Clean
Car Standards
Editorial:
GM Sided With Trump Against California. Please Remember This When Buying A New Car.
According
to the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, “Like rats from a doomed ship, a few of President Donald Trump’s prominent supporters have begun to abandon him now that it’s clear he cannot overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Among the biggest
and most venerable evacuees: General Motors Corp. The Detroit-based American car manufacturer turned on Trump this week, backing away from efforts to overthrow California’s strong fuel efficiency standards for automobiles. With Trump defeated, GM has suddenly
been born again as an eager crusader for a clean energy future. ‘We believe the ambitious electrification goals of the President-elect, California, and General Motors are aligned, to address climate change by drastically reducing automobile emissions,’ GM
CEO Mary Barra said in a letter dumping Trump. Yet it was only a year ago that former Gov. Jerry Brown derided GM as ‘Trump’s lapdog’ for the company’s opportunistic decision to side with Trump in a lawsuit attacking California’s environmental efforts. To
recap: In March 2019, the Trump administration announced plans to roll back fuel efficiency goals set by the Obama administration. Those standards would have required automakers to produce cars averaging nearly 55 miles per gallon by 2026. Trump sought to
gut that goal and reduce the fuel efficiency requirement to an average of 40 mpg by 2026. In July 2019, the California Air Resources Board reached an agreement with five automakers — BMW, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and Volvo — to adopt a 51 mpg average fuel efficiency
standard by 2026. It was a major victory for clean air, climate action and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Then, Trump challenged the deal and got GM’s backing. In October 2019, GM teamed up with Trump and four other carmakers in an attempt to overturn the state’s strong
fuel efficiency rules.” [Sacramento Bee, 11/27/20
(+)]
Early
Test For Biden: Car Emissions Rules. According
to E&E News, “As one of his biggest steps to tackle climate change, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to undo President Trump’s rollback of clean car standards and set new auto emissions rules. But experts have one pressing question for the former vice
president: How aggressive will the new tailpipe rules be? ‘The big-picture question for me is what the eventual standards will look like. They should obviously be based on what’s doable and achievable,’ said Bethany Davis Noll, litigation director at the Institute
for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law. The climate stakes are high. The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the United States, accounting for 28% of carbon emissions. When President Obama introduced the first clean car standards
in 2009, they were the most significant climate rules ever established in the U.S. The Obama-era rules required the average fuel economy of new vehicles to increase by 5% each year, reaching 51 mpg by 2025. Under Trump, EPA and the Department of Transportation
significantly relaxed the requirements. The agencies only mandated 1.5% annual increases in fuel economy, which would require 40.5 mpg by model year 2026, and they blocked California from setting its own tougher tailpipe emissions rules. Now, Biden is expected
to direct EPA and DOT to craft new clean car rules that extend beyond 2025. But first he will need to decide how stringent the new requirements should be. The president-elect will have a few options. He could model the new rules after voluntary emissions agreements
between the California Air Resources Board and five automakers: Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., BMW of North America, Volkswagen AG and Volvo AB. The agreements, which were finalized in July, require 3.7% annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from
new passenger cars.” [E&E News, 11/30/20
(+)]
EPA
Illegal
Tampering By Diesel Pickup Owners Is Worsening Pollution, E.P.A. Says. According
to the New York Times, “The owners and operators of more than half a million diesel pickup trucks have been illegally disabling their vehicles’ emissions control technology over the past decade, allowing excess emissions equivalent to 9 million extra trucks
on the road, a new federal report has concluded. The practice, described in a report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Civil Enforcement, has echoes of the Volkswagen scandal of 2015, when the automaker was found to have illegally installed
devices in millions of diesel passenger cars worldwide — including about half a million in the United States — designed to trick emissions control monitors. But in this case no single corporation is behind the subterfuge; it is the truck owners themselves
who are installing illegal devices, which are typically manufactured by small companies. That makes it much more difficult to measure the full scale of the problem, which is believed to affect many more vehicles than the 500,000 or so estimated in the report.
