Congress

 

U.S. Lawmakers To Open Chips, China Bill Negotiations. According to Reuters, “Members of Congress will meet Thursday to open negotiations on a compromise measure that would fund $52 billion in semiconductor manufacturing subsidies and boost U.S. competitiveness with Chinese technology, a source told Reuters. The Senate passed its version of the bill in June 2021, while the House passed a similar bill in February. More than 100 House and Senate lawmakers have been named to a ‘conference committee’ that will meet for the first time Thursday. Congressional aides said it could still take months before a final agreement is reached. A persistent shortage of chips has disrupted the automotive and electronics industries, forcing some firms to scale back production. ‘It’s crazy it’s taken this long,’ Senator Mark Warner told Reuters on Thursday. He noted that since the United States began considering incentives, other countries like Germany have announced and finalized new chips incentives. Warner said some major investments in new U.S. chip production could be jeopardized without action from Congress.” [Reuters, 5/6/22 (=)]

 

Emissions Standards

 

N.M. Becomes Latest State To Adopt Calif.'s Clean Car Rules. According to Politico, “New Mexico adopted a rule last week to rein in vehicle emissions and spur the adoption of electric cars and trucks — making it the latest state to follow California’s clean car standards. Under the Clean Air Act, California is allowed to set mileage and greenhouse gas emissions regulations that are more stringent than those of the federal government. Including New Mexico, 18 states and the District of Columbia now follow California’s tougher rules, together representing nearly 40 percent of the national auto market. California itself is the largest economy in the country and fifth globally. ‘This is a bold step toward reducing ground-level ozone and protecting public health,’ Angel Martinez Jr., director of Albuquerque’s Environmental Health Department, said in a statement. ‘Implementing this rule is an important tool to mitigate the effects of climate change, reduce air pollution, and improve the health of all our residents.’ Under the Clean Car Rule, New Mexico is expected to save $237 million in lower fuel and maintenance costs by 2050, according to the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board. The move also highlights the significance of President Joe Biden’s decision earlier this year to reinstate California’s authority to set its own auto emissions rules.” [Politico, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

Manufacturers & Fleets

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

AP | Tennessee Town Near Ford EV Site Reports Deal To Avert State Takeover. According to The Detroit News, “After alleging that Tennessee’s top leaders were placing unfair scrutiny over a predominantly Black town near Ford Motor Co.’s planned electric vehicle factory, Mason announced Wednesday it had reached a deal halting the threat of a state takeover of its finances. The settlement marks a victory for town officials who had argued the state was treating Mason’s majority-Black leaders differently than they have White administrators who also struggled with finances. ‘This settlement agreement is a good thing for the citizens of the town and it’s a good thing for African Americans across the country,’ said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. The issue began when Comptroller Jason Mumpower asked Mason’s town leaders to surrender their charter, pointing to ongoing years of financial mismanagement. After Mason voters refused to do so, Mumpower later said the state would take over its financial supervision. The news of the pending takeover quickly sparked national attention as many pointed out that Mason is near the site of a future $5.6 billion Ford electric pickup truck factory, which is expected to employ about 5,600 workers at the plant, and construction of the factory will create thousands more jobs.” [The Detroit News, 5/4/22 (=)]

 

Ford E-Transit Custom To Release In 2023. According to Electrive, “Ford Pro has unveiled the all-electric E-Transit Custom, which will go into production in the second half of 2023. The E-Transit Custom is expected to offer a range of up to 380 kilometres and a towing capacity similar to the diesel version. Ford is not yet disclosing further technical data on the electric drive system, the battery and the charging system. Details are to be published in connection with the IAA Transportation in September. Until then, the general word is that the E-Transit Custom is intended to help commercial customers make the switch to electrified commercial vehicles in the important one-tonne payload class segment. A relationship to the larger E-Transit from the two-tonne payload class is possible: the latter comes with a net 68 kWh battery to a standard range of up to 317 kilometres – in the smaller and lighter E-Transit Custom, the mentioned 380 kilometres could be possible with a similar battery. The towing capacity of the current diesel models is up to 1.9 tonnes. The E-Transit Custom and its counterpart E-Tourneo Custom are the first two of a total of four announced all-electric commercial vehicle models that Ford Pro will launch in Europe by 2024. The E-Transit Custom and E-Tourneo Custom will be built by Ford Otosan, Ford’s joint venture in Turkey, at the Kocaeli site, where the new E-Transit also comes off the production line. Models 3 and 4 will be the E-Transit Courier and E-Tourneo Courier – but the panel van models will probably be manufactured in Romania.” [Electrive, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

General Motor Corp.

