Clean Car Standards
Rep. Sherrill And Rep. Foster Lead Call To Department
Of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency Urging Reconsideration Of Fuel Efficiency Standards Rollback.
According to Insider NJ, “Representative
Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Representative Bill Foster (IL-11) led 19 Members of Congress in urging U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler to reconsider rolling back the 2012 automobile
fuel efficiency standards. On March 31, 2020, the administration announced a new rule that would slash fuel efficiency standards from a goal of 55 mpg by 2025 to 40 mpg by 2026, eliminating one of the government’s most effective tools to combat climate change.
‘New Jersey is one of the fastest warming places in the country, and we need the federal government to encourage our clean energy economy and measures to combat climate change, not take us backward,’ said Representative Sherrill. ‘This decision goes against
the administration’s own assessment that this rule is flawed, and undermines the scientific consensus on climate change. Confronting the COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear: we must listen to our scientific community.’” [Insider NJ,
4/22/20
(=)]
States
Electric Vehicle Roadmap Released For CT.
According to the Connecticut Post, “On Earth Day 2020, the state Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection released details on how the state intends to further introduce electric vehicles to Connecticut. The roadmap is intended to serve as a tool in the state’s effort to improve air quality for residents, while also addressing the climate
crisis. Connecticut has ranked poorly in terms of air quality in the country, with an American Lung Association State of the Air report in 2019 providing an ‘F’ ranking for the state’s eight counties in terms of ‘high ozone days.’ Poor air quality exposure
can lead to health problems including asthma. ‘While much progress has been made in cleaning our air since the first Earth Day, Connecticut still suffers from some of the worst air quality in the country, especially along heavily-traveled transportation corridors
where criteria air pollutants are most densely concentrated,’ DEEP said. The 109-page document addresses transportation equity, purchasing incentives, consumer education and protection, charging infrastructure expansion, utility investment and utility rate
design, among other things. The roadmap focuses on various key points, including the transitioning of public and private fleets and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to electric vehicles. The roadmap focuses on various key points, including the transitioning
of public and private fleets and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to electric vehicles. Also mentioned in the report were exploring opportunities for pilot programs with local innovators in the field, working with the state and municipal government to modify
building codes and permitting requirements to support electric vehicle infrastructure deployment.” [Connecticut Post,
4/22/20
(=)]
Sacramento, West Sacramento Mayors Appoint Commission To Draft Climate Change Plan.
According to KTXL, “The mayors of Sacramento and West Sacramento used the 50th anniversary
of Earth Day to highlight far-reaching climate change goals outlined by a special commission they appointed. ‘What we’re going through now only intensifies our commitment to be bold,’ said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. Besides calling for all new buildings
to be totally electric by 2023, the preliminary climate change plan calls for older buildings to be retrofitted so they emit zero greenhouse gases by 2030. It also sets goals for cleaner means of transportation, including electric vehicles, and has initiatives
for infill development to reduce commutes. In addition, the plan seeks to retrain workers in especially disadvantaged sectors of the workforce for sustainable jobs. ‘Redesign our workforce training to build that new economy, that economy organized around green
jobs, around clean mobility,’ said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. Steinberg noted that COVID-19 affects those whose lungs are already compromised by air pollution. ‘COVID-19 puts the most pronounced exclamation point on why public health is so
important,’ Steinberg said. The epidemic is giving people a taste of what a different lifestyle can be with cleaner air and is forcing people to rethink what is doable. ‘When you see how much I would like to maybe drive to work fewer days less a week,’ Cabaldon
said. ‘There are more things I could do remotely. I could envision myself teleworking.’” [KTXL,
4/22/20
(=)]
Auto Manufacturers
Cruise Commits To Delivering The Holy Grail: Self-Driving EVs Powered Entirely By Renewable Energy.
According to Forbes, “One of the promises of autonomous vehicles is that they will be safer for passengers, occupants of other vehicles,
and bystanders, thereby saving thousands of lives lost on the road each year. Swap internal combustion engines for electric batteries, and you’ve eliminated the tailpipe emissions that hasten climate change and blanket cities with a smoggy haze. Now power
these self-driving EVs with locally produced renewable energy, and you’ve created a blameless transportation system. That’s essentially what self-driving start-up Cruise has done. Cruise is the only autonomous vehicle fleet to be powered 100% by renewable
energy, according to blog post the company released on Earth Day. The San Francisco-based AV company owned by General Motors logged 831,040 autonomous miles in California last year. All 200 of its self-driving vehicles are electric, and in Q4 of 2019 it began
using an energy broker to ensure the power recharging the cars was sourced from renewable energy projects. EVs produces an equivalent of 4,100 pounds of carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, which used a nation-wide average of energy
sources for this calculation. AVs use more energy than human controlled electric vehicles due to the increased vehicle weight from additional sensing equipment, lower aerodynamic drag, and computer processing demand, according to Tracy Cheung, Senior Energy
Fleet Manager for Cruise.” [Forbes, 4/22/20
(=)]
Volvo Cuts R&D And Design Tweaks But Will Leave EV Budget Intact.
