A free Cybertruck is being offered by the American EV maker, no reservation required.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
Rivian Betting On High R1S And R1T Prices Even As Competition Rises
CEO RJ Scaringe said Rivian will “not necessarily lower prices on the things we’re offering today.”
Source: Electric Vehicle News
About:Energy announces battery design software platform
University of Birmingham spinout About:Energy has launched the Voltt, a software platform for battery design, testing and optimization.
The Voltt, a fully operational cloud platform, centralizes battery design project data and lets users compare and examine various battery types to choose the optimal cells for their needs. It will have tiered subscriptions. The Enter level predicts the battery design’s electrical and thermal behaviors, the Explore level predicts electrochemical behaviors like voltage-current behavior and internal state, and the Elevate level adds degradation due to cumulative use and shelf life, cost modeling and supply chain, scale-up, battery management and system design.
“One of the most important aspects to accurate modeling is accurate inputs. About:Energy has the expertise in model parameterization in addition to the models, and the Voltt encompasses both,” said Emma Kendrick, co-founder of About:Energy. “The user can access a wealth of information and insights required to make those decisions about battery design, choice or optimum operation.”
Source: University of Birmingham
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
Texas expected to enact $200-per-year tax on EV owners
The Texas state house unanimously voted (145-0) to pass a bill that will impose a $200 annual fee on EV owners. The bill is now on the desk of Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.
The rationale for taxing EVs is that, unlike legacy vehicles, EVs pay no gas taxes, which provide part of the funding for road maintenance.
As EV advocates reliably point out, there are several weak points to this argument.
A Consumer Reports study found that the average ICE vehicle only pays $71 in tax per year.
The amount of gas tax paid depends on the number of miles traveled and the efficiency of a vehicle—burn more gas, pay more tax. EV taxes are indiscriminate—the driver of a Nissan Leaf who drives a small number of miles each year will pay the same as someone who makes cross-country trips in a Hummer EV.
According to the Dallas Morning News, gas taxes currently make up 29% of Texas’s highway funds. Texas charges 20 cents per gallon in gas tax—this is one of the lowest rates in the country, and it hasn’t been raised since 1991. The federal government adds 18.4 cents per gallon (28.4 for diesel). This rate hasn’t been raised since 1993, although inflation between 1993 and 2022 amounted to 93%. Unlike gas taxes, some state EV taxes (not Texas’s, apparently) are indexed to inflation, or increase at a fixed rate each year.
Fair or not, Texas’s new tax is not at all unprecedented. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 32 states currently assess a special annual tax on EVs (in addition to the annual registration fee charged for all vehicles). These taxes (or fees, if you prefer) are assessed even in EV-friendly states such as California ($108, increasing each year), Washington ($150 for an EV, $75 for a hybrid) and Oregon ($110). Several states, including Alabama and Georgia, charge $200 a year. In 2021, a proposed Florida law that would have imposed an EV tax failed to pass the legislature.
Have Republicans finally found a tax that they like? Well, as Ronald Reagan said, “If you want more of something, subsidize it; if you want less of something, tax it.”
Sources: Dallas Morning News via CarBuzz, CleanTechnica
Source: Electric Vehicles Magazine
Quick Charge Podcast: May 11, 2023
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from Electrek. Quick Charge is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
The post Quick Charge Podcast: May 11, 2023 appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
New Tesla Model 3 refresh leaked photo reveals steering wheel
New footage of a refreshed Tesla Model 3 has leaked, giving a peek at the interior for the first time – including a new steering wheel.
The post New Tesla Model 3 refresh leaked photo reveals steering wheel appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
BYD to take on Tesla’s Autopilot with new driver-assist software – report
The competition between the world’s largest EV makers is about to heat up. According to a new report, BYD is set to unveil a new advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) later this year that will rival Tesla’s Autopilot.
The post BYD to take on Tesla’s Autopilot with new driver-assist software – report appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
Rooftop solar could power up to 35% of US manufacturing – study
Rooftop solar arrays on industrial buildings could potentially meet the electricity demands of up to 35% of US manufacturing sectors annually, according to a newly released study.
The post Rooftop solar could power up to 35% of US manufacturing – study appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
Hertz is adding up to 6,000 EVs to its rental fleet in Orlando
Hertz announced today that it plans to add up to 6,000 rental EVs to its existing fleet in Orlando for leisure and business customers, as well as rideshare drivers.
The post Hertz is adding up to 6,000 EVs to its rental fleet in Orlando appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
China’s EV surge threatens legacy automakers market dominance from GM to VW
As new, advanced EVs take over the auto market in China, legacy automakers, including Volkswagen, General Motors, Toyota, BMW, Honda, and Mercedes Benz, will all lose significant market share, according to a new Greenpeace report.
The legacy automakers, who once dominated the market in China, are now at risk of losing their positions to domestic EV makers in the region.
The post China’s EV surge threatens legacy automakers market dominance from GM to VW appeared first on Electrek.
Source: Charge Forward
