Electric Vehicles

When I first read about Vinfast, I became excited. With all the EV action in China, it is easy to ignore the Tiger economies of south East Asia and what they are doing to progress electric vehicles in the region and the world.

Over the last five years, Vinfast has been setting a blistering production pace. In 2017 it established a fully digital automotive manufacturing complex on Cat Hai Island, Vietnam.

By 2019 it had launched 3 cars and three e-scooters. These cars went on to become best sellers in their domestic market. 2021 saw the launch of two new e-scooters, Vietnam’s very first E-Bus and three EVs, two of which are aimed at the US market.

Collaborating with Pinafarina has led to the production of two stunning vehicles which will be launched at the LA Motor Show in December. The e35 and e36 are expected to be on sale in the US within 12 months.

The VF e35 is roughly the size of a Tesla Model Y, and like that benchmark vehicle, it gets a choice of one motor or two, each of which produces 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. The driving range is an estimated 250 miles (400 kms).

The larger seven-seater is said to be comparable in size to a Chevy Traverse, Hyundai Palisade, or Kia Telluride (though in both cases the VinFast SUVs’ wheelbases are longer than the comparable vehicles’).

Two motor power is standard (using the same motors), and a 106-kWh battery pack is said to provide 341 miles (550kms) of WLTP range (probably 280-300 miles by the EPA’s standards). The interior design aesthetic has been strongly influenced by Tesla’s screen-centric minimalism.

In 2018 Vinfast was awarded the “A Star is Born Award” (for new vehicle startups) at the Paris Motor Show. Vinfast is partnering with PV Oil to provide charging centers as petrol stations.

I am looking forward to these arriving on a boat soon!

David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired school teacher who continues to provoke thought through thedriven. He divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He owns 50 shares of Tesla.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the nation and world to reach a target of “net zero” CO² emissions by 2050, climate experts say vehicles and light-duty trucks must dominate American auto sales by the end of this decade.

But what will it take to make that big a change in America’s vehicular fleet that quickly? What will it mean for Jacksonville? What benefits will we see?

There is already an option to buy an electric car or a hybrid when buying a new vehicle — even for pickup trucks and sports cars. Making that choice it’s a big step toward sustainability and zero emissions.

we spoke with a new electric car owner – and a doctor – about making the switch, and the impact it can have.

Erik Gonzalez has always loved and driven European cars but he recently invested in a Tesla Model 3.

“In my time, having owned a Model 3, so far I’ve driven roughly 6,000 miles and that equates to cost savings of about $1,000 to $1,100 so far,” Gonzalez said.

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The electric vehicle market includes more than just Teslas. Most mainstream manufacturers including Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mini, Nissan, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo are already selling electric car in the United States.

Megan del Pizzo, vice president of Tom Bush Volkswagen is excited about the electric car future.

“Volkswagen’s really getting into electric vehicles in a big way,” he said.

Not only will the vehicles save money because you’re not buying gas, but most new electric cars sold in this country can also earn you a $7,500 federal income tax credit. And with no oil changes, spark plugs and other requirements of gasoline engines, there’s less maintenance cost for electric vehicles, as well.

It also helps clean the air since roughly 20% of air pollution comes from vehicles.

“Increased levels of air pollution actually does increase your risk of hospitalization for COPD, COPD exacerbations, ER visits, asthma,” said Dr. Scott Helgeson, senior associate consultant, pulmonary and critical care medicine at Mayo Clinic.

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Jacksonville is a growing city with more and more traffic and studies show that those most impacted by pollution live closest to highways, making this also an environmental justice concern.

“It would cut down a lot on this potential development of these respiratory cardiovascular diseases,” Helgeson said.

Research by Net-Zero America at Princeton University concluded that Florida could avoid nearly 10,000 premature deaths by 2050 if electric cars dominate new sales.

An estimated $20 billion in health care costs could be saved as well.

