Demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. declined in April for the first time since February 2024. Registrations reached 97,833 units, a 4.4% year-over-year decline, according to S&P Global Mobility data. Concern over the possibility of tax credits going away, and a drop in support for Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his car company, seem to be part of it.
Tesla’s U.S. EV registrations dropped below 40,000 units in April, marking a 16% decline. While Chevrolet is still far behind as the second best-selling EV maker in America, its did sell 9,160 units in April, a 215% year-over-growth. Its new electric Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado models saw strong demand.
All mainstream General Motors brands are going well, with Cadillac and GMC also clocking serious year-over-year growth. BMW and Nissan also saw sales growth in April EV sales, while several automakers saw a downturn — Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Rivian, Mercedes-Benz, and of course, Tesla.
Largest energy storage system: The California Energy Commission (CEC) last week approved the Darden Clean Energy Project (DCEP), the first to be permitted under the state’s Opt-In Certification program. CEC says it will be the largest battery energy storage system in the world, highlighting California’s leadership in clean energy innovation and infrastructure. It will be built on 9,500 acres of land in western Fresno County that is no longer able to support agricultural production. The project includes a 1,150-megawatt (MW) solar facility with approximately 3.1 million panels and up to 1,150 MW (4,600 megawatt-hours) of battery storage – enough to power 850,000 homes for four hours. The project owner is IP Darden I, LLC, a subsidiary of Intersect Power. Authorized under Assembly Bill 205, the Opt-In Certification program provides a consolidated state permitting option for eligible clean energy projects, supporting California’s transition to 100 percent zero-carbon retail electric sales by 2045. You can learn more on this YouTube Shorts video.
Trump stops CA emission rules: On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed into law three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions nullifying certain federal and state-level vehicle emissions standards finalized under the Biden administration. The three measures block California’s mandates to phase out gas-powered cars and clean up diesel trucks. With Trump’s signatures, 17 states will no longer be able to enforce California’s standards mandating electric vehicle sales by 2035. Trump also repealed California’s plan to require a rising number of zero-emissions heavy-duty truck sales. California immediately struck back with a lawsuit and a vow to continue setting standards. Ten other states that are enforcing California’s emissions rules joined the lawsuit — Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also issued an executive order that reaffirms the state’s commitment to phasing out gas and diesel-powered vehicles; and he directed the California Air Resources Board to craft another mandate for cars and trucks — to either bolster its existing mandates or replace them in case they lose in court.
Biofuels increase from EPA: The Trump administration on Friday proposed to increase the amount of biofuels that oil refiners must blend into the nation’s fuel mix over the next two years, driven by a surge in biomass-based diesel mandates from the Renewable Fuel Standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed total biofuel blending volumes at 24.02 billion gallons in 2026 and 24.46 billion gallons in 2027, up from 22.33 billion gallons in 2025. It ties into efforts by the Trump administration to reduce foreign oil imports.
Schneider Electric wins sustainability award: In Corporate Knights’ inaugural Europe 50 ranking, the top company, Schneider Electric, also achieved the highest marks in the 2025 Global 100 ranking for global sustainability efforts. The French company is the only one to have topped the Global 100 twice (the other time back in 2021), and it has played a unique role in electrification efforts across a wide variety of sectors, from manufacturing light switches to pioneering new software and clean energy solutions for data centers and smart cities. Today, 74% of its annual revenue comes from sustainable sources, and nearly 80% of its sizable investment portfolio has been directed into sustainable solutions.