According to Electrek, “The economic downturn due to the pandemic is causing automakers to delay launches and slash R&D projects. Volvo’s
CEO Hakan Samuelsson said that his company, like others, is searching for where to cut budgets. But expenses related to the company’s efforts on EVs, as well as self-driving tech, will not be touched. Samuelsson told Automotive News Europe: There are thousands
of projects within our R&D, and we have to question whether we need to do them all. Electrification, autonomous driving, and our future technology development are an absolute priority. Any changes there would jeopardize our strategy, so they will be really
safeguarded. Volvo plans to launch an all-electric car every year for the next five years. By 2025, Volvo wants all-electric vehicles to represent 50% of its global sales. Samuelson previously stated: We are determined to be the first premium carmaker to move
our entire portfolio of vehicles into electrification. This is a clear commitment towards reducing our carbon footprint, as well as contributing to better air quality in our cities. Mid-cycle design refreshes for Volvo’s existing models, a standard practice
for car companies, will likely be cut. Samuelsson said: We need to reduce our cash burn. IHS Markit, a market research company, surveyed 140 suppliers and automakers in Europe, North America, and Asia. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they expect revenue
will be impacted beyond the next 12 months due to the pandemic. Many expected a delay of more than a year on ‘early stage projects.’” [Electrek,
4/22/20
(=)]
VW, Renault Fire Up Factories In Bet That Car Demand Will Follow.
According to Bloomberg, “Manufacturers from Volkswagen AG to Renault SA and Daimler AG are restarting factories in Europe with little
visibility about how much actual demand there will be once customers emerge from restrictions that made car-buying impossible for most people. VW, the world’s largest automaker, is pressing ahead with production of the coming ID.3 electric car on Thursday,
and said it expects to start European deliveries this summer as planned. Efforts to finish the car’s software are ‘on the home stretch’ and the schedule for the rollout at VW’s German factory in Zwickau remains unchanged, the company said. Daimler is gradually
resuming output of engines and components this week to prepare for key models including the EQC electric SUV. The maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury cars offered a fresh reminder of the risks when it scrapped its forecast for the full-year. The balancing act between
preserving cash and spending some to try to sell cars is entering a crucial phase as European countries, hard-hit by the coronavirus, start to ease the lockdowns that have kept potential buyers indoors for weeks. Volkswagen has made clear it won’t back down
on its push for the ID.3, its most important new model in decades, while Peugeot maker PSA Group says it sees no need to add to inventories while sales are dormant. Getting the calculation right is a major test for automotive CEOs, as they seek to pad liquidity
while safely restoring the intricate supply links required for a return to normal times.” [Bloomberg,
4/23/20
(=)]
Ford Unveils Electric Mustang Cobra Jet 1400, Will ‘Crush 1/4 Mile In ~8-Sec’.
According to Electrek, “Ford is unveiling today the Electric Mustang Cobra Jet 1400, a one-off performance electric vehicle that they
believe will ‘crush the quarter-mile in just 8 seconds.’ It wouldn’t be the first time that Ford teases us with a one-off electric Mustang. Last year, they unveiled the ‘Mustang Lithium’ with 900 hp at SEMA in Las Vegas, but I guess we can’t be too mad at
them now that they are actually bringing the Mustang Mach-E to production. Even though it’s just one a one-off, we can still appreciate the engineering beauty behind the vehicle and marvel at the performance of the electric powertrain. Ford wrote about the
vehicle in a press release today: ‘The battery-powered Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype is purpose-built and projected to deliver over 1,400 horsepower and over 1,100 ft.-lbs. of instant torque to demonstrate the capabilities of an electric powertrain in one
of the most demanding race environments.’ Ford says that the prototype is ‘projected to crush the quarter-mile in the low-8-second range at more than 170 mph.’ The project serves as a testbed and demonstration of Ford’s latest work with electric vehicles.