 

Mary Barra Says By Mid-Decade GM Will Be Selling More EVs In The US Than Anyone — Including Tesla. According to Clean Technica, “General Motors CEO Mary Barra told Yahoo! Finance that the company plans to sell more EVs in the US than other automakers, including Tesla, by the middle of the decade. She also said that EVs are a huge opportunity for the company. ‘What we’ve seen and what that represents is that people do believe in EVs and there’s a huge opportunity there. ‘So, at General Motors, we’re just focused on executing well, really work to listen and understand what the customers are looking for, and remember, we’re not just necessarily selling at the premium end, we’re going to have electric vehicles affordable at $30,000 and then our joint venture — joint partnership with Honda — we’re going to be doing something even more affordable than that with our affordable electric vehicle. ‘I think it’s a little bit longer game. We’re taking all the steps to do it right to make sure that we’re positioned to have a full portfolio of vehicles. And we have said that by mid-decade, we will be selling more EVs in this country than anyone else.’ When asked about Tesla, Mary Barra replied, ‘Including Tesla.’” [Clean Technica, 5/8/22 (=)]

 

Mary Barra: We Plan To 'Be Selling More EVs In This Country Than Anyone Else, Including Tesla'. According to Yahoo! Finance, “General Motors CEO Mary Barra discusses the company’s ramping up of electric vehicle production and how they plan to challenge rivals like Tesla.” [Yahoo! Finance, 5/5/22 (=)]

 

UK: DPD Ordered 1,000 Ford E-Transit Electric Vans. According to Inside EVs, “DPD announced an expansion of its parcel delivery fleet with the addition of 1,000 all-electric Ford E-Transit, which will be deployed across the UK network. The first Ford E-Transit will be delivered this month, and once all enter service, the DPD UK fleet will have over 2,500 electric vehicles. According to the press release, the company has ordered the 3.5t long-wheelbase version with 12.4 cubic meters of load space and a 135 kW electric motor. The battery pack is 68 kWh (usable). On top of fleet electrification, DPD says that it also invests in a series of innovative recycling and circular economy initiatives to become ‘the greenest delivery company on the planet.’ Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability, DPD UK commented: ‘Getting our hands on the electric Ford Transit feels like a really big moment. 3.5t vans are the workhorse of any delivery fleet, and we are no different. We’ve said all along that we need the main commercial van manufacturers to step-up with affordable models and largescale production of right-hand drive vans to really get the EV revolution going in the UK. And Ford have done just that. The E-Transit is well priced, has a good range and comes with all the support you would expect from Ford.’” [Inside EVs, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

Hyundai Motor Co.

 

Hyundai Plans U.S. EV Plant, In Talks With Georgia. According to Reuters, “Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) plans to build a new electric-vehicle manufacturing plant in the United States and has held discussions with officials in Georgia, near existing plants for the Hyundai and Kia (000270.KS) brands, people with knowledge of its plans told Reuters. Hyundai Motor confirmed an imminent plan for a new EV plant but declined to comment on any details, including site negotiations. ‘We are excited to announce a new EV plant plan in the United States soon, but we do not have details to share at this stage,’ Hyundai said in a statement to Reuters when asked about its investment plans. Hyundai has been in advanced discussions with state officials to build a dedicated EV facility in Georgia, three people with direct knowledge of the talks told Reuters. Details of the investment, including its projected cost and the number of jobs it would be expected to create, were not immediately known. The new Georgia EV facility, if it is finalized, would serve both Hyundai and Kia as the brands move to roll out a pair of fully electric SUVs – the Ioniq 7 and EV9 – aimed at the U.S. market, the three people with knowledge of the plans told Reuters. Representatives of Georgia’s economic development authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.” [Reuters, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Tesla Will Cover Transportation Costs For Employee Abortions. According to The New York Times, “Tesla is covering transportation costs for employees to get out-of-state abortions, joining the likes of Citigroup and Yelp as various state regulations have limited access to abortion. The company said in its 2021 impact report, released on Friday, that it had begun offering ‘travel and lodging support for those who may need to seek healthcare services that are unavailable in their home state’ last year. Texas, where Tesla is based, has some of the country’s most restrictive abortion laws. Last year the state banned the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy. In Congress, some lawmakers are already threatening actions against companies that offer such benefits, including Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida. Tesla’s other fertility benefits include I.V.F. and egg freezing, as well as up to $25,000 for both adoption and surrogacy. Tesla offers 16 weeks of paid family leave. Since a draft opinion obtained by Politico and published on Monday showed the Supreme Court’s intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the Court confirmed its veracity, companies have been relatively quiet.” [The New York Times, 5/6/22 (=)]

