Green Deals: Dusk to dawn outdoor light fixture falls to $24.50, more

TOBUSA Direct (97% positive lifetime feedback) via Amazon is offering its Dusk to Dawn Outdoor Light Fixture for $24.49 Prime shipped with the code LN782FA8 at checkout. With a list price of $80, it normally goes for around $30 at Amazon and today’s deal marks one of the best prices that we’ve tracked all-time. If your home still has standard outdoor lighting fixtures on it, it’s time to upgrade. These feature dusk to dawn ambient lighting sensors built-in so the light turns on automatically at night and off once the sun comes up with no input required on your end. Just letting the fixture do its job can help save you money since your outdoor lights won’t be on during the day. Rated 4.7/5 stars.

Head below for more deals on water gardens, smart thermostats, and of course Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best Tesla accessories.

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Source: Charge Forward

BMW i4, with 300 miles of range, to go on sale this year

BMW’s i3 was a highly innovative vehicle when it went on the market in 2013, but to the disappointment of EV enthusiasts, the Bavarian automaker’s interest in electrification soon faded—it was only 7 years later that the company released another EV, the iX3, which still is not on sale in the US.

Finally, at the BMW Group’s recent Annual Conference, we got a preview of the upcoming BMW i4, an electric 4-door Gran Coupé that is schedule to enter the market during the course of 2021.

The BMW i4 model line will be available in different versions, which will include a BMW M Performance variant. Range will be up to 590 km (WLTP) or 300 miles (EPA). Power output will be up to 390 kW (530 hp), and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h is expected to be “around 4 seconds.”

BMW has released some photos and a short video of a pre-production prototype, but says that full details on the i4 will be released “over the next weeks.”

“With its sporty looks, best in class driving dynamics and zero local emissions, the BMW i4 is a true BMW,” said Pieter Nota, Member of BMW’s Board of Management. “It makes the heart of the BMW brand now beat fully electric.”

The US House’s Clean Future Act is loaded with pro-EV policies

The US House of Representatives is currently considering the CLEAN Future Act, “a comprehensive and ambitious plan to ensure the United States acts aggressively to tackle the climate crisis in the 2020s and achieves net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by no later than 2050.”

The targets, which include a 50% reduction in GHG emissions from 2005 levels by no later than 2030, come from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The bill presents a sweeping set of both sector-specific and economy-wide policy proposals.

There are sections on Power, Efficiency, Industry, Environmental Justice, Waste Reduction and Worker and Community Transition, which introduces programs to address the needs of workers negatively affected by the transition to a clean-energy economy.

The Transportation section (Title IV) authorizes more than $100 billion over the next decade to electrify the US transportation system, which is currently the largest source of climate-altering pollution in the country. EV-related measures include:

  • $500 million in funding to deploy EVSE
  • Development of model building codes for EVSE integration
  • A program to determine where EVSE will be needed to meet demand
  • An assessment to explore the deployment of EVSE in underserved or disadvantaged communities
  • Funding for State Energy Conservation Plans and State Energy Transportation Plans
  • $2.5 billion annually for zero-emission school buses
  • $2 billion annually to reduce air pollution at ports by decarbonizing and electrifying port infrastructure and operations
  • An increase in funding to $500 million annually for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program
  • A new set of emissions standards for GHG emissions from nonroad sources, including locomotives and aircraft
  • Reauthorizing DOE financing programs to boost domestic manufacturing of advanced vehicles and components
  • $10 million for a pilot program to electrify diesel-powered transport refrigeration units used to deliver perishable goods and medications
  • $375 million for the Clean Cities Coalition Program

“The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime, but it also presents one of the greatest opportunities to empower American workers with new, good-paying jobs and return our economy to a position of strength after a long, dark year of historic job losses and pain,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ). “This legislation will create millions of homegrown jobs in a climate-resilient economy, ensuring our workers and businesses can compete in the 21st-century transition to clean technology that’s already happening.”

“Through policies that will create millions of new, good paying jobs and reduce pollution in historically overburdened communities, this legislation drives our country further down the path toward a much-needed clean energy transition—and does so with equity and social justice at its center,” said Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL).

Electric school bus fleet in California uses The Mobility House’s energy management system

Ocean View School District in Oxnard, California, has selected The Mobility House to provide smart charging for the district’s new electric bus fleet project. The district has deployed four electric buses and four BTCPower chargers. The Mobility House’s energy management system, ChargePilot, will enable the district to harmonize its bus schedules, travel routes, battery life and local utility rates to minimize costs. 

Southern California Edison provided funding to deploy new charging infrastructure by upgrading the local transformer, adding a panel and meter, laying conduit and trenching. The utility also provided a 50-percent rebate for the chargers.

The Mobility House’s ChargePilot solution intelligently distributes available grid power to ensure that charging occurs at the most cost-effective times, using a modular cloud-based solution that’s designed to interface with a broad range of charging equipment and on-site facility systems. Existing customers include St. Louis’s Metro Transit and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

Deploying The Mobility House’s ChargePilot system will enable the Ocean View School District to schedule charging times in order to avoid utility demand charges, which is expected to save tens of thousands of dollars over the next few years. ChargePilot also provides a proactive alerting system that mitigates charging issues and collects charger usage data in compliance with the CEC grant requirement.

“This groundbreaking project for the district marks a notable milestone on our journey to electrify our entire school bus fleet and reduce pollution in our community,” said Ocean View School District Director of Transportation Bob Brown. “The Mobility House team and their wealth of experience was invaluable for navigating not only the development of a sophisticated charging infrastructure but a new funding landscape as well.”

“Our smart charging technology approach aligned fully with the project goals of creating an electric bus fleet that can grow over time,” said Zoheb Davar, Business Development Director for The Mobility House. “Now the district has the broadest options for future integration of different charging hardware infrastructure, knowing our interoperable charging management system will interface smoothly.”

Canada announces $2.75 billion in new funding to electrify transit systems

The Government of Canada has announced an investment of $2.75 billion (Canadian) over five years to enhance public transit systems and switch them to electrical power, including support for the purchase of zero-emission transit and school buses.

Among the providers of zero-emission transit solutions expected to benefit from the new investment are Nova Bus in Saint-Eustache, Lion Electric in Saint-Jérôme, GreenPower in Vancouver and New Flyer in Winnipeg.

Infrastructure Canada will ensure coordination between this investment and the Canada Infrastructure Bank commitment to invest $1.5 billion in zero-emission buses and associated infrastructure as part of its three-year Growth Plan. To date, Infrastructure Canada’s funding programs have supported the purchase of over 300 new zero-emission buses.

“As part of its $10 billion Growth Plan, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is committed to investing $1.5 billion in zero-emission buses,” said CIB CEO Ehren Cory. “Today’s announcement of new government funding complements the CIB’s innovative financing and accelerates the opportunity for municipalities to collaborate with us and to switch to zero-emission buses.”

“We are rolling out four electric buses on our roadways this fall as part of a pilot project,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. “Today’s funding opportunity announcement allows our staff to explore how we can speed up the electrification of the OC Transpo fleet.”

“Better public transit, cleaner air, quieter streets, and a planet safe for our kids—that’s the goal of our investment in zero-emission buses across Canada,” said The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “By making this investment, we’re tackling climate change while creating good jobs and supporting manufacturing right now, here at home. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”