In terms of the pollution impact in the United States, ‘This is far more alarming and widespread than the Volkswagen scandal,’ said Drew Kodjak, executive director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, the research group that first alerted
the E.P.A. of the illegal Volkswagen technology. ‘Because these are trucks, the amount of pollution is far, far higher,’ he said. The E.P.A. focused just on devices installed in heavy pickup trucks, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and the Dodge Ram 2500, about
15 percent of which appear to have defeat devices installed. But such devices — commercially available and marketed as a way to improve vehicle performance — almost certainly have been installed in millions of other vehicles.” [New York Times,
11/25/20
(=)]
Congress
Bipartisan
Bill Aims To Boost Charging Infrastructure. According
to E&E News, “A bipartisan duo of House lawmakers aims to accelerate the build-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country. Reps. Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas) last week introduced the ‘Electric Vehicle Mobility
Area Planning (EV MAP) Act.’ The measure would create a $10 million grant program to help cities, towns and electric utilities identify ideal locations for EV chargers. ‘Our bill ensures that both communities and the private sector can identify priority areas
to make the best investments in the EV industry,’ O’Halleran said in a statement. ‘This growing market is taking action to lower emissions and combat climate change while bolstering our transportation economy and opening up new, good-paying jobs for Arizonans.
It’s a win-win-win,’ he added. Burgess said in a statement that the bill would help address ‘range anxiety’ — the phenomenon in which EV drivers worry that their car will run out of battery and leave them stranded. Both lawmakers will soon have EV manufacturing
in their backyards. Burgess’ district is north of a proposed $1.1 billion Tesla Inc. Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, while O’Halleran’s district encompasses the site of a Lucid Motors factory under construction in Casa Grande, Ariz. The bill has garnered support
from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Environmental Defense Fund, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions and the Edison Electric Institute. While the measure is unlikely to advance in the lame-duck session, it could be included in
a broader infrastructure package expected in the next Congress.” [E&E News,
11/30/20
(=)]
Auto
Manufacturers
Maserati Commits To Going All-Electric By 2025,
COO Says. According to TNW, “As governments
around the globe seek to push citizens towards greener modes of transport by banning gasoline vehicles, automakers have no other option but to embrace electrification. One of the latest to join the transition is Italian sportscar maker Maserati, The Driven
reports. While there’s been no official announcement, the company’s chief operating office, Davide Grasso, made the announcement during an online event organized by daily newspaper Milano Finaza. According to the unofficial announcement, Maserati’s first fully
electric vehicle will be an EV variant of its upcoming SUV, the Grecale. The Grecale will be first offered as a combustion engined vehicle alongside a hybrid version in 2021. However, we could see a fully electric version of the SUV as early as 2022 if reports
are accurate. Following the Grecale, we can expect the Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio models to be electrified too. ‘The new Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio models will be electrified too, all our line-up will be electrified in the next five years,’ Grasso said.
Earlier this year, Autocar shared images of the next generation Maserati Quattroporte saloon which is set to launch as a plug-in hybrid in 2023. Maserati is owned by the Fiat Chrysler Automobile group, which, alongside Fiat and Chrysler, owns brands such as
Jeep, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia. So far FCA group has been somewhat hesitant over the switch to electric cars. It will have to make it sooner or later, but with Maserati pledging to transfer to electric drivetrains by 2025 it lays a stake in the ground
for its sister brands to step up to.” [TNW, 11/30/20
(=)]
From Tesla And Rivian To Ford And GM: Take A Look
At The Electric Trucks Automakers Are Planning. According
to CNBC, “From electric car startups to the old-school Detroit auto giants, the automotive industry is gearing up for a battle royale as companies race to deliver the first all-electric pickup truck to the mass market. The best-selling vehicle in the U.S.
