If you’ve been driving around Southern California lately, you may have noticed new electric vans in the FedEx fleet. They do look different than other vans on the streets. That’s because they’re new to the market, a General Motors electric van called the BrightDrop Zero.

As the first customer to receive BrightDrop Zevo 600, FedEx’s initial 150 vans have been deployed in Southern California. The electric vans have zero tailpipe emission, 600+ cubic feet of cargo room, and up to 250 miles on a fully charged battery. It comes with GM’s Ultium battery platform, that’s dedicated to bringing as much power, range, and performance as possible for a last-mile logistics urban vehicle.

Other features include connectivity through GM’s OnStar, advanced safety features to keep drivers safe, low step-in height, and large infotainment screens for a tech-enabled driving experience.

The 2024 BrightDrop Zevo 600 has a cargo volume of 614.7 cu. ft., a wheelbase of 183.5 inches, and an overall length of 290.0 inches. It’s starting price comes in at $64,425 after cash offers. The 2024 BrightDrop Zevo 400 starts at $62,725 after cash offers. Its specs are: 412.1 cu. ft. in cargo volume, a wheelbase of 153.1 inches, and overall length of 238.6 inches.

GM has an expanding network of BrightDrop dealers — seven of them for now.

FedEx is heading toward its goal of an all electric pickup and delivery fleet by 2040 — a very serious goal for a fleet currently at about 200,000 vehicles.

The delivery giant is is collaborating with Ford Pro to pilot ten Ford E-Transit vans. The vehicles are being tested in nine markets in the US to assess performance in different road and weather conditions.  The Ford E-Transit has a targeted range of 126 miles on a single charge, making it ideal for FedEx’s targets in local courier delivery.

Rivian’s electric vans have hit a bit of a snag, with a shortage of parts causing a temporarily suspended production of its commercial delivery vans used by Amazon. It’s part of a series of supply chains for the electric truck and van maker, coming from supplier shortages.

The company produces all its vehicles at its factory in Normal, Illinois, with a second assembly plant planned in Georgia. The Illinois factory isn’t lacking in parts that will keep other Rivian vehicles in production, including its R1S SUV and R1T pickup models.

Amazon said it’s aware of of Rivian’s ‘short-term production issues this month,” but does not expect it to have an impact on its plan to bring the electric vans into its fleet.

Fleet operators are concerned about battery shortages that are limiting EV supplies and keeping prices high. There’s also concerns being voiced that startup electric van makers may be running out of money and shutting down. Electric vehicle production has always been a difficult segment to enter on the passenger and commercial segments, and fleets are taking a careful look at their options.

And in other news……….

Hybrids coming back: Last month, Ford reported that it decided to increase its output of gas-electric hybrid models, which has been seeing increased demand from car shoppers. One variant, which Ford calls extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs, have done well in China and will be part of the U.S. strategy. These vehicles use a small gasoline engine to keep an on-board battery charged while driving, which produces longer driving range. Ford is also thinking about adding extended-range EV technology for its next-generation three-row SUVs, as it looks at offering a range of powertrain options throughout its vehicle lineup.

Hyundai Motor America announced that it will take a similar turn. With demand for electric vehicles slowing in the market, hybrids are seeing a comeback. According to Motor Authority, Hyundai said that in the future, large and luxury models from its Genesis subsidiary will also offer hybrid powertrains. The Korean automaker thinks that some of its future hybrids will benefit from improved brake energy regeneration and vehicle-to-grid technologies. In particular, it said it will offer an extended-range plug-in hybrid that will be able to travel up to 500 miles without needing to recharge or refuel.

Will U.S. hike China tariffs?: It’s been months since the Biden administration announced raising tariffs on China, including 100% electric vehicle duties, a 50% tariff on semiconductors and solar cells, and 25% on critical lithium-ion battery minerals. This delay may have had something to do with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently visiting Beijing and speaking with several senior Chinese officials. Automotive News also reported that the visit included time spent with Chinese President Xi Jinping; both sides emphasized the need to manage the U.S.-China relationship, according to the reporting.

Last week, honking from robotaxis nearly caused a few San Francisco residents to move to another city. That repeated disturbance might have taken place about 4:00 am, which made it particularly frustrating for those trying to sleep.

It came from a parking lot full of Waymo autonomous SUVs parked near each other for customers hailing rides from these robotaxis. Waymo stated that the honking was the result of a safety feature triggered when a Waymo car detects another vehicle reversing toward it. The software was meant to prevent slow-moving crashes.

Several people who live in buildings near the parking lot have had similar complaints, according to an ABC News Chicago affiliate station.

Waymo and Cruise were approved to operate their paid robotaxi services 24/7 in San Francisco in August 2023. That decision was made by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in a 3-to-1 vote. Complaints and minor crashes have come up, with these permits being restricted for periods of time.

So when can we expect to see a lot of autonomous vehicles across the streets of America and other countries that are testing them out? That’s going to take at least until 2035, according to a prediction from research firm GlobalData.

“We expect the timelines for deploying fully autonomous vehicles (Level 5) to be pushed back over the next few years,” the research firm wrote in a report.

Level 5 autonomy relates to self-driving cars that do not require any human interaction – meaning that when they’re eventually deployed, they won’t have steering wheels or pedals; and what might be called fully self-driving vehicles.

Here Technologies, a Dutch company specialized in mapping technologies, location data, and related automotive services, found 2035 to be mentioned in more than one of these predictions as a realistic year to see it come together.

The Waymo One fleet consists entirely of fully electric Jaguar I-PACEs — what the company calls, “the world’s first premium electric autonomously driven vehicle.” The company is testing out Zeekr electric vans, made by a Chinese company. Cruise is using the Chevrolet Bolt, from its parent company General Motors, for its San Francisco robotaxi rides.