 

Tesla’s Recycled Batteries: Almost 92% Reuse Of Raw Materials. According to Clean Technica, “Tesla’s recycled batteries have provided almost 92% of their original raw materials back to Tesla for future use, according to new information in Tesla’s 2021 Impact Report. Tesla’s factories are already using an in-house, closed-loop recycling system. This allows for all of Tesla’s batteries that it receives to be recycled with up to 92% of the raw materials being used again. Tesla also shared some details about its battery chemistry, noting that lithium only accounts for around 1.5% of the full battery pack weight. Tesla’s iron phosphate battery packs have neither any cobalt nor nickel. Tesla stated the following in its latest Impact Report: ‘While the relative cathode compositions and our overall demand of various minerals and battery-grade chemicals will continue to evolve, Tesla and the global battery supply chain will require significant quantities of responsibly produced lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, phosphates, and many other minerals for the foreseeable future. While we recognize the critical role battery recycling will play in supplying a portion of these materials to enable a closed-loop supply chain, global cell production will continue to rely heavily on primary, mined materials to meet the growing demand in the short to medium term.” [Clean Technica, 5/8/22 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

Volkswagen CEO Sees Tight Race With Tesla For E-Car Crown By 2025. According to Reuters, “Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) faces a tough road ahead to reach its self-imposed target of becoming the world’s largest seller of electric vehicles by 2025, its chief executive said on Monday, admitting rival Tesla (TSLA.O) was stronger than expected. ‘It will be a tight race but we won’t give up on it,’ Herbert Diess said at the FT Future of the Car 2022 conference. ‘I have to say we didn’t expect our main U.S. competitor to be so fast and well-prepared,’ he added. Diess was heavily criticised last year for regularly benchmarking Volkswagen against Tesla and singling out the company’s agility and speed to put pressure on the German carmaker’s established structures. Tesla this year opened its first European gigafactory near Berlin, challenging Volkswagen as well as peers BMW (BMWG.DE) and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) on their home turf, while Diess said he expected Tesla’s ramp-up to be challenging. Diess said he still saw a chance that Volkswagen could manage to overtake Tesla and become the world’s No.1 by 2025, pointing to its bigger product offering covering luxury and premium cars as well as volume brands. Turning to the U.S. market, where Volkswagen aims to more than double its market share to 10%, Diess said this would require an additional plant as well as local battery production, but dismissed the move was due to being over-exposed to China.” [Reuters, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