is a pickup truck (Ford’s F-150). Meanwhile, electric vehicle sales have been steadily rising for years, with some analysts expecting those numbers to jump by nearly 40% globally in 2021, topping 3 million electric vehicles sold around the world. So, it was
just a matter of time before automakers began flooding the market with electric trucks. On Monday — after selling out reservations for its first set of R1T pickups — Rivian opened another round of pre-orders. Elon Musk and Tesla generated buzz with the wild
(and smashing) unveiling of the Tesla Cybertruck in November 2019. And, Ford has also said the electric version of its best-selling F-150 will finally be available in 2022. Here’s a look at some of the most anticipated electric pickups set to hit the market
over the next few years. Rivian Rivian is a startup that’s looking to take down major players in the electric vehicle market. The Irvine, California-based electric automaker has raised roughly $6 billion from investors that include the likes of Amazon and
Ford (which is partnering with Rivian on electric battery technology). Amazon has ordered 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans, and the e-commerce giant plans to start deploying the vehicles in 2022. Meanwhile, the Rivian R1T could be the first electric pickup
to hit the market when it’s expected to arrive in early- to mid-2021. The pickup will have a base price of $69,000 and a top speed of 125 miles per hour (like the Hummer EV, it will also go from zero to 60 MPH in 3 seconds).” [CNBC,
11/26/20
(=)]
Tesla And Volkswagen To Compete With New Affordable
Electric Cars At ~$25,000 To $30,000. According
to Electrek, “The electric car market is about to be accessible to a lot more people as we’ve now learned that Tesla and Volkswagen, the two market leaders for electric vehicles, have now both greenlit electric car programs that are going to start at ~$25,000
to $30,000. In surveys about going electric, the price of new electric cars is always one of the top concerns of new buyers. When it comes to the luxury segments, many electric vehicles have caught up in price and performance with their fossil fuel-powered
counterparts. However, this becomes less true down market with some exceptions. Improvements in battery technology are now starting to enable automakers to reach higher performance, specifically longer ranges, at a lower price point in electric vehicles –
opening EV ownership to more people. Now two major electric automakers have announced compelling electric vehicle programs that should start between ~$25,000 to $30,000. In September, Tesla announced that it will make a new smaller long-range electric car
with its new battery technology starting at $25,000. CEO Elon Musk commented in the announcement: Tesla will make a compelling $25,000 electric vehicle that is also fully autonomous. Musk also added that the new $25,000 electric car is going to come to market
in about three years, when Tesla has ramped up production of its new battery cell.
Now Volkswagen is apparently joining the race down market for new small electric cars.” [Electrek,
11/27/20
(=)]
VW’s ID.3 Quickly Climbs To Top Of Europe’s Electric-Car
Market. According to Bloomberg, “Volkswagen
AG’s ID.3 hatchback rose to the top of Europe’s electric-car sales chart a few months after hitting the market, narrowly beating a Renault SA model and trouncing Tesla Inc.’s Model 3. VW sold 10,475 ID.3s in October, beating Renault’s Zoe subcompact by about
700 units, according to Jato Dynamics. After beating all other EVs by a wide margin in September, Tesla registered just 834 Model 3 sedans last month. Electric vehicles have become a focal point in Europe, with governments boosting subsidies to help carmakers
recover from the pandemic and comply with stricter emissions standards. Total deliveries of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric models are now rivaling cars powered by diesel. ‘Every month, we are seeing new records being set by electric-vehicle sales,’
said Felipe Munoz, a Turin-based senior analyst for Jato Dynamics. ‘We expect this trend to keep going as battery prices come down further.’ Renault and its partner Nissan Motor Co. long enjoyed a first-mover advantage in the market. But their alliance has
seen its share of Europe’s EV segment shrink by almost half during the past four years. Tesla took over the pole position in 2019, and VW is now closing in. The German carmaker’s forthcoming ID.4 crossover could be even more of a hit than the ID.3, Munoz said.
