EV Breakthroughs in China, Tesla’s Ongoing Curler Coaster Trip — Information of the Week

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It’s been a busy month, and a few weeks have truly skipped by us since my final “Cleantech Information of the Week” replace. So, this can be a two-week abstract of a few of the greatest information we’ve seen and op-eds we’ve written.

Clear Vitality

The world is transferring right into a clear power future, and there’s little doubt about that. One knowledge level displaying us that is indisputable fact that the world is investing nearly twice as a lot cash into clear power than fossil fuels this 12 months. Equally, forecasts for a way a lot clear power shall be put in in coming years preserve having to be revised upward.

Within the US, nearly all new energy capability added within the nation this 12 months has come from renewable power sources.

We simply handed the two-year anniversary of the Inflation Discount Act, and analysis reveals that “Purple states” (primarily Republican states) have obtained essentially the most funding, regardless of truly having far much less of the inhabitants than Blue states. (As a reminder, the Inflation Discount Act was handed by Democrats once they managed Congress, with no assist from Republican politicians.)

Maybe on a associated word, Tina Casey discusses how a lot agrivoltaics and neighborhood solar energy are a match made in heaven.

Steve Hanley additionally mentioned photo voltaic development and success in Germany, the UK, and Texas.

On the subject of wind energy, the US Division of Vitality has three new studies out on our rising wind power future.

Sadly — not due to radiation or something like that, however due to fundamental economics, practicality, and monetary effectivity — some are nonetheless losing their time on new nuclear energy.

However let’s finish with one thing enjoyable — walkable photo voltaic PV flooring. Okay, this is probably not essentially the most environment friendly use of photo voltaic PV, however it’s a enjoyable choice to discover.

Electrical Automobiles

350 mayors throughout the US have pledged to impress a minimum of 50% of their municipal fleets by 2030 and enhance their EV infrastructure by 500% by 2035. The pledge was made as a part of the 2nd anniversary of the Inflation Discount Act.

We’ve a enjoyable new month-to-month report from Jose Pontes through which he does a “market roundup” of the highest international locations on this planet and their EV gross sales tendencies. These of us into quantity enjoyable are completely loving this.

Colombia will not be a kind of main markets, however we even have a report on this booming younger market, which has seen EV gross sales develop 240% not too long ago.

However it’s not all about new EVs. The nice information for almost all of people that store the used automobile market is that used electrical car costs have come down tremendously up to now a number of months — by 20.5% 12 months over 12 months within the 2nd quarter.

On the subject of Tesla, we mentioned what must be coming from an upgraded Tesla Mannequin Y, not too long ago noticed undercover, and likewise a super-trimmed-down and cheaper Mannequin 3 for Mexico.

Concerningly, Tesla’s favorability dropped from amongst Democrats 39% to 16% in simply 6 months this 12 months! There are some anticipated causes for that, however they go a bit broader than we in all probability assume, as a result of

On the constructive entrance for Tesla, it bought a comparatively small 9% tariff added to the bottom EV tariff of 10% for electrical automobiles produced in China and shipped to the EU. That ought to assist shield it from a giant gross sales drop in Europe.

Over in China, EV startup Zeekr has now set a brand new excessive bar for how briskly an electrical automobile (on the market in the marketplace right this moment) can cost. The corporate additionally simply reached 300,000 cumulative gross sales.

Chinese language EV corporations Zeekr, BYD, and NIO additionally proceed their fast growth in markets world wide, most not too long ago into Japan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.

At dwelling, China’s bought a brand new “money for clunkers” program to incentivize extra EV gross sales and get extra previous polluting automobiles off the highway.

We’ve additionally had a couple of broader articles in regards to the EV management of China — how long-term imaginative and prescient and 20 years of coverage initiatives have led to China dominating the clear power and EV markets. All of the whereas, too many within the US — together with in energy out there or politics — have been complacent, entitled, and terrified of change. On that matter, GM and Ford have, sadly, adopted the short-term, anti-community, short-sighted steering of Jack Welch — and it’s not turning out effectively.

Sticking to US challenges, the most recent information is that the rollout of Tesla Supercharging adapters for non-Tesla manufacturers will not be going effectively — it’s going very slowly because of an unexplained glacial tempo of manufacturing of those adapters by Tesla. Hopefully that may change quickly.

A police chief in Georgia explains how he went from EV skeptic to EV lover. It’s a enjoyable story.

Many anti-EV folks like to assert “they’re not as inexperienced as you assume they’re.” Effectively, that’s bunk. And on that matter, the US Division of Vitality factors out that “a small electrical SUV with a spread of 300 miles produces 52% fewer life cycle greenhouse gasoline (GHG) emissions than a comparable gasoline car.”

George Harvey wrote a enjoyable little thought train on what is going to occur as we come to the tip of the fossil gasoline period.

And over in Kenya, we’ve bought the constructive information that the federal government there may be shopping for 1,000 electrical autos for its workers, a rising pattern of sturdy authorities coverage in direction of EVs over in Africa.

Robotaxis

Maybe these must be within the part above, however I’m giving them their very own class.

The largest information is that Waymo has tripled its weekly paid robotaxi journeys in simply 3 months!

Additionally, the corporate has a brand new, Sixth-generation self-driving system simply launched which may drive in additional excessive climate, is cheaper than ever, and was developed sooner than ever.

Different

The 2028 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles are reportedly going to be car-free. It’s arduous to think about that in one of the vital auto-dependent cities on this planet. However that’s the aim. As a part of that, we’re anticipating to have electrical air taxis on the 2028 Olympics! In truth, the extra formidable aim is to have these electrical air taxis in operation for the 2026 World Cup within the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

On the matter of electrical air taxis, the important thing firm behind these plans talked about above, Archer Aviation, additionally simply offered 116 of its Midnight electrical plane to Future Flight International.

Relating to the approaching presidential election within the US, I additionally mentioned one thing I’d a lot moderately not talk about — how the Trump administration goals to dismantle local weather motion, clear power progress, and even staple items just like the Nationwide Climate Service and Division of Vitality if Trump is elected once more. That’s a part of a Venture 2025 agenda constructed by dozens of former Trump admin folks and folks very near Trump and JD Vance, and it primarily goals to “drown the federal government within the bathwater,” as Grover Norquist as soon as suggested.

Okay, I’ll finish on one other unhealthy word. I identified in an op-ed not too long ago that, paradoxically and sadly, it appears the folks most terrified of immigration to the US (a rustic constructed by immigrants) are additionally most definitely to disregard the underlying local weather disaster that’s inflicting a lot of this immigration. Ugh.

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