Interested in seeing 50 new fast-charging stations installed in your city that can fuel medium-to heavy duty vehicles? The U.S. Dept. of Energy estimates the cost for a single port EVSE unit to be $10,000 to $40,000 for DC fast charging, and installation costs in the $4,000 to $51,000 range. Let’s say the suppliers offer a competitive, discounted price for the entire project. That could be about $1.5 million for the project on the low-cost end.

That could likely be outside of a municipal fleet’s budget, and that of private companies and other entities. They may have the internal financial support to bring in new electric trucks, but they’re facing the classic ‘chicken or the egg’ question — they need to see a growing charging infrastructure to justify the truck investment.

Peter Ogundele, Director, Programs, at GNA (which will operate as TRC starting on July 1, 2024) had a lot to say to Green Auto Market about it. Over the years, GNA has worked with clients to bring in about $1.1 billion in secured grants and funding for clean vehicles and fuels — at a 90% success rate on grant applications.

Applying for grant funding and incentives for clean transportation projects is a labor-intensive, high-risk initiative for fleets, government and NPO agencies, OEMs, suppliers, and other stakeholders committed to bringing cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions to their communities. Being well prepared and focused is a necessity, and bringing in partners like GNA, Clean Cities coalitions, and other professionals experienced in the funding process, is usually the tipping point for hitting those targets.

Ogundele is from Canada and started in the oil and gas industry as a petroleum engineer. That shifted over to the clean energy and transportation space, and he’s been with GNA since December 2021. Prior experience has been in electric vehicle charging networks and hydrogen fueling stations.

Putting it into context, the process and available funds have evolved quite a bit over the past 15 years. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) presented opportunities with potential for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and electric vehicle credits and funding for charging infrastructures. “It was an unbelievable watershed, because at that point (these projects) could get funding of about $300 million,” Ogundele said.

All of that has grown and scaled quite a lot over the years, and can typically be seen in diverse individual funding programs. It’s coming from multiple sources from federal, state, and local governments. We’re starting to see huge grant opportunities at the federal level and sometimes from States and other agencies as well, Ogundele said.

That has been enhanced over the years, including October 2023 when the U.S. Department of Energy announced $7 billion to launch seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) across the nation. It’s also aimed at accelerating the commercial-scale deployment of low-cost, clean hydrogen.

Funding 360 behind all of it
GNA’s ‘Funding 360’ philosophy and practices have been at the heart of acquiring necessary funding. It’s a full-circle process that GNA has diligently followed, he said.

That comes through grants, rebates, loans, credits, and tax incentives for client partners. Securing the funding breaks out into a four-part process:

1. Goals: factoring in operational needs, risk tolerance and financial requirements, fuel and technology type, and geographic location and targeted regions.
2. Report: staying on track to meet burdensome administrative requirements and to meet reporting deadlines such as vehicle miles traveled, emissions reduced, funds distributed, and construction progress.
3. Track: monitoring requirements for 500+ U.S. and Canadian funding programs, with relationships in place with the national, state, and local agencies that offer the funding.
4. Apply: writing strong grants and other applications that sell your project by leveraging your knowledge of technical requirements and other facets of what goes into securing available funding programs.

Reporting requirements can extend out two-to-five years. The administrative burden can include gathering the data, managing the data, reporting on the operations, and providing feedback to the agencies.

“We want to make sure that they understand what the obligations are,” he said. “Even if it’s the same solicitation, every year the language changes,” he said.

Lately that can take the form of applying for workforce development grants, health and environmental concerns for disadvantaged communities, zero emission vehicle regulations, sustainability and climate change measures, and other policies. The “data metrics” can change based on what’s being measured for the application and its end goals, he said.

Heavy-duty electric vehicle charging is a rising concern, and the North American Charging Standard (NACS) comes up a lot. NACS is known as the Tesla charging standard and is being standardized as SAE J3400.

You can tap into GNA’s resources on the Funding & Incentives page of its website, including the Case Studies section and more details on grant writing.

One case study mentioned by Ogundele is the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI) project. Started in 2021 and going through March 2025, JETSI is one of the first pilot projects funded in California which provides fleets with concrete guidance and lessons learned to successfully deploy about 100 battery electric trucks and infrastructure at scale, and to enable fleets to transition to zero emission technologies. It’s being funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and California Energy Commission (CSC), with South Coast Air Quality Management District as the grantee leading the project. It’s also part of the California Climate Investments program.

GNA has been pivotal working with stakeholders to bring it together and help deploy this project, he said.

Another good place to hear about some of the success stories and to seek guidance on funding projects will be at the Advanced, Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo. This event will be taking place May 20-23, 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Going to workshop and speaker events will be a good opportunity to connect with professional experienced in carrying out these types of projects.

“You get different people involved from the OEMs, regulatory agencies, infrastructure providers, government agencies, community leaders,” he said, “so everyone can be in the same room.”

Here’s some more resources for those doing research on this topic:

Grant opportunities and funding sources in clean transportation and energy:

EERE Vehicle Technologies Office
The U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) supports high impact projects that can significantly and swiftly advance market acceptance of next generation energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) provides new funding opportunities that are announced regularly. (And don’t forget to go to Grants.gov to sign up for the announcement emails.)

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
U.S. Dept. of Energy research and development to lower the cost of clean energy technologies, protect the private sector from financial risk, and ensure an equitable transition to a decarbonized economy. Project selections are merit-based with an emphasis on potential energy, environmental, and economic benefits.

ARPA-E Funding Opportunity Announcements
U.S. Dept. of Energy says that the objective of this solicitation is to support high-risk R&D leading to the development of potentially disruptive new technologies across the full spectrum of energy applications.

U.S. EPA Technology Advancement Funding Opportunities
The Clean Technology Initiative is an ongoing effort by California agencies and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as others. These pages provide funding resources to help accelerate cleanup solutions in the form of advanced clean technologies.

U.S. Dept. of Transportation
Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021) and the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) support projects such as the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program; and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program.

South Coast Air Quality Management District
These programs are generally rooted in the initiatives and policies adopted by the SCAQMD Governing Board, or in state and federal programs designed to spread the use of cleaner technologies that reduce air pollution.

California Energy Commission Solicitations
Information about funding opportunities that the CEC offers that advance the state’s transition to clean energy and transportation through innovation, efficiency, and the development and deployment of advanced technologies.

California Climate & Energy Collaborative
These opportunities offer a curated list of open, upcoming and past opportunities relevant to local climate and energy practitioners that can help them advance fair and equitable climate change and energy practices. This database defaults to showing active opportunities first.

CARB — Low Carbon Transportation Investments and AQIP Grant Solicitations
The California Air Resources Board issues competitive grant solicitations for each project category listed in the Low Carbon Transportation Incentives and AQIP Funding Plans.  Current solicitations and documents for some of the most recent project solicitations are posted on this web page. 

New York’s Drive Clean Rebate
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers the Charge NY initiative, which provides electric car buyers the Drive Clean Rebate of up to $2,000 for new car purchases or leases. NYSERDA has several other programs that provide incentives, funding, and technical assistance to accelerate electric vehicle adoption. Charge Ready NY 2.0 offers incentives to public, private, and not-for-profit organizations that install Level 2 EV charging stations at workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, or public facilities. Charging at Multifamily Properties includes information and resources on the benefits, best practices, and financial incentives for installing EV charging stations at multi-unit dwellings. Truck Voucher Incentive Program provides vouchers and discounts for fleets to purchase or lease zero-emission trucks and buses and take high-emitting, polluting diesel vehicles off the road.

