrastructure ready for this change?
Lessons for the U.S. from Norway’s success with electric vehicles
Norway is the world’s leader in electric vehicle adoption, and the country has set a goal to be 100 percent electric by 2025. But their experience with the transition to electric vehicles holds some lessons for other countries, including the U.S., including questions about the future of the national oil industry and concerns about whether the electric grid can handle the charging needs of EVs.
Building the infrastructure for zero emissions and alternative fuel vehicles
A variety of electric and alternative fuel vehicles are increasingly available to consumers, which should be good news for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, adoption of these new, cleaner technologies is hampered by inadequate infrastructure needed to support fueling of these vehicles. Recognizing this challenge, the FAST Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to designate alternative fueling corridors for EV and alternative fuel vehicles.
Building the market: Putting Zero-Emission Vehicles on the road
It took decades for the current gasoline and diesel service station infrastructure to be built out, enabling longer- distance travel. As we enter an era where more drivers are considering adopting electric vehicles, infrastructure to “fuel” these zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is lacking in a similar way to the early automobile period’s gas station shortage. In particular, the market has been slow to respond to the need for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. A new coalition of eight states on both coasts has released a plan to speed the adoption of ZEV technology and address this infrastructure gap.
Pacific Coast Sun Trail may lessen California EV range anxiety
A planned network of electric vehicle charging stations along the California coast, from Eureka to Malibu, will make trips to scenic coastal areas more feasible for EV owners. As reported by the Press Democrat, Richard Sachen, the entrepreneur behind the plan, refers to it as the “Pacific Coast Sun Trail” and so far has raised most of his capital for the stations through crowdfunding websites such as Gust and Indiegogo.