The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has put its loan programs and grant funding on hold for now, which is also true of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT).

For advanced, clean vehicle technology, the last one that’s been posted this year from the DOE through the Fiscal Year 2025 Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Program Wide funding is focused on battery technology, including thermal technologies for zero-emission vehicles. This funding opportunity is going to award up to $88 million for projects that will seek innovative transportation solutions for on- and off-road vehicles. Submission deadline for concept papers was April 1, 2025; and submission deadline for full applications will be June 18, 2025.

The EPA stopped accepting applications to the 2024 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program on January 14th, 2025. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 authorized the EPA to offer rebates to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act national grants, designed to offer funding assistance to accelerate the upgrade, retrofit, and turnover of the legacy diesel fleet, are closed for now, too, but the EPA.

It’s not clear how much will be available in funds through the DOT. The 5-year National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Funding by State that was funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and scheduled from fiscal year 2022 through FY 2026, at first appears to still be in place. The agency has a chart broken out by state with actual and estimated funding by state, with $885 million estimated to go out this year and $4.155 billon in 2026.

However, the Federal Highway Administration said in February it would suspend the approval of grants under the NEVI program. The funding, included in the bipartisan infrastructure law passed under former President Joe Biden, was meant to allocate $5 billion over five years to install chargers in every state. That suspension came from a January 29 signed Executive Order calling for the elimination of the federal government’s nonexistent “electric vehicle mandate.” 

The suspension of funding new charging stations will likely mean the U.S. will have at least 200,000 high-speed chargers in place by 2030, said Mark Morelli, CEO of Vontier Corp., which manufactures EV chargers and fuel dispensers. That’s half of earlier expectations of about 400,000, according to Transport Topics.

On May 6, 2025, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy issued a statement about approving 180 grants to “get America building again.” The funding is primarily focused on improvements made to bridges, airports, railroad structures, and highways. Under the Low or No Emission (Bus) Grants, all of them have already been granted through 2024, without any new grants coming up in this category.

In April the Trump administration froze $250 million in grants to a nonprofit helping companies replace diesel trucks at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. It’s part of a broad federal effort to cut back $20 billion in green energy funding. The program by Climate United, announced last October, would offer affordable leases for new electric heavy-duty trucks operated by small fleets and individual truckers serving the ports.

Climate United is a national public-private investment fund removing financial barriers to clean energy projects so every American benefits from good-paying jobs, lower energy bills, domestic manufacturing, and cleaner air. The grant, which would have funded about 500 electric trucks, remains frozen by Citibank, which holds the funds, as a legal dispute plays out between the EPA, the bank and Climate United, a nonprofit based in Maryland, according to a published report.

U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Chris Wright in early May said that his agency doesn’t plan to move forward with billions of dollars worth of Biden-era loans as the Trump administration reviews the department’s $400 billion-strong green bank. Wright criticized Biden for issuing billions of dollars in loans and grants between the time that Trump was elected in November through the inauguration day.

As discussed two weeks ago at ACT Expo 2025, it looks like fleets, transportation planners, and clean vehicle and infrastructure partners have to look outside federal government funding programs for now. Green Auto Market will continue reporting on it, including resources for funding through state, local government, nonprofit organization, and for-profit company available loans and grants in clean transportation and energy.

There’s a lot to look into, with a May 7 lawsuit filed by states against the DOT being one of them. New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 16 other attorneys general filed suit against the DOT and Secretary Duffy for illegally cutting off critical funding to support states’ plans to build a nationwide electric vehicle charging network. Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

They’re challenging the previously mentioned January 29 Executive Order signed by President Trump calling for the elimination of the federal government’s nonexistent “electric vehicle mandate.” 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) may be a good source to tap into for that state’s incentive programs. In April, NYSERDA increasing incentives in its Charge Ready NY 2.0 program from $2,000 to $3,000 per port to reduce equipment installation costs for Level 2 chargers at multifamily buildings and workplaces. Incentives for chargers located in disadvantaged communities have been increased to $4,000 per port. according to Utility Dive.

Other states are making current offers, and it’s likely more funding will become available. Please contact Editor Jon LeSage at jlesage378@gmail.com if you know of any funding resources through state, local government, nonprofit organization, and for-profit company available loans and grants in clean transportation and energy. Plus, any new developments with federal funding would be good to know about, too.

China tariffs relaxed but not for EV imports: Under a temporary truce on tariffs reached over the weekend, the U.S. will cut extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports last month from 145% to 30% for the next three months, the two sides said, while Chinese duties on U.S. imports will fall to 10% from 125%. Reuters also reported that China had already been saddled with 25% U.S. tariffs that Trump had imposed on many industrial goods during his first term, with lower rates on some consumer goods. Today’s announcement leaves these duties unchanged, along with tariffs of 100% on electric vehicles and 50% on solar products imposed by former Democratic President Joe Biden. We’ll have to wait and see how these tariffs might drive up prices for shoppers overall, said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. The U.S. has not been importing much in the way of made-in-China electric vehicles. In 2023, the U.S. imported approximately $388.8 million worth of EVs from China, which was only about 2% of total U.S. EV imports, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.

ZETA statement on House’s battery and mineral supply chain provision: The Zero Emission Transportation Association’s Executive Director, Albert Gore, issued the following statement in response to bill text of the House Ways & Means Committee provisions of the budget reconciliation package:

“The U.S. battery and mineral supply chain — and the fast-growing EV manufacturing industry it feeds into — has created more than 240,000 jobs in every corner of the United States. Businesses throughout the auto industry, from critical mineral and material developers to battery manufacturers and automakers, are making investments supported by the certainty offered by our federal government. In turn, these investments are creating new economic opportunities in local communities, from Reno, Nevada, to Casa Grande, Arizona, to Savannah, Georgia.