Clean Cities Coalition Network
The U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Clean Cities program offers funding opportunities to implement alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technologies, and fuel-saving strategies. Funding opportunities are available from many sources inside and outside the DOE.

US EPA’s West Coast Collaborative
The West Coast Collaborative is a voluntary public-private partnership committed to reducing diesel emissions and advancing clean technologies throughout the western United States. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants provide the available funding resources.

Transportation Funding Resources in Washington State
Working together to support transportation efficient communities through Washington State Department of Transportation — federal and state programs.

Port of Los Angeles
Grant funds are available from local, state and federal agencies for air emission reductions that go beyond current regulatory requirements for the Port of Los Angeles and several other organizations. Source categories include Cargo-Handling Equipment (CHE), Harbor Craft (HC), Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDV), Ocean-Going Vessels (OGV) and Rail Locomotives (RL). Potential funding opportunities are summarized below.

CIV:Lab
CIV:LAB leverages global capital to connect community stakeholders with the resources and funding required to launch bold responses to the threats of the climate crisis.

U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator
Join the 12-week startup accelerator sponsored by U.S. Venture and powered by gener8tor. With a vision to be the very best provider of transportation products, sustainability solutions, and insights driving the world forward, the U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator program will mirror this foundation by investing $100K into five sustainability- and mobility-related startups to provide a mentorship-based, concierge-service programming needed to experience growth and acquisition.

And in other news…………

Managing EVs after a disruptive year: Automotive Fleet’s Chris Brown analyzes how events such as Hertz getting out of EVs and used EV prices tanking are disrupting the marketplace and working environment for fleet professionals. Fleet operators have to manage challenges such as looming regulations, corporate ESG initiatives, and their organizations’ bottom line.

Cummins video: See the ‘Destination Zero’ strategy video from Cummins on how the truck and chassis manufacturer is facing 2027 with NOx and future greenhouse gas emissions requirements coming, along with new technologies and architecture in their powertrains.

Fisker in trouble: Electric vehicle maker Fisker has hired restructuring advisers to assist with a possible bankruptcy filing, according to people familiar with the matter and the Wall Street Journal. The company hired financial adviser FTI Consulting and the law firm Davis Polk to work on a potential filing, sources said. Fisker Inc. reported last month that it had $273 million in sales last year and more than $1 billion in debt. 

Fifteen plug-in electric vehicles made it to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2024 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards. TSP+ is the highest award given, with protection for passengers in the rear of the vehicle given more importance this year. Electric vehicles are included in vehicle size categories with traditional gasoline-powered models.

Hyundai Motor Group won the most overall awards this year — 16 awards across its three brands: Genesis, Hyundai and Kia. Mazda earned the most Top Safety Pick+ awards of any individual brand with five. Audi had the most awards — four — for the plug-in vehicles that made the rankings. Hyundai Motor Group tied Audi at the corporate level with four awards, but that was split evenly between the Hyundai and Genesis brands. Rivian took two of the awards.

The IIHS said that the standards for inclusion were toughened this year with the Institute demanding better protection for back seat passengers and improving their pedestrian crash avoidance systems. Last year’s biggest change was the replacement of the original side crash test with an updated version that uses a heavier barrier traveling at a higher speed.

Safety is one of the selling points for electric vehicles, along with durability, efficiency, and adaptability to climate conditions such as heat and snow. To determine its ratings, IIHS includes vehicles in its rankings that perform well in crashworthiness, front crash prevention, and headlight testing.

2024 Top Safety Picks
Small Cars
Toyota Prius Plus

Small SUVs
Hyundai Ioniq 5

Midsize SUVs
Mazda CX-90 PHEV

Large SUVs
Audi Q8 e-tron
Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron
Rivian R1S

Midsize Luxury SUVs
Audi Q4 e-tron
Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron
Genesis Electrified GV70
Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid
Volvo XC90 Recharge

Large Pickups
Rivian R1T crew cab

2024 Top Safety Picks +
Midsize:
Hyundai Ioniq 6

Large luxury car:
Genesis Electrified G80

Midsize Luxury SUVs
Tesla Model Y

And in other news…………

IEA clean energy report: Continued expansion of solar, wind, nuclear power and electric cars helped the world avoid greater use of fossil fuels in 2023, according to International Energy Agency. Global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rose less strongly in 2023 than the year before even as total energy demand growth accelerated. The agency reported that without clean energy technologies, the global increase in CO2 emissions would have been three times larger in the past five years.
An exceptional shortfall in hydropower due to extreme droughts – in China, the U.S. and several other economies – resulted in over 40% of the rise in emissions in 2023 as countries turned largely to fossil fuel alternatives to plug the gap.

Apple out of EVs: While electric vehicle advocates have been waiting to see Apple keep its word and launch its own EV for the past decade, that it reportedly coming to a halt. Known as Project Titan, Apple was going to design and launch a fully autonomous EV that would compete with Tesla and every automaker going this route. Last month, Apple executives were said to have cancelled the project and focus more on the popular generative artificial intelligence. But, as The Atlantic said, you can’t get into most any car without seeing Apple technology in it. One was linking the smartphone to the to the car’s touch screen — and several ways that drivers have connected their car to their smartphone to take on multiple tasks without taking their eyes off the road.

Pepsi sued for plastics: The New York Attorney General’s environmental protection bureau made New York the first state to sue a company over plastic pollution. That came out of discovering that Pepsi plastic bottles made up 17% of the plastic waste found in the Buffalo River. The environmental protection bureau had been going through oil- and gas-based- plastic waste pulled from the river in western New York. Pllastic waste made up about 78% of trash that Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper volunteers had cleaned and inventoried from 2013 to 2022, according to data citied in the lawsuit from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, a community-based organization dedicated to protecting the quality and quantity of water. Pepsi’s sustainability report says that the company has included cutting virgin plastic from non-renewable sources per serving 50% by 2030. Another goal is to reduce its absolute tonnage of virgin plastic derived from non-renewable sources by 20% in the same timer period, the company said.

Karma buys Airbiquity assets: Southern California-based electrified luxury carmaker Karma Automotive has acquired the technology assets and intellectual property of Seattle-based Airbiquity, a software company that develops and engineers automotive telematics technology and cloud services. Airbiquity has developed automotive commercial software with investors that include Toyota Motor Co. and Denso. Karma has also hired key technical employees and assumed the software company’s significant OEM contracts. “Their design maturity will help codify our strategies for software-defined and continuously connected vehicles,” says Karma President Marques McCammon.

So why do we keep focusing on, and obsessing over, artificial intelligence? Use and demand for generative AI solutions is compounding and accelerating; and it may fill some of the gaps between where we stand now and how we can accomplish far-away goals. One of them could be fully autonomous vehicles on our roads that would be electric, safe, efficient, and eventually better than what humans have been capable of so far. Generative AI is not just about creating new content for websites and reports; no, there’s a lot more potential.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia Corp. and other big technology names are giving it a shot by investing in a business that’s developing human-like robots, according to people with knowledge of the situation, part of a global surge to find new applications for AI.

Figure AI, a startup that will be building humanoid robots, is getting $675 million in a funding round that includes Nvidia, OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT), Bezos’ Explore Investments LLC, Microsoft, Intel’s venture capital firm, Samsung, and LG Innotek, an affiliate of LG Group. Figure AI is an AI-power robot that can act like a human and be used to perform tasks that real humans don’t want to do. These tasks could be dangerous and unstable compared what human workers are usually willing to do these days.