‘The reason why the ID.3 is a success could be down to its relatively affordable price,’ he said. ‘We would expect the ID.4 to further VW’s success with electrics.’” [Bloomberg,
11/26/20
(=)]
Musk Hints Again At Longer-Range Teslas And Hatchback
For Europe. According to Bloomberg, “Elon
Musk briefed a European battery conference on Tesla Inc.’s efforts to bring longer-range electric cars to market in the coming years, though he broke little new ground with regard to timing or other specifics. Tesla will debut improved versions of existing
models that approach 700 kilometers (435 miles) of range and has cars under development for the long term that could reach 1,000 kilometers, the chief executive officer said Tuesday. Musk has tweeted before that the revived Roadster model will cross that threshold,
but the car is years behind schedule. The factory Tesla is building near Berlin will make cars tailored for European buyers, including smaller models that can park in dense urban environments, Musk said. He hinted earlier this year that the company might engineer
a hatchback from Germany. ‘In Europe, it would make sense to do a compact car, perhaps a hatchback,’ Musk said during the event hosted by Germany as part of its European Union Council presidency. ‘I’m sure there will be others as well.’ Musk, who overtook
Bill Gates as the world’s second-richest person on Monday, headlined the event along with the likes of German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and his Italian counterpart Stefano Patuanelli. The big names reflect the amount of optimism in Europe about the region’s
surge in electric-car demand. China’s SVolt Energy Technology Co. said earlier this month it will join larger peer Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. in building a battery factory in Germany in the coming years, while Tesla cell supplier Panasonic Corp.
may open one in Norway. Homegrown manufacturers including Swedish startup NorthVolt AB and a joint venture between French automaker PSA Group and energy giant Total SA also plan to challenge dominant Asian producers.” [Bloomberg,
11/24/20
(=)]
Electric
Vehicles
Black Friday Car Shopping: Time To Buy An Electric Vehicle?
According to Fox News, “If you want to save big money on a car on Black Friday, it might
be time to buy a small used electrified vehicle. According to TrueCar, the Chevrolet Bolt EV has seen the biggest drop in prices this month, down 6.3% since October. It’s not the result of any specific deals, but the going market rate for the compact electric
utility vehicle. The Bolt was first on the list ahead of the ancient Chrysler PT Cruiser and Lincoln Town Car, both going for 5.5% less than last month, while several other compact EVs and hybrids made the top 15. They include the Chevrolet Volt (-5.1), Volkswagen
e-Golf (-5.1), Hyundai Ioniq Electric (-5.0), BMW i3 (-4.9), Nissan Leaf (-4.8), Ford C-Max (-4.8), Honda Insight (-4.7), Honda Clarity (-4.6) and Toyota Prius c (-4.6). If you’re in the market for a new car, there are also some good deals to be had. Chevy
is offering an $8,500 cash allowance on 2020 models through the end of the month, which brings its base price of $37,495 down to $28,995, and the Nissan Leaf is available for purchase with no money down and no interest for five years. The Leaf starts at $32,525
but qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit.” [Fox News, 11/27/20
(=)]
This Startup Vows to Disrupt Electric Vehicles By Doing Everything Tesla Doesn’t.
