Pickup Drivers Block Tesla Chargers In Widening Trend. According to EE News, “Forget ‘rolling coal.’ A new trend called ‘ICE-ing,’ in which pickup truck owners purposefully block electric vehicle charging stations, appears to be gaining ground around the country. The practice, whose name is derived from ‘internal combustion engine,’ was observed over the holidays at a Sheetz gas station in Hickory, N.C. Reddit user Leicina shared a photo on Dec. 23, 2018, of three large pickups blocking access to Tesla Inc. charging stations. The drivers apparently chanted ‘fuck Tesla.’” [EE News, 1/2/19 (+)]
4 U.S. Electric Vehicle Trends To Watch In 2019. According to Forbes, “Electric vehicle (EV) policies helped the U.S. pass 1 million total sales in 2018 and electrification is on the minds of most forward-looking utilities—but despite this momentum, four major trends will determine if EVs accelerate or slowdown in 2019.” [Forbes, 1/2/19 (=)]
Opinion: Only An Electric Car Can Turn The Sun's Energy Into Mileage. According to the LA times, “To the editor: There needs to be a balance in viewing electric cars and their use in Southern California or anywhere. I’ve built and owned electric vehicles for the last eight years, and they have proved to be the best and most economical transportation I have ever experienced. (‘Yes, you can drive an electric car easily in California — but do your research first,’ letters, Dec. 30.) First off, you have to research how and where you are going to charge the vehicle. It has to be convenient since you will charge often, and seeking a public site is impractical for daily use. It costs around $1,600 for a charger and installation at home, so figure that into the purchase price of your car.” [LA Times, 1/2/19 (+)]
View: Why Ethanol Is Not A Suitable Fuel For Automobiles. According to The Economic Times, ‘The Indian government is accelerating its programme of blending ethanol with petrol for two reasons: Our petroleum import bill is continuously increasing (we import more than 85 per cent of all our requirements) and two, we have surplus of sugar in India, which has no takers in the export market. The government is also encouraging the use of other sources of sugar from which ethanol could be produced, for instance, sweet sorghum (SS). Sweet sorghum is a multipurpose crop. It produces grain from its earhead for human consumption; sweet juice from its stem can either produce syrup or could be fermented to produce ethanol; and the bagasse and leaves make good fodder for animals. Thus from the same piece of land it can simultaneously produce food, fuel and fodder.’ [Economic Times, 1/1/19 (=)]
Suzuki Challenges Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks. According to Maui Now, ‘Hawaiʻi Attorney General Russell A. Suzuki joined a coalition of 29 states and local governments in challenging the Trump Administration’s proposed rollbacks of environmental protections. Specifically, the coalition moved the ‘Fourth National Climate Assessment’ into the rulemaking records for the Trump Administration’s proposed rollbacks of the Clean Car Standards and Clean Power Plan. The Assessment’s findings reinforce the coalition’s arguments for maintaining the standards to reduce emissions and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. The Assessment – produced by more than 300 federal and nonfederal experts, including representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and 12 other federal agencies – warns that without immediate action, the effects of climate change will severely harm public health, the environment, the economy, and national security.’ [Maui Now, 12/31/18 (=)]
Top Auto Industry Stories Of 2018: From A Jailed Ceo To The End Of The World As We Know It. According to Forbes, ‘Carlos Ghosn has been a remarkable CEO doing what many believed was the impossible. Since 1999, he has stood at the helm of both Renault and Nissan, and led the alliance that served as the model for any car company looking for a merger, acquisition, alliance, etc. His acumen for bridging the cultural gaps between a French carmaker and a Japanese company, and spending a huge amount of time in the air to accomplish it became legendary. In turning around Nissan, former GM product boss and Chrysler President Bob Lutz said Ghosn had ‘done the impossible.’ His reputation in Japan was such that a hero comic book featuring Ghosn was created to help tell the story. But it all came crashing down in November when he was arrested in Japan, charged with under-reporting his income to avoid taxes, a major offense in Japan. Behind the arrest and charges was a rumbling volcano of resentment gathering steam among Nissan’s executive ranks as well as rank and file employees over Ghosn’s lavish spending, possible redirect of corporate funds for his own benefit and treating Japanese executives like second-class employees.’ [Forbes, 1/1/19 (=)]