VW’s 2022 Supply Of Evs Is ‘Basically Sold Out’ In The US And Europe. According to The Verge, “Volkswagen’s CEO, Herbert Diess, says that the company is ‘basically sold out on electric vehicles in Europe and in the United States’ for the year, according to a report from the Financial Times. This means that anyone hoping to get an EV from VW, Audi, or any of the group’s other brands may have to wait until 2023, as the company tries to navigate the chip shortage and production issues from COVID shutdowns in China. According to the report, VW expects its backlog of orders to keep growing. It currently has plenty of people on the list waiting to get an EV and expects to add more throughout the year. But supply chain issues will make those difficult to fill. Almost every automaker has had to halt or slow down production thanks to a lack of chips. Some have even resorted to stripping out features from their vehicles just to get them off the assembly line. Electric cars also need a large quantity of batteries, which can be challenging to make in the best of times. According to the Financial Times, VW sold just under 100,000 electric cars in Q1 2022. Tesla, according to its latest earnings, sold around 310,000 in the same time period. VW isn’t exactly unique in its difficulties keeping up with the demand for EVs. Ford’s website for the F-150 Lightning says that ‘the current model year is no longer available for retail order’ and it stopped taking reservations for the electric truck in December. That’s a slightly different scale though; VW’s reportedly completely out of EVs, whereas I could go to a dealership and buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E, the automaker’s other consumer-focused EV.” [The Verge, 5/4/22 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group: EVs Are Basically Sold Out In Europe And US For 2022. According to Inside EVs, “The Volkswagen Group (which includes Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Skoda, SEAT and more) reports that demand for its electric cars significantly overwhelms the manufacturing capacity. Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess recently told the Financial Times that BEVs are basically sold out for 2022 in Europe and the US, as the order backlog in Western Europe alone reached 300,000: ‘We have very high order books and… order intake on electric vehicles,’ ‘We are basically sold out on electric vehicles in Europe and in the United States. And in China, it’s really picking up,’ It means that new orders placed now (at least for most of the electric models) will result in delivery in 2023. That’s not a good message for customers who would like to buy a new car, especially since that due to the inflation, new model year cars might be more expensive. The issue of demand far exceeding supply was previously hinted at by Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz. Let’s recall that the Volkswagen Group sold about 99,100 all-electric vehicles during the first quarter of 2022 (up 65% year-over-year), including 58,400 in Europe, 28,800 (over 27,100 ID. family) in China, and 7,900 in the US. The plan for 2022 is to sell roughly 700,000 BEVs (including 140,000 in China), which would require averaging 200,000 per quarter over the remaining three quarters. The previous best quarter was Q4 2021 with 159,800 units so it’s not an easy task, especially with global supply constraints and lockdowns in China.” [Inside EVs, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

In Q1 2022, Audi Increased All-Electric Car Sales By 66%. According to Inside EVs, “Audi reports that its car sales during the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 16.8% to 385,084, although a year ago the first quarter was ‘above-average.’ According to the manufacturer, the two main causes behind the noticeable decline are supply shortages and renewed COVID-19 lockdowns in China. With this as background, all-electric car sales of the Audi brand do not look bad. In Q1, some 24,236 units were delivered, which is 66% more than a year ago. That’s about 6.3% of Audi’s total sales and the second highest result within the Volkswagen Group. However, while the year-over-year increase is significant, compared to the previous quarter, it’s not so rosy. Deliveries noticeably decreased compared to Q4. Sales of the plug-in hybrid models were not disclosed.” [Inside EVs, 5/7/22 (=)]

 

Electric Vehicles

 

EV Sales & Transition

 

A Guide To U.S. Electric Car Tax Credits And Rebates. According to Bloomberg, “As the average price of gas continues to surge, more U.S. consumers might be considering buying an electric car. According to auto club AAA, from May 2 to May 6 the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline increased by five cents to $4.24. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also has pushed prices higher. The conventional wisdom has been that plugging in and charging up a battery-powered car will cost an owner less than filling up a gas tank. But EVs are more expensive — many models on the market in the U.S. are beyond the means of the average consumer. The cheapest Tesla, a Model 3, starts at $47,000; the Ford Mach-E has a similar base price but actual sales have run above the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the electric version of America’s best-selling vehicle of the past 40 years, has drawn a ton of interest — and deposits — given a somewhat more competitive starting point: just under $40,000. Those are big numbers but not necessarily deterrents. Anecdotally, dealers report an increase in prospective buyers entering showrooms specifically to explore electric or hybrid models. Some are ‘just wanting to look,’ says James Morrell, the owner of the Destination Kia dealership in Albany, New York. That curiosity has recently converted into more EV sales. Morrell’s dealership sold 16 Kia EV6s — a new, fully electric sport utility vehicle that hit showrooms in February with a starting price, for the ‘Light’ model, of $40,900 — in the last two weeks of March. ‘That’s a lot of electric vehicle sales in a short period of time,’ he says.” [Bloomberg, 5/7/22 (=)]

 

EV Resources & Technology

 

CATL In Advanced Talks To Build Its First Us Battery Plants: Report. According to Inside EVs, “China’s CATL, the world’s largest EV battery maker, is reportedly in advanced talks to pick a site for its first electric vehicle battery plant in the United States. The company is in the final stages of vetting US sites, two people familiar with the plans told Reuters. The sources said CATL is in talks to open plants that would serve BMW Group and Ford Motor Company, with potential sites including South Carolina and Kentucky, where the automakers have assembly plants. The goal for the potential South Carolina plant would be to start battery production in 2026, one of the sources said. BMW is already a customer of CATL. While CATL declined to comment on the report, its chairman Zeng Yuqun said last week the company was looking at options to localize production for overseas automakers in their own countries. He added that CATL had begun mass production of batteries for overseas markets in 2021 and was looking to consolidate its position as the major battery supplier to overseas automakers ‘in the next round of supplier sourcing,’ which would begin from 2026.” [Inside EVs, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