According to The Observer, “Tesla CEO Elon Musk has famously said that creating the infrastructure
for mass manufacturing automobiles is extremely hard. After over a decade of financial and operational ups and downs, his company has established the EV industry playbook of building not mega, but ‘Giga,’ factories around the world, making as many of the same
cars as possible and delivering them globally. But that formula doesn’t apply to all electric vehicles, says Avinash Rugoobur, president of Arrival, a five-year-old EV startup based in London, U.K. Arrival specializes in commercial vehicles, aiming to electrify
delivery vans and buses in the world’s busiest cities. But, to achieve that goal, the company adopts an approach completely opposite to Tesla’s: assembling vehicles in ‘micro-factories’ small enough to fit into suburban warehouses. That approach has already
met with some success. The company was valued at $3 billion in its latest funding found. UPS, which is also an investor, has committed to buying up to 10,000 Arrival electric delivery vans for its fleet in a deal possibly worth $500 million. Earlier this month,
Observer interviewed Arrival’s President Rugoobur, where he discussed the ins and outs of the company’s micro-factories and why he believes it’s the best setup for electric vans and buses. In your media releases and marketing material, Arrival emphasizes affordability,
which is a major challenge facing almost every EV maker in the market. How affordable are Arrival vehicles? And how do you achieve that price point? Our vans and buses are in the same price range as a comparable diesel vehicle. And you have the added benefit
of lower total cost of ownership, not only because it’s electric, but also because you can upgrade the vehicle over its lifetime.” [The Observer,
11/27/20
(=)]
This New Feature Is About To Make Electric Cars Way Easier To Use.
According to the Detroit Free Press, “Owning an electric vehicle is about to get more
convenient. Automakers and suppliers from around the world have agreed to a system that makes it possible to charge electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids without ever actually plugging them into a wall outlet. Luxury vehicles like the $57,900 BMW 530e plug-in
hybrid and $2 million McLaren Speedtail are ready for the system now, but expect more attainable EVs to offer it soon. A technology to simplify using a product hardly anybody has, wireless charging for electric cars may initially look like the answer to a
question nobody asked. But it’s the kind of convenience people get used to fast, making it easier to own and use vehicles that are becoming increasingly common. Astounding cooperation More important, the SAE International engineers association got an ‘astoundingly
large’ group of automakers and suppliers to cooperate to develop the universal charging system, the first step in making it affordable and easy for drivers to use, according to Ky Seal, who led one of the SAE committees that created the standard. Seal’s day
job is senior principal engineer at Witricity, an MIT-bred company created to develop wireless charging for vehicles and appliances. The SAE — previously Society of Automotive Engineers — is responsible for creating most of the standards that help drivers
figure out everything from which oil to buy to how big a trailer their truck can tow safely. The wireless power transfer (WPT) standard is SAE J2954, for those of you scoring at home. Automakers won’t commit to when they’ll have the system on production cars,
but engineers are quietly optimistic about offering it on mainstream EVs soon.” [Detroit Free Press,
11/28/20
(=)]
Tougher Battery Standards Sought By EU In Shift To Electric Cars.
According to Bloomberg, “Europe plans to impose stricter environmental requirements for
batteries as it begins a radical economic overhaul set to boost electric vehicles and clean energy. The European Union will aim at setting a global standard in the fast-growing market when it proposes next month regulations to ensure all batteries marketed
in the region are greener throughout their life cycle. ‘In our assessment, the EU will become the second-biggest global market for batteries,’ EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said in an interview. ‘The number of batteries placed on the EU
market and their importance will only grow in the coming years. Their sustainability should not lag behind.’ The EU has already invested billions in its Battery Alliance project to compete with Asia, currently Europe’s only provider of EV batteries. The region’s
battery market value will reach 250 billion euros ($300 billion) by 2025, with production capacity able to meet auto industry demand, according to European Commission estimated. Germany and France, home to major car manufacturers, are leading the push to roll
out a European battery industry. Last year, the EU approved 3.2 billion euros in aid for a project spanning seven nations and including industrial giants such as BASF SE and carmakers BMW AG and PSA Group. To make batteries greener, the EU will require more
responsible sourcing of raw materials, using clean energy in production, cutting the share of hazardous substances, boosting energy efficiency and improving their durability, according to Sinkevicius. The new rules will affect batteries manufactured in the
27-nation bloc and brought from abroad, he said.” [Bloomberg, 11/30/20
(=)]
Electric Vehicle Adoption — About To Explode? Or Slow & Steady?
