Electric cars

• 2019 could feature some of the most extreme weather in 20 years. And yes, climate change is a major catalyst.
• The UN says that the climate crisis is the greatest threat ever to human rights.
• Why are hurricanes getting stronger? Three reasons.
• British farmers say we don’t need to stop consuming beef to address the climate crisis.
• And more…

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California, which is seen as the leader in electric vehicle adoption in the US, is still nowhere near its goal to have 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by the end of the next decade.
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A big part of the general public still doesn’t see all-electric cars as a viable option for their next vehicle.

JD Power confirms that in a new study and shows that there are still a lot of improvements to be made on the consumer education front when it comes to EVs.
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Most markets are starting to require electric vehicles to make a sound at lower speeds to prevent pedestrian accidents, and Mercedes-Benz is now demonstrating the pedestrian sound for its EQC electric SUV.
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A new report envisions a number of energy scenarios for the UK as it aims for net zero emissions by 2050, and one future path involves using 35 million electric cars to store a large amount of renewable energy.

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A barely-disguised Arnold Schwarzenegger touts the “benefits” of gasoline to customers who are interested in electric cars in a fun new ad that aims to increase electric vehicle adoption. But for many EV buyers, the anti-selling EV tactics used by car salesmen might hit too close to home.

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A promising electric car-sharing program in a UK town only lasted a few months, as the EVs quickly became a target for vandals who caused “exceptional levels of damage” to the cars.

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Electric vehicle detractors are rejoicing after a new study from the Munich-based IFO Institute for Economic Research is claiming electric cars are dirtier than diesel, but the study is already being debunked for being extremely flawed.
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AAA research released a new study about the effect of temperature on electric vehicle range and they claim that the average electric car range drops “41 percent at 20°F and when the HVAC system is used to heat the inside of the vehicle.”

Tesla disputes the claims saying that data from their own fleet of vehicles show that the decrease is not “anywhere near” what AAA is reporting.
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I have been reporting on electric cars full-time for the past 3 years now. Over 5,200 articles later, I am frustrated by the number of articles I wrote about vehicles you still can’t buy today.

But I think that will change in the next 2 years.

We now know of dozens of electric vehicle programs coming to market in the next few years and we believe they will change the auto industry forever.

Here we take a quick look at the 5 most exciting new electric cars you can buy in the next 2 years.
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Texas is bringing back its electric vehicle incentive program which offers a $2,500 discount at the purchase of all-electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles after a 3-year hiatus. With the federal tax credit, it can add up to $10,000 in incentive on a new EV.

But a lot of EV buyers will be left out of the program since Tesla vehicles are still not eligible.
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The German automotive labor unions have been fearing the electric revolution for a while now – claiming that it could lead to job losses.

They have now released a new study that claims that 75,000 jobs could be lost as the industry switches to electric vehicles.
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Norway’s electric vehicle adoption rate is so far ahead of most countries that it gives us glimpses into the future of bigger markets – sometimes even decades ahead of time.

Now it is starting to show signs of demand for gasoline and diesel slowing down as electric vehicles are taking over.
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As it was expected for the better part of the last year since automakers have been pushing for it and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wasn’t expected to hold its ground under the Trump administration, EPA head Scott Pruitt finally confirmed that they plan to lower the fuel consumption standards – allowing automakers to sell more polluting cars.
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After announcing the implementation of its zero-emission vehicle mandate, which will start in 2019, China now has also agreed to extend its electric car rebate until the end of the decade.
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The UK has some good momentum for electric vehicle adoption and they are trying to keep it.

This week, the government unveiled their Autumn budget and it includes an important investment to support the adoption of electric vehicles. 
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Update: How to approach buying a Tesla or any electric car with the proposed end of $7,500 tax credit next month

Ever since the election of Donald Trump, electric vehicle enthusiasts feared the possibility of the federal government slashing the $7,500 federal tax credit given at the purchase of a new battery-powered car.

Now those fears are coming closer to reality as reports suggest that the program has been removed as part of the new House tax bill.
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A new study has tried to address two of the main concerns over the environmental impact of electric vehicles versus gas-powered cars: namely the emissions from electricity generation to power the EVs and the impact of mining raw materials.

The main takeaway is that even electric cars powered by electricity generated by the dirtiest fossil fuel sources, like coal, still emit fewer emissions than diesel cars.
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Can you imagine a whole brigade of all-electric Abrams tanks powered by those new ‘Solar farm in a box’ systems being deployed in combat zones? We are not quite there yet, but the US Army is apparently aware that it is a likely possibility due to their long-standing close links with the auto industry, which is currently in an important electric transition.
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With all the planned bans on petrol and diesel cars announced lately, we are starting to witness different levels of government and jurisdictions outdoing themselves. For example, Scotland announced a phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2032 while the UK is aiming for 2040.

Now Paris announces that it is only going to allow electric cars as soon as 2030 ahead of France’s 2040 goal.
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Ireland’s Minister of Finance, Paschal Luke Donohoe, introduced this week a new measure to accelerate the deployment of electric cars in the country through businesses in their new budget.

The government will give tax breaks over one year for electric vehicles used as company cars.
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