This Week’s Top 10: CPUC approves PG&E charging station plan, Leonardo DiCaprio promoting BYD electric vehicles

by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market

Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week………..

  1. pge-charging-stationPG&E charging network:  A years-long struggle over Pacific Gas & Electric’s initial plan to run a 25,000 electric vehicle charging project has ended with a California Public Utilities Commission decision scaling the network down to 7,500 chargers. On Thursday, CPUC unanimously supported what will be the country’s largest utility-led charging deployment. The “Charge Smart and Save” plan includes 7,500 EV charging points in workplaces, multi-unit residential buildings, and disadvantaged communities, and is capped at a cost of $130 million – much less than the $650 million that had been earmarked for the 25,000 unit plan. Electric Vehicle Charging Association, which represents EV charging companies, and other groups had asked CPUC to consider an alternative plan; they seem to be satisfied that they’ve been given mostly what they’d been seeking. PG&E will be limited to how much of the charging network it can own, which had been a key stumbling block in the past. “This proposed decision accelerates the adoption of EV charging in northern California in a way that preserves innovation and competition,” said Pasquale Romano, ChargePoint’s CEO.
  2. DiCaprio backs BYD:  Former Fisker Karma advocate Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to promote China-based BYD’s electric vehicles and zero emissions campaign. It comes at a time when BYD has been promoting its “Cool the Earth by 1°C” campaign for the creation of a “Zero Emissions Energy Ecosystem.” BYD and Oscar-winning actor DiCaprio will spread the word on plug-in cars, utility vehicles, buses, solar energy, renewable storage, and light electric monorail systems – all of which are being developed and produced by the company. DiCaprio launched a documentary on climate change, “Before the Flood,” in which he starred, at the Toronto International Film Festival in September; the film featured an interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
  3. VW settlement in Canada:  Volkswagen AG has agreed to spend up to C$2.1 billion ($1.6 billion) to buy back or fix 105,000 diesel vehicles and compensate owners over the emissions scandal, the automaker said. The German automaker also agreed to pay a C$15 million ($11.18 million) civil administrative penalty along with the Canadian settlement. That brings up the total to more than $18 billion to address diesel emissions issues in North America. VW expects to soon settle a deal on another U.S. recall involving buybacks or fixes for another 80,000 polluting U.S. diesel 3.0 liter Porsche, Audi, and VW vehicles. In a related story, German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH may be settling a lawsuit filed by U.S. owners related to the diesel emissions cheating scandal for more than $300 million. Bosch had previously called the lawsuit “wild and unfounded” after it was filed last year. VW owners have claimed the supplier had helped design the “defeat device” software that VW had been using for years to pass diesel emissions tests.
  4. Musk and Kalanick join panel:  President-elect Donald Trump has named Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to a Strategic and Policy Forum that frequently will advise him on economic issues and jobs growth. Musk and Kalanick will join General Motors CEO Mary Barra on the panel, along with several other top-ranking executives from U.S. companies. Trump’s transition team said they’ll be part of a forum that is composed of “some of America’s most highly respected and successful business leaders” that “will be called upon to meet with the president frequently to share their specific experience and knowledge as the president implements his economic agenda.”
  5. Toyota’s environmental report:  Toyota will be lighting up its new U.S. corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas, with solar power. That was part of the recently published 2016 North American Environmental Report, where Toyota outlined these positive impacts. Over the past year, Toyota’s North American operations have reduced water usage by nearly 100 million gallons. The company also announced plans for a 7.75 megawatt solar array at Toyota’s new headquarters campus in Plano, Texas, which will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 7,122 metric tons, or the equivalent of the electricity used by almost 1,000 homes in a year. It’s all part of Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050, which focuses on completely eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicles, operations, and supply chain.
  6. DOE grants:  The U.S. Department of Energy has issued two grant funding programs involving advanced, clean transportation. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced that its Renewable Energy to Fuels Through Utilization of Energy-Dense Liquids (REFUEL) program will convert low-cost renewable energy into a transportable chemical fuel and use these fuels for transportation applications, while reducing production costs and environmental impact. Most selected REFUEL projects target the production of ammonia or its conversion to hydrogen or electricity. DOE also announced that $19.7 million, subject to appropriations, will be granted to support research and development of advanced vehicle technologies, including batteries, lightweight materials, and advanced combustion engines; and innovative technologies for energy efficient mobility. Its purpose is to accelerate energy efficient transportation and systems.
  7. Plug-in hybrids taking lead:  Navigant Research predicts that the current level of electrified vehicles making up 3% of global sales will go up to 9% by 2025. That includes hybrid, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric vehicles. The research firm thinks hybrids and plug-in hybrids will switch places; with hybrids currently making up 73% of electrified vehicle sales; and by 2025, plug-in hybrids trading places, coming in at 72% of sales. The Chevy Volt has been leading the way in U.S. plug-in electrified vehicle sales and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has been leading in Europe. That market presence will grow as automakers roll out more plug-in offerings, including new, larger vehicle body types. All-electric vehicles aren’t typically designed to go this route as much as plug-in hybrids tend to be, said the study.
  8. SDG&E trucks:  San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has signed an agreement with XL Hybrids, a developer of hybrid truck solutions, to purchase up to 110 of its plug-in electric hybrid truck systems between 2017 and 2020. The XL Hybrids’ system will convert commercially available gasoline-powered trucks into electric hybrids, powered in part by energy generated by the sun and wind. The conversion of these trucks will deliver a 50% improvement in miles driven per gallon, reduce operating costs, extend the life of the vehicles, and increase the overall range of SDG&E’s fleet.
  9. Lucid Air launch:  Startup electric carmaker Lucid Motors, formerly known as Atieva, unveiled its Air “executive sedan” last week, which the company says will be able to travel up to 400 miles on a charge. That power will be stored in a 100 kWh battery pack, and its motor will be able to hit up to 1,000 in horsepower. The company is taking deposits on the car now and plans to begin deliveries in early 2019. A company executive acknowledged it’s an ambitious plan to roll out its first car in two years, but also said the company is confident it will be reached.
  10. Boring concept:  Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted several times over the weekend about his next grand, visionary dream: digging a below-ground tunnel for some sort of vehicle to deliver passengers. “Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging …” he posted on Twitter. That was followed with more. “It shall be called the Boring Company”, and another tweet read: “Boring, it’s what we do.” Will these be Hyperloop pods traveling at lightning speeds underground? We’ll have to wait to read more.

    The latest in autonomous, shared, electrified rides from Uber, Google, FCA, Tesla, and China

    uber-volvo-self-driving-vehicleUber has been testing its autonomous, shared rides for the past month in California, and it may be blocked by the state government from continuing these trips. The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday sent the ride-hailing company a cease-and-desist letter demanding it must stop its self-driving car tests in the state.

    That hasn’t stopped Uber so far. On Friday, the company said it will continue the tests despite the DMV’s statement. The California Attorney General has threatened an injunction if Uber does not comply. Uber said that its semi-autonomous car system isn’t different from what owners of Tesla vehicles can do with the Autopilot driver assistance systems and that other automakers’ cars offer with parking and collision avoidance.

    Launched in Pittsburgh this past September, Uber’s pilot program has been testing about 100 self-driving Volvo XC90s plug-in hybrid SUVs and Ford Focus hybrid sedans, each one with an engineer riding along to monitor it and take control if necessary. Customers are allowed to decline rides in the self-driving cars if they choose and wait for a regular Uber ride. In San Francisco, the company is using 11 sensor-packed Volvo XC90s. Some are meant to pick up customers, and others will be used to log mapping and sensor research miles.

    In both Pittsburgh and San Francisco, the cars are not capable of being driven without active physical control and monitoring, according to Uber. The company said it has asked the DMV what is different about its technology compared with Tesla’s, which have an Autopilot partially self-driving feature. Uber said that it hadn’t yet received an answer.

    As least 20 other companies have applied for and received the DMV permits to test on California roads, including Google, Tesla, Ford and Nvidia.

    Google names project Waymo, may back away from fully autonomous
    Google’s Self-Driving Car Project was renamed “Waymo” last week. While the company had previously been an advocate of fully autonomous vehicles without steering wheels or pedals, it may be backing away from that stance. A technology news media website, The Information, reported that the growing competitive climate with several companies entering the space has caused Google co-founder Larry Page to rethink his company’s mission.