Glencore & Li-Cycle Partner For Battery Recycling. According to Clean Technica, “Li-Cycle and Glencore have announced a long-term battery supply agreement to better serve the EV battery supply chain. The agreement is a global feedstock supply agreement. Glencore will supply a wide variety of manufacturing scrap as well as end-of-life lithium-ion batteries to Li-Cycle. The two companies also entered into a non-binding Term Sheet for global and long-term strategic contracts. Li-Cycle noted that it would complement its existing off-take and marketing agreement, which includes: Supply of black mass to Li-Cycle’s Hubs Off-take of black mass from Li-Cycle’s Spokes Off-take of battery-grade end products produced by Li-Cycle’s Hubs Off-take of by-products from Li-Cycle’s Spokes and Hubs, and Supply of sulfuric acid, one of the key input reagents for Li-Cycle’s Hubs. Once the companies execute the commercial agreements, Glencore will invest $200 million in L-Cycle and have the right to nominate one board member to Li-Cycle’s board. In light of this, Li-Cycle has agreed to nominate Glencore’s Head of Recycling, Kunal Sinha, to its board. Ajay Kochhar, Li-Cycle Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said: ‘We are thrilled to have Glencore as a long-term strategic investor and global commercial partner. Bringing our complementary capabilities together will accelerate the path to a circular economy for critical materials in the lithium-ion battery supply chain. ‘These agreements further secure and diversify our lithium-ion battery supply and feedstock sources, competitively positioning our network expansion in North America and Europe.’” [Clean Technica, 5/7/22 (=)]

 

Debunking Common Anti-EV Myths, Part Two: Responsible Sourcing Of Raw Materials. According to Clean Technica, “The creators of the endless flood of anti-EV misinformation often claim to be great environmentalists — ‘Don’t get me wrong…’ is a common beginning to their disingenuous articles and posts. In an ironic sense, there may be some truth to this, because they’re certainly believers in recycling. These anti-EV and anti-renewable energy rants rely on a standard repertoire of myths, most of which have been recirculated since modern EVs began to appear a decade ago — and most have been thoroughly debunked and/or made irrelevant by technological and business developments. In a previous article, we provided links to scientific studies that have invalidated some of the most common anti-EV myths, including the idea that EVs pollute more than gas cars if their electricity comes from non-renewable sources (The Long Tailpipe), the dismissal of battery recycling, the fantasy that EV tires and brakes cause more particulate pollution, and the hoax about diesel-powered charging stations. However, there are plenty more anti-EV bugaboos out there, and they are continually recycled and reframed — we could probably write ten more articles like this one. We’ll spare you that excruciating experience, dear readers, but this week we’re going to cover one more common canard — the environmental and social problems associated with sourcing raw materials for batteries.” [Clean Technica, 5/8/22 (+)]

 

EV Infrastructure

 

Report: EVs May Strain Grid, Fall Short On Net-Zero Targets. According to Politico, “Existing state-level policies supporting electric vehicles are not sufficient for the United States to reach net-zero emissions by midcentury, according to a new report from ICF International. The analysis from the global consulting firm said policies would cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 27 percent compared with 2020. Failing to reduce transportation emissions by a larger margin ‘would mean it would be pretty impossible to get to net zero from an economywide perspective,’ said Fiona Wissell, a decarbonization consultant at ICF International and co-author of the report. ‘Transportation is not the most difficult sector to decarbonize,’ Wissell told E&E News. ‘We have very well-known transition strategies and technologies for that sector. So if transportation emissions can’t be cut by 80 percent or more, the harder sectors are left with a burden.’ The transportation sector accounts for the largest portion of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the report, with the majority of transportation emissions coming from on-road vehicles. The ICF analysts modeled two scenarios where individual states that already have relatively aggressive EV adoption targets continue to ramp up their policy supports. In those state-level policy scenarios, on-road transportation emissions fell by just 30 to 40 percent.” [Politico, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