Bezos had committed $100 million through Explore Investments LLC. Microsoft is investing $95 million, while Nvidia and an Amazon-affiliated fund are each providing $50 million, according to the sources. It’s part of a funding round that carries a pre-money valuation of roughly $2 billion, they say.

Tesla has its own walking, working robot project in development. Called Optimus, it’s being designed to help eliminate dangerous, repetitive and boring tasks for humans. CEO Elon Musk has said that the AI-powered robot could end up being the electric automaker’s biggest source of business long term. It will start out working in Tesla’s factories. Musk recently said that Tesla could start shipping units of Optimus as early as next year.

Boston Dynamics, a company that has been working on this technology for over a decade, was acquired by South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co., in 2021. Founder Marc Raibert recently said that he believes Musk’s ambitions are being driven by seeing the progression of Boston Dynamic’s bipedal robot, Atlas. 

As for robotics taking over cars through autonomous vehicles, that won’t be showing up anytime soon. You can take a ride in one of these robot-taxis in San Francisco and Phoenix, but the number of available rides is sparse as safety and traffic congestion concerns tend to keep them very limited. As for mass market, the autonomous vehicle industry will not develop a fully self-driving car until 2035, according to a prediction from research firm GlobalData.

AI has always been part of factory robotics, self-driving car technology and testing, and aerial drones — which so far have been the most advanced and useful robotic transport option. Advanced sensors and AI algorithms can help vehicles detect and respond to potential dangers faster and more accurately than humans, along with other benefits from the technology.

Udacity, an online training conpany, recently posted a commentary on these issues with input from its CEO Sebastian Thrun, one of the founders of Google’s self-driving car program that was later named Waymo.

AI-powered robotics has the potential to address some of the safety concerns of vehicles being on roads without human drivers who can take control of the car. AI has vast potential for replicating the human driving experience, which would include multiple levels of sensory data awareness for bringing the car to a halt to protect pedestrians, bicyclists, and those riding in cars and trucks.

According to Udacity, some of the benefits of tapping into AI’s potential include: these self-driving cars can operate more efficiently, optimizing acceleration, braking, and routing to reduce fuel consumption. Eco-friendly practices can be enabled to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as deploying efficient driving routes. Another benefit: company employees can be working in their cars, or they can take time off for rest and rejuvenation by not having to drive to and from work, or while going to a business meeting or training session.

Would that mean robots would be driving these cars? It is a possibility. Automakers are always tapping into the latest mobility innovations, which is demonstrated in January of each year at the CES convention in Las Vegas. At CES 2024, the main topics presented by automakers and suppliers included autonomous driving, generative AI, EV charging, flying cars, drones, sensors, and micro-mobility, according to DigiTimes Asia.

Peter Diamandis, founder and executive chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation, has a lot of hope for the potential of generative AI.

“First, on the hardware side, one great example is LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging sensors. Originally big, bulky, and expensive, LiDAR uses laser pulses to measure distance and create 3D point clouds of the surrounding environment.
 
A decade ago, a LiDAR unit cost about $100,000 and was the size of a coffee-can, Today, they’ve shrunk down 1000-fold and suppliers like Luminar have reduced the cost 100-fold, supplying units to carmakers today for $1,000, with a goal of $500 in the next few years……..
 
“Second, in the realm of software, it’s all about advances in AI. The same breakthroughs that have enabled applications using GPT-4 to see, listen and speak, are now being applied to robotics.

These humanoid compatriots will be equipped with AI-enhanced vision systems, offering precise image recognition, which aids in activities like component sorting and quality checks. AI’s predictive capabilities ensure machinery functions efficiently, foreseeing potential malfunctions, hence economizing maintenance.

Generative AI in particular magnifies a robot’s adaptability. Using reinforcement learning, they can autonomously refine their operations. This self-improvement, combined with decision-making algorithms, optimizes their actions. Additionally, by mimicking human interactions, be it verbal or non-verbal, they seamlessly blend into sectors like healthcare, fostering trust and collaboration,” Diamandis just wrote in his blog.

And in other news…………

Global EV sales: Interested in how electric vehicle sales are doing worldwide? Our World in Data just released a study tracking those numbers from 2010 through 2022, citing International Energy Agency data. Globally, around 1-in-5 new cars sold was electric in 2022. In Norway, the share was well over 4-in-5, and in China, it was around 1-in-3. In the U.S., 8% of new vehicles sold were plug-ins during 2022. Worldwide, it was 14%. Of that global total, 10% were battery electric vehicles and 4% were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

As for who will play the dominant role in global EV sales, journalist Will Lockett sees BYD continuing to throw off Tesla. While Tesla is getting ready to build its affordable hatchback, the Model 2, at a Mexico factory, BYD is well on its way. BYD is looking to build their own Mexico plant and enter the US market with EVs that make the Model 2 look outdated, he said. Affordable models like the BYD Dolphin were how the Chinese automaker was able to bump off Tesla by units sold. That includes plug-in hybrid and battery electric models for BYD, while Tesla is battery electric only.

For a look at the global big picture, OWID reports that there were a total of 72.86 million new vehicles sold worldwide in 2022. That broke out to 62.66 million non-electric cars sold that year, and 10.20 were electric cars. That would include passenger cars and commercial vehicles, according to Statista.

Ford halts Lightning pickups: Ford said on Friday it had halted shipments of all 2024 model year F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks. The Detroit automakers needs to perform quality checks for an issue it did not specify. Production was halted and Feb. 9, and the automaker didn’t say when it would start again. Ford recently cut prices on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV by up to $8,100 after sales fell sharply in January.

Volvo reducing ownership of Polestar: Volvo announced plans to sell 62.7% of its stake in EV maker Polestar as it looks toward the next stage of its transformation. Volvo Cars board proposed planning to distribute the 62.7% stake on Friday. If approved, the move will result in an 18% stake in Polestar. Parent company Geely, with a 78.7% stake, had already confirmed it intends to vote in favor of the stock sale.

ACT Shipper-Carrier Connect:
Ports are at the heart of the global economy these days. They’re also a major source of smog and greenhouse gas emissions from the ships, trucks, and logistics providers serving them. GNA, a TRC company and organizers of the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, just announced the inaugural ACT Shipper-Carrier Connect event, taking place May 22-23, 2024, in Las Vegas, co-located with ACT Expo, to unite shippers, carriers, and logistics providers to shape the future of sustainable freight. Sustainability is a new business priority for freight and logistics companies, GNA says, and this event will showcase how effective collaboration can enable shippers and carriers to achieve shared economic and environmental sustainability goals.

Eco-friendly cargo ships:
Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York and New Jersey, Georgia Ports (Savannah and Brunswick), Seattle-Tacoma, Houston, Oakland, South Carolina Ports (Georgetown and Charleston), Port Metro Vancouver, and Virginia (Hampton Roads region) are the largest ports in North America, according to Shipa Freight. One of the big frustrations for those advocating ports to reduce their emissions significantly is getting shippers to cooperate. They’re international companies, many times from China, Denmark, and other countries, and outside U.S. laws. Danish-company Maersk and other shipping companies are trying out methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen as viable alternative fuels. Canadian company Ballard Power has been very involved with these test projects by providing its fuel cell modules. The first vessels to embark on their maiden voyages last year were Norled’s MF Hydra — the world’s first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry — operating in Norway; FPS Waal, a retrofitted cargo vessel expected in service on the Rhine River in Holland; and Zulu06, the first inland cargo transport vessel on the river Seine in France.