This month, JEA started a new program for electric vehicle owners that saves them even more money on electricity by offering a $7/month incentive if they charge their cars overnight from a dedicated charging port.

“I just signed up for it. I got approved last week (as) a matter of fact,” Gonzalez said.

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JTA is on board, too, already acquiring a couple of zero-emission, all-electric buses to its fleet this year — taking a first step towards long-term sustainability.

“Electric transportation is available right now for everybody and you can participate in some way,” said Dave Mckee, JEA’s program manager of electrification.

Switching to electric transportation is just one way to improve sustainability. Alternative energy jobs in Florida grew by 2.9% last year, increasing by 3,480 jobs since 2019.

True to the image of a stereotypical car salesmen, President Joe Biden and congressional leadership are pitching a multitrillion dollar spending package that they say won’t cost middle class Americans a dime.

That’s like telling someone who came to the dealership to buy a Honda that they can have a Mercedes instead. Sure, if the dealership backloads the payments, the price may be the same for the first few years, but not when the true costs kick in.

The $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend package is no different. In addition to costing everyday Americans more in taxes and higher prices, this transformation of the American economy has some scary implications for how federal lawmakers may try to dictate the products and services that Americans buy.

For example, federal policymakers will micromanage the economy by using the tax code to subsidize electronic vehicles and—if Biden gets his way—prop up labor unions.

Currently, the federal government provides electric vehicle tax credits of up to $7,500 for Americans who buy an electric vehicle made by a company that hasn’t already sold more than 200,000 vehicles. Subsidies for electric vehicles may seem, at least ostensibly, to help make them more widely available to ordinary Americans.

In reality, electric vehicles and other zero-emission cars accounted for only 2% of car sales in 2019 and tax credits have disproportionately benefitted corporations and wealthy Americans living in California.

California is home to 42% of electric vehicles—perhaps unsurprising as the state is banning the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles starting in 2035 as part of its radical climate agenda.

Of the estimated $7.5 billion in electric vehicle credits to be claimed between 2018 and 2022, corporations will take about half. Of the other half claimed by individual Americans, 78% will go to people making over $100,000 per year.

But taxpayer subsidies for corporations and high-income households could skyrocket under the $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend package. The House of Representatives’ version would increase the maximum electric vehicle tax credit to $12,500 and make it available as a tax write off or a cash rebate. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this will divert $16 billion in tax revenue.

That maximum credit would also be tied to ever-greater micromanagement, with $500 conditional on the electric vehicle battery being American made and $4,500 conditional on the vehicle being assembled in the U.S. by unionized workers.

Maybe in concept that sounds like a nice way to proudly support American businesses and workers. In reality it would inflate electric vehicle costs and penalize most workers who prefer not to join a union. It could even backfire and lead to fewer electric vehicles being produced and sold in the U.S.

The Center for Automotive Research estimates that labor costs at the big-three unionized U.S. automakers will range from $66 to $72 per hour in 2023 while labor costs at non-unionized foreign automakers in the U.S. will average $52 per hour.

Only about 14% of autoworkers are unionized in the U.S. Meanwhile, foreign-owned automakers now employ more U.S. workers than domestic automakers.

As domestic auto production is less than half what it was 25 years ago, foreign auto production shot up 82% over the same period. Betting long on a declining stock and short on a rising one has never been a good investment strategy.

Not only would higher subsidies targeted at unionized labor and U.S.-made parts drive up costs for the subsidized vehicles, but they would shrink the types of cars eligible for the tax credits. According to Autos Drive America, 52 cars potentially qualify for current electric vehicle credits.

But under the $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend package, only two cars would qualify for the maximum $12,500 electric vehicle credit. Those happen to be the same cars some parking garages are prohibiting drivers from parking in due to the risks of batteries potentially catching on fire.  

There may be other unintended consequences too. Foreign-owned auto companies looking to expand or build new manufacturing facilities in the U.S. might scale back or reconsider such investments if it becomes apparent that U.S. lawmakers will engage in crony energy and labor policy that gives U.S -competitors a $4,500 leg up.