Dave Pericak, Global Director of Ford Icons, said: ‘Ford has always used motorsport to demonstrate innovation. Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to
the absolute limit. We’re excited to showcase what’s possible in an exciting year when we also have the all-electric Mustang Mach-E joining the Mustang family.’” [Electrek,
4/22/20
(=)]
Volkswagen Settlement Money Going Toward Electric Vehicles, Charging Stations.
According to KRQE, “A federal settlement from Volkswagen is funding dozens more local projects aimed at reducing environmental impacts.
The money comes after the automaker was caught installing devices on its vehicles to cheat emissions tests. New Mexico was approved for an $18 payout back in 2017 and already put a third of that toward emissions-reduction projects like replacing school buses
and airport equipment. For the next phase, $4.6 million will go toward 43 projects across the state paying for electric buses and other vehicles as well as charging stations for electric vehicles. The city of Albuquerque says its new stations will be placed
at 11 city faciilities includsing the Sunport, the Balloon Museum and Los Altos Golf Course.” [KRQE,
4/22/20
(=)]
Study Of 3,900 Electric Cars: How The Tesla Model 3 Transformed EV Charging Habits.
According to Electrek, “The Tesla Model 3 didn’t go on sale until halfway through 2017. But in less than three years, the Model 3 has
radically shifted how and when EV drivers charge their cars. That comes through loud and clear when comparing the charging patterns of EVs in 2014 and 2019. FleetCarma, which helps utilities understand and manage EV charging, today published data based on
a new study of 3,900 electric vehicles. The Tesla Model 3 represented nearly half of all EV sales in the US in 2019. That shifted the entire market to long-range EVs — resulting in electric cars charging faster and driving further. The Chevy Bolt also contributed
to these changes. In its new report, ‘EV Growing Pains,’ FleetCarma explains: The long-range BEV has increased in proportion to new electric vehicle sales from 14% in 2014 to 66% in 2019 in the United States. Long-range BEVs are very different from older electric
vehicles. They are driven more, they consume more energy, they draw power at a higher level and they are less predictable. The drivers come from FleetCarma’s SmartCharge Rewards programs offered by utilities. In total, the company studied charging, and driving
habits from 40 different EV makes and models. It looked at 2.3 million hours of charging and 28.9 million miles of driving data — from vehicles across North America. All the data was collected last year, and then extrapolated the changes in behavior between
2014 and 2019 EV vehicle groups.” [Electrek, 4/22/20
(=)]
Electric Vehicles
Electroshock Therapists For Classic Cars.
According to the New York Times, “When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, it wasn’t the romance or the pageantry that set automotive
hearts aflutter. It was the couple’s Jaguar E-Type Zero, a classic E-type body fitted with a modern electric drive, that caused a swoon. Best of all, mere commoners could buy one, Jaguar said, for an estimated $380,000. Until they couldn’t. In late 2019, more
than a year after the wedding, Jaguar broke the news: ‘Jaguar Classic has taken the difficult decision to pause development of the all-electric E-Type Zero for the foreseeable future.’ But fret not. You can still get an electric E-Type, possibly for less than
Jaguar would have charged. If you supply the Jag, ‘I think we could do it for $100,000,’ said Michael Bream, owner of EV West, a San Marcos, Calif., conversion shop that turns gas guzzlers into electrically charged chariots. His shop has converted a Dodge
A100 van, a Dowsetts Comet and some BMW classics, the M3 and 2002. After working out the kinks on the first E-Type, he said, the costs could come down to $50,000. A convergence of interest in electric power and classic cars has spawned specialty shops that
turn classics into silent brutes with tire-burning torque and vintage style. The problem facing these shops is that the technology now advances so quickly that a build may be outdated before it’s complete. These shops are now working to speed up production,
bring down costs and put bolt-on car conversion kits into hobbyists’ hands. The conversion market came to life during the 1970s oil crisis, when gas prices skyrocketed and around-the-block lines formed at the pumps.” [New York Times,
4/23/20
(=)]
Americans Remain Super Skeptical Of EVs, Self-Driving Cars.
