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JB Tools to sell EvoCharge EV chargers

EvoCharge, a provider of EVSE and cable management solutions, has entered into an agreement with online tool retailer JB Tools to provide Level 2 residential and commercial EV charging equipment through JB’s online store.

JB Tools carries the full suite of EvoCharge electric vehicle charging solutions, including single- and dual-port chargers, wall-mount and pedestal chargers, and Wi-Fi-enabled solutions. EvoCharge is the first EVSE offering from JB Tools.

“EvoCharge is a great brand to add to the ever-growing JB Tools catalog. We are happy to offer EV home charging solutions to our customers,” said a spokesperson from JB Tools.

“JB Tools delivers a highly specialized online shopping experience for automotive customers. We’re excited to bring the highest rated, best-in-class EV charging solutions to their customers,” said Manish Virmani, VP of Sales and Marketing for EvoCharge.

Schaeffler aims for sustainable supply chain with rare earth contract

Electric drivetrain technology manufacturer Schaeffler has signed a five-year contract to purchase rare earth metals from REEtec in order to manufacture permanent magnets for the motors in hybrid modules, hybrid transmissions and e-axles. The contract is scheduled to begin in 2024.

“In REEtec, Schaeffler has gained a highly innovative partner that uses a novel and especially sustainable process for the production of pure rare earth elements,” says Schaeffler COO Andreas Schick. “Schaeffler is focusing on achieving sustainability along the entire value chain and is systematically gearing its activities to the use of materials produced cleanly and sustainably. Through this partnership, we are also securing our supply of neodymium iron boron magnets for electric motors.”

REEtec is a Norwegian manufacturing company that has been using a proprietary technology to separate rare earths on an industrial scale since 2019. “This partnership will complement our overarching sales strategy and allow us to build our industrial facility for the separation of rare earths in Norway,” said REEtec CEO Sigve Sporstøl. The new plant will process rare earth carbonates produced by Vital Metals in Canada.

Schaeffler says its sustainable supply chain goals include decreasing the emissions of preliminary products and raw materials in the supply chain by 25% by 2030, and reaching carbon neutrality by 2040.

Xcel Energy to pilot electric bucket trucks

Xcel Energy, an electric utility that serves millions of customers in 8 Western and Midwestern states, plans to add all-electric bucket trucks to its vehicle fleet. Xcel Energy crews will use the zero-emission trucks to maintain the grid and respond to outages.

The truck, which is built by Terex Utilities and Navistar, features two electric power systems: one for the vehicle drivetrain and one for the lift mechanism. It has a 135-mile range and the ability to operate the bucket for a full workday on a single charge.

Xcel will roll out the first truck in the Twin Cities in late June, and the second will be delivered to its Denver fleet at the end of 2022. Xcel crews will use these trucks in real working conditions during a 6- to 12-month pilot. Their feedback will help the company prepare for its EV transition.

Xcel aims to electrify all its light-duty vehicles and 30% of its medium and heavy-duty fleet by 2030. The company currently has 1,000 aerial bucket trucks in its fleet.

“We’re proud to be the first energy company in the United States to add all-electric bucket trucks to our fleet,” said Bob Frenzel, CEO of Xcel Energy. “By adding these clean-energy vehicles to our fleet, Xcel Energy is demonstrating its commitment to becoming a net-zero energy provider for all our customers’ energy needs, while also helping shape the electrification of the truck industry, which complements our overall vision to provide 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050.”

White House announces plan for new standards for first-ever national network of 500,000 electric car chargers

The White House announced today a plan to develop new standards for what they have been describing as the “first-ever national network of 500,000 electric car chargers.”

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Source: Charge Forward

EV and hybrid drivers are less stressed, survey finds

DS 4 E-TenseDrivers of electric cars and hybrids feel less stressed behind the wheel than drivers of gasoline or diesel vehicles, according to a new survey conducted by Stellantis’ DS Automobiles division. DS doesn’t sell cars in the United States, and the results are based on responses from 2,000 drivers in the United Kingdom, but the survey seems just as…
Source: Hybrid and Electric Car News and Reviews

Nikola Tre BEV approved for NY incentive voucher offering savings up to $185k per truck

As a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV), Nikola Corporation’s Tre BEV truck has qualified for yet another state incentive program for fleet customers. The American automaker announced that the battery electric Nikola Tre is eligible for the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP). Under the statewide program, the Nikola Tre BEV can now qualify for an incentive up to $185,000… per truck.

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The post Nikola Tre BEV approved for NY incentive voucher offering savings up to $185k per truck appeared first on Electrek.


Source: Charge Forward

EU officially bans sale of ICE vehicles from 2035, but that’s still way too late

It’s official: Yesterday the European Parliament voted to make Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050, with the sales of new ICE vehicles to be illegal from 2035. Since most auto manufacturers are planning to go all-electric by this deadline, the new policy feels too little, too late, and way too much compromise.

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The post EU officially bans sale of ICE vehicles from 2035, but that’s still way too late appeared first on Electrek.


Source: Charge Forward