Waymo will this year test out colder locations, including Truckee, Calif.; Upstate New York; and Michigan, from the Upper Peninsula to the metro Detroit area. Winter road trips have been important to the company in recent years, with last year’s tests were done in Buffalo, N.Y.

Regardless of weather conditions, Waymo is testing rides outside of San Francisco and these cold locations. The company has been in limited parts of Phoenix since 2020, and is now testing its autonomous vehicles in Austin. Waymo has opened up a waitlist for access in Los Angeles.

Robotaxis are gaining ridership and support in San Francisco. For some riders, it’s better than taking an Uber or Lyft ride.

“I think the ride is great and I don’t feel unsafe or anything,” said said Nathan Herrara, a Boston resident who recently visited San Francisco.  Herrera added that he absolutely trusts robot drivers more than humans. “They’re more cautious.”

China is taking the lead on autonomous vehicle testing, with at least 16 of its cities allowing companies to test self-driving vehicles on public roads. At least 19 Chinese automakers are their suppliers are getting in on the testing, according to Carnegie Mellon University, a hub for autonomous vehicle technology development.

Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide has been granted permission to test in California. The California Public Utilities Commission issued two permits to WeRide. I pilot permit including a driver and one not including a driver. Both allow the company to test its vehicles on public roads while carrying passengers.

The U.S. Commerce Department is considering a ban on Chinese connected vehicles, which includes self-driving vehicles, due to national security concerns. But WeRide believes in the market potential enough to look into a nearly $5 billion valuation when going public on the U.S. stock market. The capitalization costs are quite high for bringing in all the elements that go into building and operating a safe, dependable autonomous vehicle.

WeRide is testing out autonomous SUVs, vans, street sweepers, and a ‘robobus,’ which looks like a small shuttle bus.

And in other news………..

EV charging report: The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a study focusing on the U.S. challenge of building a widespread and reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure. NREL’s 2030 National Charging Network: Estimating U.S. Light-Duty Demand for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure report points to the need for a mix of publicly accessible charging stations along highways and near homes and workplaces, and private charging ports at single-family homes, apartments, and offices. “This is the fundamental challenge for the industry right now,” said Eric Wood, a senior EV charging infrastructure researcher at NREL. “Some people like to talk about alternative-fuel vehicles and their infrastructure as a chicken-and-egg problem. But I really think it’s more appropriate to think about infrastructure—specifically, charging stations—needing to lead the market. You need to have these stations be visible and available for people to feel confident in buying an electric vehicle and committing to make it their daily transportation mode of choice.”

CARB could boost LCFS: The California Air Resources Board is working on changes to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that could boost credit prices and support renewable natural gas (RNG) investment, with implications for landfill and anaerobic digestion projects, according to Waste Dive. It would be an increase from a proposal released earlier this year, and it comes from listening to alternative fuel producers about the impact of LCFS credit prices having fallen too low. It will go before a CARB board vote in November. If it clears, it will mean that fuel producers will see increase in low-carbon alternatives to offset their petroleum-based fuels.

What are the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cancels the ‘Chevron deference’ standard? The Loper Bright Enterprises ruling this summer does have the potential to alter how environmental, energy, transportation, and other policies, will be implemented.

Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a June 28, 2024 ruling, is similar to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the historic abortion ruling. Loper Bright transfers policymaking authority from federal agencies over to federal courts, overturning the 1984 Chevron ruling. The Supreme Court held that federal courts may not defer to an agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute.

Along with a companion case, Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce, Loper Bright Enterprises overruled Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (1984). That was where the ‘Chevron deference’ standard came from; it had directed courts to defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of a law or policy decision that the agency enforces.

Loper Bright Enterprises is a New Jersey-based family-owned herring fishing company operating in the waters of New England. The June 2024 ruling originated from fishing companies challenging a rule established by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for these companies to pay for the cost of federal monitors that may be assigned to their boats, under authorization of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The company claimed that the Act did not allow NMFS to pass the monitors’ costs to the fishing companies, challenging the Chevron deference that was held in the NMFS’ favor during lower court hearings.

The Chevron deference became a two-part test that was deferential to government agencies: first, whether Congress has spoken directly to the precise issue at question, and second, it was based on whether the agency’s answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute.

Law firm Holland & Knight identified implications for environmental, energy, and transportation issues in how the Loper Bright Enterprises ruling could be interpreted by federal courts.

Environmental. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may have trouble enforcing the new greenhouse gas power plant rule, which is likely to be challenged on the ground that it is unsupported by statutory authority. The Supreme Court’s ruling that greenhouse gases are air pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act would still stand, but the EPA’s attempts to consider climate impacts in rule makings covering a wide range of statutory authority may be getting a lot more scrutiny. Some environmental regulations are already facing court challenges, which should continue. The Renewable Fuel Standard has the strength of being created by statute nearly 20 years ago; however, the Supreme Court’s Loper Bright ruling could alter how the program evolves over time – such as restricting the EPA’s discretion to approve or deny participation by new types of fuels or entities.

Energy. The interpretation and implementation of various federal regulations and policies impacting oil, gas, and mineral development on federal lands and waters will likely be challenged under the new standard of judicial review of agency action. The procedures adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for environmental reviews and cost allocation for regional transmission grid expansions are likely to be taken on. The Federal Power Act, Natural Gas Act, Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the landmark National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that was signed into law in 1969, will likely be challenged as well.

Transportation. Aviation and maritime transportation are expected to see implications before other transportation sectors. Policies governing prevention of collisions at sea would undergo scrutiny. One area that could impact ground transportation could come from what happens to the Oil Pollution Act and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA); that could have a significant impact for recovery resulting from an oil spill. The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigative policies following accidents may be challenged, too, and it would affect aviation, maritime, and ground transportation.