So You Want To Buy An Electric Car. Where Are You Going To Charge It? According to The New York Times, “Q: Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are still outliers on the road, but their popularity is growing fast, with about 600,000 sales in the United States in 2021. If you’re thinking of going electric, you might be wondering: How do you charge it at home? We spoke with experts to find out how to make your garage ready for your new ride. A: Don’t wait until after you buy an electric car to figure out where you’re going to charge it. ‘The people who stopped owning electric cars are the people who didn’t have a reliable place to charge,’ said Gil Tal, director of the Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center at the University of California, Davis. So make a charging plan. Have an electrician check your outlets, electrical panel and garage so you know what upgrades, if any, are needed. When you’re not at home, find nearby direct-current fast charging stations (apps like PlugShare can help), which can recharge a battery in 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the vehicle. You can charge a vehicle in your garage or outside, regardless of weather. But if you opt for outdoor charging, use weatherproof equipment. If you have a standard, 120-volt outlet in your garage or on the side of your house, you can simply plug your vehicle into it. That’s called Level 1 charging, and it recharges your battery at a rate of about four to six driving miles per hour, according to J.D. Power.” [The New York Times, 5/7/22 (=)]

 

Electricity Shortage Warnings Grow Across U.S. According to The Wall Street Journal, “From California to Texas to Indiana, electric-grid operators are warning that power-generating capacity is struggling to keep up with demand, a gap that could lead to rolling blackouts during heat waves or other peak periods as soon as this year. California’s grid operator said Friday that it anticipates a shortfall in supplies this summer, especially if extreme heat, wildfires or delays in bringing new power sources online exacerbate the constraints. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, which oversees a large regional grid spanning much of the Midwest, said late last month that capacity shortages may force it to take emergency measures to meet summer demand and flagged the risk of outages. In Texas, where a number of power plants lately went offline for maintenance, the grid operator warned of tight conditions during a heat wave expected to last into the next week. … The risk of outages resulting from supply constraints comes amid other challenges straining the reliability of the grid. Large, sustained outages have occurred with greater frequency over the past two decades, in part because the grid has become more vulnerable to failure with age and an uptick in severe weather events exacerbated by climate change. A push to electrify home heating and cooking, and the expected growth of electric vehicles, may increase power demand in coming years, putting further pressure on the system.” [The Wall Street Journal, 5/8/22 (=)]

 

States & Local

 

The Bills That Passed And Failed On Final Day Of CT Legislative Session. According to Connecticut Post, “On the final day of the 2022 General Assembly session, hundreds of bills were still up for consideration before lawmakers adjourned Wednesday night. Here’s a look at how some of the bills fared: … Tesla and Rivian selling electric vehicles directly to consumers Though lawmakers did take action this session to promote the adoption of electric vehicles, they did not pass a bill that would have allowed Tesla and Rivian to sell electric vehicles within Connecticut. Instead, consumers wishing to buy from those brands will have to do so at third-party franchise dealerships.” [Connecticut Post, 5/5/22 (=)]

 

With Other States Vying For EV Charging Infrastructure, Maine Hopes To Get A Jump Start. According to Maine Public, “Maine hopes to have nearly 219,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030, but it’ll need to make some serious investments in charging infrastructure to get there. And with about $37-million in federal and potential grant funding to spend on public electric vehicle infrastructure in the next few years, Maine wants to get a jump start on other states. Installing fast-chargers every 30-to-50 miles along key routes is a top priority. An analysis of existing infrastructure found little coverage in Aroostook County and Down East, as well as some rural corridors in western Maine. ‘These are the key gaps into the network,’ Molly Siegel, a program manager with Efficiency Maine, told members of the Maine Climate Council Transportation Working Group. The group previewed the state’s plans at a virtual meeting earlier this week. State officials said they want spend 41% of the funds on EV infrastructure for disadvantaged communities using federal criteria, and they’re planning to add three fast charging destinations on I-95 between Bangor and Houlton. The plans also call for the installation of level-two chargers in off-street parking lots and other places that will be more convenient for drivers who don’t have access to an EV charger at home. Level-two chargers are typically less expensive to install and operate, and drivers can recharge within two-to-12 hours.” [Maine Public, 5/6/22 (=)]

 