    Waymo will be an independent unit within the parent company. Alphabet executives said the company is close to bringing its autonomous driving to the public and will reveal more later.

    While autonomous vehicles used to be nothing more than a testing project for several automakers and tech companies, lately it’s become a much more viable sector for commercializing a new technology. Page is concerned that Alphabet and Google could be left behind. Google may be in a better position to provide technology to automakers rather than go through the capital-intensive, lengthy, and complex regulatory process of building and selling its own autonomous cars.

    It may have been behind Chris Urmson leaving Google this year. Urmson, a longtime champion of fully autonomous vehicles as he headed Google’s self-driving car project for years, left in August. The New York Times had reported that Urmson wasn’t happy with the leadership of John Krafcik, formerly the head of Hyundai America, who was hired in 2015 to be chief of the project. The Times report also said that Urmson had argued with Google co-founder Larry Page over where the division was headed. Urmson may be starting his own autonomous car software firm, according to media reports.

    FCA delivers self-driving minivans to Google, discussing ridesharing service
    Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced yesterday that it has completed building 100 minivans that are being outfitted with autonomous vehicle equipment for the new Waymo subsidiary. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids recently were completed at the automaker’s Windsor Assembly Plant.

    Google parent Alphabet also has been in talks with FCA about starting up a ridesharing service using Chrysler Pacifica minivans. Google would like to utilize a semi-autonomous version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan that it’s developing with FAC for the new service as early as the end of 2017, according to sources familiar with the matter.

    The ridesharing service will be tied into the 100 Pacificas that the two companies agreed in May to develop together – and that FCA has completed. They’ll be using the plug-in hybrid version of the Pacifica minivan during the self-driving testing process.

    FCA has been enthusiastically marketing the new plug-in hybrid version, which it calls the Pacifica Hybrid. The automaker will reveal an all-electric version of the Pacifica during the CES electronics show in Las Vegas next month, sources said. FCA has been looking for ways to roll out more zero emission vehicles as the global regulatory front tightens up on emissions.

    Other automakers, including Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Toyota, and General Motors, have made serious investments with partners this year to stride forward in ride-hailing, ridesharing, and carsharing mobility services.

    Tesla wants to control how its cars are used for ridesharing
    Tesla Motors may not like to see the presence of a startup firm that has taken the name “Tesloop,” which is offering Tesla vehicles for share rides to its customers. In October, Tesla said that it wants to launch its own shared ride service and doesn’t want to see its electric cars used outside that network.

    Tesloop, based in Los Angeles, offers city-to-city shared vehicle trips. The startup seems to be structured more like longtime transportation companies than ride-hailing firms Uber and Lyft. The Tesla vehicles used in the Tesloop fleet have a California TCP number on the rear bumper, which means the company is certified as a commercial passenger carrier in the state. The company has to follow commercial vehicle insurance and driver guidelines that other transportation service providers have to follow; including more extensive driver background checks than Uber and Lyft so far have to comply with.

    In October, Tesla announced that it will not allow any of its electric vehicles to be used by owners to drive for ride-hailing companies such as Uber or Lyft. While sharing rides with family and friends is fine, the company said it doesn’t want to see its self-driving vehicles used for revenue purposes outside of its own Tesla Network, which will be launched later on.

    “Please note that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year,” the company said.

    Tesloop works with drivers now, which it calls “certified Tesloop Pilots,” but the firm is enthusiastic about tapping its autonomous systems as soon as possible. “As autonomous car technology improves over the next three years to the point where it is safer than human drivers, we expect this to become a common reality,” the company said on its website.

    As for now, trips in a Tesla Model X and Model S are driven by a “certified Tesloop Pilot” and carry passengers to points throughout Southern California and out to Las Vegas. As a marketing message, the company sells $39 trips between cities.

    The company will be spreading its network in the San Francisco, San Diego, and Santa Barbara areas. Vacation spots like Palm Springs are emphasized. The company uses Tesla’s Supercharger network of fast-charging ports.

    China aims to be No. 1 in electrified and autonomous vehicles
    China has ambitious plans to continue being the leading global market for plug-in electrified vehicles, and would like to play a leading role in autonomous vehicles – according to a planning document that was revealed recently in Beijing.

    By 2030, the report expects to see “new energy vehicles” (plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles) make up 40 percent of the 38 million new vehicles that will be sold in China during 2030, or about 15 million units.

    The report estimates that semi-autonomous vehicles, called “partially autonomous,” will make about 50% of new vehicle sales in China by 2020. “Highly-automated” cars (close to being fully automated) will make up 15% of sales by 2025; and fully autonomous vehicles will account for 10 percent of new vehicle sales by 2030, according to the report. That would mean four million fully autonomous vehicles would be sold each year.

    Things are already in the work in China – and in the U.S., in what may also end up in China. Chinese company Baidu is teaming up with Nvidia to use artificial intelligence to building a platform for self-driving cars. LeEco, NextEV, and Lucid Motors are tapping into cutting-edge autonomous technology and talent directly from California. That may end up in vehicles sold the in the Chinese market, too.

    China’s policies also include some ambitious emissions reduction targets through these measures. It also encourages foreign countries to share their best electrified and autonomous vehicle technologies with Chinese partners – or be blocked from having access to the market.

    General Motors has found out recently how serious the Chinese government takes guidelines such as these. The automaker, which plays a large role in China’s auto market through its partnership with Chinese companies, is under investigation by the Chinese government for potential anti-trust violations. Forbes thinks that the risk of serious damage is low, and that China uses such tactics to keep foreign companies a little bit off balance and to follow China’s lead.

     

      This Week’s Top 10: Trump appoints EPA opponent to head agency, Musk attending Trump’s tech leader meeting

      by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market

      Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week…….