States that have worked hard to attract good-paying jobs, protect worker freedoms, and increase economic output could also be penalized by such crony policies.

Instead of striving for robust and open competition to attract more electric vehicle investment and production in the U.S., the message to automakers seems to be that they need to pay to play in a rigged U.S. market intended to benefit union bosses and wealthy individuals at the expense of hardworking Americans.

Current taxpayer subsidies for electric vehicles are already problematic and fail to benefit ordinary Americans. Doubling down on them makes even less sense.

American freedom and ingenuity created the most prosperous nation in the history of the world. Politicians’ attempts to use taxpayers’ money to micromanage the decisions that businesses and families make threatens that freedom and ingenuity.

For many motorists, buying an electric car is now seen as an option, but not yet a compelling one.

However the target is to have 180,000 electric powered vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2025 – from 41,000 in the middle of this year – and to have over 900,000 by 2030. We have a long way to go.

(Oxford Analytica) — Shortages of critical components, shipping disruptions and rising production costs are limiting the ability of automotive manufacturers to keep pace with consumer demand. This is pushing up prices, and accelerating changes in product lines, corporate structures and supply chains. Meanwhile, major vehicle and parts manufacturers are investing heavily in new product and process development to focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and meet targets for future carbon emission reductions.

What next

Global automotive production is unlikely to recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2023. Smaller parts manufacturers are being squeezed by rising costs and competitive price pressures, undermining their capacity to invest in new processes and raising closure risks. In parallel, the shift to zero-emission vehicles is accelerating, driving investments across EV and battery value-chains, shrinking supply-chain geographies and setting the stage for a far-reaching contraction of the parts industry that depends on traditional vehicle production.

Subsidiary Impacts

· Parts shortages and higher costs are prompting automakers to prioritize higher-margin models in order to capitalize on pricing leverage.

· The demise of traditional auto manufacturing will threaten jobs, lead to factory closures and make EV output a polarizing political issue.

· US-China tensions will plague EV output: China has 25 times more large battery manufacturing plants than the United States.

· As demand for low-skilled roles falls and demand for high-skilled roles such as automation specialists rises, re-skilling will be key.

Analysis

Global automotive sales and production were weakening before the pandemic. Production levels grew from 77 million vehicles in 2010 to 97 million in 2018, but fell to 92 million vehicles in 2019. Global automotive sales plummeted by 15% to 77.2 million units and production fell by 16% to 74.5 million vehicles in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic hit demand and supply worldwide.

In 2020, car sales fell by 6% in China, 15% in the United States and 24% in Europe. China, which accounts for 21% of global automotive production, saw output levels drop by 4% to 24.3 million vehicles. Automotive production fell by 15% to 14.5 million vehicles in the United States, by 21% to 16.4 million vehicles in Europe and by 20% to 21.8 million vehicles in the rest of the world.

Global demand has rebounded strongly since May 2020. Market surveys indicate that the pandemic has had only a marginal impact on consumer preferences, shifting demand slightly towards smaller and less expensive vehicles rather than undermining overall purchasing expectations.

Automotive manufacturing has failed to keep pace. The price of new and used vehicles have risen sharply as manufacturers have run down inventories without catching up with consumer demand. Production has been held back by supply chain disruptions, caused by:

· temporary shutdowns and financial vulnerability among parts suppliers;

· shortages of critical components; and

· international shipping and logistics constraints.

Shortages of semi-conductors and other electronic components have hit the automotive sector especially hard as they account for around 35% of vehicle costs.

To try to compete, assembly plants have tried to limit price increases by their suppliers, compressing profit margins particularly for smaller parts producers down the supply chain, which in turn has limited those firms’ ability to invest, increase capacity or guarantee supply. Assemblers have also favored the production of higher-margin vehicles, on which they have been able to raise retail prices more easily.

In parallel, they have been diversifying their sources of supply, building more internal capacity (including production of customized chips), consolidating their dealerships and looking for other ways to reduce costs in their operations and supply chains.