The waste and recycling industry is also analyzing how this summer Supreme Court ruling may affect their legal and regulatory environment, especially what comes through the EPA and U.S. Department of Labor. Some analysts say it may not make an immediate impact on the waste industry. Long term, it may bring in more legal complexity when considering aspects of rules such as the EPA’s recent hazardous substance designation for certain polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) proposed heat standard, according to Wastedive.

And in other news………

Public likes EV charging: Customer satisfaction with public EV charging continues to improve, according to a new J.D. Power study. Tesla remained at the top of the J.D. Power study. Satisfaction with DC fast charging increased to 664 points on a 1,000-point scale, a 10-point increase from the same period in 2023. One area of dissatisfaction was Level 2 charging, where satisfaction dropped four points.

IRA opportunities: Companies announced at least 334 major new clean energy projects in the first two years since the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law, driving the biggest U.S. economic revolution in recent history, according to the national nonpartisan business organization E2. The 118 announcements in the IRA’s second year are expected to generate more than $40 billion in new investments and create a minimum of 34,600 jobs.

It wasn’t that long ago that we all heard about Ford Motor Co. surging forward in electric vehicle sales in the U.S. While that trend has continued, Hyundai Motor America and its three car brands stand out this year. Ford saw real gains with EV sales at 44,180, up from 25,709 last year in the first half. Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis all saw real gains over the first half of 2023. With its luxury brand Genesis and its Kia brand included, Hyundai Motor America sold 59,980 electric vehicles in the U.S. in the first half of this year.

At 304,451 units sold in the U.S. in the first half of this year, Tesla’s share of the market has been declining. It reached 75% in 2022, and is now at 49.7% according to Kelley Blue Book.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 crossover SUV has been its top selling battery electric model. It’s built on the E-GMP – the Electric Global Modular Platform – which the South Korean automaker says opens up a new era for the company, pioneering the development of EVs. It’s capable of quick-charging at peak rates of 235 kW, and only needs 18 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent charged. The range is anywhere between 220 and 303 miles, based on the model and the battery.

Sales have been very good for the Ioniq 5, even though it doesn’t qualify for the federal $7,500 tax incentive. The company expects that it will qualify for this tax credit starting in October. That’s when it will be the first EV built at its Georgia assembly plant. Recent changes to the federal tax incentive have blocked foreign-made EVs from gaining the tax credit.

The EV market continues to be strong in the U.S., and along with several other countries overseas. For the first half of the year, 599,372 EVs were sold in the U.S.; that’s up from 558,377 in the first half of last year — a 7.3% increase, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Hyundai, which first came to the U.S. market in 1986, has been enjoying winning impressive sales gains — along with industry awards — in recent years. The 2023 IONIQ 6 was named World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year, and World Electric Vehicle. The 2025 Ioniq 5 N was named 2024 World Performance Car. The “N” designation is new to the Hyundai lineup with attention being placed on high-performance standards.

The 2024 Ioniq 5 has been recognized as a 2023 TOP SAFETY PICK+ by the IIHS, its highest safety award. The 2024 Ioniq 5 has a starting MSRP of $41,800.

The crossover EV6 has been Kia’s top selling EV. Kia dealers are offering a 36-month lease for $259 in monthly payments.

Hyundai has been present at ACT Expo and other automotive and fleet industry events. That includes its Nexo Fuel Cell, a dedicated hydrogen-powered SUV with an estimated range of 380 miles and zero emissions. In February, the automaker forged a deal with Italian vehicle manufacturer Iveco. Hyundai Motor Co. will supply an all-electric light commercial vehicle from its global eLCV platform to Iveco Group in Europe.

And in other news…….

Discount offer on conference: AltWheels Fleet Day offers a discount of $90 with a $7.88 fee through August 1 for its annual one-day conference. This year it will take place on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. It brings together corporate and municipal fleet managers and clean-fleet stakeholders working to reduce emissions, increase reliability, and lower costs for tomorrow’s transportation needs. Watch more about the conference on this video.

Award winning RIDE electric school bus: For the second year in a row, bus maker RIDE won Student Transportation News’ prestigious Best Green Technology Award. This year, the accolade was awarded to the Creator, the company’s innovative Type C school bus. The Creator electric bus offers a driving range of up to 208 miles, a battery capacity of up to 282 kWh, and seats up to 78 passengers. It comes with a 12-year battery warranty. BYD | RIDE school buses including The Achiever are available throughout the U.S., and are eligible to participate in the EPA Clean School Bus program and several state incentive programs including the California HVIP voucher program.

Truck sales in 2024: Times are good for fleet and commercial vehicles sales. The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) predicts a 2% growth in truck and equipment sales for the remainder of the year. That’s coming from moderate growth in the U.S. economy. That growth should be fueled by increased activity in residential construction, transportation and warehousing, and state/local government spending, according to Gary Perman, president, PermanTech.

October, not August: The grand unveiling of Tesla’s robotaxi won’t be taking place on August 8. It will be taking place in October, though that date has yet to be released. The company’s engineering design team has to rework some elements of the self-driving electric car, according to sources familiar with the matter. The August 8 launch was announced in early April after news came out that the carmaker had canceled its long-awaited inexpensive car. This development ties into two elements that Tesla analysts deal with: overpromising of launches, and how much the company is counting on robotaxis in its long-term strategic model. There’s also the problem of getting regulators to allow for autonomous vehicles to be released beyond limited robotaxi rides in a couple of U.S. cities.

J.D. Power on Cheapest Electric Vehicle States: States with the biggest savings from EVs: New Jersey where $10,345 can be saved; and Nevada with $9,216 in savings. States with losses from EVs: West Virginia: $-1,800, and Maine: $-1,619. That comes from J.D. Power in a detailed analysis conducted in the first quarter for Automotive News. Maine and West Virginia were the only two states where cost savings can’t be gained. The study looked at total cost of ownership for en EV over five years.