      1. us-epa-officeEPA opponent appointed:  President-elect Donald Trump hit hard last week in his Environmental Protection Agency appointment – naming Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as administrator, which will need to meet Senate approval. Pruitt has fought the EPA in lawsuits over several of its policies and rules, including slashing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, a water pollution measure, and the principle of reducing carbon dioxide to protect public health. He hasn’t taken on the fuel economy and emissions standards, but is expected to go the same route; and he’s been a strong advocate of fossil fuel industries. As the attorney general of Oklahoma, Pruitt has also opposed the White House over “Obamacare” health care regulations. He’s opposed to the federal government pushing its power over states, and thinks that climate change is a hoax. The Trump administration is expected to block the EPA’s decision to finalize approval of the 54.5 mpg by 2025 standard with Pruitt at the helm, reversing the EPA’s decision. If that doesn’t work, Trump is likely going to take the issue to Congress for support. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers lobbied Congress last week to reverse the EPA decision, but failed to gain enough support before Washington closes down for the holiday season. They’ll have to wait until after January 20, the day of Trump’s inauguration. Environmental groups and Democratic legislators are preparing to block the appointment of Pruitt in the first part of 2017.
      2. Musk meeting Trump:  Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expected to attend a meeting of technology leaders hosted by President-elect Donald Trump. Other invited executives include Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, and heads of Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet/Google, Intel, and Microsoft. Musk, who also chairs the board at SolarCity and leads SpaceX, is likely to be attending, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The meeting will take place on Wednesday at Trump Tower in New York City, according to Recode. Musk, who endorsed Hillary Clinton days before the election last month, is in a position faced by several other executives as the administration changes hands next month and companies look for workable business relationships in the capitol. General Motors CEO Mary Barra has agreed to be part of an economic policy team expected to meet frequently with Trump after he takes office on government policy and its impact on economic growth, job creation, and productivity. Trump had taken on automakers, especially Ford, for leaving the U.S. to open shop in Mexico and overseas. GM has plants in Mexico and a lot of its business is taking place now in China. GM has had strong relations with President Obama ever since the federal bailout in 2009.
      3. Bolts being delivered:  Chevy Bolts are on their way to dealerships before the end of the month, according to a photo posted on GM-Volt.com. The image was posted last week after being taken on I-75 as a Bolt-loaded carrier truck rolled down the highway in Lake Orion, Mich. They’ll first be delivered to California and Oregon by way of trucks and trains. Several Bolt buyers have received announcements that their all-electric car is being assembled, assigned a VIN, and has reached status 4000, meaning that it’s ready to be shipped, according to GM’s ordering system.
      4. AeroVironment charging Bolts:  General Motors has named AeroVironment’s level 2 charger as the official home charging station for the Chevy Bolt. GM has named AeroVironment’s 32-amp EVSE-RS as an official accessory labeled with a GM part number, available through Chevrolet dealerships. The company said the EVSE-RS can charge up to five-times faster than standard cordsets available in the market. GM now joins Nissan, Ford, and Fiat in partnering with AeroVironment for charging stations. “We selected AeroVironment due to their strong brand recognition, reputation for reliability, and decades of leadership in supporting EVs,” said Darin Gesse, Bolt EV Product Manager, in the press release.  “In addition, their EVSE-RS provides proven performance, making AeroVironment a great partner for Chevrolet.”
      5. Analysis of EPA fuel economy rules:  The University of Michigan Sustainable Worldwide Transportation issued a paper on the EPA’s Nov. 30 approval of the 54.5 mpg by 2025 standards. The research center said that under the right vehicle blend of cars and trucks, such as the model year 2015 mix of 57.4% cars and 42.6% light trucks, significant fuel consumption reductions would be accomplished. Compared to a possible mix of 40% cars and 60% light trucks without the new 2022-2025 standards, the fuel saved by the new vehicles during the first four years under the 2015 ratio would be about 3.3 billion gallons of fuel, according to the paper.
      6. Pacifica electric:  Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will be announcing an all-electric vehicle based on the Chrysler Pacifica minivan at CES in Las Vegas next month, according to confidential sources who spoke to Bloomberg. The company is also working on an electric Maserati sports car, according to people familiar with the matter. FCA declined to comment. Formerly called Consumer Electronics Show, CES has become an important event for launching advanced technologies by automakers and electronics companies. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne had avoided developing electric cars for years due to concerns over the cost of investment and marketing, citing losses from the Fiat 500e electric car. Conditions have changed in the post-Volkswagen diesel cheating scandal as stricter emissions rules are being enforced. The company displayed the plug-in hybrid version of the Pacifica minivan at the LA Auto Show.
      7. Two more events coming up:  Thanks to Richard Battersby, Fleet Manager at City of Oakland and Coordinator and Executive Director of East Bay Clean Cities, for contributing two more significant clean transportation events coming up next year: EV Roadmap 10 – June 20-21, 2017 in Portland, OR. The EV Roadmap Conference has established itself as one of the leading electric vehicle conferences in the United States. Founded by Portland General Electric and Portland State University, and now produced by Drive Oregon, the conference provides a “graduate course” in electric vehicle deployment. Green Transportation Summit & Expo (GTSE) – April 11-12, 2017 in Portland, OR. The Green Transportation Summit & Expo (GTSE) is the region’s premier fleet modernization and alternative fuels event. GTSE events offer the best combination of information-packed sessions, prominent national and regional speakers, and the latest technologies from industry leaders.
      8. Hybrids make WardsAuto list: Three electrified vehicles made the 2017 best engine awards from WardsAuto. The Chevy Volt returned from last year’s list and was joined by another plug-in hybrid, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The Honda Accord Hybrid was the only hybrid vehicle included. Three electrified vehicles made the top 10 list last year, too, but the Volt is the only one of those three to return to this year’s list. The other seven vehicles on the list have turbocharged engines as automakers focus more on fuel efficient options tied to government fuel economy and emissions rules. Turcharged engines taps into forced induction and direct fuel injection and allows for downsizing engines, according to WardsAuto. This was the first time that none of the top 10 featured a V-8 engine since the awards started in 1995.
      9. PG&E’s charging network: California Public Utilities Commission will vote Thursday on a proposal that would give northern California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co. permission to install 7,500 Level 2 chargers. That was down from the initial plan last year to install 25,000 charging points, which stirred much debate and opposition in Sacramento from charging companies and other entities. More chargers could be added in later phases, if CPUC agrees to it. The utility says that its investment will support electric car adoption across the region, including bringing charging to workplaces, multi-unit dwelling locations, and disadvantaged communities. It does seem to be gaining more support, as voiced by ChargePoint. “This proposed decision accelerates the adoption of EV charging in northern California in a way that preserves innovation and competition,” said Pasquale Romano, ChargePoint’s CEO. “Just as importantly, it extends the benefits of EV charging to disadvantaged communities and those who live in apartments and condominiums.”
      10. EV rebate program: Massachusetts now has $12 million in funding allocated to the Commonwealth’s electric vehicle (EV) rebate program, Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV). Consumers can qualify for rebates ranging from $750-$2,500 on the purchase or lease of more than 25 qualifying new vehicles, including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles. Since June 2014, the MOR-EV program has issued or reserved over $6 million for 2,931 vehicles, cutting the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions output by an estimated 8,123 short tons annually. “With the continued growth and consumer choice for electric vehicles, our administration is committed to working with all stakeholders to promote the host of positive benefits electric vehicles offer,” said Gov. Charlie Baker.

        What studies are finding: Adoption of clean vehicle technologies will stay small-scale for now but we’re likely approaching the cusp of change

        Nissan Leaf on dealer lotWhile plug-in electrified vehicles did break the 1% mark for total U.S. new vehicle sales last month, and hybrids moved back to being over 2%, we’re still a long ways away from them making up a substantial share of the market. The same is true for advanced fuels like renewable diesel – sales volumes are up but it’s still very early in adoption of these new alternative fuels.

        There are a few studies that expect market forces to continue shifting away from petroleum and toward clean, renewable energy and fuels.………

        Driver survey on PEVs:  Altman Vilandrie & Company, a strategy consulting group, surveyed more than 2,500 U.S. consumers in July and polled more than 20 automotive industry experts. Despite significant advancements in PEV technology, 60% of American drivers said they were unaware about electric cars and 80% have never ridden in or driven one. The survey shows that a perceived lack of charging stations (85%), high costs (83%) and uncertainty over duration of charge (74%) were the top reasons for not wanting to purchase a PEV. Most of the survey respondents who’ve been inside an electric car enjoyed it; and many more would purchase a PEV if lower-priced models were available, with $35,000 being the price point asked about.

        “While the EV adoption rate is low, there are signs of strong latent demand in the marketplace,” said Altman Vilandrie & Company Director Moe Kelley, who co-directed the survey.  “The auto industry still needs to make more low-priced models available to consumers, as well as finding a way for more drivers to try out an EV.  If those things happen we should see the EV adoption rate accelerate.”

        PEVs could be one third of global sales:  PEVs could make up 15% to 35% of global new vehicle sales in 2040, according to IHS Markit. While still making up a very small percent of global sales, the consulting firm points to 2016 sales being up more than 1000 percent since 2010, a trend that IHS Markit expects to continue with the potential to make PEVs more than one third of the new vehicle sales in 2040. China and Europe, where government policies are favorable to PEVs, were behind the consulting firm’s estimates that PEVs could comprise over half of their new passenger vehicle sales in 2040.

        “Significant advances in battery technology, financial support from governments, regulations and values of millennials will be key factors leading to increases in electric vehicle adoption,” said Jim Burkhard, study co-director and chief of research at IHS Markit for crude oil markets and energy scenarios.

        IHS Markit will be conducting a comprehensive new study to be completed in 2017, Reinventing the Wheel. Other critical factors to be examined by the study include the potential impacts of car sharing, ride hailing and autonomous vehicles on the transportation ecosystem.

        “The key question is whether we are approaching a transformative shift akin to the first decade of the 20th century, when the internal combustion engine, cheap gasoline, bicycle technology and mass production combined to usher in the automotive age,” said Dr. Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and author of The Quest, which tracked the beginnings and growth of the auto and oil industries. “Converging developments along multiple tracks are leading us to focus on this important question.”

        Low carbon fuel standard becoming methodology of choice:  Lux Research conducted a detailed study concluding that California’s low carbon fuel standard is more likely to become the industry standard for governments to hit emissions reduction targets over the federal government’s biofuel blends policies. New policies are coming out supporting the LCFS models for being “technology-agnostic carbon intensity metrics,” according to the study. Lux concludes that well-to-wheel analysis will become the analytical model with more governments adopting the carbon intensity model. That model measures the amount of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy consumed. Feedstock, process technology, and power sources in well-to-wheels metrics were analyzed in the Lux study. The report said that renewable diesel and conventional electricity will be the near-term winners in low-carbon transportation fuels, followed by renewable electricity.