According to Clean Technica, “I wrote a version of this article below almost a year ago
for another company in order to explain the EV market and its future potential. With some modification, I’m publishing it here too. This report conveys 4 main points: Electric vehicles, particularly Teslas, are already more than competitive in certain market
segments. The tech transitions that led to the electric vehicle (EV) market of today will continue in the coming decade. EV sales will rise quickly, outperforming most people’s current expectations. Tesla will continue to lead the market due to core competitive
advantages. The electric vehicle market 10 years ago was basically nonexistent. Almost zero market analysts or investors were on the lookout for a promising electric vehicle startup. You couldn’t find one person out of 100, probably not one out of 1,000, and
maybe not even one out of 1 million, who expected an electric car to be the best selling automobile in some notable country and regional markets by 2020. Chances are good that you did not predict a Silicon Valley automaker would be outselling BMW, Mercedes,
and Audi in the United States in the luxury car market. Nonetheless, this was the future that was awaiting us, and is here now. The Tesla Model 3 had more than twice as many sales as the second best selling automobile in the Netherlands in 2019. In the USA,
the Tesla Model 3 significantly outsold all other luxury vehicles. In fact, the Model 3 has been outselling the BMW 2 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series, and BMW 5 Series combined. The electric vehicle market of today seems unbelievably gigantic in the context
of 2010 expectations, but this is not the pinnacle of electrification, not even close. The tech trends that brought electric vehicles (EVs) to where they are today will continue.” [Clean Technica,
11/27/20
(=)]
International
Victoria's Electric Vehicle Tax Could Reduce Clean Car Sales By 25%, Researcher Says.
According to The Guardian, “Victoria’s planned road user tax for electric vehicles will
significantly hold back clean car use, according to research that found it could lead to a 25% lower share of sales in 2050 than otherwise expected. The Andrews government plans to impose a 2.5c a kilometre charge on electric vehicles (EVs) and a 2c/km charge
on plug-in hybrid cars from July. South Australia is also planning an EV road user charge, but is yet to announce the rate. An analysis by Dr Jake Whitehead, from the University of Queensland’s Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, said federal
government modelling had suggested EVs would be about 65% of new car sales by 2050, based on existing policies. Modelling of the 2.5c tax rate – undertaken before Victoria made its announcement – found this would be expected to fall to 40% if the additional
cost was imposed without being accompanied by new incentives. Applied nationally, this would equate to at least 4.9m fewer EV sales. Whitehead said it would likely lead to greenhouse gas emissions from transport continuing to increase given the overall number
of cars on the road were forecast to rise significantly and a greater proportion would run on fossil fuels. He said the EV per kilometre charge policy was ‘completely incongruent’ with the states’ targets of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. A road user
tax could make sense, he said, but should be accompanied by other measures that made buying clean cars more attractive, such as removing or reducing registration costs, stamp duty, GST and road tolls. Victoria has a $100 concession on registration for EVs
and hybrids. Whitehead suggested this was not enough. ‘It is very easy to claim net zero targets, but there needs to be commitments to back it up and this is running in the wrong direction,’ Whitehead said.” [The Guardian,
11/26/20
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Research and Analysis
Pandemic Motors: Europeans Snap Up Old Cars To Avoid Public Transport.
According to Reuters, “Want a cheap used car to nip around town without running the gauntlet
of coronavirus on public transport? Welcome to Pandemic Motors, we have just what you need. Across Europe, people are snapping up old bangers, clunkers, Klapperkasten, tacots and catorci, desperate to avoid buses and trains but wary of splashing out on a shiny
new motor in uncertain economic times. ‘Public transportation is terrific here, but with the COVID and all that, it’s better to avoid it,’ said Robert Perez, who recently moved to Spain’s capital Madrid from Argentina. On the hunt for work, Perez, a 33-year-old
automotive engineer, bought a red 2001 Seat Toledo for 2,000 euros ($2,370) from OcasionPlus, a Spanish used car firm that has opened four new dealerships since the lockdown due to soaring demand. Data provided to Reuters by research firm IHS Markit and online
car market AutoScout24 showed there has been a marked upward shift in registrations of older cars across Europe, as well as a spike in internet searches for ageing vehicles. The surge in interest in used cars is neither good news for struggling mass transit
networks nor the environment as dirty old cars appear to be more in demand than new electric vehicles. In the longer term, however, the shift away from public transport towards ‘individual mobility’ in the pandemic era is expected to help carmakers, hit by
a 27% slump in new vehicle sales across Europe in the first 10 months of 2020. At Nawaie Motoring’s crammed lot in the west London suburb of Hayes, general manager Ameen Sultani points out the older cars selling for under 3,000 pounds ($3,985) that are in
demand.” [Reuters, 11/30/20
(=)]
Opinion Pieces
Analysis: Electric Vehicles ARE A Silver Bullet For Zero Emissions – Don’t Believe The Fossil Fuel Hype.