Another profitable year for Clean Harbors:
Clean Harbors, Inc. just reported its ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth; and that revenue was up 4.7% year over year in the fourth quarter — with the same number for all of 2023, according to WasteDive. The U.S.-based company is a provider of environmental and industrial services, including hazardous waste disposal for clients that include companies, small waste generators, and federal, state, provincial and local governments — including serving major ports. Safety-Kleen, a Clean Harbor company, is where much of that happens.

European Alternative Fuels Observatory:
For those wondering how alternative fuels and vehicles have been doing in Europe, go to this website to have your questions answered. If you’re interested in learning how many battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell, propane-powered, and LPG- and CNG-powered vehicles are on their roads, go visit this site. You can compare by country, overall vehicles and fleet vehicles, infrastructure, legislation and incentives, and other useful information. European Alternative Fuels Observatory is the European Commission’s knowledge center, offering a wealth of data on alternative fuels in Europe.

The future of used EV batteries:
A documentary that I recently watched forecasted that planet Earth is heading for big trouble with climate change, dependence on fossil fuels, air pollution, over-population and overdevelopment, and landfills full of waste, driving the destruction. One of the examples given in the film was how bad disposal of used batteries from increasing electric vehicle ownership has been getting. For fleets and individual EV owners, staying current on options they have to make sure they’re battery packs are recycled or disposed of sustainably and efficiently is a good idea. Resource guides have been presented by Car and Driver and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that are very much worth checking out.

Renewable fuel conferences coming up:
Advanced Biofuels USA’s calendar of events is the place to go for upcoming conferences on biofuels, renewable natural gas, algae, and other topics shaping the future of advanced fuels coming from feedstocks, manure, and organic waste materials. British event planner Active Communications International is hosting the Future of RNG North America 2024 that will be taking place in Houston on March 20-21, 2024. Experts and industry leaders will delve into case studies and success stories, showcasing how RNG projects have already revitalized the biogas world and contributed to energy independence. (And don’t forget that the RNG Coalition conference will be taking place Dec. 9-12, 2024, in Dana Point, Calif., at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club.)………. Microalgae and macroalgae production, harvesting, extraction and new markets are being explored in a series of monthly webinars.  Seaweed-based technologies have been proven outside the lab as scalable and economically feasible. Learn how other microalgae and macroalgae solutions are reaching commercial algae production and new markets…………. ABLC 2024 will be taking place March 13-15, 2024, in Washington, DC. It’s connected series of seven conferences and events in total on the most important issues in the circular bioeconomy right now. These include the Advanced Biofuels Summit, the Renewable Chemicals & Biomaterials Summit, the Green Hydrogen Summit, the Advanced Agriculture Summit, the Sustainable Aviation Summit, and the Biogas & RNG Summit, and the Circular Bioeconomy Policy Forum. In addition, there will be special events, forums, and workshops.

Cal Fleet Advisor assisting fleets in ZEVs:
For fleets needing to integrate zero emission vehicles and all that goes with it, the Cal Fleet Advisor program can be very much worth looking into. This free assistance program has helped more than 300 California fleets, and is available now for owners and operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. It’s part of the state’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). HVIP is administered by CALSTART on behalf of the California Air Resources Board. It offers a personal advisor, resources to consider, and funding process assistance.

More about hydrogen and fuel cell transportation:
Need more information on hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles? For one, hydrogen stores and transports energy produced from other resource. See the ‘7 Fun Facts on Hydrogen & Fuel Cells’ at NREL for more information. One of the major challenges has been that hydrogen has very high energy for its weight, but very low energy for its volume, so new technology is needed to store and transport it. And fuel cell technology is still in early development, needing improvements in efficiency and durability. This video provides insights into where it’s going — as does the California Hydrogen Leadership Summit. That conference will be taking place June 16-17, 2024, at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. During “Hydrogen Decarbonizing Transportation,” speakers will take a close look at policy changes needed at both federal and state levels to empower the use of hydrogen fuel to help make transportation more climate friendly. They’ll explore the technologies offered by leading vehicle manufacturers and dig into the air quality regulations, such as the Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Fleets rules that will require investment into hydrogen-fueled zero-emission transportation technologies.

The absolute importance of having safe water
As a few experts have said to me, if you’re interested in tracking the future of planet Earth, then pay attention to three areas: fossil fuels, energy, and water. Actor Matt Damon has been promoting the organization and website Water.org that was founded more than a decade ago by Damon and Gary White, a civil and environmental engineer. Their goal has been to work independently to help break down barriers between people in need and access to safe water. About 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water. The global nonprofit aims to bring water and sanitation to the world.

And in other news……………..

Price cuts on Mustang Mach-E: Ford Motor Co. said yesterday that it had cut prices on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV by up to $8,100 after sales fell sharply in January. It now has a starting price of $39,895, down from $42,995. The higher-end Mach-E GT will cost about $7,600 less, at $52,395. The extended-range premium version will drop in price by $8,100 to $48,895. Ford and other automakers, including Tesla, have had to cut sticker prices to get car shoppers to take that option more seriously.

Rivian cutting workforce down: Startup electric SUV and pickup truck maker Rivian said it would cut its workforce by 10% and that it’s EV production forecast widely missed estimates. The company says that it’s been hurt by downtime for factory upgrades and slowing demand for electric vehicles due to high interest rates. That could mean producing 57,000 new vehicles this year, down from the 81,700 units in the initial plan for 2024.

How do you get through to skeptical consumers who’ve never purchased an electric vehicle, and have held onto some false assumptions on the technology? The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and the National Automotive Dealers Association (NADA) launched an innovative online EV sales training certification program to empower dealership staff, at the NADA Show 2024 in Las Vegas on February 1.

The training program is called ElectrifIQ, and it’s been structured to prepare dealers to address classic consumer questions: charging times and costs, driving range per charge, total cost of ownership, available incentives, and more. CSE is tapping into experience managing statewide EV incentive programs. The San Diego, Calif.-based organization has already done so with state dealer associations in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Oregon on EV training, according to NADA. Dealers can tap into the staff training program for $199 per person or $495 per dealership.

It’s been a steep hill to climb since EVs started being available for sale through dealers in 2011. Nearly half of Buick’s U.S. dealerships, about 1,000, left the brand last year after it offered buyouts for those who didn’t want to invest in selling electric vehicles. They’re not the only dealers to do so, and it’s not all about selling EVs. U.S. franchised dealers have been preparing to retire and sell off assets to family members or competitors for a few years now. But EVs have been the tipping point for many.

If you take a look above at 2023 sales of battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, you can see that some brands and their franchised dealer networks will likely be more interested in trying out ElectrifIQ than others.

Kelley Blue Book’s recent study on U.S. sales of EVs reported that there were 1,189,051 new EVs that were put into service in the U.S. last year. That includes light-duty passenger vehicles, with medium-to-heavy-duty commercial EVs not counted in this report. That included 884,475 total for the top 10 sold, or 74.38% off the total.

Of the new EVs sold in the U.S. last year, 59.3% of all of these vehicles were sold by Tesla and Rivian — who don’t have dealer networks. Both companies use a direct-to-consumer sales model. Tesla had sales of 654,888 vehicles sold in the U.S. last year, three of which you can see in the Top 10 chart above. The fourth vehicles was the Model S, which had 16,466 units sold in the U.S. during 2023. Tesla continued to hold its dominant pace in the American market, with 55.1% of the new light-duty electric vehicles sold last year.

