Electric Vehicle Weekly News Roundup – Aug 17

Dory Larsen | August 17, 2018 | Clean Transportation, Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicles
Volkswagen (VW), through its Electrify America subsidiary, has launched the “JetStones” ad campaignVW agreed to a multiple-part settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency as a result of VW’s installation of ‘defeat devices’ on their diesel engines in violation of the Clean Air Act. VW will spend $2 billion over 10 years to support increased zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) technology in the U.S., and one of the investment focus areas is the development of brand-neutral education and public outreach campaigns to increase awareness about EVs. The ad juxtaposes the Flintstones (fossil fuels) with the Jetsons (clean, electric fuels).

UPS Collaborates With Thor Trucks To Develop Electric Class 6 Delivery Truck. UPS announced another venture in the electric transportation sector. This collaboration with Los Angeles-based Thor Trucks will develop an electric Class 6 delivery truck and is expected to be ready for testing later this year. UPS is currently testing electric vehicles from a variety of other manufacturers as well.

Infrastructure
Virginia is the first state to commit VW Funds. The article Virginia Picks EVgo For Statewide Electric Vehicle Charging Network breaks down the decision to use the maximum 15% of Volkswagen emissions test-cheating settlement funds to pay for a statewide network of electric vehicle charging stations. EVgo will be the lead contractor and the plan will focus first on highway corridors.

Tesla Says 99% of the US Population Is Now Within 150 miles Of a Supercharger. Tesla has 10,836 Superchargers in operation at 1,339 stations around the world. The exponential growth of the Supercharger infrastructure network continues the pace to support the Model 3 fleet and is a huge component of the company’s success.

Policy
The Continued Transition to Electric Vehicles In U.S. Cities is a white paper from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The updated 2018 report assesses the U.S. electric vehicle market in 50 major cities and the actions driving it. 

Businesses Could Help Provide EV Infrastructure. We agree with Danny Kassis, renewables vice president for SCE&G, about workplace charging when he stated that “businesses should look at electric vehicle charging as a possible workplace benefit.” He went on to explain that “such a move could trigger a shift in how people think about electric vehicles.”

Dory Larsen
Dory joined the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in 2017 and was named Senior Electric Transportation Program Manager in 2023. She is working to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles…
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