Electric Vehicles
Asheville is now home to Western North Carolina’s first and only hybrid and electric used car dealership. The dealership named GreenToy will offer many makes and models of used electrified and hybrid cars. Used EVs are a cost-effective way to become an electric driver!

Perhaps instead you are in the market for a new electric vehicle? The 5 Most Exciting New Electric Cars You Can Buy In The Next 2 Years takes a look at upcoming models from VW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Porsche, and Tesla!

Infrastructure
There is exciting work being done to increase the number of electric vehicles in Louisiana! Louisiana Clean Fuels is working on increasing electric vehicle charging in a couple of ways. First, they are seeking a federal designation called an ‘Alternative Fuel Corridor’ for the highways. Second, they are encouraging the state Department of Environmental Quality to spend a portion of the money it is getting from the VW emissions settlement on electric car infrastructure.

In the Global news, Oil Giant Shell Leads Investment In Startup With ‘Electric Cars for Everyone’ Goal For Charging Tech. Shell, which continues to increase its involvement in the electric vehicle charging market is now leading an investment in startup ‘Ample,’ which describes itself as “a technology company focused on solving the energy delivery challenge for electric cars.”

Policy
Elon Musk Says Going Private Is ‘Best Path Forward’ For Tesla. Musk calls for the end to trading Tesla stock publicly sighting citing “large numbers of people who have the incentive to attack the company.” This was in reference to short-sellers, who profit when Tesla stock drops. A tech analysis summed it up, with this quote: “His mission for Tesla (to accelerate the globe’s adoption of sustainable energy) is both grand and long-term, making it difficult to accommodate investors quarterly expectations.”

The final news story for the week, US DOT Finalizes “Quiet Cars” Rule is an overview of the new federal safety rules from the Department of Transportation which will require all EVs to generate sounds when they are moving to emit noise up to 18.6 MPH by September of 2020.