“We are concerned that, as written, this budget reconciliation text would significantly reduce federal investments in American job growth that are currently working very well in strengthening the domestic battery and mineral supply chain. At a moment when our industry needs certainty more than ever, this legislation could slam the brakes on America’s progress towards global competitiveness in manufacturing, while ceding leadership to other countries. We look forward to working with Members of Congress in both chambers to ensure that this critical supply chain continues to be built in the United States.”

House committees have begun holding markups for the various pieces of the reconciliation package on the federal budget reconciliation package. The House Ways and Means Committee is tasked with developing legislation that will increase the federal budget deficits by no more than $4.5 trillion over a 10-year period (2025-2034), while other committees are responsible for reducing spending by at least $1.5 trillion. 

CARB reverses ACF regulation: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has agreed to formally repeal aspects of its Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation, which follows an earlier reversal of California policies that clarifies the state will not enforce the 100% zero emission vehicle mandate for model year 2036. Following legal challenges from a coalition of 17 states led by Nebraska and trucking industry groups, CARB has agreed to fully repeal those portions of the rule and has further clarified it will not enforce the 100% zero-emission sales mandate for model year 2036, until and unless CARB obtains a waiver from U.S. EPA, according to ACT News.

It’s a fascinating and stressful time for professionals in clean transportation, fleet management, OEMs, and partners providing fueling and charging infrastructures. The ACT Expo conference was in a very good position to put some perspective on all of it during a time of supply chain disruption and confusion over what’s going to happen in Washington, D.C., in vehicle emission policies; and what tariffs might mean for production and new vehicle prices.

It was also a rich opportunity for fleet professionals to check out the latest in technology, fleet-focused education and training, and networking opportunities. The National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) held its 2025 Institute & Expo in Long Beach, Calif., while ACT Expo 2025 took place not far away at the Anaheim Convention Center. Fleet operators were able to attend both events at no extra cost. These are the two largest fleet events in the country, and offered attendees a seamless experience.

Stakeholders in clean transportation have a lot of questions about what will happen this year as Congress reconsiders its relationship with California. That took shape when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end three federal waivers that let California set strict vehicle pollution standards.

On Wednesday, the House voted against two waivers involving heavy trucking, and on Thursday, it voted to reverse a state rule that would require all new vehicles in the state to be zero-emission by 2035. The U.S. Senate is now discussing what to do, after two nonpartisan government entities advised Congress that it can’t actually reverse those waivers through the mechanism it’s using, according to NPR. The Senate has to decide whether it will follow that guidance, or to go along with the House.

Grants and project funding: ACT Expo attendees also had questions over what will happen with budget cuts coming from the White House, and whether grants from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency, will be available. Representatives at the Clean Cities display table were not able to comment on this situation.

Panel speakers, and those displaying their vehicles and technology on the exhibit floor, do advise fleets and partner stakeholder to look into other funding sources — through states like California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and North Carolina — and through other entities such as utility companies, regional governing agencies, and nonprofit organizations with programs supporting clean transportation and energy.

Product launches at conference: Slate Auto debuted its battery-electric vehicle, which can be a truck, a sports utility vehicle (SUV), or even a cargo van, during ACT Expo in the exhibit hall. Slate says that it can configure the vehicle “for whatever your fleet needs” at a very low price. The company says that it’s worked on removing unnecessary parts to reduce costs and increase reliability, and to offer a 1,400-pound payload capability. It’s been backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and it can be priced at less than $20,000 when applying federal tax incentives.

Some of the highlights demonstrated at the outdoor displays, ride and drive, and in the exhibit hall included: a Harbinger plug-in hybrid electric van, which it calls a first-of-its-kind medium-duty vehicle designed for delivery vans, box trucks, and emergency and disaster response vehicles, among others; Rizon, an all-electric brand from Daimler Truck, showed off its cab carrier; an Isuzu electric truck for Penske; a Waste Management truck trailer for its CNG/RNG trucks; a Tesla Semi with the WattEv logo; and the Chevrolet BrightDrop 400 electric van.

Dan Priestley, senior manager, semi truck engineering at Tesla, said that his company plans full-scale production of its Semi next year. Tesla is constructing a 1.7 million sq.-ft. factory in Reno, Nev. which will be able to produce 50,000 units per year in 2026. The company also introduced a 1.2 MW charging solution that is shared with its passenger car business. Priestley also said that Tesla is investing in a 46-site public charging network in the U.S. Work is in progress and represents more than 300-MW-capable charging posts.

Mack came to the expo with a brand-new Mack Pioneer Class 8 semi. The truckmaker also said that a 300 mile electric Mack truck will coming out next year.

Peterbilt showcased a broad range of zero emission solutions, including the Next-Generation Model 579EV and the All-New Model 567EV, which it says is the industry’s first electric heavy duty conventional vocational truck. Peterbilt’s next-generation model 579EV designed for drayage and regional haul applications was also shown, featuring updated styling, the new PACCAR ePowertrain and the latest in safety and connectivity technology. 

Kenworth introduced two new battery-electric trucks. The T880E, a Class 8 vocational electric truck is coming to the North American truck market. The Next Generation T680E is designed for short and regional haul, LTL and drayage operations.

Hyundai Motor Company introduced the new XCIENT Fuel Cell Class-8 heavy-duty truck. Hyundai highlights successful XCIENT Fuel Cell truck fleet operations through NorCAL ZERO in California and HTWO Logistics at HMGMA, underscoring its leading role in the global hydrogen energy transition

Greenlane opened its inaugural commercial EV charging site in Colton, Calif., on Tuesday with Nevoya as its first fleet customer. The team showcased an end-to-end charging reservation demo—from booking a session in their fleet portal to starting the charge onsite—all streamed live from the brand-new charging center. On Thursday, Greenlane CEO Patrick Macdonald-King took the stage alongside industry leaders from Volvo, Einride, Daimler Truck North America, and CharIN for the “Charging at Scale: How public and private infrastructure will power future EV fleets” panel discussion. 