As for the top five non-Tesla automakers in EV sales last year………

1. Ford also sold 7,672 E-Transit vans.
2. General Motors decided to bring the Bolt back with strong demand showing up for the car and SUV versions after the company had decided to stop production. As for the other EVs, it was thin for GM: 482 Chevy Blazer SUVs and 461 Chevy Silverado pickup trucks were sold in the U.S. last year.
3. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 crossover SUV led the way, followed by the Ioniq 6 sedan which came in at 12,999 units sold, and its Kona small SUV coming in at 10,644. The Korean automaker’s Kia and Genesis brands are also selling a decent volume of EVs for being so new to EVs.
4. Southern California-based Rivian is targeted at fleets and consumers. The R1S SUV was the market leader, followed by 17,726 R1T pickup trucks and 7,679 EDV 500/700 cargo vans.
5. BMW’s i Series has been revamped more recently to be based on lovers of luxury and sports cars — and willing to pay for it. The German automakers’ market leader in the US EV space has been the i4 Gran Coupe; followed by the iX SUV at 17,301 units sold last year; the i7 luxury sedan at 3,400; and 2,133 of the i5 luxury sedan.

And in other news……….

ACT Expo just announced that top truckmaker CEOs will be speaking at the annual event in May, this time at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ‘CEO Roundtable on Scaling Vehicle Electrification’ will include:

Art Vallely, President, Penske Truck Leasing (Moderator)  
Mathias Carlbaum, Chief Executive Officer, Navistar 
John O’Leary, President and Chief Executive Officer, Daimler Truck North America 
Jonathan Randall, President, Mack Trucks 
Peter Voorhoeve, President, Volvo Trucks North America 
Jason Skoog, General Manager, Peterbilt & Vice President, PACCAR  

For an overview of this year’s ACT Expo, click here.

Sometime around 2012, I interviewed a small business startup owner at AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, Calif. He was promoting his electric leaf blower and spoke eloquently about why we need to switch over to electric lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, and leaf blowers. The noise is one reason, but the air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions was an even more serious reason, he said.

That topic has come up several times over the past year-and-a-half at a morning tai chi class I go to in Manhattan Beach. We had to move away from a park in Hermosa Beach because a lawn-care team would be there to mow lawns, run edgers, weed whackers and leaf blowers every time we showed up for class. The putrid smell and loud, obnoxious noise became too much — so we opted to move to another park.

“Wouldn’t it be great if the state banned gas-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers and only allowed electric?” I would put out to the group. “Remind me to contact my assembly member and suggest that a bill be introduced.”

I just found out there’s no need to take that action. On January 1, 2024, California became the first state to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered lawn mowers and other lawn-care tools. That covers small off-road engines (SOREs), spark-ignition engines powered by gasoline and rated or at below 25 hp (19kW).

California’s green lawn care law covers all lawn care and gardening equipment manufactured after Dec. 31, 2023, that use SOREs. The list includes: lawn mowers, riding mowers, string trimmers, edgers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and log splitters. That one started January 1, and it sets zero-emission standards for outdoor equipment except generators and large pressure washers. Phase two will take effect in 2028 and includes generators and large washers.

While most Californians want the loud noise to go away, the main focus in the state has been reducing emissions from lawn-care equipment that is more polluting than all the cars in the state combined. That policy was adopted as debate goes on all over the country over getting rid of gas-powered equipment including gas stoves. This issue has faced opposition from some Republican elected officials, gas companies, and others who say the restrictions reduce consumer choice.

In California, it came from Assembly Bill 1346 in 2021, authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park). It required California Air Resources Board, by July 1, 2022, to be consistent with federal law, and to adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, as defined by CARB. Such regulations had to apply to engines produced on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as CARB determined if its feasible, whichever was later. CARB ruled it would start at the first of this year.

It ties into California’s ambitious plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 — and that the negative impact of gas-powered lawn care equipment has to be taken seriously. CARB reported that one hour use of a gas-powered lawn mower releases as much pollution as a Toyota Camry does over 300 miles. And as you can see on the map graphic at the beginning of this article, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that lawn tools emitted more than 30 million tons of carbon dioxide in this country during 2020. California, Texas, and Florida, had the highest levels of CO2 emissions from lawn and garden equipment in the U.S. during that time — another good reason for the state of California to enact this law.

And in other news……….

Autopilot safety: Tesla just reported that the number of collisions for drivers using its Autopilot semi-autonomous features was similar to 2022. The quarterly report said that for the results were 21% worse in Q1 versus that quarter in 2022, 21% better in Q2, 6% worse in Q3 and 11% better in the fourth quarter. It’s not entirely clear if the the safety factor has been been improved or is staying the same. Tesla vehicles not using Autopilot are reporting more accidents than those vehicles equipped with it, the company said. Last month, Tesla recalled more than two million vehicles to fix a function that makes sure drivers are paying attention when they use Autopilot. That followed a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot was in use, with some of them being fatal. NHTSA found that Tesla’s method of ensuring that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate and needs improvement.

EV infrastructure jobs: You can now download a report on the International Council on Clean Transportation website called, Charging Up America: The Growth of United States Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Jobs. It explores how much it will need to change to expand light-duty vehicle (LDV) and medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) charging infrastructure to meet annual charging needs through 2032. That’s being driven by growth in the electric vehicle fleet coming through newly proposed federal standards. That will mean the hiring, training, and development of skilled workers to carry out the necessary infrastructure expansion.

Mississippi battery cell production: Three partners have chosen Marshall County, Miss., as the future site of an advanced battery cell manufacturing site for their planned joint venture. Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins Inc.; Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding LLC; and PACCAR, another major truck manufacturer, started all of it in September 2023 by forging the joint venture. They will be localizing battery cell production to create about 2,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs, with the option to expand it even more as demand grows. The 21-gigawatt hour (GWh) factory is expected to begin producing battery cells in 2027.

JonLeSage.com: I just completed a master’s degree program at Missouri School of Journalism in strategic communication. One of my homework assignments in December for my final course was to create a website promoting myself and my work. Part of that assignment was boiling it all down: What do I do? I’d also completed my research project last month, GenZ Journalism Majors on Discerning Valid, Legitimate News. Over the years, I’ve been fascinated with, and occasionally obsessed with, researching topics that jump out at me. One of the sections of my new website, Hot to Not Lie With Statistics, gives homage to one of my favorite books, How to Lie with Statistics. That has to do with my love for research and investigation and putting it into words and numbers. I’ve had growing concerns about how important it is for all of us to tap into fundamental research methods — making it our own. We Americans live in a country known for iconic figures such as P.T. Barnum, William ¨Boss¨ Tweed, Henry Ford, Madison Avenue, Hollywood, Jim Jones, Ted Bundy, Steve Jobs, Facebook, and Elon Musk. We have some of the best marketing, entertainment, political campaigns, technology innovations, and charismatic, adventurous leaders with famous and occasionally tragic lives. But how do we determine accuracy, validity, and meaning for our own lives? Bringing it home…… Are you concerned about the cleanliness of clean energy? Then start with your research question, such as: What’s the state of clean energy in America? My career has been a mix of market research and business journalism, and its always been there in my jobs — such as tracking market indicators in industry segments or digging into what consumers and business decision makers think about electric vehicles and charging, and many other topics and interests. Visiting my website, jonlesage.com, will give you a look at how this is all coming together for me.

