• Energy

Automakers Worldwide Compete to Create Cheap, Efficient Car Batteries

• batteries
• charging
• electric vehicles
• General Motors
• Tesla

The car battery was once thought to be one of the least interesting parts of an automobile, technically speaking. But things are changing now that the public has begun prioritizing sustainable transportation and lowering emissions. Wood Mackenzie, an energy research and consulting firm, suggests that electric vehicles will make up 18 percent of new car sales by 2030, which will increase the demand for batteries — and the materials to make them. 

Why This Matters: According to Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, mass-producing batteries is “The hardest thing in the world.”

• Energy

GM’s Announcement On All EVs by 2035 Is Shaking Things Up

• ads
• cars
• electric vehicles
• General Motors
• GM
• internal combustion
• oil and gas
• Super Bowl

GM announced last week it intends to make the switch to selling only electric vehicles by 2035 — a surprise move that accelerates the pace of the conversion from internal combustion (IC) vehicles here in the U.S.  It

Why This Matters:  Secretary Pete was confirmed and he is poised to ride the wave of the transportation transformation.  GM’s decision will push the other major automakers to do the same.

• Climate Change

Biden Intends to Replace Federal Fleet with EVs

• clean energy
• electric vehicles
• EVs
• federal fleet
• General Motors
• procurement

President Biden’s climate executive order calls for the government to use the procurement power of the federal government to require federal agencies to replace all 645,000 federal vehicles with electric-powered ones.

Why This Matters: The 645,000 federal vehicles pale in comparison to the 276 million vehicles (paywall) on the road in the USA, but the signal the Biden climate EO sends is clear.

• Climate Change

In the Biden Administration, “B” is for BIG

• carbon storage
• clean energy
• climate action
• climate crisis
• electric vehicles
• energy efficiency
• transparency

By Monica Medina, ODP Co-Founder and Co-Publisher The Biden administration is up and running. And if anyone in the country or the Democratic party thought the President would be a climate incrementalist they should think again. Like the Sesame Street bit or the Tom Hanks film, the word of the week in the White House […]

• Air

One Cool Thing: GM Makes an EV Splash at Consumer Electronics Show

• Bright Drop
• electric vehicles
• EVs
• General Motors
• GM
• The Jetsons

GM unveiled big plans at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show for electric vehicles — driverless “shuttle” vans and even – imagine this – flying cars.  CEO Mary Barra, the keynote speaker, unveiled a new company logo and highlighted innovative new vehicles.  The company has created a new unit called BrightDrop that will sell its EV600 […]

• Climate Change

2021 Brings New State Programs to Curb Carbon Emissions

• cap and trade
• electric vehicles
• greenhouse gas emissions
• Paris Climate Agreement
• wind farm

In the new year, many states have passed new laws and introduced programs to reduce their carbon footprints and help the U.S. meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Why this Matters: After President Trump systematically dismantled much of the United States’ federal climate protections, states have stepped up.