Slow growth through 2023

Earlier this year most analysts were predicting a strong recovery in auto production and sales as supply chain disruptions diminished. At the end of June, the market consensus was that global vehicle sales would rebound by 8-10% to between 83 million and 85 million units in 2021. Sales were expected to increase by 14.5% in the United States, 9.8% in Europe, 6.9% in China, and 6.8% in the rest of the world.

Global production was forecast to grow by 12-14% this year. The market was then expected to cool in 2022 with sales growing by 3-5% and output by 6-8%.

These predictions are likely to prove over-optimistic.

Chip makers are investing in new production capacity in an effort to keep up with customer demand, but the auto industry is not the only sector facing supply shortages. Automotive companies are competing with electronics, appliance, equipment and technology manufacturers, many of which have established relationships with chip producers, make larger orders and are better able to bid for supply at higher prices.

Moreover, it takes time to ramp up chip fabrication and the manufacturing of other auto parts after a period of production slowdowns. Even the most automated production systems require companies to source and train a qualified workforce.

Like auto assemblers, chip makers and other parts producers have focused on higher-margin products through the pandemic, leaving start-ups and smaller companies to step in and fill supply gaps. Auto companies themselves are now opening chip fabrication plants or acquiring smaller chip makers to meet demand.

As manufacturers try to reduce their exposure to price corrections once supply comes on stream, automotive supply chains will remain at under-capacity levels and vulnerable to market shocks throughout the year ahead.

As a result, worldwide vehicle sales and production are more likely to increase by 4-6% this year, with stronger growth in 2022. A full recovery to pre-pandemic levels is not likely before 2023. Long-term projections are still for the global automotive industry to grow to just under USD9tn by 2030.

EVs will lead the way

Despite the market disruptions, all major auto makers are continuing to invest heavily in EV development and production. Worldwide EV investment is expected to increase by more than USD400bn between 2020 and 2025.

Investments in hydrogen-powered technologies are also increasing but are unlikely to become a mainstream option for light vehicle propulsion this decade.

EV investments are driven in part by consumer demand. While EVs currently account for only 10 million vehicles or 1% of the global fleet, they are expected to account for 4-6% of global sales in 2021 and around 8% in 2022, with demand especially strong in Europe and China. Demand is even stronger when hybrid vehicles are included. Market forecasts suggest that EVs will account for almost 11% of global sales by 2025 and between 29% and 50% by 2030.

These projections are based on consumer trends but are also being driven by government policies that favor EVs over internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and limit the impacts of climate change.

EV production has been a priority for the Chinese government for more than ten years. More recently, the United Kingdom, the EU, the United States and Japan have announced significant incentives to accelerate investments throughout the EV value chain as an integral part of their strategies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035.

Over the past decade, EV manufacturers led by Tesla, BYD and Nio have gained a significant share of the automotive market and now attract some of the highest valuations of any of the world’s carmakers.

Established companies are also committing to ramping up EV production to be ahead of government regulators and compete with new market entrants. Most incumbents are aiming to replace their ICE ranges completely with EVs by 2035. Automakers are already investing in new models and production systems to meet these long-range targets.

There are now around 330 pure EV and hybrid models in the global fleet, compared with 86 five years ago. Based on announcements by leading carmakers, analysts predict that there will be more than 500 models on the road by 2025.

EV challenges

The transformation of the global automotive industry to EV production is accelerating, but meeting the sales targets that automakers have set will be highly problematic. Four challenges stand in the way.

· Consumer acceptance

Auto producers will need to reduce the cost of EVs and extend their battery life and driving distance if they are to compete seriously with ICE vehicles without heavy government subsidies.

Investments will continue to target innovations in lightweight materials and the development of new, smaller and denser battery technologies that promise longer driving distances and greater energy efficiency. Batteries currently account for about 65% of the weight of standard EVs.