Corporate Knights this month released its 20th annual Global 100 list. This Toronto-based media and research company focuses on advancing a sustainable, low-carbon economy. As a group, the 2024 Global 100 most sustainable corporations invested 55% of their capital expenditures, research and development, and acquisitions in sustainable practices like clean energy, compared to an average of 17% by large companies (more than $1 billion in revenue) overall. Here’s a look at nine companies in transportation and energy and how their sustainability initiatives are being carried out. 

#4 Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp.

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) is the high-speed railway of Taiwan consisting of one line that runs approximately 350 km (217 miles) along the west coast, from the capital Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung. That happened through a $513.3 billion investment in 1998 by this private company. Sustainability comes through three points: low carbon, low air pollution, high energy features on the trains; strengthening environmental management around the operation route; and adding renewable energy devices at maintenance depots and major stations.

#7 Schneider Electric SE

This French multinational company has a decarbonization program that provides training, consulting, and tools and solutions. That might come through energy and sustainability consulting to optimizing lifecycles of assets, and technology products and services to meet these goals. Schneider Electric  helps the top 1,000 suppliers deliver on their climate-positive goal to reduce CO2 emissions by half by 2025. The company had been visible in electric vehicle charging a few years ago.

#13 Clean Harbors Inc.

Clean Harbors, Inc. is an American provider of environmental and industrial services, including hazardous waste disposal for clients that include companies, small waste generators, and federal, state, provincial and local governments — including serving major ports. Safety-Kleen, a Clean Harbor company, is where much of that happens. That includes parts washer technologies; parts-cleaning services with a comprehensive selection of equipment, technology, solvents and chemistries; a nationwide fleet of trucks, tankers, rail-cars and barges that collects used oil from thousands of locations across the U.S, Canada and Puerto Rico; the company’s fleet of over 220 vacuum trucks will pump out liquid, sludge and solids at client facilities, while ensuring proper disposal of their waste through their industry leading service; and recycling and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste.

#25 XPeng Inc.

Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng sells most all of its electric sedans and SUVs in China. As of November, XPeng deliveries exceeded 120,000 for the year, which is 11% more than a year ago. The company says that it is China’s first automaker to implement high-level ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) for urban areas in series-produced cars. Its Zhaoqing Plant was recognized as a “Green Plant” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China. The automaker established a VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) evaluation standard system and process specifications covering the entire vehicle, including parts and materials.

#34 First Solar Inc.

As of 2023, First Solar ranked fourth in a list of largest companies within the U.S. solar industry based on revenue, according to Investopedia. The company is an American manufacturer of solar panels, and a provider of utility-scale PV power plants and supporting services that include finance, construction, maintenance and end-of-life panel recycling. CEO Mark Widmar said in the company Sustainability Report 2023 that the company has set for itself a roadmap to reduce its absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2028 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, relative to 2020. One key element is building its commitment to a circular economy through its next-generation photovoltaic (PV) modules and manufacturing processes. That comes through raw material sourcing to high-value recycling with closed loop semiconductor recovery.

#43 Li Auto Inc.

Li Auto Inc. is a Chinese electric vehicle maker headquartered in Beijing, with manufacturing facilities in Changzhou. Founded by Li Xiang in 2015, the company mainly builds electric vehicles that use range extenders for a power supply. Li Xiang is a Chinese billionaire with other ventures including New York-listed Autohome, an auto news and services portal. Li auto’s current model lineup includes Li MEGA, a high-tech flagship family MPV, Li L9, a six-seat flagship family SUV, Li L8, a six-seat premium family SUV, and Li L7, a five-seat flagship family SUV. The company is proud to have maintained excellent AA MSCI ESG, ratings in recent years, reaching the leader level. This ratings system measures a company’s management of financially relevant environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities.

#46 Tesla Inc.

Along with being No. 1 or No. 2 in EV sales worldwide (depending on how you measure it), Tesla is being recognized here for corporate sustainability practices. As part of its Master Plan Part 3, the automaker identified five key areas:  1. Repower the Existing Grid with Renewables, where four US sub-regions (Texas, Pacific, Midwest, Eastern) are modeled to account for sustainable generation and storage. 2. Switch to Electric Vehicles, which are four times more efficient than internal combustion engine vehicles due to higher powertrain efficiency. 3. Switch to Heat Pumps — using the appropriate selection of refrigerants and best heat pump technology. 4. Electrify High Temperature Heat Delivery and Hydrogen Production to cost effectively accelerate industrial electrification; and 5. Sustainably Fuel Planes & Boats — where ocean shipping  can be electrified by optimizing design speed and routes to enable smaller batteries with more frequent charge stops on long routes. 

#55 Samsung SDI Co. Ltd.

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. is the battery and electronic materials manufacturer division of the South Korean giant. Samsung SDI focuses its business with Energy Solutions and Electronic Materials segment; which includes EV battery packs, which come with prismatic battery cells for automotive applications. Last year, the company said that its top priority was to disseminate ESG management across its supply chains. The company disclosed its Scope 3 emissions, which is the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization — suppliers. 

#56 Rivian Automotive Inc.

The startup electric pickup and SUV maker is moving toward transforming its manufacturing plant to 100% renewable energy on an annual basis and over 90% hourly carbon-free electricity by 2030. Its EVs will be charged by 100% renewable energy on Rivian’s charging network. The EV maker will continue to partner with suppliers to meet high sustainability standards. The company wants to make sure that 100% of strategic suppliers meet or exceed its social and environmental standards by 2030. Another goal is working to ensure all Rivian employees experience genuine community, shared values and a sense of belonging, regardless of role, location or personal identity.

And in other news………
Exxon Mobil Corp. continues to fall out of favor with sustainability advocates. The oil giant on Sunday filed a complaint in a Texas court against activist investors seeking to get Exxon to strive to reduce climate emissions. Arjuna Capital, a U.S. activist investment firm, and shareholder activist group Follow This, is leading the investor coalition that’s asking Exxon and other oil majors to adopt tighter climate targets. They want to Exxon to set Scope 3 targets — something that the other four Western oil majors have committed to.

RNG growth: Renewable natural gas (RNG) leaders expect to see more growth in 2024 — after seeing more than 60 projects go online last year. That brought the total number to about 350, according to data collected by the American Biogas Council (ABC), which excludes wastewater treatment plants. ABC also estimates that biogas producers and developers invested about $1.8 billion in projects last year. Growth should be in the 10% to 40% range, and probably on the high end, ABC said.

EV affordability: Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) just launched its Electric Vehicle Affordability Resource Page. It addresses one of the top requests the association gets: to break down how much electric vehicles cost compared to gas vehicles, and what fuel savings actually look like. Visitors get to find out that driving an EV is more affordable than they may think.

NREL and Amazon: The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Amazon, which says that its become the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy worldwide since 2020, are working to modernize greenhouse gas emissions quantification using higher-resolution data and longer-term modeling. The government agency and the corporation are collaborating on a guidance document and new data sets, published by NREL, that will allow corporations to make better-informed decisions around their respective GHG emissions.

Car and Driver recently published a comprehensive look at what’s coming up in the next four years for cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks, with most all of these innovative vehicles being all-electric.

The new vehicle options continue to improve as zero emission vehicle standards increase in California and partner states, and to meet federal guidelines for fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s a good look at some of the long-awaited models, with some of them in high price ranges.