        In separate news, Canada moved forward in adopting the low-carbon fuel policy. Last month, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna announced that Canada will adopt a national clean fuels standard. Similar guidelines previously adopted in California, Oregon, and British Columbia, were studied in the adoption of the new Canadian standard.

        Municipalities, fleets, and energy companies have been tapping into California’s policies in recent years. Renewable diesel is the fuel source for vehicles in the cities of San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Long Beach, and other California municipalities. Propel Fuel is brining renewable diesel and other alternative fuels to retail gas stations around the state. DuPont is bringing its cellulosic ethanol to the state; and Clean Energy is tapping into state incentives to get its Redeem renewable natural gas product moving forward.

        Diesel fading away even farther:  Earlier this month, the mayors of Paris, Madrid, Athens, and Mexico City announced plans to remove diesel cars and vans from their roads by 2025. Other cities are being urged to do the same to reduce air pollution. This development coincides with a UBS forecast that diesel will “almost disappear” from the global vehicle market within 10 years. The fossil fuel faces serious competition from cheaper electric cars and tougher stances by regulators, according to the report by the global firm providing financial services.

        Falling costs of PEV and hybrid vehicles is taking away the once-competitive price advantage diesel vehicles had over the new technologies. Emissions rules are tightening up, along with soured public sentiment, over the Volkswagen diesel emissions cheating scandal. UBS forecasts that sales of diesel vehicles will fall from 50% to just 10% in European new vehicle sales. Diesel had been a viable option for reducing emissions, as they emit about a fight less carbon than petroleum equivalents. It’s no longer the easy option it once was, with tightening rules over nitrogen oxide emissions, which are emitted by diesel engines.

        The study predicts that 48-volt electrical systems, sometimes called “mild-hybrid,” will be part of the transition away from diesel cars. UBS predicts that sales of 48V cars that increase fuel efficiency will overtake diesel sales globally in 2021, and will account for about 25% of all light passenger vehicles sold by 2025. The study does forecast that diesel would remain dominant in trucks and large SUVs.

          This Week’s Top 10: Automakers shocked by EPA decision, November strong for green car sales

          by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market

          Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week…….

          1. Federal fuel economy standardsFuel economy rules:  Automotive executives are very upset about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision last week to shorten the midterm feedback and approval process until the end of this year on the 54.5 mpg by 2025 mandate. The midterm evaluation process was originally given a deadline of April 2018 for the EPA to issue its final ruling. Automakers felt a compromise deal made with the Obama administration in 2011, known as the One National Program, is being violated. Mileage gains and emissions reductions are set to go up much higher in the second round following the midterm review. Auto executives were hoping to reduce the target under current market conditions shaped by low gas prices, high pickup and SUV sales, and hybrid and plug-in vehicles staying at low volumes. While Trump’s election to the White House was surprising to them and many others, they’d been making contact with the president-elect to soften the mpg targets. There’s been a lot of speculation about how the Trump administration will respond to the EPA’s action, including attempting to reverse it or supporting a new law in Congress overriding the agency’s decision. Late yesterday, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, and Daimler, urged congressional negotiators to include wording in a short-term budget resolution that would bar the Obama administration from finalizing the rules before it leaves office next month.
          2. Green car sales:  November was a very good month for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric vehicle sales. Hybrids were up 7.6% over the previous month and 13.3% over the previous year. Electric vehicles were up nearly 25% over the previous month and nearly 38% over November 2015. The Chevrolet Volt continued to do well and the Ford Fusion Energi surged passed the Tesla cars and the Nissan Leaf for the first time.
          3. Fast chargers in Europe:  Six automakers – Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Daimler, and Ford – are planning a joint venture to bring more fast chargers to Europe starting next year. The automaker collective wants to set up about 400 charging sites in the first phase, and by 2020, they’d like to make sure electric car drivers have access to thousands of charging points. The charging network will use combined charging system (CCS) technology, which enhances existing AC and DC charging standards and allows for ultra-fast power levels up to 350 kilowatt hours.
          4. Pacifica plug-in: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles started production on Thursday in Windsor of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, the auto industry’s first plug-in minivan. The plug-in hybrid minivans are expected to begin arriving in dealerships over the next several months. The starting price will be $34,495 with the U.S. federal tax credit (not including state and local incentives). The Pacifica Hybrid earned an EPA-certified 84 miles per gallon equivalent, including 33 miles in all-electric mode until an enhanced 3.6-liter V-6 takes over. The gas engine also kicks in under hard acceleration and other conditions.
          5. New mobility and autonomous services:  German automakers are plunging into the mobility space to take on Uber, Lyft, Zipcar, and several other startups around the world. Volkswagen yesterday launched a new mobility services brand called Moia that eventually will have its own electric, autonomous passenger vehicles; it will start with shuttle services. It will be VW’s 13th brand and is part of its efforts to transform beyond the diesel emissions scandal. BMW Group said Friday that it will test autonomous vehicles in Munich next year. The automaker will have about 40 vehicles with self-driving functions in Munich’s inner city and then expand the project to other cities, BMW executives said on Friday. The test cars will contain test drivers, the company said.
          6. Toyota making changes: Toyota announced today it will be expanding development of its hybrid technology over the next five years to be ready for stricter emissions standards by governments around the world. Lower emission hybrid engines will be rolled out. It’s the latest move by the Japanese automaker aimed at making cars “greener” as global automakers face tighter regulations in China, the U.S., and Europe. Last week, president and CEO Akio Toyoda announced he will lead a group of executives overseeing upcoming all-electric vehicle launches.
          7. RNG plant:  Air Liquide will design, construct and operate its first landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) purification plant in the U.S. at the Northeast Mississippi Landfill, in Walnut, Miss. The site, owned by the Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Management Authority, is operated by national solid waste company, Waste Connections, Inc., and receives approximately 350,000 tons of waste per year. Air Liquide is a French multinational company which supplies industrial gases and services to various industries including medical, chemical, and electronic manufacturers. The company is well known in the U.S. for its role in the hydrogen fueling infrastructure.
          8. BYD fast trains:  BYD unveiled an electric monorail system last week at the C40 Mayors Summit in Mexico City. The company’s President and Chairman Wang Chuanfu unveiled the Chinese company’s SkyRail electric monorail before representatives from over 93 cities. SkyRail is part of BYD’s urban transportation solution, which aims to address air pollution and traffic congestion. Like Tesla Motors, BYD has invested in several cleantech services including solar energy, energy storage, electric cars, and electric commercial vehicles including buses and refuse trucks.
          9. Tesla sales in Virginia:  Richard Holcomb, commissioner of Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles, allowed Tesla Motors to sell its cars in the state, by reversing a September ruling denying Tesla a dealership license to operate a store in Richmond. Tesla had faced a number of legal obstacles to open stores in Virginia. In 2012, the electric carmaker applied for a license to open a store in northern Virginia and was denied by Holcomb.
          10. Countries agree to reduce GHG:  The Clean Energy Ministerial, a global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology, announced that eight nations have agreed to reduce their own government fleet transportation and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Canada, China, France, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the U.S., signed the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Electric Vehicles Initiative. The agreement comes from resolutions made at COP21 during the Lima-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) Transport Focus.

           

            Clean transportation and energy events to watch for during an extremely interesting year

            sustainable-transportationThere’s one thing I can guarantee you about 2017: industry conferences and events are going to be very interesting.

            The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s abrupt decision on November 30 to leave in place its greenhouse gas emissions standards for light vehicles through the 2025 model year before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, is guaranteed to be discussed during speaker panels next year. That, plus decisions by the Trump administration and new agency heads on the fuel economy and emissions standards, electric vehicle tax incentives, climate change, and the very existence of the EPA, will keep people on the edges of their seats.

            The image shown above comes from 2016 Sustainable Transportation Summit, which was held in July at the Washington Convention Center. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the first ever Sustainable Transportation Summit brought together transportation and mobility leaders to discuss the technology, policy, and market innovations that hold the potential to shape the transportation system of the future. Green Auto Market will report on scheduling of the 2017 conference.

            Here are a few to consider attending this month and next year:

            Renewable Energy World International
            Dec. 13-15, 2016
            Orange County Convention Center
            Orlando, Fla.
            Formerly called Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America, the event has a proven track record as one of renewable energy’s leading conferences. The event offers insightful discussions and presentations during technical sessions related to technology, markets, business strategies and policy covering the wind, solar, biomass, hydro, geothermal, ocean/tidal/wave, biopower, bio-fuels hydrogen, and energy sectors.