Zeem Solutions, which operates what it calls perhaps the best optimized, shared EV charging site, had updates on its EV truck charging site at Port of Long Beach. Last September, the Inglewood-based company began work at the port site. The 2.7-acre location – near the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge – will have 84 fast-charging stations with a 15-megawatt capacity, with plans to scale up that power capacity as demand grows.

Miami-based Nopetro Energy, which converts methane from landfills and wastewater into CNG/RNG, reducing emissions and fueling cleaner transportation through public-private partnerships, was present talk about the latest developments in RNG.

Ford and General Motors were in the exhibit hall showing their relatively new programs aimed at fleets transitioning over to electric vehicles. Ford Pro team members and members of Ford’s Commercial Vehicle engineering teams work with fleet clients to maximize their productivity. They might talk about he latest updates related to chassis, design and body installation for electric trucks (Ford F-150 Lightning) and vans (Ford E-Transit) and in ICE versions.

GM Envolve works with fleet leaders on staying ahead of change. That includes through GM’s electric, fuel cell, and software platforms, along with consultative support and complete fleet services. GM works with clients who might be interested in integrating in with HYDROTEC, OnStar, and its BrightDrop Zevo 400 and 600 electric vans — which were on display at its booth. Another resource discussed is GM Energy, which offers bi-directional charging with a generator available in its trucks.

Speakers had a lot to say: Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO and co-founder of WattEV, spoke on a panel about electric vehicles being deployed at ports such as the major hub at the Long Beach and Los Angeles Ports, where WattEV is setting up heavy-duty truck fast chargers. WattEV has also been adding electric trucks to its fleet as part of contracts with freight transport companies serving the ports. Executives from Amazon Freight, IMC Logistics, and Unilever, also discussed how their companies are working with transport partners to hit sustainability targets tied to cost effectiveness, and transparent reporting.

They all agreed that finding “diesel parity” is a goal to be met to bring in full support from supply chain partners, with electric trucks, fuel cell trucks, and renewable natural gas (RNG) being considered. Grants, mainly from the state of California, are being utilized, with the hope that OEM prices will come down over time for clean vehicles. A recent spike in hydrogen prices has put more pressure on making fuel cell vehicles work, said Jim Gillis, President, Pacific Region at IMC Logistics.

Volvo Group Chief Technology Officer Lars Stenqvist was one of the keynote speakers. He said his company is confident it can hit its net-zero target by 2040 through a “dual-technology strategy” centered on battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered trucks, but without abandoning the combustion engine. 

Mathias Carlbaum, President and CEO of International, kicked off a speaker many by discussing the role of digital integration in transforming fleet operations and improving safety and efficiency. He said that the recent launch of International’s Class 8 electric RH eTruck provides solid evidence of the company’s forward momentum.

PG&E CEO Patti Poppe was the closing keynote speaker. While urgent matters like climate change and the growing threat of wildfires are present, Poppe made strong arguments on why decarbonizing the state’s energy and transportation systems is both possible and economically viable.

State of Sustainable Fleets: A presentation was made by event planner TRC Companies about its State of Sustainable Fleets report, now in its sixth year. The 2025 Market Brief comes from a robust fleet survey capturing input on clean vehicles and infrastructure from nearly 200 fleet operators and decision-makers. It taps into a rich data source covering a broad range of real-world fleets in every stage of technology adoption.

One bright light shined on the audience is that despite the upheaval in Washington, D.C., over federal funding uncertainty, more than $13.5 billion in funding remains
available through state and local programs to support zero-emission (ZE) and near-zero-emission (NZE) projects. With the Trump administration and the House of Representatives withdrawing the industry’s strongest mandates by the State of California in response to federal actions, it’s made it necessary for fleets and clean transportation stakeholders to take a broad approach to finding resources.

Early Executive Orders (EOs) from President Trump Trump clarified the White House’s intent to roll back many Biden-era and earlier policies, including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers that allow California and opt-in states to enforce stringent emissions regulations for light-duty and commercial vehicles. Legal actions are sure to follow but it has drawn out a wave of uncertainty on emissions regulations at the federal level — and how California and states that have adopted its zero emission vehicle policy will be impacted.

The presentation gave status updates on three federally funded projects:
Program: DOE Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs)
Allocation: $7,000,000,000
Status: Not fully allocated; phase one allocation complete
Risk: Current phase at lower risk; future phases at risk.

Program: DOT Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI)
Allocation: $2,500,000,000
Status: Not fully allocated; next round scheduled for Spring 2025
Risk: Contracted awardees at lower risk; future funding round at higher risk

Program: DOT Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities
Allocation: $400,000,000
Status: Not fully allocated; next round scheduled for Spring2025
Risk: Contracted awardees at lower risk; future funding rounds at higher risk

As for alternative fuels and powertrains, 39% of fleets participating in the annual survey say they use renewable diesel.

Most of the natural gas used for transportation in the U.S. in 2023 came from renewable natural gas, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Battery electric vehicles continue to show continued market development. Public and private investments have accelerated the growth of dedicated shared fleet charging hubs. TRC said that expects the number of open and active medium-duty (MD) and HD charging ports within these hubs to nearly triple in the U.S. in 2025.

Support continues for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with initiatives link the Hydrogen Hubs investment program — which could be on hold now for additional funding to be challenged into the project. In 2024, 75 new fuel cell transit buses entered service, up from 29 in 2023, and recent funding awards suggest that growth in this sector will continue.

There’s certainly a lot going on out there in the clean transportation arena, with more companies announcing they’ll be revealing more next week at ACT Expo 2025. We’re looking forward to attending the event, which will be held April 28 to May 1 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Here are a few questions that I hope to have answered that week…….

What’s the latest on charging heavy-duty electric trucks?
That’s been a big question at ACT Expo conferences and industry meetings serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and other significant transportation hubs. Zeem Solutions is known for operating optimized, shared EV charging sites, and will be providing updates on its electric truck charging site at Port of Long Beach. There will be other partners in this EV charging infrastructure present at this year’s event.