According to CNET, “If JD Power’s latest snapshot of America and Canada’s feelings toward self-driving cars and electric vehicles is
any indication, automakers have a long road ahead. The latest data, released Tuesday, shows confidence in self-driving technology decreased for the first time since JD Power started measuring and remains stalled for EVs. On a 100 point index scale, self-driving
confidence fell from 36 to 35 among Americans and EVs held steady at 55. Confidence in EVs fell from 59 to 57 and self-driving car confidence slipped from 39 to 36 in Canada. What might worry automakers more is the fact this data comes from before the coronavirus
pandemic took hold in early March. Automated and EV tech is mighty expensive to develop, and if consumers aren’t even close to embracing it on a wide scale, JD Power believes it will mean a rough road ahead for automakers. ‘They’re pushing forward with technology
that consumers seem to have little interest in,’ Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research at JD Power said. ‘Nor are they making the strides needed to change people’s minds. Especially now, automakers need
to reevaluate where they’re spending money. They are investing billions in these technologies but they need to also invest in educating consumers.’ The vast majority of Americans (67%) don't believe self-driving technology is ready, nor do they think society
is ready to integrate it. Experts included in the study even believe we could see a shift away from shared transportation with consumers focused on personal vehicles again as a result of COVID-19.” [CNET,
4/22/20
(=)]
Chinese EV Startup Byton Furloughs Hundreds In The US.
According to The Verge, “Chinese EV startup Byton is furloughing more than 200 workers at its North American headquarters in Santa Clara,
California due to the coronavirus pandemic, and is reevaluating its plans to launch its first vehicle later this year. ‘Given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy and the hit that the auto industry is taking, we like others have had
to take measures to weather the hard times ahead,’ the company said in a statement to Electrek, which first reported the news. ‘Our production timeline will no doubt be impacted. We are evaluating that impact.’ Byton closed its factory in Nanjing, China earlier
this year as the country attempted to stop the spread of the virus, though it says work picked back up in February. The company, which is backed by state-owned automaker First Auto Works, has been planning to release an electric SUV called M-Byte at the end
of this year in China (and in other markets next year) that features a screen that spans the entire dashboard. The pandemic has affected EV startups of all sizes, though they’re each handling it in different ways. Byton is one of the first to resort to furloughs
(though the electric bus division of Chinese conglomerate BYD also placed hundreds of workers on unpaid leave in California last week, as The Verge first reported). Faraday Future, which has had some employees on furlough dating back to late 2018 while it
searches for funding, was just given a $9.1 million loan through the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Electric truck startup Workhorse also received a $1.1 million loan from
that program.” [The Verge, 4/22/20
(=)]
Electric Vehicle Sales In India Jump, With Two-Wheeled Scooters Driving Growth.
According to CNBC, “Electric vehicle (EV) sales in India have risen sharply over the year, with two-wheeled modes of transport accounting
for the vast majority of sales in the world’s second-most-populous country. Sales of EVs in the country hit 156,000 in the 2019-20 financial year, figures from the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) showed Monday, up from 130,000 the previous
year. ‘Two-wheelers’ accounted for a whopping 152,000 of the total sales, with car and bus sales hitting 3,400 and 600 respectively. Of the two-wheeler sales in the latest figures, 97% were electric scooters, with electric bicycles and motorcycles accounting
for the remaining 3%. Electric car sales in India were slightly down compared to a year earlier, when 3,600 units were sold. Compared to other countries India’s electric car market still has a long way to go. Take the U.K., for instance. According to figures
from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, battery electric vehicle registrations in the country rose to 37,850 in 2019, a significant increase compared to 2018′s 15,510. But while it may lag in terms of electric car sales, there is clearly scope
for India to introduce more electric vehicles to its transport mix. ‘Air pollution is an extreme problem for the country, so EVs are a key part of the medium term solution to this,’ Tim Buckley, from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
(IEEFA), told CNBC via email.” [CNBC, 4/22/20
(=)]
Electric Car Sales Expected To Weather Massive Pandemic Hit.
According to the Washington Examiner, “The pandemic could cut electric car sales in half this year, but it ultimately won’t veer the
United States off course as it heads toward increasing levels of electric vehicles on the roads in the next decade. Instead, despite the big hit to electric vehicle sales expected in 2020, auto analysts say they aren’t seeing indications the global pandemic
is changing the long-term trends pushing automakers toward electric cars. That’s even with extremely low gas prices prompted by the collapse in oil markets. Those low prices could discourage electric car sales because ‘consumers tend to buy bigger, more gas-guzzling
cars when prices at the pump are low,’ said Hannah Pitt, a senior analyst at the Rhodium Group. Even so, it’s only a problem for electric cars in the short-term because there aren’t as many bigger options, such as SUVs or pickup trucks, on the market yet,
said Nick Albanese, who leads BloombergNEF’s Intelligent Mobility research team. Overall, Albanese and other analysts say the virus could just delay the rise of electric vehicles in the U.S. by a couple of years. ‘I personally think that is going to be temporary,’
said Ernest Moniz, who led the Energy Department during the Obama administration’s second term. Moniz, who now leads the Energy Futures Initiative, said electric cars and gas-powered cars will reach a similar cost of ownership in the next five to 10 years.