            National Biodiesel Conference & Expo
            Jan. 16-19, 2017
            San Diego Convention Center
            San Diego, Calif.
            The National Biodiesel Conference and Expo is a gathering of biodiesel stakeholders: producers and marketers, fuel distributors, biodiesel consumers, feedstock growers and processors, farmers, local, state, and federal government officials, and fleet managers. You will have opportunities to learn everything from biodiesel basics, RFS compliance mistakes, and ASTM specification changes to what to expect with a new administration.

            Cleantech Forum San Francisco
            Jan. 23-25, 2017
            Parc 55 San Francisco (a Hilton Hotel)
            San Francisco, Calif.
            This annual gathering of the global cleantech innovation community offers a comprehensive, three-day program along with exclusive opportunities to network, learn, and get deals done. Startups and growth companies can find potential investors and partners, and attendees can find mentors and advisors. Corporate executives, start-up and growth company CEO’s, investors, government agencies, and other players will be attending.

            Energy Independence Summit 2017
            Feb. 12-15, 2017
            The Liaison Capitol Hill
            Washington, DC
            The Summit provides a unique opportunity for Clean Cities Coalitions and leaders in the clean transportation industry to network and build partnerships with each other, and with key Congressional and Administration policymakers in Washington, DC. Attendees will be able to meet with leaders of the Trump administration and key Congressional leaders; learn how you can benefit from investments from the Volkswagen settlement; network with the nation’s Clean Cities Coalitions and top industry leaders; and participate in Roundtable discussions with DOE, EPA, DOT, USDA, and DOD.

            Rethink Methane
            Feb. 21-22, 2017
            Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel
            Sacramento, Calif.
            Attendees will learn how renewable methane can help California achieve GHG emissions reduction objectives with state measures, integrate sustainability goals for organic waste; accelerate development of practical, large-scale storage for renewable power; facilitate the creation of a low-carbon hydrogen supply for a fuel cell future; and create economic development opportunities for disadvantaged regions. You can also go on a tour on February 22 to learn how an anaerobic digester is helping Van Steyn Dairy tackle the carbon footprint created from their 700 cattle and about 100,000 lbs. of daily manure output, as well as create renewable power for  about 125 homes.

            ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit
            Feb. 27-March 1, 2017
            Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
            National Harbor, Md.
            The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) annual summit bringstogether experts sit at the forefront of energy innovation and entrepreneurship. It underscores ARPA-E’s mission of advancing transformative energy technologies to improve U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness. Now in its eighth year, the Summit draws more than 2,200 participants from across the U.S. and 25 countries to discuss cutting-edge energy issues and cultivate relationships with leaders from industry, government, and academia to advance technologies towards deployment.

            The Work Truck Show / Green Truck Summit
            March 14-17, 2017
            Indiana Convention Center
            Indianapolis
            Held in conjunction with The Work Truck Show, the Green Truck Summit is considered to be a premier conference on clean energy innovations for commercial vehicles. Experts will share perspective on how the industry can make an immediate impact on greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant reduction. They’ll be representing regulatory agencies, fleet managers, commercial vehicle manufacturers, and stakeholders from various industry trade associations and professional societies. Topics will include: creating an efficient path to zero-emission commercial vehicles; effects of Phase Two greenhouse gas regulations; and, renewable fuels analysis and vehicle life cycle impacts.

            NGV Global 2017
            March 20-23, 2017
            Ahoy Rotterdam
            Rotterdam, Netherlands
            NGV Global is the once every two year global gathering of NGV strategic, commercial, and technical executives – presented by the world’s industry association, NGV Global.  Natural gas, whether CNG, LNG or RNG (renewable natural gas), continues to broaden its appeal and range of applications as a fuel for transportation. NGV Global looks forward to delivering a multi-stream event that incorporates road, water, and rail sectors. The 2017 NGVAmerica Annual Meeting & Industry Summit in the U.S. is still in the planning stage.

            NAFA 2017 Institute & Expo
            April 25-28, 2017
            Tampa Convention Center
            Tampa, Fla.
            NAFA Fleet Management Association’s annual event continues to be the preeminent event for the fleet management community. For this year, additions to the program include: a keynote presentation focused on Leadership and Innovation; CAFM graduate luncheon on Wednesday; and a new Sustainability Pre-Con for Monday. This year will celebrate 60 years since the start of NAFA.

            Ceres Conference 2017
            April 26-27, 2017
            The Westin St. Francis
            San Francisco, Calif.
            Good governance, full disclosure, stakeholder engagement, and performance are all hallmarks of a truly sustainable and profitable 21st century corporation. Across the globe, major corporations are integrating innovative sustainable solutions and adding value for investors and consumers, while protecting the health of the planet and its people. The conference brings together leaders who have achieved the highest standards on these core issues and reaped the greatest profits and discovered that, sustainability is the bottom line.

            ACT Expo
            May 1-4, 2017
            Long Beach Convention Center
            Long Beach, Calif.
            All weight classes and alternative fuel types are represented – electric, hybrid, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas, and renewable fuels – providing a one-stop shop for fleets to learn how to reduce costs and emissions. Network with more than 3,500 clean transportation stakeholders; see hundreds of leading vehicle, fueling, and technology suppliers in the Expo Hall; see real-world AFV projects at off-site tours in Southern California; and learn from peers in fleet-focused educational sessions

            AltCar Expo
            Sept. 15-16, 2017
            Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
            Santa Monica, Calif.
            This event provide an accessible and comprehensive setting where both industry and the general public can discover all of the existing alternatives to the way they use energy and transportation. It also has the mission of motivating everyone to take action to support California’s groundbreaking clean car policies. It also offers speaker panels and an extensive ride and drive. Similar events will be held in Sacramento on April 19, 2017, and the Bay Area AltCar event will soon be scheduled for the Spring of 2017.

            Solar Power International
            September 10-13, 2017
            Mandalay Bay Convention Center
            Las Vegas, Nev.
            North America’s largest solar trade show brings together over 18,000 solar professionals and 600 exhibiting companies. SPI is powered by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). The event held its inaugural show in 2003 and was designed to serve and advance the solar energy industry.

            VERGE 17
            Sept. 18-21, 2017
            Santa Clara Convention Center
            Santa Clara, Calif.
            VERGE is GreenBiz.com’s annual conference and expo focusing on the technologies and systems that accelerate sustainability solutions in a climate-constrained world. The annual event brings together a diverse, cross-sector audience representing the world’s largest companies, technology startups, energy producers and consumers, commercial real estate owners and the public sector, creating a unique ecosystem focused on opportunities for business, the environment and society. VERGE focuses on transformative, scalable and practical solutions across six tracks.

            EVS30
            October 9-11, 2017
            Messe Stuttgart
            Stuttgart, Germany
            The 30th International Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition is the world’s largest trade fair and conference event for electric mobility. Every 12 to 18 months, researchers, government representatives and industry experts from around the world gather to get the latest picture of all forms of electric mobility, its technologies and other issues, such as battery and fuel cell drives, and discuss new trends. The event is sponsored by AVERE (the European Association for Electromobility), Electric Drive Transportation Association, Daimler, Bosch, Mahle, and others.

            Fleet Technology Expo
            Produced by Bobit Business Media, the publishers of Automotive Fleet, Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT), Green Fleet and Work Truck, is designed for fleet professionals who oversee vehicle fleets of all sizes and types in all industries and are looking to improve operational efficiencies. It replaced the Green Fleet Conference & Expo, and the 2017 dates have yet to be set.

            Auto shows to follow:
            North American International Auto Show
            Jan. 8-22, 2017

            Washington Auto Show
            Jan. 27-Feb. 5, 2017

            Chicago Auto Show
            Feb. 11-20, 2017

            Geneva Motor Show
            March 9-19, 2017

            New York International Auto Show
            April 14-23, 2017

            Auto Shanghai
            April 21-28, 2017

            Frankfurt Motor Show
            Sept. 12-24, 2017

            Tokyo Motor Show
            Oct. 25 to Nov. 5, 2017

            LA Auto Show
            Open to the public Dec. 1-10, 2017

              This Week’s Top 10: Mazda, Subaru and Toyota join the EV race, Canada adopts clean fuel standards

              by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market

              Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week…….