What major announcements and displays will be taking place from OEMs and technology partners during the conference and expo? ACT Expo announced earlier this month that a series of tech debuts and announcements will be taking place this year.

What may come of the DOT highway rule change?
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced that his department has rescinded the Biden administration’s rule that set standard for greenhouse gas emissions on highways. What’s expected to come of that rule change? Will it be described in the soon-to-be released 2025 State of Sustainable Fleets? What will happen to the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) and its enforcement, especially given the exceptions granted to California and enforcement changes coming from the Trump administration? The report looks into shifts in federal clean transportation funding, the status of California’s clean air waivers, and emerging state and local initiatives that will impact fleet strategies in the years ahead.

What’s happening with hydrogen fuel cell and electric truck production?
As reported in ACT News this month, major OEMs announced productions delays with hurdles to address before they come to market. That includes the Kenworth hydrogen fuel cell electric T680 tractors, GM BrightDrop electric delivery vans, Stellantis and its Ram electric pickup truck, and Ford with a new electric pickup truck and a large electric SUV. What’s next for these launches?

What’s up with GM Envolve and Ford Pro in serving fleets that are deploying electric trucks and alternative fuel vehicles? As previously mentioned, the GM BrightDrop vans are part of this strategy, but GM and Ford have been taking a more focused approach to urban transport and clean vehicle technology for fleets of all types and sizes through these OEM programs.

What impact might artificial intelligence (AI) have on clean transportation?
Panel speakers will be talking about this advanced technology innovation at ACT Expo, and how AI can be used for reducing emissions, cutting operational costs, and optimizing logistics.

And in other news………
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has green lighted new vehicles coming from the same production lines as its Model 3 and Model Y that will launch in the first half of this year. There’s not many details out yet, but it’s described as “stripped-down Model Ys” with fewer features and cheaper materials. It will come from existing manufacturing lines. This decision will probably take the place of coming out with a new $25,000 vehicle that had been talked about last year but which has been sidelined. Musk still wants to go with robotized and autonomous Tesla models, but that’s still an uncertain future for the company. More will be revealed this afternoon at the earnings call.

Electra brand starting in China: Buick doesn’t have a strong brand presence in the U.S. anymore, but it is doing quite a lot in China. Through the SAIC-GM partnership in China, the company is introducing a sub-brand of Buick, Electra, that will start off with three cars, including the Encase luxury minivan that will come in both a battery electric and plug-hybrid electric vehicle version. Over the next 12 months, it will be followed in the new brand by an SUV and a sedan. The Buick brand has some more than 10 million vehicles in China since SAIC-GM introduced the luxury brand to that marketing nearly 30 years ago.

Tesla reported its first quarter sales, its first quarterly report since the company has been taking much pressure from CEO Elon Musk’s new role on the Trump administration. For Q1 2025, the electric vehicle maker reported 336,681 global vehicle deliveries, a 13% decrease compared to the previous year. It was below analyst expectations and marks the company’s lowest quarterly delivery figure since the first quarter of 2022. Along with negative impact from Musk’s rule hading up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), multiple sources also attributed the drop to an overall decline in consumer demand.

Tesla has also taken action on reducing pricing on its Cybertruck during a climate of disappointing sales. The company just launched the Cybertruck Long Range with a starting price of $72,235 (before federal tax incentives and including destination fees). It drops well below the original All-Wheel-Drive trim level, which starts at $82,235. Sales were up for the Cybertruck in Q1 over last year, but Ford did even better. The Cybertruck hit 6,406 sold in Q1 compared to the 7,187 Ford F-150 Lightnings.

Kelly Blue Book Electric Vehicle Sales Report said that Tesla’s decline happened even as overall electric vehicle sales rose a healthy 10.6% to 294,250 cars and trucks in the U.S.. General Motors took second place in last quarter’s EV sales, and new models from Honda and Acura, and to a lesser extent Dodge and Jeep, helped maintain the segment.

How Tariffs Might Impact EVs: For the 90-day suspension on most of the reciprocal tariffs announced on Wednesday by President Donald Trump, it doesn’t include a suspension of 25% tariffs on imported autos and auto parts into the U.S., according to Detroit Free Press. Tariffs on imported aluminum and steel are also expected to have an impact on automakers and car buyers in the U.S. Electric vehicles could definitely feel the brunt of it, according to Green Car Reports. As for EVs made in Mexico, that list includes Ford Mustang Mach-E, Cadillac Optiq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Honda Prologue, and Jeep Wagoneer S. In Canada, the Dodge Charger Daytona EV makes that list, too. Both countries are seeing a number of hybrid models built there, which will also feel the impact of the tariffs.

RNG at ACT Expo: For those attending ACT Expo in Anaheim, you can show up a day early on Sunday, April 27 to get the inside scoop on the RNG advantage for fleets. That’s coming from the Transport Projects’s RNG Sunday Summit @ACT Expo. Attendees can also see the in-depth Fuel Portfolio for Fleets Workshop detailing the emergence of RNG and the benefits it delivers to fleets on Monday, April 28. Find out why RNG is becoming the alternative fuel of choice for fleet applications and connect with the industry leaders and experts that can show you how over at the Anaheim Convention Center for ACT Expo April 28-May 1, 2025.

Service offering to Green Auto Market readers: Editor and Publisher Jon LeSage is now offering services to the clean transportation community. These offerings include grant and RFP writing, communication materials, marketing and media materials, distribution of promotional and marketing materials to GAM readers, research services, audience surveys and in-depth interviews, and a GAM Market Report: EV Market Demand and Ownership in a Changing Environment. You can reach me at jlesage378@gmail.com, and I can send you more information on these services, a price sheet, and details on paying through my PayPal account. Thanks for your interest and support!