Market watchers believe that 2025 will be the inflection point when EV pricing, range and performance become competitive with ICE vehicles, spurring organic consumer demand. However, this assumes that:

· governments will continue to increase carbon taxes and maintain incentives for EV sales;

· manufacturers will keep increasing investments in new technologies; and

· consumers will change their purchasing habits once EVs become price-competitive.

All these assumptions remain far from certain.

· Infrastructure

Significant investments will be needed in electricity and manufacturing infrastructure to enable widespread, low-carbon EV transportation. A ubiquitous network of charging stations will be required to service a global fleet of EVs.

Moreover, because EV production creates about 60% more emissions than ICE vehicle manufacturing, low-carbon electricity for charging will be essential to guarantee that emissions show a net reduction over the lifetime of an EV.

Consequently, auto makers are investing heavily in advanced manufacturing and environmental technologies to reduce their overall carbon footprint. They are also localizing supply chains and delivery channels to lower the emissions involved in bringing in materials and parts, and sending out vehicles after assembly.

· Supply chain constraints

· Global battery production, and the mining and processing of minerals required to produce lithium-ion batteries, will have to accelerate rapidly to keep pace with EV sales targets. Lithium, graphite, manganese, cobalt and nickel are mined in some of the world’s poorest countries and then shipped to China for processing. Most of the world’s lithium battery production is also carried out in East Asia, mainly for the electronics industry. In Europe and North America, automotive batteries are in short supply.

China is the leading producer of automotive batteries thanks to a decade-long policy of subsidizing EV production, imposing sales quotas and requiring automakers to purchase Chinese-made batteries. It is home to 80% of the world’s refining capacity for the minerals used in battery production, 77% of battery manufacturing and 60% of battery component manufacturing. Where the United States has four large-scale battery manufacturing plants, China has close to 100.

New “gigafactories” — large plants making EV batteries from start to finish — are planned for China, the United States and Europe. However, mining, mineral processing and battery production are unlikely to expand rapidly enough to service the EV market if sales pick up as predicted beyond 2025.

· Geopolitical and economic risks

China’s predominance in battery production and the critical role that the automotive sector plays in all industrial economies guarantee that the EV market will be at the forefront of geopolitical and trade tensions as well as the scene of rivalry among auto manufacturers. Trade sanctions and export controls are already threatening the long-term supply of batteries, chips and the critical minerals used in battery and electronics production outside China.

The transition to EVs also threatens a large segment of global manufacturing. EVs require only about 15% of the number of components that go into an ICE vehicle. As the latter are phased out, demand for parts will drop sharply, affecting their manufacturers which today account for about two-thirds of the global automotive market.

Governments will face increasing pressure from business as well as labor groups to subsidize the components sector. They will need to balance this, at a time of increasing fiscal restraint, with their support for low-carbon mobility. EV production may become a polarizing political issue as jobs come under threat and factories close with the demise of ICE vehicle manufacturing.

This analysis was first published in the Oxford Analytica Daily Brief on Oct. 18, 2021. To learn more about the Daily Brief and Oxford Analytica, click here.

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For Sheryl Ponds, a native Washingtonian and founder and CEO of Dai Technologies Corporation, the future’s now — and it’s exciting.

Ponds’ DaiTechCorp counts as the region’s first and only company founded by a Black female focused on solutions that make electric vehicle (EV) charging accessible to all drivers.

Ponds said her company provides tailor-made, turnkey installations of EV charging stations in the home, multifamily developments and other commercial settings, including curbside parking.

“I decided to jump into this business now as opposed to waiting until it becomes mainstream,” Ponds said. “It’s going to be big once everyone figures out that electric vehicles are not just a passing fancy.”

Ponds, whose love of all things STEM began in middle school, noted that drivers who live in dense urban and multi-family settings remain discouraged from embracing the technology without equitable access to EV charging stations.

“Just the presence of one EV charger in an apartment or retail garage would influence more residents, patrons and employees to embrace electrified transportation,” Ponds said.