              1. Nissan Leaf chargingThree more automakers join EV race: The days of putting a small number of “compliance cars” in California to meet zero emission vehicle rules appear to be ending. Mazda, Subaru, and Toyota are preparing to enter the global competition. Regulatory pressure is increasing across the world, and competitors have been announcing lofty electric vehicle production schedules. Honda is another Japanese automaker that has hinted that it’s going along this path, too, with an electric version of the Clarity coming out and more EVs on the way. Mazda will launch an EV in 2019, and Subaru’s will follow in 2021. Toyota recently announced it will launch an “in-house venture company” next month to start developing battery-powered cars. Not long ago, Toyota broke its ties with Tesla for using the electric car company’s drivetrain in the electric RAV4. Toyota says it’s more committed to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but EVs can’t be put off any longer.
              2. Canadian clean fuels standard: The Canadian government adopted a national clean fuels standard last week for climate action and growth in its cleantech economy and green jobs. It follows previous actions in British Columbia, Oregon, and California, and is expected to greatly improve availability of low carbon fuel choices and competition at the pump. Fuel suppliers have several options for meeting the clean fuel standard. They can employ lower carbon fuels blended into, or replacing, gasoline and diesel, or improve the emissions associated with upstream oil and gas extraction and refining. The new standard will also promote fuel switching to electric mobility and hydrogen fuel cells. The standard will require fuel suppliers to progressively reduce the carbon pollution in their fuels, with annual reduction requirements within a specified overall timeframe.
              3. In-fighting at VW: A “cut-throat battle for resources” is happening in-house between Volkswagen and its Audi and Porsche premium brands as the automaker cuts costs to face the diesel emissions cheating scandal. Every VW brand with engine-manufacturing capacity now wants a leadership role when it comes to electric motors, battery packs, and battery-cell expertise, according to an unnamed source. Cost cutting will include reducing jobs dramatically as the company faces as much as 30 billion euros ($32 billion) to pay global government penalties and settle lawsuits for the diesel emissions cheating scandal. VW has set the aggressive goal of rolling out 30 new electric vehicle models by 2025. Production and labor will have to be used efficiently to reach corporate targets, with layoffs in the works. In other news, VW has agreed to extend a 20 billion-euro ($21.2 billion) bank credit line, which is part of the company’s efforts to maintain its financial strength while it counts the full cost of its diesel emissions scandal.
              4. Four reasons why the Trump administration probably won’t ground the corporate average fuel economy guidelines: “Capital commitments: Automakers plan years ahead; they’ve already sunk billions into upcoming models designed with pending fuel standards in mind. Global markets: Fuel-efficiency regulations and incentives are in place in major auto markets worldwide — including China, whose market is expanding dramatically, especially for “new energy” vehicles meant to curb urban pollution. Consumer demand: With gas prices low, Americans are buying larger vehicles. But surveys and sales figures show they want sport utility vehicles and pickups to be as fuel efficient as possible. Regulatory patchwork: California and other states concerned about global warming worked closely to harmonize their own regulations with CAFE. Gutting CAFE could break that consensus and cause automakers to adjust cars for the California market, something they’ve done in the past and would rather not do again.”
              5. RFS volume: The Environmental Protection Agency released the final Renewable Fuel Standards last week, which raised the levels from 18.11 billion gallons this year to 19.28 billion gallons in 2017. This is a 5% increase from the proposed 2017 levels — 18.8 billion gallons of renewable fuel — that the EPA announced in May. About 15 billion gallons of this will come from conventional corn-based ethanol. While the ethanol industry praised the increase, Big Oil immediately went into attack mode.
              6. EVs vs. fuel cells: Stanford University’s Global Climate and Energy Project has released a study finding that all-electric vehicles make for a more economical choice for reducing carbon dioxide emissions due to their lower cost and significantly higher energy efficiency than do fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen offers few additional energy benefits besides only emitting water vapor from fuel-cell cars, the study said. “Studies such as these are needed to identify the lowest cost and most efficient pathways to deep decarbonization of the global energy system,” said Sally Benson, professor of energy resources engineering at Stanford and director of GCEP.
              7. Selling diesel cars: Daimler may continue selling diesel-powered cars in the U.S., even though a Der Spiegel article said otherwise. Daimler’s sales of diesel cars make up less than one percent of its Mercedes brand’s car sales in the U.S, the company said. Volkswagen did say last week that it will stop selling diesel vehicles in the U.S. and will focus its attention on sporty utility and electric vehicles.
              8. Will Trump’s press secretary hate Elon Musk?: Laura Ingraham, a conservative radio show pundit who attacks Tesla CEO Elon Musk, may be appointed Trump’s press secretary. A group called Citizens for the Republic (CftR) has taken on Musk for allegedly defrauding American taxpayers out of billions of dollars in government subsidies, grants, “and other favors.” CftR is headed by Ingraham, who has backed Trump and spoke in his favor at the Republican National Convention. CNN considers her a leading candidate to become Trump’s press secretary. As reported by Autoblog, Electrek has been digging into CftR’s tendency to be “full of misinformation about Tesla, electric vehicles, and solar energy.”
              9. RNG newsletter: Energy Vision’s Fall newsletter highlights a few developments in renewable natural gas including: Santa Monica’s “Big Blue Bus” fleet, which operates more than 200 transit buses, was the first in the country to commit to the combination of a new “near-zero” emission natural gas engine fueled by low-carbon RNG…….. Close to 140 business, government and environmental leaders and Energy Vision supporters from across the country gathered on October 13th to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary.
              10. E-bikes: Electric bike maker Zero Motorcycles’ bike series has had a few positive revisions made this year. The company now has 14 configurations with prices ranging from $8,495 to $18,690. Every Zero motorcycle gets more torque and power this year. The most powerful of the bikes, the Zero SR, now gets an impressive 116 ft.-lbs. of torque. That bike can go 202 miles in city driving and 101 miles per charge speeding around at 70 mph.

                Will top-selling Chinese electric carmaker BYD plunge into the U.S. market?

                BYD logo and carsChina-based plug-in electrified vehicle manufacturer BYD has become the third largest seller of PEVs in the world. The company is following Renault-Nissan and right behind Tesla Motors in cumulative annual global sales through September; at 161,000 sold versus Tesla’s 164,000, BYD could become No. 2.

                BYD has now surpassed Mitsubishi as the third largest global seller of PEVs. Mitsubishi has seen most of that sales volume come through its Outlander plug-in hybrid doing well in Europe. During the summer, Mitsubishi announced that the long-delayed launch of the SUV in the U.S. market will be delayed yet again, the fifth time that delay happened since its 2013 Japan-market launch.

                BYD is seeing a limited but growing presence in the U.S. through its electric buses and sanitation trucks. But what about selling electric cars in hotspots like California and other U.S. markets with a lot of interest in PEVs?

                There have been rumors and analytical speculation about BYD, with its 10% ownership stake from Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway, bringing some of its top-selling electric car models to the U.S. The company dominating the fast-growing Chinese PEV market should be able to grab hold of solid footing in America, right? Even with climate-change doubter Donald Trump taking over the White House, other automakers are counting on U.S. electric car sales to grow quite a bit.

                So far, China is winning out. BYD’s top-selling model, the BYD e6 all-electric car, was flat in sales not long ago with 33 units sold in China in 2010. BYD sold 3,118 e6 units in China last month. The company held five of the top 12 spots for PEVs sold in China during October. Competition has been with other Chinese brands, with the Tesla Model S coming at No. 12 that month. Tesla and other automakers with partnerships in China, including General Motors, are rolling out Chinese market versions of cars like the Chevy Bolt to compete in that fast-growing market.

                Why China?

                Chinese government incentives for new energy vehicles (NEVs).have made that growing market more attractive than the U.S. for BYD. Government subsidies in China can be as high as 90,000 yuan ($13,000) and more consumers are buying in. Chinese automakers are taking the market even more seriously with a wide range of passenger cars, crossovers, and SUV selling to Chinese consumers. Local Chinese automakers make up most of the electric car market and are now seriously investing in research and development, developing better cars with more power and longer range, which is helping sales. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show, held this month in China, saw the debut of over 30 new energy vehicles.

                Starting in 2013, plug-in hybrids such as the BYD Qin and Tang, were top sellers for the company. More recently, all-electric models have taken the lead, with the e6 and newcomer models e5 and Qin EV300 doing very well. Increasing battery capacity and range for all-electric models has helped sales increase. BYD has also done well selling to both consumers and fleets in the Chinese market, as both customer segments show more interest in plug-in models overall and more confidence in all-electric models and China’s charging infrastructure.