Hydrogen getting cleaner: Clean hydrogen, which is generated from both renewables and fossil fuels through the use of carbon capture and storage technology, is taking off in America, with the U.S. being the largest producer in the world, accounting for almost 37% of global supply by 2030. That comes from a study by Gary Perman, president of PermanTech. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is one of the reasons this growth rate is expected, through tax credits for hydrogen production. The study says that these incentives are making hydrogen an increasingly attractive energy source and feedstock.

There is still hope, former Microsoft chief said: Bill Gates was thrilled to be in London recently for the Breakthrough Energy Summit, which brought together global leaders, industry executives, innovators, and investors to develop solutions for fighting climate change. Key stakeholders will have to get creative, cooperative, and committed to success during these days of progressively worsening climate conditions. Fortunately, technology breakthroughs are showing up, and that’s a necessity these days. “But it was clear that meeting these goals would require unprecedented investment from the private sector to drive innovation. It would also require extraordinary collaboration across all sectors to get clean energy ideas out of the lab and into the market affordably and at scale,” Gate write in his LinkedIn column.

Facts about EV charging in US and Europe: According to a new analysis report by Chargepoint, there are more than 170,000 publicly available charging ports across the United States and Canada based Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) statistics. At ChargePoint, the saw year-over-year port growth in North America increase by 31% in 2023. According to European Alternative Fuels Observatory (EAFO), there were over 380,000 public charging ports available to drivers across the European Union and more than 30,000 in the U.K. at the end of 2023. There was a 47% overall increase in public charging ports in the EU year-over-year.

Peak demand for oil is here: Demand for global oil supply looks like it will be hitting its peak sooner than some experts had predicted. Oil use won’t be disappearing anytime soon, but measuring “peak demand” shows where the amount of oil being consumers will start falling rather than rising permanently. The climate crisis is driving things along, with global demand increasing another 2% to 3% over three to four years; and then the tipping point comes after that peak with oil consumption continuing to decline. It will need to be replaced by something, hopefully an alternative fuel.

There’s quite a lot to follow lately with used electric vehicle prices dropping, and changeovers taking place at Rivian and Fisker.

For over a dozen years now, automakers have been producing electric vehicles on assembly lines in the U.S. — starting with the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and Tesla Model S. Other EVs had been rolling out in smaller numbers prior to that time, too, including the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Tesla Roadster. But it would take a few years to see new battery electric and plug-in hybrid models launched from established OEMs and post-startups. EV sales would at first see impressive gains for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, and later from competitors.

Some of these models, such as the Chevy Volt and i-MiEV plus several commercial electric trucks and vans, have been pulled from the market. Automaker have had a difficult goal to meet: making EV models profitable and realistically tied to market demand and innovations.

Plug-in electric vehicles only make up about 1% of the total light-duty vehicles on U.S. roads, but the number is large enough to track its impact on used vehicle market values; and other parts of vehicle lifecycle analysis. The number went up to about 3.3 million units at the end of 2023 — up from 2 million in 2022 and 1.3 million in 2021, according to Experian Automotive Market Trends report.

Used electric vehicle values had stayed strong over these years, with limited volume on the market and enough car shoppers fascinated with the new technology to pay more for a used EV than a used gasoline-powered car. Things started changing earlier this year. Hertz announced it would sell 20,000 EVs, mostly the Tesla S. They would be replaced by gasoline-powered cars. The car rental giant also put a hold on an order for 65,000 battery-powered cars made by Polestar.

In February, used EV prices fell below average gasoline-powered cars for the first time ever. That market trend has continued, with car search engine and sales channel iSeeCars analyzing 2.2 million 1- to 5-year-old used cars in May 2023 compared to May 2024. The company recently found that the average used EV price came in at $28,767, or 8.3 percent below the average gas car at $31,424. Compare that to one year earlier when the average used EV cost $40,783 and the average used gasoline-powered car cost $33,469, according to iSeeCars data.

What are some of the factors impacting used EV prices? “It’s clear used car shoppers will no longer pay a premium for electric vehicles and, in fact, consider electric powertrains a detractor, making them less desirable – and less valuable – than traditional models,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.

Comparing Tesla Model 3 prices the BMW 3 Series sheds some light on this issues, according toe iSeeCars. A used Tesla Model 3 was priced $2,635 above a BMW 3 Series in June 2023. By May 2024 the Model 3 was priced $4,806 below the 3 Series.
The Tesla Model Y had a $4,570 price premium over the X3 in January 2024, but that difference fell to only $175 by May 2024.

Some of the other factors impacting used EV valuation includes consumer concern over EV battery life; the growing volume of used EVs coming to market; and consumer showing less willingness to pay a premium for EVs. It’s also taking place during a time when the overall U.S. used vehicle market has been seeing a downturn since late 2023.

What’s happening with EV makers?
As we’ve been observing over the past dozen-plus years, the auto market is a very tough one to break into — with EVs and their expensive battery packs being part of the challenge in being viable and profitable. Incentives like federal tax credits and state rebates have helped drive demand for these vehicles, but they’ve reached a mass-production level that’s typical of all segments of new and used vehicles on American roads.

Here’s some new developments that have come up for three significant players in the EV market…….

Rivian: Volkswagen is putting about $5 billion into Rivian in exchange for stock and the right to use Rivian’s EV and software technology through a joint venture. The startup company had paused plans in March to open up a new manufacturing plant in Georgia. Rivian had taken losses of about $39,000 per vehicle built last quarter.

Fisker: Fisker filed for bankruptcy protection last week, as the EV maker began selling assets and restructuring its debt. That was after burning through cash in an attempt to ramp up production of its Fisker Ocean SUV model. Other EV makers have gone through BK protection in the the past two years as well, including Proterra, Lordstown and Electric Last Mile Solutions. Demand had been lower than expected, and finding investment backers became difficult along with having its supply chain needs met during a disruptive period. Henrik Fisker and team were unable to secure an investment from a major automaker, which lead to filing for BK.