The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure In Mississippi Will Soon Be Expanding. According to WLBT-TV, “You may have noticed electric vehicle charging stations scattered around the area. But there aren’t nearly as many in Mississippi compared to some other locations. Construction is already happening for the Tesla location in Brandon. We’ve now learned that site anticipates serving four states and will cover sales, delivery and service. The anticipated opening of that location is late July with the Pearl location closing when the Brandon site opens. ‘They will have a small showroom floor and a lot with a few vehicles on it and a repair center type thing,’ explained Brandon Mayor Butch Lee. But as it turns out, Lee says his conversations about the electric vehicle infrastructure are more common than you might think. ‘I think any mayor that’s along the interstate system has been part of this conversation for at least 18 to 24 months,’ said Lee. ‘This is nothing new. It’s really somewhat of an old conversation. And it’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when. And that’s it in a nutshell. ‘ And it’s not all theoretical. MDOT’s Executive Director Brad White explains there’s a designated pot of money for building out a more robust electric vehicle infrastructure in Mississippi. ‘Part of the last reauthorization of the Federal Highway Administration had a component in it that would give Mississippi about $50 million over the next five years with which were to install electric vehicle charging stations around the state,’ described White. ‘We expect these to primarily be on the seven major interstates around the state. And we’re still waiting on all our final guidelines, know exactly what that’s going to look like. But we’ll have a plan put together by the end of summer.’” [WLBT-TV, 5/7/22 (=)]

 

Montgomery County Getting More Money For Electric School Buses. According to The Roanoke Times, “Montgomery County schools will receive just under $600,000 through the state for purchase of two electric school buses, according to an announcement from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality this past week. The funding, $597,492, is part of more than $14 million being provided to public schools throughout the state to replace old diesel school buses with all-electric buses. The awards are made through the Clean School Bus Program and complement more than $10 million awarded last August to replace 72 diesel school buses in 17 districts with electric and propane buses, the recent announcement said. The Clean School Bus Program funds will be used to offset the difference between the cost of new diesel and electric school buses, including charging infrastructure, according to Virginia DEQ. Funds will come from the state’s nearly $94 million allocated in the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust, which supports initiatives to reduce air pollution. ‘Replacing older diesel school buses will directly benefit thousands of students and their health by reducing their exposure to air pollution,’ said DEQ Air and Renewable Energy Director Mike Dowd. ‘These new buses will also prevent the release of 62 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and will save school districts more than a million gallons of diesel fuel.’” [The Roanoke Times, 5/8/22 (=)]

 

International

 

Germany’s Plugin EV Share Up To 24.3%, Economic Pressures Mounting. According to Clean Technica, “Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, saw plugin electric vehicles take 24.3% share in April 2022, up from 22.1% YoY. Overall auto volume was down, by over 21% YoY, and over 40% compared to pre-pandemic seasonal norms. Supply chain disruptions and cost inflation were largely responsible for the poor performance, though general economic pressures are affecting both supply-side and demand-side. April’s combined plugin result comprised 12.3% battery electrics (BEVs), and 12.0% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). This compares to 10.4% and 11.8%, respectively, in April 2021. BEVs have currently lost weighting compared to H2 2021. With overall auto market volume down even on the dismal performance of last year, all powertrains (including plugins) were down in volume YoY. Combustion-only powertrains faired worst in terms of volume drop, with diesel sales down almost 30% YoY, and petrol down almost 28%. Despite their marginal growth in share, even combined plugins were down in volume, 13.6% YoY.” [Clean Technica, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

Chinese City Probing BYD Factory Emissions Over Allegations Of Children's Nosebleeds. According to Reuters, “A Chinese city has opened an investigation into a factory owned by automaker BYD over allegations that emissions from the plant were causing nosebleeds among children living nearby. Changsha city authorities said in a statement on Sunday it had sent an investigative team to BYD’s factory to look into the allegations about its emissions. The allegations first surfaced in mid-April on a website belonging to state newspaper People’s Daily. Messages left by people living near the factory said the plant’s emissions had a strong odour, irritated throats and gave children nosebleeds. Local media reported over the weekend that residents gathered at the Changsha factory’s gate on Friday to protest and urge the company to solve the problem. … BYD is China’s biggest maker of electric vehicles (EV). Its EV sales increased nearly fivefold in the first four months of 2022 compared with the same period last year, even as the country’s zero-COVID policies disrupted the operations and deliveries of many of its rivals.” [Reuters, 5/9/22 (=)]

 

 

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