                BYD America

                Incentives have been stronger in China for BYD. Earlier this year, BYD America Vice President Michael Austin said that the $7,500 tax credit provided by the U.S. federal government is insufficient if there isn’t support from the federal and local governments in the form of more charging infrastructure. Austin said that about 80 BYD e6 electric cars have been imported to the US, with about 50 of those brought to New York for taxi and ride-hailing purposes.

                “Right now, we really don’t have parts and distribution or consumer warranty service, and we don’t have a dealer network,” said Austin to Autoblog. “It’s easier to service fleets.”

                BYD America has been visible at events in the U.S. such as ACT Expo with its electric bus models, which lead the North American market in electric bus sales. Other commercial vehicles are coming up. BYD America operates a manufacturing assembly plant in Lancaster, Calif.

                This month, BYD America launched the industry’s first all-electric, long-range electric garbage truck. The refuse truck was a project jointly developed with Wayne Engineering, an Iowa-based refuse truck equipment maker.

                There has been concern that Trump, with his doubts about climate change and the EPA, and support for fossil fuels, could alter national environmental and fuel-efficiency policies. Is the electric garbage truck a dying cause? Probably not, according to industry insiders.

                “No one has a crystal ball, but there are some business case and regional and global market trends that make us believe that electric truck development and targeted deployment will continue,” Bill Van Amburg, senior vice president and trucking programs director at Calstart, told Trucks.com.

                The trend toward greater electrification is meeting customer demands for efficiency and operational improvements and is not tied to U.S. energy policy, wherever that may end up going, he said.

                That perspective, for now, seems to be shared by automotive executives interviewed about the post-Trump election impact on U.S. auto sales. Ambitious goals of launching several new PEV models in the U.S., Europe, and other markets, still seem to be in place for Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW, GM, Tesla, and a few others.

                While selling more electric cars in the U.S. appears to be on hold now for BYD, expanding beyond China is not off the company’s strategic planning. Korea is one of those markets

                Last week, BYD completed registration of its office in Korea and secured a dealership to sell its cars. Tesla is also set to open a store soon, in the city of Hanam.

                  This Week’s Top 10: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric takes top MPGe rating, Trump administration and EVs

                  by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market

                  Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week…….

                  1. hyundai-ioniq-plug-inBest fuel economy rating: The soon-to-be-released 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric took the No. 1 ranking for MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) at 136 MPGe in combined fuel economy. The Ioniq Electric beat the all-electric BMW i3 with its 124 MPGe rating and 60 Amp-hour battery. The BMW i3 with a 94 Amp-hour battery came in fourth place at 119 combined MPGe. The BMW i3 REX (94 Amp-hour battery) and its range extender gasoline engine came in 7th place at MPGe combined. The upcoming Chevy Bolt took third place at 119 combined MPGe. It will have nearly double the range with the Bolt able to go 238 miles per charge versus 124 miles for the Ioniq Electric. These rankings come from the Fuel Economy Guide for model year 2017, which was just released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
                  2. Trump and EVs: It’s too early tell what actions the Trump administration will take affecting electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. “The short answer is that we don’t know what will happen with the Trump administration and electric vehicles,” said Dave Reichmuth, senior engineer for the Union of Concerned Scientists clean vehicles program. “It might be awhile before we understand the policy priorities for the new administration.” Reichmuth said that the federal EV tax credit, which can go as high as $7,500 per electric car, is embedded in the larger federal tax code; removing it would require action from Congress. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, appears unfazed by the potential of less-EV-friendly regulations. Dan Sperling, founding director of the University of California Davis Institute for Transportation Studies, said the automaker industry’s letter to the Trump transition team should not be interpreted as a plea to drop emission or fuel economy standards altogether. “The industry has made a massive investment in electric vehicles,” Sperling said. “While some would prefer to slow it down, most companies are going to continue along that path.”
                  3. Sustainable freight: The two largest North American ports, Los Angeles and Long Beach, have proposed the next version of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) that would aggressively deploy zero and near-zero emissions trucks and cargo-handling equipment. The ports also propose expanding programs that reduce ship emissions. Other proposals focus on freight infrastructure investment, innovation, and technology to improve supply chain efficiency and comprehensive energy planning. The updated CAAP provides one of California’s first opportunities to implement what was laid out in the state’s Sustainable Freight Action Plan.
                  4. Toyota EVs: Toyota Motor Corp. is setting up a small in-house unit to develop battery electric vehicles. For now it will be a small team of four, with one from Toyota Motor Corp., Toyota Industries, Aisin Seiki Co., and Denso Corp. The company said it will be part of a larger strategy to develop alternative powertrain technologies. Toyota still emphasizes hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which it called the “ultimate eco-car.”
                  5. Mazda diesel and electric cars: Mazda Motor Corp. is moving beyond fuel efficient Skyactiv gasoline engine vehicles by adding diesel to the next-generation CX-5 crossover next year. Mazda also will introduce an electric vehicle in 2019 and a plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2021 or later, to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy rules. A revamped 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D clean diesel engine, modified to meet more stringent U.S. regulations for nitrogen oxide emissions, will be offered in the second-generation CX-5 during the second half of 2017, the company said. The next CX-5 debuted Tuesday at the L.A. Auto Show.
                  6. Faraday factory: Electric supercar maker Faraday Future has stopped construction of its $1 billion electric vehicle factory in North Las Vegas, Nev. The Gardena, Calif., company, which has received backing and recent financial restructuring from tech billionaire Jia Yueting and Chinese company LeEco, said it plans to restart work on the plant in 2017. Last month, a construction firm working on Faraday Future’s factory warned the electric-car startup that it could face a work stoppage over millions of dollars in unpaid bills, raising questions about Faraday Future’s financial condition.
                  7. 15 electric buses: California’s Central Valley took a major step to reduce emissions last week with a California Air Resources Board (CARB) funds award. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) will deploy 15 Proterra Catalyst electric buses, 11 Proterra depot-chargers, and four Proterra fast-chargers in order to improve local air quality and public health in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Buses and charging deployment areas will reportedly include: the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency, the California State University Fresno, the City of Visalia Transit Division, the San Joaquin Regional Transit District, and the City of Modesto Transit Services.
                  8. Sound factor: Hybrid and electric vehicles will now be required to make noise when traveling below 19 miles per hour. That ruling came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after a long period of research and industry feedback. Known as the “quiet car” rule, regulators have taken a long time to decide on passing the regulation, as a ruling has been in the works since 2013. In the original proposal, the estimate was that it could reduce instances of injuries caused to pedestrians and bicycle riders by 2,800 per year, a figure that has since been reduced to 2,400 per year.
                  9. NextEV: Chinese electric vehicle startup NextEV yesterday unveiled its record-breaking electric supercar, the first vehicle launched under the company’s new NIO brand. The new brand and the NIP EP9 electric supercar, which recently broke an electric vehicle lap record at Nürburgring Nordschliefe, were unveiled at a launch event in London. This is the first official launch since NextEV was founded in 2014. The company opened its Silicon Valley headquarters in October. Padmasree Warrior, former CTO at Cisco, is now serving as the U.S. CEO of NextEV.
                  10. VW and Didi: Volkswagen announced last Thursday that it has been is in talks with China’s Didi Chuxing to set up a high-end ride-hailing service; the deal would also involve ambitious sales goals for electric and hybrid vehicles in the world’s largest auto market. That would help VW in its bid to beat General Motors as the largest-selling automaker in China. It would also be a channel for selling its ambitious plan for electric vehicle introductions in the wake of last year’s diesel emissions scandal. The automaker plans to sell 400,000 “new energy vehicles” in China by 2020 and 1.5 million by 2025. Didi is China’s largest ride-hailing company, with 300 million users across more than 400 cities.

                    Crossovers, New Plug-ins, and Mobility Setting Tone at L.A. Auto Show

                    This year’s Los Angeles Auto Show blended three automotive technology trends together:

                    • Popularity of crossover SUVs.
                    • Launching new plug-in electrified vehicles (PEVs).
                    • Showcasing mobility technologies of the future at the all-new AutoMobility LA.

                    tesla-model-x-towing-an-airstream-trailerPreviously known for being the showcase for electric car launches and ride-and-drives, crossover SUVs are taking more of the attention this year. That doesn’t mean that new electrified vehicles and advanced mobility technologies were forgotten.