She also addressed some of the hesitancy in switching to electric vehicles, reiterating what she’s previously stated on several podcasts.

“Everyone is not mentally ready for EV adoption,” Ponds said. “It’s understandable but I call it suffering from range anxiety – the fear of getting stuck on the road without an outlet to charge an electric vehicle.”

Ponds further explained:

“It’s embarrassing and I get it. You feel vulnerable,” she said.

But the University of Tennessee graduate who majored in mechanical engineering asserted that hesitancy could have cost her the opportunity to make history with DaiTech Corp.

“There are many individuals like myself who require greater access to EV charging stations before purchasing their first EV,” Ponds noted. “I launched my company because I figured that if this new era of automotive transportation is going to take hold in the greater DMV area, it may as well start with me.”

Eventually, Ponds put all of her resources into building the company. Earlier this year, she was chosen to provide home charger installations for Volvo Cars’ new electric vehicle owners in the D.C. metropolitan area.

“For the sake of our planet, electric vehicles must be the wave of the immediate future,” Ponds stated after the announcement.

The agreement revealed that two companies, Qmerit and Volvo, shared her commitment to ending range anxiety and promoting electric vehicle adoption, she said.

“Consumers will not embrace the alternative to gasoline-powered cars until they believe their access to electric vehicle charging stations is convenient and secure,” Ponds said.

She said she aims to make it practical for the average driver from an urban or underserved market to switch from a car fueled by “dinosaur juice” to one energized with electricity.

Ponds promised that DaiTechCorp meets area electric vehicle drivers’ needs through the company’s knack for establishing turnkey plug-in vehicle charging programs for places where they live, work, or play.

“If we have enough power to cut on your lights and operate things around the house, then it’s just a matter of time before we can figure out a way to harness enough power to move cars with this [new] technology” she said. “We have mobile devices that we have to plug in every day and we plug them in every night so they’re charged and ready. As I see electric vehicles, it’s no different.”

“Let’s write our electric vehicle adoption story together,” she said. “If people reach out to me, I’d love to help them stare down their anxiety.”

Reach out to Sheryl Ponds on Instagram and Twitter @daitechceo.

​​​​COLUMBUS, Ohio — Seven years since buying his first Tesla, Gregory Schenk, 61, said the purchase was the best decision he’s made, but it was only a viable option because of the car manufacturer’s robust charging network and his ability to install a plug at home.

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What You Need To Know

• Access to charging can make or break the decision to go electric
• There are about 45,000 electric charging stations in the U.S. currently
• That number will need to rise to support projected growth in the market

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“When I talk to people that have never done it, charging is one of their biggest fears,” Schenk said. “I mean, I think it’s Tesla and everyone else. Mercedes is coming out with an electric car, and I drove Mercedes for 25 years — they’re awesome cars, but there’s no charging network. To me, that’s the million dollar question for all these other brands, are they going to do it?”

As electric vehicles become more efficient and affordable, cities, companies and elected officials are working on the public charging infrastructure to support projected growth in the market. Advocates view charging as the critical piece to electric vehicle adoption. 

Brendan Kelley of the nonprofit Clean Fuels Ohio said more than 80% of electric vehicle charging currently happens at home, but that’s not necessarily an option for those who are renters or live in residential buildings. 

Kelley, who is the director of the nonprofit’s Drive Electric Ohio initiative, said there’s a need for continued expansion of public charging options at places like grocery stores, parks and malls, as well as installations at workplaces and in multi-family dwelling parking areas. 

“We’re on sort of a cusp between people who control parking structures considering EV charging an amenity to it becoming a necessity,” he said. “Yes, there’s been a lot of progress, and yes, there’s still more work that needs to be done.”

According to the Department of Energy, there are about 45,000 public charging station locations in the U.S. and about 110,000 total ports. Only about 5,500 of those are DC Fast chargers, which can get drivers back on the road in about 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the vehicle. 

