Vinfast announced plans to open an EV manufacturing plant in North Carolina.
Package for Hertz! Rental company scores 65,000 EVs from Polestar
Hertz has announced it’s going to purchase 65,000 Polestar EVs over the next five years, Reuters reports. A move by the rental car firm to increase its selection of zero-emission models around the globe. The company also announced in October an order of 100,000 Teslas.
According to Hertz, the Polestar EVs will be available to customers at the beginning of spring in Europe, and later in 2022 for North America and Australia.
Australia’s EV problem might leave them behind in the dust
It looks like EVs are becoming a hot commodity down under. Writing for The Guardian, Jordyn Beazley speaks to industry leaders about the increasing demand in Australia for EVs, and how it's now outstripping supply. A lack of incentives in Australia has led to automakers selling EVs in countries with CO2 emission efficiency standards, or where there are schemes in place to support EV manufactures and encourage customers.
While the Australian government does have a $2.1 billion funded future fuels and vehicles strategy, it does not seem to be enough to motivate manufactures to focus on Australia. Wait times for Tesla models currently stand at six to nine months, and Australia usually receives EV models at a much later date than other countries. Automaker Škoda announced that its electric SUV Enyaq would be available in Australia in 2023, three years after it was released in the UK. With further delays created by the pandemic and gas prices soaring, Australians face being left behind as the world goes electric.
Electric vehicles could save lives, study reports
According to a new report by the American Lung Association, a quick transition to EVs in the U.S. could save over 100,000 lives.
A further $1.2 trillion could also be saved in healthcare costs over the following three decades, the Guardian reports. The ALA also predicts there would be 2.8 million fewer asthma attacks and avoid 13.4 million sick days by 2050.
The calculations were based off a scenario of 100% EV car sales and the complete shift from fossil fuels to other energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear by 2035. Despite the promising results of the report, it’s an unlikely scenario. The divide in American politics, as well as the lack of urgency to promote climate policies among some American leaders, is seeing climate change reforms pushed back.
GM and Honda team up to create wallet friendly EVs
GM and Honda Motors have announced that they will work together to develop a line of affordable EVs, CNBC reports. Using GM’s Ultium battery technology, the collaboration is hoping to see millions of cheaper EVs created including popular compact crossover vehicles.
Vehicles in the affordable range are expected to cost below $30,000 and will be available to buy in 2027. Both companies are also working on next-generation battery tech, which should see batteries get cheaper, lighter, have a higher range and greater energy density. This collaboration marks yet another joint effort by the two companies, with Honda having previously invested $750 million in Cruise, GM’s autonomous vehicle unit. However, Honda still plans on creating its own EV technology.
EV fever hits the UK
The numbers are in! Britons have seen the light (or should that be electrical glow?)! They purchased more EVs in March 2022 than in all of 2019.
According to the Guardian, there were 39,315 new battery vehicle registrations in the UK in March – and only 37,850 UK EV sales in 2019. These figures are in part due to soaring petrol prices, which has prompted the lowest amount of gas and diesel car sales in 24 years.
But the waters aren’t entirely calm for the growing EV sector: chip shortages and production delays are proving tricky to manage in light of the surge in demand.
