Legislators also agreed to boost domestic oil production through new drilling permits.
The state hopes to have as many as 150,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025, but it still has a long way to go. For some localities, switching municipal vehicles to EVs can signify to residents that the town is serious about reducing emissions.
The federal funding will be used to reduce air pollution and encourage the use of electric vehicles and charging stations, which are crucial to EV growth. The state will add $10.6 million to the funding.
The city purchased two Tesla vehicles for a pilot program of electrifying the police department’s fleet. Preliminary reviews gave the Teslas low marks but the scope of the survey was very narrow.
The Boring Company has proposed to build a pair of tunnels that would shuttle riders to the city’s beachfront in self-driving Teslas. But there are still cost and environmental concerns that need to be resolved before approval.
The electric car company received a warm welcome from the Lone Star State when it moved its headquarters from California just a few months ago. But some state regulations could hinder the company’s success.
Some say that Michigan is well suited to become the hub for next-gen technologies like semiconductors and electric vehicles, but will need more investment before it outpaces tech hubs in New England and the West.
The Central Ohio Transit Authority will stop running diesel-powered buses by 2025 and will implement eight more electric buses next summer. There are approximately 700 electric transit vehicles currently operating in the U.S.
The state will build a one-mile stretch of road that will recharge electric vehicles as they drive but details of how, when and where are still unclear. Indiana is working on similar tech, also vying to be the first in the country.
The infrastructure bill being debated in Congress looks like a small but genuine down payment on a more climate-friendly transportation sector and electric power grid. What comes next is crucial.
The U.S. has been pushing the electrification of appliances, cars and other household goods to cut back on carbon emissions. But shifting away from fossil fuels will require expanding the power grid and large upfront costs.
One Ford plant converted into an electrification center and now makes parts for hybrid and electric vehicles, which allowed it to keep its workers. But the conversion hasn’t come without its challenges.
The Tennessee utility has promised that its entire fleet of passenger cars as well as at least half of its pickup and light cargo trucks will be converted to electric vehicles by 2030, in an effort to help electrify the region.
Cities like New York and Columbus, Ohio, have made significant headway in converting their fleets to electric vehicles, helping to push along the industry toward electrifying more than just cars and trucks.
Most lithium-ion batteries used in EVs today will last between 11 and 13 years. But eventually they stop working, creating millions of tons of battery waste per year. Recycling is difficult but potentially profitable.
Of the state’s nearly 370,000 EVs, 40 percent of them are registered to just four Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino. Three electric vehicle startups are located in Irvine.
Most Read