President Joe Biden, as part of his climate goals, has stated a target for 50% of new vehicles to be electric by 2030, and his administration is seeking funding in infrastructure negotiations for growth to 500,000 chargers. The administration is stressing the importance of addressing equity gaps in access to charging. 

 

Installing chargers in disadvantaged neighborhoods is the most urgent area that needs to be addressed, Kelley said, but another solution is expanding electric-powered public transit to reduce pollution in communities where the switch to electric vehicles is likely to be more prolonged. 

In the Columbus area, a $10 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and a significant statewide investment by American Electric Power for public charging has helped the region move in the right direction toward increased adoption of electric vehicles, Kelley said. 

But only 29,500 electric vehicles are registered in the state, compared to millions of gas-powered vehicles on the road, Kelley said. 

In addition to better charging infrastructure, he said policy will need to support electric vehicle adoption if those numbers are to improve. Kelley said that could include incentives for vehicle purchases and for manufacturing, like factory retooling incentives.

“Automakers are making decisions about where their facilities are going to be based that produce EVs, and they’re going to be investing $330 billion globally between now and 2025,” Kelley said. “That’s a lot of money very quickly. These production siting decisions are being made right now, and investment follows policy.”

Members of Congress are discussing additional incentives for buying electric vehicles. House Democrats have called for tax credits of up to $12,500, but negotiations are ongoing.

Schenk said barriers like a $200 annual registration fee in Ohio for electric vehicles need to go.

“They should be paying us,” he said. “Here we are saving everybody this and that — no noise, no pollution, and they still want the extra road tax. I think that’s just zero common sense — like most government stuff is, unfortunately.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Global leading tire company Hankook Tire has successfully completed the “Volkswagen ID.4: Great Roadshow through the U.S.” with its electric vehicle-specific tire Kinergy AS EV. The tour team has newly set a Guinness World Records title for the longest journey by electric car (non-solar) in a single country with an EV, breaking the previous record set in 2019.

As electric vehicle policies and practices gain traction in the Midwest, Wisconsin experts point to adopting electric vehicles as a key strategy to combat carbon emissions.

At the beginning of October, five governors of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin banded together in an effort to create a network of charging stations for electric vehicles across the Midwest. The initiative, called REV Midwest, hopes to make owning an electric vehicle easier by expanding charging accessibility.

The plan comes as Midwest states have taken to electric vehicles slower than other states, despite the fact that transportation accounts for nearly 25% of energy consumption in Wisconsin and 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Chris McCahill, managing director at the State Smart Transportation Initiative, views fighting the battle with carbon emissions from a transportation perspective as a three-legged stool: the source of energy, vehicle efficiency and total driving time. McCahill said shifting the transportation sector toward a cleaner, more efficient state will help address each of these legs.

“What we’ve seen over the last decade or so is that even as cars are getting more efficient, emissions are still going up in the transportation sector,” McCahill said. “It’s now the largest sector for emissions, and that’s because the average person is driving more and more each year.”

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McCahill said electric vehicles are a key part of the equation of reducing carbon emissions because they improve vehicle efficiency and become more accessible as technology improves.

Wisconsin is slightly behind in the adoption of electric vehicles, with 8,259 sold to date. In 2019, electric vehicle market share was only 0.81%, which is well behind the total U.S. market share of 2.11%.

In Madison, however, the electric vehicle trajectory is promising. Mahanth Joishy, superintendent of the City of Madison Fleet Service, has made it his goal to battle greenhouse gas emissions by promoting sustainability in the fleet. The Fleet Service is in charge of purchasing and maintaining city agencies’ and departments’ equipment, which includes city-owned vehicles. 

“I can promise that, all the millions of dollars in my budget, I will put all of it into sustainability,” Joishy said. “And we already are starting to do that.”

Since Joishy joined the Fleet Service in 2017, he said the fleet went from zero to 60 electric vehicles with more on the way. They use over 100 hybrid vehicles, the first and only electric fire truck in North America, anti-idling technology in ambulances for medical work with the engine off, soybean based tires and biodiesel, which is their biggest sustainability program.