And in other news…………

EPA revises Tesla range: As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revises electric vehicle range following a Department of Justice investigation last year, Tesla will have to revise its specifications. Four trim levels across these three Tesla models received lower range estimates following the new EPA testing guidelines. Edmunds says the new figures are closer to what they discovered in its own real-world testing.

The Model Y Long Range now has a 310-mile range estimate, down from 330 miles. The Model Y Performance’s range estimate dropped from 303 miles to 285 miles, while the Model X Plaid’s range has been reduced from 333 miles to 326 miles. The range estimate for the Model S Plaid has been lowered from 396 miles to 359 miles when equipped with the smaller 19-inch wheels. The Model S Plaid’s range estimate on the larger wheels remains unchanged.

IEA reports on coal and petrochemicals: International Energy Agency reported that coal consumption in 2023 appeared to drop sharply in most advanced economies, declining by around 20% in both the European Union and the U.S. Meanwhile, demand in emerging and developing economies remained strong – increasing by 8% in India and by 5% in China due to rising demand for electricity and weak hydropower output.

The production of petrochemicals – which are used to make clothing, tires, detergents, fertilizers and other everyday products – is expanding rapidly, according to IEA’s new commentary. The sector’s growth is most notable in China, where the speed and scale at which new plants have been rapid. The oil industry has reaped big rewards from this development. According to the commentary, were it not for the petrochemical sector’s strong growth, the world’s oil consumption would have remained comfortably below pre-pandemic levels.

New vehicles, including EVs, up this year: According to the Cox Automotive U.S. new vehicle sales forecast released today, sales volume this month is expected to rise 6.2% over December 2022. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) is expected to finish near 15.1 million in December. This SAAR is 1.6 million higher compared to last year’s pace. Stellantis is the only major automaker to have a decline in sales from 2022, and it only dropped down 2.1% from calendar year 2022. On the electric vehicle side, Tesla is expected to be coming in at 650,259 new vehicles sold this year. That’s up 24.5% from last year and puts the automaker at No. 8 in overall U.S. new vehicle sales for 2023, right ahead of Volkswagen and Subaru. Rivian is expected to have 50,749 units sold this year in the U.S., up 149.6% from the previous year; Lucid should be coming in at 5,764 units sold this year, up 117% from the previous year.

EVs included in UAW contracts: Member of the United Auto Workers were pleased to see that the contracts coming out of the six-week strike against Ford, Stellanitis, and General Motors, ensure that workers who build engines and transmissions today will still earn top union wages making electric vehicle (EV) batteries and components in the future. The agreements included commitments by the Big 3 to build future EVs in existing U.S. factories, which will further ensure job security for workers as the industry transitions over to meeting federal and state targets for reducing vehicle emissions.

COP28 saw clean transportation as part of the solution: Reducing fossil fuel consumption to fight climate change was the central theme at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Dubai — COP28 — in an agreement signed by representatives of nearly 200 countries before the event closed on Dec. 12. North America played a leadership role in some landmark moments at the event, helping to accelerate the adoption of clean transportation technologies. The U.S. has made a $53.6 million commitment to developing countries for sustainable solutions to decarbonize urban transportation. The Zero Emission Vehicles Transition Council (ZEVTC) launched the Global ZEV Transition Roadmap, setting out for the first time in any global sector a holistic package of actions to systematically strengthen international support for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) this decade. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan added momentum by co-developing the roadmap. Vice President Kamala Harris furthered American support with a $3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund, an investment that will foster international collaboration for “low emission transport” via evidence-based methodologies.

Changes to Inflation Reduction Act: You don’t have to wait to file your taxes to get electric vehicle tax credits under 2024 changes coming to implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, offering purchase price reduction at the point of sale. Once the new year starts, you can claim $3,750 if at least half of the value of your vehicle’s battery components are manufactured or assembled in North America. You can claim the other $3,750 if at least 40% of critical minerals — like graphite, lithium and cobalt — are sourced from the U.S. or a trade partner. Both minimum requirements increase in the coming years, with battery components reaching 100% in 2029 and critical minerals maxing out at 80% in 2027. Nearly 50 vehicles are eligible for one of or both credits under the new provisions — including EVs from Chevy, Ford, Tesla and VW — which are in effect through Dec. 31, 2032. The list of available EVs is expected to grow as manufacturers submit updated information and change suppliers. Find the most up-to-date info on FuelEconomy.Gov.

Support for EVs waning? There’s been a consensus agreement this year that electric vehicle sales are not doing well in the U.S. and that the charging infrastructure is just fine. That’s coming from media observers and investor analysts who have focused on automakers cutting back on their battery manufacturing plans. Tesla, Ford, GM and Rivian have been turning cautious and scaling back on, among other things, their battery manufacturing plans. But sales have suggested otherwise. The National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) reported that through 11 months of 2023, battery electric vehicle sales totaled 1,007,984 – an increase of 50.7% year-over-year. It’s the first time EV sales in the U.S. exceeded the 1M sales threshold in a single sales year.

Cummins pays hefty penalty for using defeat devices. Cummins, a major manufacturer of diesel and alternative fuel engines and generators, and related components and technology, reached an agreement in principle with the U.S. and the state of California to pay a $1.675-billion penalty to settle claims that it violated the Clean Air Act by installing emissions defeat devices on 630,000 model year 2013 to 2019 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines. Defeat devices are parts or software that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emissions controls such as emission sensors and onboard computers. Cummins also allegedly installed undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices on 330,000 model year 2019 to 2023 RAM 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines. Cummins has been cooperating with regulators on these matters. The company says that it has seen no evidence that anyone acted in bad faith and does not admit wrongdoing.

Buick dealers struggle with EV sales:  As Buick prepares to switch over to electric powertrains only in its vehicle lineup by the end of the decade, dealers as struggling to determine if they’re going to stay in the network. About 47% of Buick dealers in the U.S. are looking to drop the Buick brand if they have to invest in electrification. That’s been the case with dealers in other brands, too, who’ve expressed concerns that car shoppers are still being very skeptical about whether an EV can give them what they need in driving range and the impact that harsh weather, especially during winter, will have on their EV performance. The challenge continues for dealers and their partners — automakers, charging networks, and electric utilities — to improve conditions for consumers and fleets that are looking at the possibility of acquiring EVs. 

On the commercial fleet side, concerns are being expressed over the California Air Resources Board’s rules that would ban manufacturers from selling any new fossil-fueled medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks by 2040. The new rules would also require large trucking companies to convert their fleets to electric models, buying more over time until all are zero-emission by 2042. Some truck operators have expressed concern that CARB’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation could drive many family-owned and smaller fleet operators out of business. But the incentives are plentiful from the Air Quality Management Districts, CARB, and other agencies. The charging infrastructure for electric trucks is getting better too, especially near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and in the Bay Area.

Worried about oil prices?  For those of us who still rely in gasoline prices for the time being, there’s been a lot of concern about the war in the Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, and other tumultuous events that affect pricing. Prices had gone over $100 per barrel on the Brent benchmark rate, which took place after Russian supplies were disrupted following the start of the Ukraine war in 2022. It’s gone down to about $80 per barrel this year. A Reuters survey of 30 forecasts from economists and analysts sees Brent crude averaging $84.43 a barrel in 2024. Even though oil demand growth forecasts are strong, oversupply in the market should keep it around this price level, one global energy strategist predicts. 