BYD: Berkshire Hathaway is reducing its share in Chinese EV giant BYD — from a little bit over 7% to a little under 6%. Owning shares of the company started for BH in 2008 with $230 million for about 225 million shares, which came out to around a 10% stake. Last year, the automaker beat Tesla for the first time ever in global EV sales. Tesla took the title back in the Q1 of this year.

And in other news………

Ford in Long Beach: Ford Motor Co. is setting up a research-and-development team to work on the company’s next generation of electric vehicles. It will soon be headquartered in Douglas Park, adjacent to Long Beach Airport, Mayor Rex Richardson and Ford announced yesterday. “Long Beach is a key part of our broader strategy to attract top talent to develop future vehicles and experiences for our customers,” Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer, said in a statement.

The automaker said that campus will open up in early 2025. It will include two buildings and eventually accommodate up to 450 employees working on designing “a low-cost, flexible electric vehicle platform.” Led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke, this R&D center had already gained attention from scooping up engineering talent from other electric car manufacturers like Rivian. Ford’s history in the area goes way to 1930, when the Ford Long Beach Assembly Plant began building Model A’s on a plot of land just north of Terminal Island.

BYD school bus: The Creator, the BYD RIDE’s newest zero-emission Type C school bus, will be rolling out at the STN Reno event July 12-17. The Creator is backed by a 12-year battery warranty and offers a seating capacity of up to 78 students. The Type C has a range of up to 208 miles and has the option to include up to two wheelchair positions.

Taking a good look at news coverage illustrates the credibility and growing presence of clean transportation. Plug-in vehicles, fuel economy and emission standards, reducing urban traffic and air pollution, corporate sustainability, BYD continues getting global brand recognition, and more about Elon Musk and Tesla, were all given serious attention this week.

EV lifecycle longevity: As car buffs brag about being able to drive their electric vehicles well over a million miles, is that such a good thing for those making the cars and parts? EVs and their batteries are expected to see continued improvements for longevity, performance, and efficiency. But this will bring an even bigger challenge to global automakers. Can you make them like Apple’s iPhones, where users have to upgrade to a new phone every few years?

New CAFE standards are not enough: While the federal government’s corporate average fuel economy standards have been valuable since first starting during the 1973-74 oil embargo, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration could do a better job of supporting zero-emission vehicles. That comes from Zero Emission Transportation Association’s Executive Director Albert Gore on NHTSA’s CAFE standards just being raised to 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. Electric vehicles are doing much better than gasoline-powered vehicles. Proof of this statement: the Fueleconomy.gov Top Ten for model year 2024 are all EVs and average more than 122 MPGe.

What about congestion pricing? New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., have all been exploring tactics to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. They’d like to follow the leads of several international cities that have banned cars on certain streets at certain times. New York was preparing to launch a fee that would be charged to drivers in parts of Manhattan; and that revenue would be used to better fund public transportation. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has postponed the implementation of the city’s congestion pricing plan indefinitely, citing economic concerns. Congestion pricing remains stuck in New York and the other U.S. cities for now.

Tree planting to save the planet: Hyundai Motor North America is doing a great job of illustrating why corporate sustainability should be a priority — saving the planet. The automaker has added to its partnership with nonprofit organization, One Tree Planted, to plant an additional 300,000 trees this year throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This year’s contribution will result in a total of 650,000 trees planted since the start of the partnership in 2022. One Tree Planted’s goal is to restore forests around the world, supporting efforts to restore the earth’s habitat for biodiversity and to help fellow humans survive and thrive well into the future.

BYD brand becoming better known: According to the latest Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands 2024 report, BYD has successfully retained its position within the Top 10 global automotive brands for the second consecutive year, with a brand value exceeding US$10 billion. Kantar BrandZ is based on setting standards for industry-leading brand valuation, combined with research from the world’s largest and most extensive brand equity study: 4.3 million consumers covering 21,000 brands across 525 categories in 54 markets. BYD thinks the fact that it is operating across four major industries — automotive, rail transit, new energy, and electronics — is why it’s been able to establish a strategic presence across six continents. As for new energy vehicles (battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), BYD has sold over 7.6 million NEVs.

Sexual harassment at SpaceX: Charges of sexual harassment and blurring the lines between a professional workplace and private lives have come up again for SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk. While also heading Tesla, X, Boring Co., Neuralink, and xAi, Musk has also found enough time to have a sexual relationship with a former SpaceX intern, who he later hired onto his executive team, according to The Wall Street Journal. There was also another sexual relationship with a second employee; and a third woman employee said that Musk asked her several times to have his children but she refused. He then denied her a raise and complained about her performance, this employee said. It’s been more than just Musk. In 2021, five former SpaceX employees said there was a “culture of sexual harassment” in the company. One of those women described multiple instances of being groped.

Musk’s $56 billion pay: A Tesla shareholder vote this afternoon on whether to reinstate CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package that was shot down by a Delaware judge will get passed, Musk said. Late on Wednesday, he said that Tesla shareholders have communicated that they’ll re-approve the pay package, which would get a formal vote the next day. Shareholders will address the pay package from 2018 along with moving the car company’s incorporation state to Texas, at the company’s annual meeting.

What’s up with Cybertruck: You may have noticed the futuristic 2024 Tesla Cybertruck parked somewhere near you. It’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model, which starts at about $80,000; there’s a $20,000 package where you can add the “Foundation Series” package with a few extra features. Steering takes place through the steer-by-wire and four-wheel steer, which brings maneuverability features to make the Cybertruck more like a pickup truck than a tank. Body panels are made from stainless steel and buyers will later have the option of buying armored-glass windows. It’s become the most controversial EV ever, which discussions delving into its looks, safety, and credibility as a truck.