Learning more about Recurrent Auto: Recurrent Reports are available from Recurrent Auto to empower shoppers to check the expected range, and remaining warranty and tax credit eligibility for EV inventory on dealer websites. It’s provides an opportunity for dealers to reach out to car shoppers savvy to EVs and who want to purchase their first one or a newer model. Utilizing Recurrent’s Buying Center lets you make offers on a community of 30,000+ top-quality electric cars that are connected to the Recurrent platform. On that platform, EV owners can share basic info on their EV, share their name and number so Recurrent can reach out to dealers on their behalf, and they can upload photos to improve their chances of getting better offers. It’s being used daily by CarMax, Adesa, Edmunds, Cars Commerce, DGDG, and Easterns Automotive Group, according to Recurrent Auto.

China continues to have the lion’s share of electric vehicle sales in the global market, and this year is seeing a few new technology options coming to market. Range-extender electric vehicles have been gaining a demand increase and are part of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) seeing an 81% growth rate last year in that country.

Some of the range-extenders were introduced to the U.S. market years ago, such as the BMW i3 with the range-extender option, the Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Prime, and Jeep Wrangler 4xe. China’s version of range-extender electric vehicles have yet to come to Western markets in mass volumes.

Bloomberg reported that extended-range electric vehicles have become the fastest-growing propulsion system for vehicles in China. Chinese automaker Li Auto is a leader in that field, with most of its vehicles having the technology. The Li6 was launched in China in April 2024, and became very popular.

London-based forecast and analysis firm Rho Motion reported that China had nearly two thirds of new global plug-in vehicle sales last year. At about 11 million units sold, it was a 40% increase over 2023. The BYD Song (available both in battery electric vehicle — BEV — and PHEV versions) led the market at about 660,000 units sold in China last year.

The Chinese market benefited from its car trade-in program, which was extended into 2025. Those trading in for an battery electric, or plug-in hybrid, receive 20,000 yuan ($2,755), while those trading in for a gasoline car get 15,000 yuan ($2,067). 

One aspect of China’s market that’s not entirely clear is how many hybrid vehicles, without plug-ins, are being sold there. Those figures don’t appear to be available. Toyota has been selling its Corolla Hybrid and Levin Hybrid in China, which may be around 100,000 units sold in total in that market per year.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are included in the China’s ‘new energy vehicle’ category along with battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported that by the end of 2023 a total of 18,096 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles had been sold in country, 36.19% of the targeted 50,000 vehicles by 2025.

Other technology innovations coming to market have included anticipation for BYD’s first 1,000-kW ultrafast charging stations rolling out in early April. Its smart driving technology features, branded as ‘God’s Eye’ or ‘DiPilot’, have been rolling out through automated parking, adaptive cruise control, and advanced braking assistance.

On the BYD Vs. Tesla front, the Chinese maker continues to lead the way. BYD sold 4.3 million vehicles in 2024, including 1.76 million battery electric vehicles and 2.54 million hybrid electric vehicles. Tesla sold 1.79 million battery electric vehicles last year.

BYD dominates the Chinese market, with its sales surging 164% in February 2025, while Tesla’s deliveries in China slumped. 

Chinese EV maker Nio started up in 2014, went public in 2018, and has been getting a lot of attention from investors and auto market analysts over the years. Times have been rough lately with its risk level flagged in a fourth quarter earnings report that came out March 21. It’s seen weak car deliveries in recent months, as deliveries of the first model from its sub-brand Onvo, the L60 SUV (sport utility vehicle), have been lower than expected, according to CnEVPost.

Sales have been solid, though. Nio delivered 15,039 vehicles in March, up 26.7% over February and 14% higher than a year earlier. The Nio brand and its Onvo sub-brand saw rebounds in March over February.

Leaving Tesla for competitors: Lucid Motors’ interim CEO Marc Winteroff told Fox Business that the company has seen a “dramatic uptick over the past two months” in orders from former Tesla drivers. Over that time, 50% of orders were from former Tesla owners. Lucid has been ramping up deliveries of its first electric SUV, the Gravity. Winteroff said that deliveries will resume by the end of April. Tesla owners have been looking switch over to other EV makers since CEO Elon Musk started campaigning for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and especially since he was appointed head of the new Dept. of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and started making deep staff cuts at federal agencies.

Hyundai IONIQ line continues to thrive: The Hyundai IONIQ 6 has been awarded the 2025 Best Value electric vehicle by Cars.com. The South Korean automaker says that a few of its features helped earn the award. One of them is its IONNA joint venture with eight OEMs to develop a new, high-powered charging network with at least 30,000 chargers. Beginning in Q1 2025, Hyundai is providing complimentary NACS adapters North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports for electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Hyundai EVs with the free NACS ports will gain access to more than 20,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This will double the size of the DC fast charging network available to Hyundai EV customers. Evolve+, Hyundai’s electric vehicle subscription service, provides flexibility and affordability to consumers that want to drive Hyundai’s newest electric vehicles without committing to a purchase or lease. The IONIQ 6 electric sedan and the IONIQ 5 electric crossover SUV models have been winning lots of awards; with the 6 taking World Car of the Year in 2023, and the 5 taking that award in 2022.

Will the EV tax credits started under the Biden administrations continue into the Trump years? Those EV tax credits, now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit, were significantly expanded and updated under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, impacting vehicles purchased from 2023 to 2032. It looks like the Trump administration and Republican leaders in the House and Senate are looking at ways to cut the EV tax credits.

However, it might be similar to the EV tax credits from the Obama administration carried over to the first Trump administration. The Trump administration attempted to eliminate the tax credit for electric vehicles all the way through to their 2020 budget, though the provision never passed. The Clean Vehicle Credit could last even longer, unless Republican legislators can work with the president on ending it.

This time, it’s looking more likely to be altered with the Republican Party having the White House, Congress and Senate majorities. For now, car buyers will continue to tap into them as much as possible.