Plug-in electric vehicles, and other clean transportation and technology solutions, are growing by leaps and bounds in sales and support by fleets, trucking companies, consumers, and government support. But the challenges continue to grow right along with it. Here’s a look at a few of the issues that tend to come up, and solutions that will need to be considered…………………….

What’s going into the EVs on the parts and components side: There’s the challenge of “embodied emissions,” which come from the materials that go into these passenger and fleet/commercial vehicles. High-carbon materials like steel and aluminum that are made with coal-fired energy is one of the central challenges to overcome by automakers and their suppliers. Vehicle emissions are being reduced substantially by EVs, but emissions from the manufacturing side have been linked to cancer, respiratory illnesses, and premature death predominantly in disadvantaged communities. An impressive speaker panel, Eliminating Dirty Supply Chains in the EV Transition, will take place today, Nov. 15, at 4:00 pm Pacific time in Los Angeles.

Copper supply diminishing: Lack of copper is a serious problem for EVs and solar and wind power coming up. A temporary surplus is keeping prices low for now and discouraging investors from funding projects that would expand the supply as demand continues to increase. China, which consumes more than half the world’s supply of the metal, increased its purchases more than 150% higher than the same nine-month period of 2022, according to Goldman Sachs. Copper miners say investors are waiting for this factor, and a few others, to kick in before it becomes a worthwhile investment.

Lithium has its own problems: Major lithium producers for now are bullish about demand for the essential EV battery materials even through prices have been dropping lately. LG Energy Solution, General Motors, Honda, and other auto and battery makers have trimmed EV expansion plans in recent weeks, partly due to rising interest rates, raising concerns about a supply glut for the battery metal. Australia-based Pilbara Minerals, operating in the world’s largest lithium-producing nation, has been the most-shorted stock on the Australian Stock Exchange, which suggests investors are concerned about lithium demand. Overall, lithium, which varies by region and type, has dropped more than 60% this year. Concerns over lithium supply for EV battery pricing stability have been part of OEMs and suppliers looking for alternatives. In 2022, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) remained the dominant battery chemistry with a market share of 60%, followed by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) with a share of just under 30%, and nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (NCA) with a share of about 8% — point to new alternatives to conventional lithium-ion being on the rise, according to International Energy Agency.

Are EVs really fluctuating in sales? Several automakers have been warning this year that the transition over to increased sales will need to slow down as demand declines. Part of the reason is likely due to the fluctuations in supply for a few of the EV models — not the entire market, according to David Reichmuth, Senior Engineer, Clean Transportation Program at Union of Concerned Scientists. About a year ago, a number of EV models were in short supply and dealers had waiting lists of buyers. This year, oversupply has been the case for some EV models. Buyer interest is still there (measured by sales, which are up this year in the US), but the supply of some EV models is facing diminishing consumer demand (or unrealistic production forecasts). Overall, the EV market in the US and other global markets is still looking good, but there could be a downturn the rest of the year. Sales were down in October of this year — with EV sales down, and prices down about 22% year-over-year, which is mainly affected by Tesla sales dropping.

Taking a wholistic approach to sustainable emissions reduction: The most intensive country for electric vehicles as a share of its new vehicle sales presents a good look at the real challenges markets around the world face in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping a workable transportation system in place. That would be Norway, which plans to ban the sale of all fossil-fuel powered vehicles, including hybrids, from 2025. Last year, more than 153,000 plug-in electric vehicles were registered in Norway, which made up nearly 88% of the total volume — higher than in 2021 by nearly one percent. For 2022, Norway led the global market for percentage of total new vehicle sales followed by Iceland (41%), Sweden (32%), the Netherlands (24%), and China (22%), according to analysis by World Resources Institute. The country has been receiving praise and acknowledgement for that accomplishment by the New York Times, the Guardian, Environmental Defense Fund, the World Economic Forum, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The generous subsidies that drove the EV sales won’t be so plentiful in the near future. Norway may back down from funding the subsidies and redirect funds to other goals, such as supporting city efforts to transition over to alternative transportation modes supporting transit, bicycling, and other efforts to reduce the volume of vehicles on roads, that would address emissions reductions, enhance road safety, and help enliven urban life. There’s also been criticism that EV subsides have gone mainly to affluent Norwegians, adding to the gap between rich and poor in a country that’s prided itself on progressive social policies. This debate is being addressed in the US and around the world. While supporting EV sales and charging infrastructure is a necessity, concern over crowded, congested city streets continues to rise. Perhaps there will be greater support for vehicles such as electric buses and vans transporting groups from Destination A to B — eventually autonomous as well.

The cost of the battery packs: The 65 kWh 350V lithium-ion battery battery pack inside the Chevrolet Bolt runs the full wheelbase of the car and weighs 960 pounds. The standard car model version of the Bolt weighs 3,589 pounds. That would mean it makes up about 26.75% of the Bolt’s total weight. The average lead-acid car battery in a passenger vehicles weighs around: 25-40 pounds. The popular SUV, the Toyota RAV4, weighs 3,370 pounds for its standard model. That would be about 1.2% of the vehicle’s weight for the battery. A semi-truck including its cargo can weigh a maximum of 80,000 pounds. A battery for an electric truck can be up to 16,000 pounds, according to recent reporting by CNBC. That would be about 20% of the total weight. An EV battery might cost between $4,000 and $20,000, depending on the brand and model of your passenger vehicle, JD Power reported in May. It’s harder to find information on the cost of the battery needed for a heavy-duty truck. Transport Topics reported in May that the base price of a Class 8 battery-electric truck is between $350,000 to $500,000, or three to five times that of a diesel-powered heavy-duty truck. The battery has a lot to do with that. Recycling and disposing all of these battery packs will also be one of the major issues to deal with in the near future.

And in other news:
Most air-polluted cities: New Delhi, India, has again topped a real-time list of the world’s most polluted cities compiled in an air quality index by Swiss group IQAir, which put the Indian capital’s AQI at 640 in the “hazardous” category, followed by 335 in the Pakistani city of Lahore. The reasons for it? A seasonal combination of lower temperatures, a lack of wind and crop stubble burning in neighboring farm states had caused a spike in air pollutants in New Delhi, wreaking havoc on the eyes and itchy throats of local residents and workers.

Electrify America and 4 Gen Logistics: Electrify America, the nation’s largest open DC fast charging network for electric vehicles (EV), and 4 Gen Logistics, a leader in sustainable logistics solutions, recently announced the start of construction of a charging station at the Port of Long Beach to support 4 Gen’s growing fleet of electric class 8 drayage trucks. The first phase of the project, funded through Electrify America’s $25 million “Green City” investment, includes installation of thirty 350 kW DC fast chargers at the Port of Long Beach in support of advancing zero-tailpipe emissions and electrification of class 8 heavy duty trucks. 

EV tire company recognized: Electric vehicle tire company Enso was named one of 15 global finalists for the environmental Earthshot Prize. Launched by Prince William in 2020, the award aims to acknowledge sustainability leaders; and help scale the world’s most innovative climate and environmental solutions to protect and restore the planet. With 1.5 billion vehicles globally, addressing the issue of tire pollution is of critical importance in the fight against climate change. Research from Imperial College London in 2023 says that globally, tires emit six million tons of pollution each year and more airborne particulate matter than all tailpipes combined, according to London-based Enso. Michelin is also selling a line of its tires customized for EVs. You can see a banner at Costco stores advertising it.