                    Automaker displays this year at the Los Angeles Auto Show have been weighted toward crossover SUVs as market demand grows in an era of low gasoline prices and higher profit margins selling utility vehicles over PEVs. The all-new Ford EcoSport debuted ahead of the L.A. Auto Show on Monday, one of five crossovers and smaller SUVs that were premiered. Other small SUVs being shown are the Toyota C-HR, Jeep Compass, Mazda CX-5, and Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

                    Ford says that the non-electrified all-new 2018 EcoSport is a compact SUV designed to be “the perfect partner for a life full of surprising possibilities. What you need when you need it. Trim outside, spacious inside, it’s nimble and ready for just about anything.”

                    While Volkswagen has pledged to roll out 30 new PEV models by 2025, the gasoline-powered 2017 Atlas crossover has been its star at the L.A. Auto Show. On the plug-in electrified vehicle debut side, VW did announce changes to the e-Golf. The 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf comes with a new 35.8 kWh battery and 124 miles of range.

                    Other electrified vehicle announcements and displays at L.A. Auto Show included:

                    Tesla Motors: Tesla exhibited a Model X towing an Airstream trailer (see photo above). Inside the trailer, you could view a color display board for exterior and interior color combining options. A towing hitch was attached to the Model X in the display hall; the hitch can carry trailers that go up to 5,000 pounds. It was the first time Tesla has displayed an exhibit at the L.A. Auto Show in a few years.

                    Hyundai Ionic Electric: Not a new debut, Hyundai has increased the electric vehicle’s range to 124 miles instead of 110 previously announced, and it goes on sale late this year. Hyundai also made three announcements about mobility services connected to the Ioniq during the L.A. Auto Show. The new “Ioniq Unlimited” subscription-based ownership experience has one fixed payment that includes unlimited mileage, electric charging costs, scheduled maintenance, wear items and all typical purchase fees such as registration. A second program is being carried out with WaiveCar, an electric carsharing program running on advertising dollars. Consumers can drive an electric Ioniq wrapped in advertising with a rooftop mounted digital display for two hours at no charge.

                    For the third announcement, Hyundai revealed an autonomous version of the all-electric Ioniq during the show. The company will offer rides in the self-driving version at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. It uses a Lidar system with three advanced radars combined with three forward-facing cameras, blind-spot sensors, GPS antenna and “smart cruise” radar to provide 360 degrees or protection and sensing.

                    Jaguar I-Pace: Jaguar showed what will be the first step in its electrification plans. The all-electric I-Pace crossover SUV will have a 90-kWh battery for 220 miles of range. Jaguar says that it will be a high performance crossover with all-wheel drive propelled by dual electric motors, one on each axle. Its combined output of 400 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It’s expected to be released in 2018.

                    McLaren Hyper-GT: McLaren’s hybrid super concept car is said to follow the iconic McLaren F1, which has been a star at Le Mans for nearly 25 years. It will be the “spiritual successor to the F1,” according to the company. The prototype Hyper-GT is coming out next year and a production version is set for 2019.

                    Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: While “plug-in” was dropped from the Pacifica’s name for the non-internal combustion gasoline engine version, it is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It’s Chrysler’s first plug-in model to enter the U.S. market beyond test models. It is also an historic moment for Chrysler and parent company FCA Automotive. The gasoline-engine Pacifica is replacing the Chrysler Town & County and Dodge Grand Caravan as its minivan offering. The Caravan and its other variations had essentially created the minivan segment in the 1980s, and the Pacifica Hybrid will make for the first electric passenger van to be sold mass market. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica starts at $41,995, not including destination. With the available $7,500 federal tax credit, customers can get the Pacifica Hybrid is for as low as $34,495, not including any state or local incentives. It was certainly a pleasure to drive and learn more about during the L.A. Auto Show’s ride and drive.

                    Cadillac CT6 PHEV: While earlier this year, Cadillac announced that its low-selling ELR plug-in hybrid would be discontinued, there will be a replacement coming out soon. Starting early next year, the CT6 sedan will have a $76,090 price tag before the $7,500 federal tax credit and potential state incentives lower the price. It comes with powertrain technology similar to that used in the Chevy Volt, and will be getting 30 miles of electric range.

                    Mini Cooper Countryman S E ALL4: BMW’s Mini brand has launched its first plug-in hybrid. The Countryman is larger than the original Mini Cooper with about 30 percent more cargo space. It comes with a 1.5-liter turbo thee-cylinder engine merged with electric propulsion, a 7.6-kWh battery, and a six-speed auto transmission.

                    Mitsubishi eX Concept: Mitsubishi’s Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV has been a top electric seller in Europe and will finally be rolling out in the U.S. next year. The all-electric eX Concept is said by Mitsubishi as a hint to the future. As a new part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, there’s been speculation over whether Nissan and Mitsubishi will share electric vehicle technologies.

                    Chevrolet Bolt: The all-electric Chevy Bolt took Green Car Journal’s 2017 Green Car Of The Year award on Thursday morning. Other finalists included the BMW 330e iPerformance, Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Optima, and Toyota Prius Prime. Green Car Journal editors selected the 2017 Bolt for its “impressive 238 mile zero-emission driving range, stylish design, pleasing driving dynamics, and welcome suite of advanced and connected technologies.” It will start showing up next month in dealer lots.

                    AutoMobility LA:  AutoMobility LA merged the previous Connected Car Expo and the L.A. Auto Show into a special three-day event just prior to opening up the L.A. Auto Show to the general public. Technology Pavilion was held right outside the convention center, with vehicle and booth displays and a speaker hall.

                    Olli: “Hello, I’m Olli. I’m self-driving. I’m adaptable. I’m efficient, and I’m around the corner. At Local olli-at-la-auto-showMotors.” That was the first display you’d see when walking in the Technology Pavilion last week. Local Motors specializes in co-creation design projects, such as the 3-D-printed, self-driving Olli minibus that’s currently being tested in pilot programs. It appears to be working on this electric, self-driving minibus project with Amazon, as you can see displayed in the exhibit photo. Designed to transport up to 12 riders, Olli uses IBM Watson’s “Internet of Things” cognitive computing capabilities to learn from data generated from sensors on the vehicle and encourage an interactive transit experience. Phoenix-based Local Motors is also working on a range of designs for 3-D-printed cars. The company recently sold some Olli units in Copenhagen and plans to announce its U.S. debut in next few months. It’s currently being tested on private roads in the Washington, D.C. area. On Wednesday of last week during AutoMobility LA, Olli shuttled Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers to his keynote address.

                    ReachNow: BMW’s car sharing service announced four new mobility services and a Brooklyn location last week. During a press conference at AutoMobility LA on Nov. 15, ReachNow described four pilot programs to enhance its services:  Ride, Reserve, Share, and Fleet Solutions for residential buildings. The car sharing service also described its expansion into Brooklyn, N.Y., its third North American city and the company’s first expansion beyond the west coast. The new services expand ReachNow’s offerings to include on-demand ride services similar to Uber and Lyft; an opportunity to schedule individual recurring rides; and exclusive use of BMW i3 electric vehicles and BMW 3 Series onsite at select apartment and condo complex locations. Vehicle offerings include the electric BMW i3, BMW 3 Series, Mini Cooper, and Mini Clubman.

                    Divergent 3D: Headed by former Coda Automotive CEO, Kevin Czinger, the startup offers 3D printing divergent-3d-test-car-at-la-auto-showtechnology and a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. The company’s concept was designed to change the way cars are manufactured by using technology that reduces pollution and the amount of materials. Divergent 3D’s Blade printed supercar greeted visitors in the atrium of the LA Convention Center. The company also showed a 3D printed motorcycle, and a sports car frame displayed, as seen in this photo, during the L.A. Auto Show.

                    Hyperloop One: CEO Rob Lloyd spoke during AutoMobility LA about Hyperloop One and meeting on-demand autonomous networks that will redefine cities and rewrite the rules of transportation for the future. The former Cisco executive became the startup’s CEO last year in September. The startup company, inspired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s 2013 concept design, is creating a tubular form of high speed transportation that can go 700 mph. On Friday, the company settled a lawsuit with Brogan BamBrogan, a co-founder and chief technology officer, and three other former executives, over alleged wrongdoing by management and investors.