Consumer fear of missing out on EV rebates carried over to used EV sales, which reached record levels in Q4. Year end numbers showed an increase of 62.6% percent over 2023 numbers, and the used EV market share hit a record setting 1.9%.

In total, 6,529,191 PHEVs and BEVs have been sold since 2010 in the U.S. through February 2025, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. There’s enough of a long-term EV fleet out there that market analysts can evaluate more used vehicle price trends and market dynamics than they were able to do a decade ago.

October used EV sales increased 64% year over year, November sales increased 10% from October and 61% over 2023, and December sales grew 13% from November and 72% from 2023. Feedback from dealer partners concurs that this has been the case, according to Liz Najman, researcher at Recurrent.

The average listing price for used EVs was $38,057 in February 2025, reflecting a 1.8% increase month-over-month and a 1.6% increase year over year says Cox Automotive. Twelve brands had listing prices below those of their internal combustion engine (ICE+) models. Affordable options remain available, with 39% of units sold priced under $25,000.

Tesla still has a strong presence in the used EV market, according to Cox Automotive. In February, used electric vehicle sales declined by 4.7%, reaching 24,875 units in the U.S. Despite this decline, there was a year-over-year growth of 34.2%. 

Tesla maintained its dominant position in the used EV market with a substantial 39.9% sales share, despite a 9.2% decline in month-over-month sales volume, according to Cox Automotive.

The 2023 Nissan Ariya won Recurrent’s Best Used Electric Car of 2025. It promises to be a reliable and steadfast car, with an accurate dashboard, very little range degradation, and most of its battery warranty left. It does particularly well in terms of winter weather performance, where it holds on to 83% of its max range at freezing temps, Recurrent said.    

With a surge in EV leasing, consumers can expect a flood of used electric vehicles coming off lease, potentially offering good deals for buyers in the near future, especially in 2026, says Inside EVs.

Tesla and Rivian charging do well in study: Charging networks operated by Tesla and Rivian tended to have fewer problems than non-automaker efforts. That finding comes from a recent Consumer Reports survey of electric vehicle owners. — as covered in Green Car Reports. Respondents reported problems at Tesla charging stations 4% of the time, and 5% of the time at Rivian-operated chargers.

The challenges are much higher for other charging networks. Survey respondents said they experienced problems 48% of the time at Shell Recharge stations, 43% of the time at EVgo stations, and 41% of the time at Blink stations.

Consumer Reports data includes information from about 5,700 total charging sessions, from 1,230 EV and plug-in hybrid owners.

Trump tariffs and EV purchases: An S&P Global Mobility study from December provides some insight into what’s happening lately on the international automotive front as the Trump administration starts implements executive orders such as tariffs. If a 25% tariff in imports from Canada and Mexico were put in place, these key trading partners in the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) negotiated during the first Trump administration, will have a major impact on the market. Approximately one out of every four vehicles sold in the US comes directly from Canada or Mexico. These tariffs would also disrupt North American auto supply chains, as parts and components from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico flow freely between the three countries for their manufacturing plants.

Regarding electric vehicle purchases, one area that was discussed in the Trump presidential campaign, and with his new agency chiefs, is getting away from the electric vehicle tax credits, and the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. One particular area of concern is the “lease loophole” in the Inflation Reduction Act, according to the S&P Global Mobility study.

That loophole allows car shoppers to consider leasing electric vehicles at more affordable rates, even if they don’t qualify for purchase tax credits.

“If this loophole is targeted for elimination, or if overall incentives are reduced, it could make BEVs even less accessible, especially as manufacturers may not have the same incentive to drive down prices or ramp up production,” the study said.

Plug-in vehicle sales last month were up 14.9% over February 2024 in the U.S.; that breaks down to 94,464 battery electric vehicles and 21,956 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Overall, 227,805 plug-in vehicles have been sold in 2025.

Over 1.5M PEVs were sold in 2024, an increase of over 7% from 2023 sales. BEVs generally account for 80% of the PEV sales in the U.S. That data is compiled by Argonne’s Systems Assessment Center and reported to the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Vehicle Technology Program Office.  

Tesla has probably lost U.S. sales to General Motors this year and some of last year, but both companies won’t be reporting 2025 numbers until quarterly reports are released. Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Honda have all reported growth in EV sales in their monthly reports. Ford EVs were up 15% year-over-year in February. American Honda sold nearly 3,000 Prologues and 1,500 Acura ZDXs last month. Hyundai and Kia’s are doing well, with the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and EV9 seeing year-over-year gains. The Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the U.S. in January after the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, according to Rho Motion.

While the US Clean Vehicle Tax Credit is yet to be removed, Congress is now considering bills that would take away EV tax credits, says Rho Motion.

Global EV sales are also doing well, up 30% in the January through February 2025 time period, reaching 2.4 million units sold. Much of that is coming from China, making up 1.4 million of that total. BEVs saw 46% growth in Chinese EV sales, while PHEVs grew 22%.

Musk feeling the backlash: Police are investigating how and why an assailant wearing black clothing set fire to two Teslas at a Las Vegas showroom on March 18. The phrase “RESIST” was spray-painted on the Tesla showroom entrance in red letters, police said. The FBI said it’s investigating the March 18 attack as a possible act of terrorism given what appear to be political overtones, according to Automotive News.

There have also been peaceful protests around the country tied to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s heading of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Washington. In addition to those protests, there have been fires set against Tesla Superchargers in Boston and shots fired at an Oregon showroom, in addition to other attacks this month, according to local news reports.

Sacramento event on clean transportation policy: CALSTART’s 12th Annual California Summit will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Sacramento from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This event will bring together leaders from the clean transportation industry, California lawmakers, and key decision-makers to discuss what strategic actions are needed to sustain the growth of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and infrastructure across California and beyond. A key focus will be on how transportation is being decarbonized and tailpipe emissions reduced and eventually eliminated to support cleaner air and economic benefits to local communities. What solutions are available during a time when clean transportation and climate policies are going through a shift at the federal level?

