Report: Tesla scaling down plans for German Gigafactory, cutting batteries out

2020 Tesla Model XTesla’s planned Giga Berlin factory may soon get downgraded to Mega Berlin. The automaker is scaling down the German factory, pulling back from plans to manufacture batteries onsite, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing revised planning documents for the factory. The changes would also eliminate production of plastic components, and would lower…
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California makes VW funds available for zero-emission freight and marine projects

The California Air Resources Board has announced that the first installment of $35 million in VW Environmental Mitigation Trust funding for Zero-Emission Freight and Marine Projects throughout California is now available via a competitive solicitation.

A second solicitation offering an additional $35 million is expected to be released in mid-2022.

Eligible projects:

  • Scrap and replace forklifts (with >8,000 lbs lift capacity), airport ground support equipment (GSE) and port cargo handling equipment (CHE) with new zero-emission technologies.
  • Scrap and repower marine engines for ferries, tugboats and towboats with new zero-emission battery-electric or fuel cell technologies.
  • Install shore power at berths that serve ocean-going vessels.

Key project requirements include:

  • For replacement and repower projects, the old equipment must be scrapped (destroyed).
  • Funded equipment must be certified, verified or otherwise approved by the US EPA or CARB for operation in California.
  • Funded equipment must be domiciled in and operate in the state of California for the duration of its project life.
  • Funding recipients must report annually on operations for at least three years.