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Implementing these sustainable practices contributes to clean energy goals in Wisconsin as well as the local economy. Joishy said charging electric vehicles costs about one third the price of the cheapest gasoline options. The biodiesel in their trucks comes from Wisconsin soybean oil and is refined at a Dane County facility.

“There’s no reason why Wisconsin can’t be the cleanest, the greenest in the world and also make the most money from it,” Joishy said. “There’s a lot of profit to be made in better batteries. Better charging stations and better fuels. And, if we do it well here, they will want to buy this everywhere else.”

Though to promote electric vehicles, the technology needs to be easy to use and accessible, McCahill said. This means states should be working to help introduce more charging stations into communities and make the charging faster, he explained.

As the Midwest attempts tackle this goal with REV Midwest, the Biden-Harris administration has proposed a $7.5 billion investment in providing electric vehicle charging infrastructure to communities that need it. 

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“Just as equally big a part is we need charging infrastructure,” Joishy said. “We need the cities, the utilities, the universities like UW and the whole system to invest in electrical capacity and charging stations to power up all of these vehicles.”

One hurdle in promoting electric vehicle adoption is mechanical issues, Joishy said. For example, the fleet has 35 Chevrolet Bolts, an all electric car, which currently has a safety recall to avoid battery fires. While some batteries have resulted in high profile fires, gasoline and diesel engines are much less safe and can easily explode as well.

The outlook for Wisconsin is positive, but will require time, work and investment from members of the community. Joishy said fighting climate change is a war, and everyone needs to pick a side and contribute.

He encouraged people to consider buying an electric vehicle, taking the bus, biking or even finding a job in the promising field of sustainability to fight this battle for future generations.

“If anyone wants to be a part of this revolution, it’s an exciting time, and we’re only at the beginning of it,” Joishy said. “The 2020’s in the realm of transportation will see more change than the last 100 years combined.”

Electric vehicles are currently seeing major interest from drivers these days. The increased interest can be attributed to the immense amount of torque, the lower cost of ownership, ecological friendliness and much more. India in the past few years has seen a surge in demand for EVs, despite the number of challenges like range anxiety, high upfront cost, lack of public charging infrastructure and lack of options to name a few. Also Read – Xiaomi electric cars are coming in first half of 2024, confirms company: Check details

One of the major concerns that dawn over buyers is the range of batteries. While the average range of EV two-wheelers is around 70km and four-wheelers is 200+ km. The number continues to degrade with usage. All EV batteries come with a lifespan similar to phone batteries. This degradation of batteries impacts the performance and range of EV powertrains. Also Read – Honda shows two new production EVs, three concept models under e:N series: Check details

Here we will be taking a look at some of the top reasons, which lead to the degradation of EV batteries. Also Read – Best electric scooter or bike to buy in India: Ola S1, Revolt RV 400, Ather 450X, more

Time

From the moment you start using an EV, its battery starts degradation with it only having a set number of charge cycles. So basically, the older the battery, the higher the amount of degradation. Newer liquid-cooled next-gen batteries have a lower percentage of degradation, but still have an impact, which starts showing after a certain time of driving.

Climate

The climate in which an EV operates plays a key role in battery performance. Temperatures are a key factor in battery degradation, with colder temperatures slowing down the charging rate and reducing the range, and warm temperatures help with rapid battery charging. However, prolonged usage in hot and humid climates damage battery cells impacting performance and range.

Fast Charging

While fast charging in EVs is a lifesaver at times, it also degrades your battery much faster. The increased thermal load and the excessive heat that is generated damages the battery cells, thus affecting the performance and range capacity.

Charging habits

Charging is one of the major aspects that you should focus on to increase the life of your vehicle’s battery. You should maintain good charging habits to extend the battery life of your EVs battery, and not be abusing the battery like completely draining out the battery regularly, fast charging frequently and more.

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