‘We’ll reach parity in this decade for sure, and then when you add to that that electric vehicles are really very fine performance cars, I think we’re going to see a strong pull in this direction,’ Moniz said during a virtual event Wednesday hosted by the
Aspen Institute.” [Washington Examiner, 4/22/20
(=)]
Switching To Electric Vehicles Will Ruin Our Roads Without A Gas Tax Replacement.
According to The Drive, “Los Angeles, 2042. The sun rises on another day, the crystalline blue sky a reminder of how much smog levels
have dropped since California banned the sale of gas-burning vehicles in the late 2030s. Electric car adoption is still spreading across the country in fits and starts, but here in the cradle of zero-emissions rules, tax incentives and investments in a public
fast-charging network have seen most drivers switch over. It’s been a long, tortuous process, but the future you were promised is finally here. Anyway, time for work. You get dressed, slurp down some nutrient slurry and walk out to your Honda-E (in this vision,
Honda eventually came to its senses and eventually released its cute EV in America). Easing out of your driveway, you make for the I-10 freeway—the same eight-lane disaster zone it’s always been—dodging giant potholes, random piles of gravel from abandoned
roadworks projects and more than a few broken curb chunks. Ochre trails from rusting street signs and guardrails color the concrete everywhere. Traffic still sucks; it’s been decades since Los Angeles attempted to repave its main arteries, let alone build
a new one. So, this is not exactly the future you were promised. Yet it’s a glimpse at a looming, oft-overlooked and critically important problem with the impending shift to EVs. Currently, a large majority of infrastructure projects (including mass transit)
and maintenance in this country are funded by a single source: the gas tax, paid by consumers at the pump.” [The Drive,
4/22/20
(=)]
The Tesla Model 3 Is The Best Electric Car Money Can Buy, But It Has Some Serious Competition. These Are Some Of Its Toughest
Rivals. According to Business Insider, “The Tesla Model 3 is, as far as I’m concerned, the best electric car money can buy. But it
isn’t the only electric car money can buy. A good thing, as the more EVs on the market, the more robust and sustainable that market is likely to be. Currently, the entire global electric-vehicle market amounts to just 2% of total sales. I’ve driven every version
of the Model 3 Tesla has produced, but I’ve also driven a number of other EVs (I have a few I haven’t gotten to, as well, so this rundown isn’t comprehensive). The interesting thing is that all of these EVs do something well — and in many cases, they do it
better than the Model 3. Here’s a ranking of the field: 1.) First up, the champ! The Tesla Model 3 is currently the best all-electric vehicle that human money can buy on planet Earth. Tesla Model 3 I’ve driven several versions, including the very satisfying
all-wheel-drive Performance trim with the highly desirable white interior ... Tesla Model P3D and the less expensive but still superb rear-wheel-drive version with a black interior. The car I reviewed was $58,000 at the time, but Tesla now sells cheaper versions.
My tester had a 75-kilowatt-hour battery pack and could travel 310 miles on a single charge. Tesla's biggest single advantage over the competition is its fast-charging ecosystem. All Tesla owners have access to the Supercharger network, which can restore a
Tesla's battery to full in about an hour. The Supercharger can also talk to a Tesla's systems, helping to plot a course on a longer journey.” [Business Insider,
4/22/20
(=)]
Research And Analysis
Study Shows That Light Weight Does Not Benefit EVs.
According to Electrive, “In contrast to vehicles with combustion engines, lightweight construction in electric vehicles does not have
any advantage over steel in terms of total energy and total emissions. This is the result of a research project by Manuel Schweizer, a student at the Technical University of Ingolstadt (THI). There have been discussions for years in the EV community about
how sensible lightweight construction measures are for electric cars. Lighter cars consume less energy, that’s for sure. But heavier cars have higher kinetic energy at the same speed, and can, therefore, recover more energy when recuperating. So what is ‘more
efficient’? For this study, Schweizer examined the effects of lightweight construction measures for vehicles with combustion engines and electric vehicles in terms of resource efficiency and emissions with the aim of determining the optimum material mix for
both types of vehicle. To this end, Schweizer modelled one vehicle for each drive system from the lower mid-range and the upper range. The comparative calculations showed that over its entire life cycle the lightweight construction variant both requires more
energy and emits more emissions than steel constructions in the same vehicle class. The central result: A negative influence of the additional weight does not occur to the same extent as in vehicles with combustion engine, as the electric motor, in addition
to its higher efficiency, also has the possibility of energy recovery during braking. A ‘resource-efficient choice of materials’ was a much greater lever to reduce overall emissions than lightweight construction.” [Electrive,
4/22/20
(=)]
Election 2020
Auto Workers Union Endorses Biden.