What’s happening to electric vehicle giant Tesla? Will China’s BYD solidify its EV market share dominance this year like last year? Is it all about the controversial role CEO Elon Musk has taken in the Trump administration?

The 2025 sales numbers have been poor for Tesla, as you can see in this chart. U.S. sales numbers won’t come out from Tesla until April for the first quarter.

Automotive News reports that Tesla’s stock has eroded by $700 billion as sales slide globally in the wake of what it calls the ‘Trump bump.’

Tesla was the world’s biggest producer of battery electric vehicles in 2024, but sales dropped to 1.79 million, the first time the company has endured a sales decline since 2011 after years of rapid growth that made it the world’s most valuable carmaker, according to The Guardian. The Tesla Model Y was the biggest selling EV in the world in January at 66,536 units sold in globally. Number two was the BYD Song / Seal U at 47,502 units sold, according to CleanTechnica. The Tesla Model 3 came in at No. 4 on the list, with 27,772 units sold.

In 2024, Cox Automotive estimates that Tesla sold 38,965 Cybertrucks. The company said the Cybertruck became profitable for the first time with a positive gross margin during Q3 2024.

According to recent data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, Tesla sales across the European Union, European Free Trade Association, and the United Kingdom declined to 9,945 in February from 18,161 in January 2024.

Some possible reasons for Tesla’s sales decline:

Politics: California is Tesla’s largest U.S. market, and tends to be more liberal politically. Its California sales dropped almost 8% in the fourth quarter of 2024, and 12% for the year. His backing of a right-wing party in Germany seems to be hurting him. Ahead of Germany’s February election, Musk advocated for the far-right Alternative for Germany party and said at a virtual event for the party that there’s “too much of a focus on past guilt” in that country. There are also signs of him being condemned by a number of environmental and political groups, and celebrities, in the U.S. and Europe, according to social media posts, which is hurting sales.

Chinese competition: Though Tesla also saw a steep dive in February sales, compared to a year earlier, observers say that’s more likely explained by increased competition from inexpensive Chinese competitors. BYD’s Seagull is a popular, inexpensive EV with a starting price of around $9,500, and a range of up to 252 miles. 

Changing market: Rising competition and the decision by some consumers to wait for a new Tesla model could be playing a role in the dip in sales abroad. GM said that 2024 was its best year for EV sales ever, selling about 114,000 EVs, a 50% gain over 2023. Ford said that for least year, each of its EVs (the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and E-Transit) set sales records. Hyundai and its Kia brand have also seen EV sales surge.

And in other news……..

Rivian rolling out R2 SUV soon: Rivian has high hopes for its upcoming midsize R2 electric SUV. Starting at about $45,000, the R2 is about half the cost of its current R1S large SUV and R1T pickup models. The company says that it will be the launch pad for taking the brand to overseas sales.

CFO Claire McDonough said Rivian is “working around the clock” to expand its Normal, IL, manufacturing plant for the upcoming R2. The sourcing for R2 is now about 95% complete, and production is scheduled to start in the first half of 2026. It will be followed by the smaller R3 and sporty R3X crossover. That part will happen at its new Georgia plant. That facility will start production in 2028, McDonough said.

NACFE paper on the ‘messy middle’: The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) has released a white paper, Navigating the Messy Middle: The Move to More Sustainable Trucking.

“I liken the Messy Middle to a smorgasbord where fleets have a wide variety of options,” says Mike Roeth, NACFE’s executive director. “It can seem like an overwhelming number of choices, and we wrote this white paper to bring some clarity to the current situation.”

NACFE first began using the term Messy Middle in 2018 to describe the time between now and when trucking gets to a zero-emission future. In addition, the defining the Messy Middle, the white paper provides a brief overview of the various powertrain options available to fleets today.

The new leader of the ‘Department of Government Efficiency,’ or DOGE, thinks he can cut $2 trillion from the current $6.75T federal budget.

Elon Musk, now officially a “special government employee” serving the White House, also has a few other jobs. He’s CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, executive chairman and CTO of X Corp. (X, formerly known as Twitter), owner of Neuralink, and head of xAI, which produces the Grok AI-powered assistant. Don’t forget the Starlink satellite network, which is operated by SpaceX.

Musk has been known to be tough with employees on budget cuts, as has been experienced by Tesla factory workers who previously tried to unionize. When Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he laid off more than 6,000 employees — about 80% of the company’s staff.

He just had his fourth child with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, for a total of 14 who range in age from just born to twins Griffin and Vivian who were born in 2004; and whose mother is ex-wife Justine Wilson. Musk’s 4-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, often called Lil X, went to the White House with him on Feb. 11 to meet with the president, as you can see in the photo above.

How could he possibly find time to do all of it? For one thing, other executives have been running his companies for years and they work very long hours, as does Musk. Most recently, he’s been assembling a team to carry out duties at DOGE; and that number has ranged from 40 to 100, according to Musk’s comments.

Questions and concerns have been floating across the internet and in Washington, D.C., about whether Musk will be getting any special deals for his companies due to campaign donations (about $250 million) and playing a high-level role in the Trump administration. One controversy that recently surfaced was that Musk posted comments on X criticizing Verizon for subpar work on a new communications system for the Federal Aviation Administration. He pitched his Starlink tech service as at least a temporary solution, according to Politico.

As for the latest developments beyond cutting staff from federal agencies, here are a few interesting ones……………

Latest on robotaxis: Tesla applied late last year for a permit with California regulators to launch an autonomous ride-hailing service, similar to what Waymo has been doing in San Francisco and Los Angeles through its Waymo One app. The automaker currently has the approval to test autonomous vehicles with a safety driver in California, but this application that was submitted to California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) late last year, is seeking a transportation charter-party carrier permit. The company’s still waiting for the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a permit for autonomous vehicle testing or operations, which would be needed for Tesla to offer a robotaxi service in California, according to Bloomberg news.