Supercharger becoming Ionna?: The Tesla Supercharger had been the big hope for many about a shared fast-charger network. That’s taken a plunge recently with the company cutting out the entire Supercharger team. It doesn’t affect Ionna’s plans to put 30,000 high-power urban and highway-adjacent fast-charging connectors in the U.S. and Canada. The charging network — based in Durham, N.C., and backed by BMW, Honda, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis — got the commitment it needed late last year; and now it says that Tesla’s shutdown will not get in its way. The startup joint venture charging network company said that a total of seven “Quarterback Labs” will be placed around the country. These will be designed to help each participating automaker address charging issues following software updates, tackle customer issues closer to the source, and offer interoperability testing. The JV company plans to have a few DC fast chargers up and running by the end of 2024.

And in other news…………

Q1 plug-in sales way up: More than 3.2 million new passenger plug-in electric vehicles were registered globally during the first quarter of 2024, which is about 25% more than a year earlier. BYD Group took the lead with 624,398 units registered (19.4% share). Tesla registered 386,825 units (12% share), Geely-Volvo registered 251,106 units (7.8% share), Volkswagen Group registered 205,652 units (6.4% share), and Chinese automaker SAIC registered 190,409 units (5.9% share). EV-Volumes researcher Jose Pontes, said that these five groups continue to be responsible for more than half of all plug-in car sales.

New resources for hydrogen and fuel cells: The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) just launched a new web resource, Clean Hydrogen and Environmental Justice. The new webpage and related links provides a centralized resource that serves both to present HFTO’s environmental justice (EJ) work externally, as well as to solicit input from stakeholders. It covers a wide range of topics, including; common concerns expressed by communities about clean hydrogen; and background on the principles of environmental justice and the Justice40 Initiative. An outline of HFTO’s EJ strategy, with detailed discussion of all aspects of that strategy, is also available.

Claudia Sheinbaum, who begins her six-year Mexican presidential term Oct. 1, has less than four months ahead of her to define her administration’s agenda.

Mexico’s new president, the first woman ever to hold this job in that country, is considered to be a ‘climate scientist’ who gave much attention to detail when she advanced rooftop solar, transit, and bicycle infrastructure as mayor of Mexico City. But like the president of the United States, and presidents and prime ministers of large countries throughout the world, the current realities of transportation and energy complicate the issues.

The U.S. imported over 637 million barrels of heavy crude oil from Mexico in 2022, which was 10% of the country’s total crude oil imports, according to the EIA. In March 2024, the US imported 409,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Mexico, which was the fifth largest source of crude oil imports for the month. State oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has a lot of say in government policies.

Ever since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect on January 1, 1994, economic alliances have expanded. Audi, BMW, Fiat (FCA), Ford, General Motors, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen, all have manufacturing plants in Mexico. Mexico became more viable for these alliances after NAFTA took hold.

The country’s electric vehicle production reached 106,180 units in 2023: 94,436 Ford Mustang Mach-E EVs were produced there as well as 11,744 Chevrolet Blazer EVs, according to Odracir Barquera, CEO of the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA).

Sheinbaum spent four years at California’s Lawrence Berkeley Lab analyzing energy consumption in Mexico and other industrialized countries, according to a Corporate Knights report. She was also a lead author for the fourth and fifth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She’s been part of studies on a number of relevant topics including renewable energy and and carbon dioxide demand analysis.

The new Mexican president will face complicated issues as she takes over from President Andrés Manuel López Obrado. Their country is the world’s 11th-largest oil producer, its 15th-biggest climate polluter, renewable energy financing has declined since 2018, and its the only G20 country without a net-zero target. There’s also the challenge of dealing with Mexican drug cartels being powerful and influential in recent years — and with the U.S. considered to be their largest market for drug sales.

Economically, the NAFTA alliance stays strong. It’s becoming one of the top five largest vehicle producers where U.S.-based technology and parts play a role in carrying out production targets. The country also faces the challenges of where it’s getting its batteries, electronics, and electrical motors for EVs. Much of it is coming from China for assembly in Mexico; but the strong relationship with the U.S. will play a part in whether those deals will be changing in the near future.

And in other news…………
LCFS update: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will consider approval of the proposed amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in November. The original date for considering board approval had been March 21, 2024, but that was postponed in February 2024. The board meeting will be held both in-person and virtually. 

ACT Expo highlights: Keynote speaker Ryder System CEO Robert Sanchez had a lot of interesting comments to make last month in Las Vegas. Tesla Semi project lead Dan Priestley and J.B. Hunt President Shelley Simpson had a lot to say as well. Learn more about what they were saying about electrification of the trucking industry and other relevant topics.

While Ford is one of the few global automakers to report losses from electric vehicle sales, it’s not the only one by far.

For full-year 2023, revenue was up 11% to $176 billion for Ford Motor Co. Net income improved year-over-year to $4.3 billion; but the company also reported that it took $4.7 billion in losses for the EV division last year — and that it’s on track to lose another $5.5 billion this year.

Ford and General Motors say that they’re able to fall back on hybrid and gasoline-powered passenger vehicles to offset those losses; with pickup trucks being particularly profitable. EV losses are coming form slashing prices following Tesla setting up a price war, according to Ford. It’s also about the cost of battery packs needed to power long-range, high-performance EVs.

A solution that Ford is working on starts with supply-chain collaboration to reduce the overall production costs. Other automakers may be doing the same.

According to a March 2024 study by Boston Consulting Group, automakers are losing as much as $6,000 per EV that’s being priced at around $50,000.

“Creating the bridge from ICE to EV, you need to add the cost of the battery, which is about $10,000,” Andrew Loh, Managing Director and Senior Partner at BCG said to InsideEVs. “You add the e-powertrain and incremental electronics, which is about another $5,000. And then you need to add the incremental investment and labor and overhead.”