According to James Morris in Forbes, “In the last few days, a report has been hitting the headlines in the UK about the carbon footprint of producing EVs. The main story is that (mostly
due to the batteries) the manufacture of an electric vehicle means that it will need to drive 50,000 miles before an equivalent fossil fuel car becomes less green. This is not a complete lie – the carbon footprint of EV manufacture is (generally) higher than
for fossil fuel cars at the moment. But leading on this headline figure obscures a lot of detail, and when you dig deeper, the motivations for the report behind it become more questionable. The first eyebrow gets raised by the fact that this ‘new’ report is
actually based on information released over two months ago. The main example is the comparison between the production of a Polestar 2 EV and a conventional Volvo XC40, stating that the former produces 24 tons of CO2 during manufacture where the latter only
takes 14 tons. This is a fair comparison because both cars come from the same parent company, Geely. In fact, Polestar itself released the information in September, so the numbers seem legitimate. The reason why this report is rehashing the information as
new appears to be in reaction to the UK government announcement of a ban on sales of new fossil fuel cars in 2030. The problem is that most of the articles are leading on the worst-case scenario and either not stating the detail or burying it as far down their
pieces as possible. The 50,000-mile figure is assuming the EV is being charged with the average blend of electricity sources on the UK national grid, which includes a lot of renewable input now but still regularly uses a lot of fossil fuels as well, particularly
natural gas.” [Forbes,
11/28/20 (+)]
Analysis: The Holidays - A Time To Be Thankful For Electric And Autonomous Vehicles.
according to Selika Josiah Talbott in Forbes, “Transportation is Mobility and Mobility is freedom. That is my thankful wish for Electric and Autonomous Vehicles and the future of
transportation not just in America, but globally. I am thankful for the robust discussions that are taking place in corporate boards, garage bays, and Statehouses across the United States. If nothing else, this year we realize the power to positively impact
the environment through electric vehicles and the possibility of creating equity in transportation options with autonomous vehicles. But just as importantly as the boardroom or the truckyard having these conversations is the fact that law firms, insurance
companies and healthcare workers are beginning to join in. They are all asking ‘how will electric vehicles or autonomous vehicles (in some cases the same vehicle) make our lives better - easier, less costly, more manageable and provide greater mobility’? The
gains that we look forward to are the ability for disabled people to make a last-minute decision to travel someplace. Instead of the model of today where often the only source of mobility is a public transport system that requires a 48 hour- sometimes a week-
in advance scheduling. We can anticipate employment opportunities for current delivery workers because of autonomous vehicles. In community colleges students are learning to build or repair delivery robots which will improve their potential to have a job that
provides a living wage. This is so much better then a delivery job that does not pay minimum wage and has them teetering on the edge, not earning a living wage that will support a single person much less a family. Of course, we will see gains not only in the
ability to access healthcare through an autonomous vehicle taking you to and from a medical provider, but also giving you mobility for various medical needs that require transportation.” [Forbes,
11/26/20 (+)]
Chad Ellwood
Senior Research Associate
Climate Action Campaign
202.448.2877 ext. 119