According to E&E News, “The United Auto Workers endorsed Joe Biden for president today, giving the Democrat a potentially significant boost from an influential union. The UAW, which
represents 400,000 auto workers and 580,000 retired workers around the country, cited the former vice president’s support for workers’ rights and leadership during the Obama administration. ‘In these dangerous and difficult times, the country needs a president
who will demonstrate clear, stable leadership, less partisan acrimony and more balance to the rights and protections of working Americans,’ UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement. ‘UAW Members need a federal government that ensures that members have
both a good job to go to, and that they come home to their families at night having earned a fair day’s wage in a safe and secure place,’ Gamble added. The UAW remains influential in Michigan, a key swing state and hub of the U.S. auto industry. In the 2016
presidential election, Donald Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton there by roughly 10,000 votes, or 0.23%. The endorsement was not entirely unexpected, as the union has historically backed Democrats. It supported Clinton in 2016, although roughly one-third
of its members still voted for Trump, in part drawn to his message on trade. During the Obama administration, Biden played a key role in the 2009 auto industry bailout, in which the federal government handed $80.7 billion to General Motors, Chrysler and Ford
Motor Co.” [E&E News,
4/22/20 (=)]
Opinion Pieces
Analysis: A No-Brainer Stimulus Idea: Electrify USPS Mail Trucks.
According to David Roberts in Vox, “With the US trapped in a historic lockdown, everyone agrees that enormous federal spending is necessary to keep the economy going over the next
year and beyond — and everyone has their own ideas about how, exactly, that federal spending should be targeted. A whole genre of essays and white papers devoted to clever stimulus plans has developed almost overnight. I’ve contributed to that genre: Go here
for my ideal recovery/stimulus plan, here for what I think Democrats’ bottom-line demands should be in stimulus negotiations, here for my take on the wisdom of investing in clean energy, and here for why devoting stimulus money to fossil fuels is short-sighted.
Now I want to offer a much more modest idea — a fun idea, even. It’s a win-win-win proposal that would be worth doing even if the economy were at full employment, but a total no-brainer in an economy that needs a kickstart. The cost would be a tiny rounding
error amid the trillions of dollars of stimulus being contemplated, and it would produce outsized social benefits in the form of improved public health, more efficient public services, and lower climate pollution. I’m talking about electrifying mail trucks.
Postal trucks are old and janky The boxy, whiny postal truck that is so familiar to Americans, with the driver on the right next to a loud sliding door, is called a Grumman Long Life Vehicle (LLV). As of 2018, the US Postal Service owns and operates 229,000
total vehicles, more than 141,000 of which are LLVs.” [Vox,
4/22/20 (=)]
Analysis: Oil Prices May Be At All-Time Lows, But It's Still Worth Buying An Electric Car.
According to Sasha Lekach in Mashable, “For the first time in 34 years, the price of a barrel of oil has dropped to historic lows — below $0 somehow, confusingly — but that shouldn’t
erode efforts to go electric, especially for any future car purchases. Sure, because of coronavirus social-distancing measures in most cities and states, roads are largely empty, cars are parked, most flights are canceled, and the buses and trains that are
still running barely have passengers. Even auto insurance companies are recognizing how little we’re moving and offering discounts. Right now, the idea of buying a car may seem strange and unnecessary. But with the average price of gas down to less than $2
per gallon in the U.S., once cities start opening up we’ll be back to many of our old ways. We’ll revert to driving again, perhaps even more so with lingering fears of coronavirus exposure on public transit and because it’ll feel cheap to burn through miles.
But air quality improvements from the past month indicate that we need to change. And what if these changes could become long-lasting? Geotab, a data and analytics company that tracks vehicles, found that the impact of coronavirus on air pollution was noticeable
across North America. Looking at cities before and after March 15, carbon emissions dropped across the board when social distancing started in earnest. In New York City alone, the average emission level was more than halved. Even a slow return to our previous
ways of getting around means most of the air quality improvements from the past month will be erased.” [Mashable,
4/22/20 (=)]
Chad Ellwood
Senior Research Associate
Climate Action Campaign
202.448.2877 ext. 119