With ACT Expo open to attendees, you can can expect to roam the exhibit halls in Las Vegas and see more trucks than ever before. They might be powered by hydrogen, natural gas, propane, hybrid powertrains, and plug-in hybrid and battery electric powertrains.

Electric trucks have become more important in recent years to this audience of OEMs, suppliers, and end users that include fleet managers and fleet operators in trucking and urban delivery, utility fleets, government fleets, and companies needing trucks of all types in medium-to-heavy-duty.

So I took a look at two major truckmakers who’ve had a significant presence in the market and at ACT Expo.

Volvo Trucks, being one of them, delivered 1,977 of its electric trucks during 2023, an increase of 256% compared to the previous year, according to the company. That comes from a company that saw strong overall performance last year. “Thanks to our strong finances, we can continue to provide a good return to our shareholders and at the same time invest in and seize opportunities in the ongoing industry transformation to more sustainable solutions,” Volvo Group said in a company statement.

Volvo Group CEO and President Martin Lundstedt during the first quarter earnings call expressed optimism about the company’s ability to retain production flexibility, cost control, and pricing discipline while also investing in new technologies. That will include battery-electric trucks and internal combustion engines running on alternative fuels. During the first three months of this year, Volvo finalized the acquisition of Proterra’s battery business and signed a final joint venture agreement with high-pressure, gas-injection fuel system developer Westport Fuel Systems.

For ACT Expo, Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) and Volvo Financial Services (VFS) announced that they’ve joined forces to form Volvo on Demand, a collaborative initiative based on the Truck-as-a-Service (TaaS) business model. Using 25 Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric trucks, Volvo on Demand offers clients the opportunity to simplify the acquisition and reduce the major upfront investment in battery-electric vehicles. Volvo on Demand provides qualified customers with flexible term options as short as 12 months and includes Volvo Trucks’ Gold Contract and the option to bundle vehicle insurance for physical damage and collision, route planning, and optimization guidance; as well as consultation to find the best charging solution and incentives that might be available. 

Daimler Truck reported record results in 2023, including a 39% increase in profits over 2022, and more than half of those profits came from North America. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) prides itself on having become a leader in the development of commercial electric vehicles since 2018. 

In 2023, DTNA sold 3,443 zero-emission trucks and buses, which is 277% more than the previous year, the company reported. DTNA’s electric lineup includes the Jouley bus, the FCCC MT50e van chassis, and the Class 8 Freightliner eCascadia. However, in 2022, DTNA built excess capacity to build 2,000 Class 8 battery-electric trucks, but sales were low due to a lack of charging infrastructure. DTNA plans to have 100 Freightliner dealer locations certified by 2025. 

Truckmakers have seen strong results in providing a high-quality lineup of electric trucks along with specialized services meeting the needs of the fleet market.

In March, DTNA announced rapid expansion of its BEV Dealer Certification throughout its Freightliner dealer network. The plan aims for having 100 dealer network locations certified by 2025. The company has been working on adding technical and support services since establishing its commercial electric vehicle development strategy since 2018.

Another step in this direction was announced earlier this month with Daimler Truck setting a goal to integrate zero emissions and road safety by combining its battery electric drive and integrated autonomous vehicle technology. That will be taking shape through the autonomous Freightliner eCascadia technology demonstrator. The demonstrator truck is based on a production battery electric Freightliner eCascadia and is equipped with Torc’s autonomous driving software and the latest Level 4 sensor and compute technology. This will eventually enable Level 4 autonomous driving. Torc Robotics is Daimler Truck’s independent subsidiary for autonomous virtual driver technology, the company said.

And in other news……….

Highlights from ACT Expo: Attendees made it over to Las Vegas for  ACT Expo 2024 with signs of record-breaking attendance with nearly 500 exhibitors showcasing over 200 cutting-edge technologies. The State of Sustainable Fleets saw its fifth report come out. Highlights from the study include getting a good handle on the implications of California’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule and the U.S. EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan, both setting stringent new emission standards and mandates for zero-emission vehicles. It also explores developments in the markets for renewable fuels and electricity paired with diesel, near-zero, and zero-emission vehicles; and a look at the historic investments and innovations in renewable fuels, charging infrastructure, and future engines. You can also find out who won the 2024 Fleet Awards. GNA (a TRC Company) President Erik Neandross said during his introduction that Tesla agreed to address the ACT Expo audience for the first time this year, with Dan Priestley, the Semi program’s senior manager coming out to speak. The Tesla Semi has had some excellent test fleet performance. PepsiCo has run more than 1,000 miles with one of its three Tesla Semis in a 24-hour period during NCAFE’s Run on Less Electric demonstration last year, with the other two totaling 754 and 808 miles, respectively, the company reported.

J.D. Power study on EV interest: Americans’ interest in electric vehicles has decreased compared to 2023, according to a new J.D. Power study. Concerns over cost of the electric cars and available charging has been part of it. For the first time since the U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration study’s launch in 2021, analysts saw a decline in consideration of EVs by new-car shoppers. Those car shoppers “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV came in at 24%, down from 26% a year ago. Those who are “overall likely” to consider purchasing an EV also decreased, from 61% in 2023 to 58% in this year’s study.

Why did Tesla invest $2 million in Lidar, an autonomous vehicle (AV) technology that CEO Elon Musk had dismissed years ago nearly as much as he had done with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles? Does it have anything to do with his highly anticipated Robotaxi launch on August 8? Or his getting the green light by the Chinese government to test Tesla AV technology in their country?

Well, for one thing, August 8, or 8/8, is lucky in China. “I did partly pick it because 8/8 is a lucky number in China!” Musk told X user Michel de Guilhermier in late April.