Musk in January said Tesla would begin offering “autonomous ride-hailing for money” in Austin this June. Musk showed off Tesla’s Cybercab concept last October, which could be used for driverless rides in California; and he turned down an offer recently from the Uber CEO to jointly operate a robotaxi service.

Tesla is very committed to rolling out it fully autonomous vehicles as soon as it gains regulatory approval from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, state governments, and any other necessary government agencies. That will continue to be the subject of scrutiny over whether any special favors are granted to Musk by the feds.

Financial performance: Tesla’s revenue grew to nearly $98.68 billion in 2024, a slight percentage increase from the previous year. Net income for 2024 was $7.1 billion, a 53% decline from 2023.

The company sold 1,789,226 vehicles in 2024, which was a 1.1% decrease from 2023, said Axios.com. In the fourth quarter, the automaker produced approximately 459,000 vehicles, delivered over 495,000 vehicles and deployed 11.0 GWh of energy storage products – a record for both deliveries and deployments, the company said.

The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling model in 2024, selling 1.09 million copies worldwide. The U.S. is Tesla’s largest sales market. Tesla sold 63,238 units of its electric cars in January in China, down 11.5% from the 71.447 cars sold in the same month last year. The futuristic Cybertruck was the best-selling electric pickup truck in the U.S. in 2024. However, sales were lower than expected due to the truck’s high price and slowing demand. Tesla sold 38,965 Cybertrucks last year, and the average transaction price in September was $116,706.

What’s up with Starlink? SpaceX, a space launch provider which Musk led prior to starting up with Tesla, has been staying very active; one analyst puts SpaceX’s sales at $13.3 billion in 2024, a more than 50% increase over the previous year. Its Starlink satellite network has been doing very well as a source of low-cost internet services ending up in remote locations. The company hopes to have about 42,000 satellites out in orbit eventually; as of February, on astronomer reported tracking 7,086 Starlink satellites in orbit.

Musk is always offering solutions from Starlink — such as the Verizon offer. Starlink assisted Ukraine in its defense system communications earlier in its war with Russia. That will probably be placed on hold as Trump continues engaging in verbal battles with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Protesters come to SpaceX HQ: Hundreds of protestors with signs on Saturday said Musk was “undermining democracy” with his actions as an unelected official. That took place outside SpaceX’s corporate headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., in the Los Angeles area. They had plenty to say about the world’s wealthiest man, and his new boss, President Trump. Protesters and others want to see if Musk and Trump can stay in agreement on key issues. Musk may not get what he wants from the Trump administration on carbon-free energy and anything that could support his EV sales and solar power, batteries, and energy storage.

(Editor’s note: The word out there is that Musk is not the wealthiest individual in the world — just the wealthiest of those reporting their income).

Tesla CEO Elon Musk isn’t interested in creating a partnership using the Uber platform for its planned robotaxi launch, said Uber Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi. “I’ve had conversations with him at this point,” The Uber CEO said Friday. “They want to build it alone, so to some extent in Austin, we and Waymo will be competing with Tesla when they launch,” he said, referring to Alphabet Inc.’s autonomous-vehicle unit. “Life is long, but we would love to partner with them.”

Tesla said its autonomous taxi service, named Cybercab, is set to debut in a pilot in Texas this June. Khosrowshahi had put in a lot of time and energy advocating for a partnership model with Tesla, highlighting that many Uber drivers already use Tesla vehicles and would be eager to integrate Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities with Uber’s platform.

Robot batteries: Hyundai Motor Co. and its Kia subsidiary today announced an agreement to partner with Samsung SDI to develop a significant ancillary business: high-performance batteries specifically for robots. The aim will be increasing energy density, output and usage time significantly. The collaboration will combine Hyundai Motor, Kia and Samsung SDI’s resources and technical expertise to develop batteries optimized for robots and integrate them into various service robots.

Rivian R2: The Rivian R2 is on track for launch in the first half of 2026, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said late last week. The company said its managed to reduce costs for the R2 by 50%. The company is aiming at make the R2 a high-volume crossover to go from nice to major player in automotive.

Wildfire damage: Following the recent wildfires in Los Angeles County, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency just hit a major milestone in the agency’s largest ever wildfire hazardous waste cleanup. President Trump signed an Executive Order directing EPA to complete this hazardous materials mission within 30 days, with the agency reaching 75% of its target by last week. As of this report last week, 892 electric vehicles and bulk energy storage systems destroyed by the fire were removed. Fourteen lithium-ion battery teams have been leading efforts to recover from this part of the disaster.   

Roadie delivery services: Roadie has expanded its delivery solutions and offerings for customers and drivers alike through RoadieXD, a cross-docking solution enabling retailers to offer their customers efficient same-day delivery for items of all sizes, including oversized and bulky goods. It was created for drivers with larger vehicles such as cargo vans and box trucks. It’s one of the few successful platform-based networks connecting truck owners to customers. The crowdsourced delivery platform in the U.S. that connects businesses of all sizes with a network of independent drivers to provide flexible, efficient, and reliable deliveries. In 2021, UPS acquired Roadie to expand into same-day delivery solutions. Roadie operates as a standalone entity, according to The Rideshare Guy.

E15 gasoline: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said late Friday it will maintain a fuel policy change initiated under President Biden aimed at increasing sales of corn-based ethanol, despite oil industry warnings it could raise gasoline costs and cause fuel supply disruptions. The federal agency said it will stick with April 28 as the implementation date for ending special treatment that waives conventional E10 gasoline from fuel volatility limits in as many as eight Midwestern states. The change effectively places E10, which contains 10% ethanol, on the same regulatory footing as higher-ethanol E15 gasoline and allow both varieties to use the same raw gasoline blendstock, in a shift meant to allow both fuel blends to be sold widely during the summer, where the existing policy often keeps E15 out of the market.