Tesla’s FSD (Full Self Driving) doesn’t use Lidar (which every other AV does use), which comes from laser-based 3D mapping sensors. Tesla AVs, and Tesla vehicles equipped with its Autopilot features, use only use cameras to understand the world around it. AV experts have made convincing arguments, and have produced convincing test data, that Lidar is a must.

Tesla is obviously betting on robotaxis. The electric vehicle maker has scrapped its highly anticipated Model 2 in favor of the self-driving electric car on the same platform as the Model 2.

Tesla’s $2 million investment with Luminar is expected to produce 2,000 Lidar units for Tesla vehicles.

General Motors agrees with Tesla’s analysis that AVs tie very well to electric vehicles. Compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle, an all-electric battery pack is able to serve as a more stable power that can enable higher-powered AV components, the automaker said on its blog.

When AV technology exploded in 2014-15, arguments were made that it would be ideal to address the global trend toward crowded, polluted cities that would become even more susceptible to vehicle collisions. Then the testing began, and concerns were raised — and flags waived — about integration of the new AV technology with existing human-driven vehicles, the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, collision liability responsibility for AV owners and vehicle manufacturers, and whether consumers and fleets around the world would buy into AVs. It became obvious that adoption of AVs beyond limited fleet tests would be taking quite a few years in countries around the world.

Looking at what’s next
Here are a few recent developments that tie into the big picture of where robotaxis and AV technology are going in America, and perhaps, around the world……………….

Didi in China: A report by global consultancy IHS Markit said the market size of China’s self-driving taxi services is expected to surpass 1.3 trillion yuan ($180.7 billion) by 2030, accounting for 60 percent of the ride-hailing market nationwide. The Chinese government has been rolling out policies to promote the development and commercialization of AVs. Didi Chuxang and its ride-hailing platform has been heavily involved in testing out AVs in China and, not long ago, in the U.S. The Chinese company lost its DMV permit in California in February. Testing and development has been going on since 2016 in China, and the company began allowing customers to take self-driving car rides in Shanghai starting in 2020. Didi recently opened an automated operation and maintenance center in that city offering repairs, parking, and battery charging for AVs.

Tesla’s FSD coming to China: Musk proposed testing Tesla’s FSD technology in China by deploying it in robotaxis, during a recent visit to the country. Chinese officials told the Tesla CEO that China “welcomes Tesla to do some robotaxi tests in the country” and hopes it can “set a good example,” a newspaper reported. Musk met with the country’s second-highest-ranking politician, Premier Li Qiang, during that visit. The automaker still needs to get final approval for the rollout, and to collect and transfer data from Tesla driver-assistance features.

More on Tesla robotaxi: In April 2022, during the grand opening of Tesla Gigafactory Texas, Musk shed more light on the robotaxis that he’d first talked about in 2016. The company would be rolling it out in the near future as its own exclusive robotaxi model, he said. In X tweets, Musk has said the the robotaxi will essentially be the initially planned $25,000 electric car with out a steering wheel.

Feds testing Autopilot safety: The safety of Tesla’s Autopilot features, and how that would transfer over to its FSD technology as well, is still being evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The company had recalled more than two million vehicles last years over crashes involving its Autopilot system. The feds say they’re undergoing an investigation due to crashes continuing and concern over its safety and reliability. NHTSA put out a report last month from investigations of 956 Tesla crashes between January 2018 and August 2023, where Autopilot was involved; and in which 29 people died in the crashes. The electric vehicle maker had recalled the vehicles last year to fix Autopilot with an over-the-air software update after regulators said the driver-assist tech wasn’t doing enough to stop driver misuse. NHTSA is looking at tests of the recalled vehicles the effect of Tesla’s software update for getting drivers use the functions safely.

How Waymo is doing: Google parent Alphabet says that its self-driving Waymo One service is getting 50,000 rides a week in Phoenix, San Francisco, and more recently in Los Angeles. The company operates 24/7 service in parts of these cities. Waymo is also trying out Austin, Texas, but that only through limited rides to select members of the public. The company said that it’s taken a “safe and deliberate approach” to scaling its program for reaching the 50K milestone. Waymo says that they’re finding the autonomous robotaxi rides to be attractive from customers in all walks of life who appreciate their freedom of movement.

Cruise going to Arizona: Robotaxi competitor Cruise has had a whole set of problems with its San Francisco operations, but the General Motors subsidiary will begin testing robotaxis in Arizona this week with human drivers on board to make sure safety remains present. Cruise says it will make sure the check the vehicles’ performance against its “rigorous” safety and autonomous vehicle performance requirements as it puts its AVs in the Phoenix area.

After dragging a San Francisco pedestrian about 20 feet in October by one of its robotaxi vehicles, Cruise had its permit suspended by the California Public Utilities Commission. The PUC alleged that Cruise had covered up details about the crash for more than two weeks.

Will Tesla be offering paid robotaxi services? Good question. The company hasn’t clarified that question. In the past, Musk talked about how Tesla owners could make income offering their self-driving Teslas out to renters and riders. But with Waymo, Cruise, Didi, and other companies, testing out the autonomous ride model, it’s likely Tesla will do the same — at least their own version of it.

And in other news………..

Renewable natural gas taking off: Seventy-nine percent of all on-road fuel in the U.S. used in natural gas vehicles was renewable natural gas (RNG) last year; and it surpassed the previous year’s record-breaking level. That comes from the Transport Project (TTP) and Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition). RNG can produce carbon-negative results when fueling on-road vehicles like short- and long-haul trucks, transit buses, and refuse and recycling collection vehicles. That comes form capturing the RNG above ground from organic material in agricultural, wastewater, landfill, or food waste.

Time to bring in the experts: While upcoming greenhouse gas emission reporting standards and practices will soon become more complex in California, it’s not the only place GHG and climate reporting compliance will become more demanding. The European Union, the United Kingdom, and Japan have released proposed sustainability reporting standards that will add to the complexity.