NASA at the forefront of electric airplane development


Aircraft are responsible for a substantial amount of air pollution, but building an electric airplane presents several physical and institutional problems that automobile designers don’t have to worry about. NASA has been working on electric planes, and grappling with these problems, for at least a decade, and has begun to demonstrate some progress. The agency… Read more »

Mazda MX-30 coming to US market in fall 2021


Mazda unveiled its first battery-electric vehicle, the MX-30, at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Now the company plans to bring it to the US market, beginning with California, in fall 2021. It’s scheduled to roll out in additional states in 2022. The MX-30 is built on Mazda’s Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture platform. It features a 35.5 kWh… Read more »

Li-Cycle and Ultium Cells partner to recycle battery manufacturing scrap


Li-Cycle, the developer of a novel battery recycling system, has announced an agreement with Ultium Cells, a joint venture of GM and LG Energy Solution, to recycle up to 100% of the scrap generated by battery cell manufacturing at Ultium’s Lordstown, Ohio mega-factory. Using its patented Spoke & Hub Technologies at facilities in the US,… Read more »

Five new DC fast charging hubs planned for convenience stores in central New York state


The Mirabito convenience store chain plans to install DC fast charging hubs at five locations in central New York. The five hubs, which are to go into service by this fall, will offer a total of 19 chargers. The project is part of the New York Power Authority’s EVolve NY charging network, which will be… Read more »

Duke Energy wins approval for major e-mobility initiative in Florida


The Florida Public Service Commission has approved Duke Energy Florida’s latest rate settlement agreement, which includes plans for a new multi-part EV initiative that the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy calls “the largest electric transportation program in the state’s history.” Duke secured approval for a $7-million EVSE pilot called Park and Plug in 2017. The… Read more »

JuiceBar provides charging solution for EV rental firm UFODRIVE


EVSE manufacturer JuiceBar has formed a new strategic partnership with UFODRIVE, an all-electric car rental company. The two firms aim to bring UFODRIVE’s software technology, including internet-of-things apps, to the US fleet industry, and is also working on pilot programs across Europe using JuiceBar’s hardware to provide charging to UFODRIVE’s rental and mobility software-as-a-service (SaaS)… Read more »

Extreme E tackles tough terrain, promotes sustainable racing


Formula E, the FIA-sanctioned electric racing series, has been a powerful ambassador for the EV revolution—and a damn fine sporting event—since its opening season in 2014. Now some of the same team behind Formula E, including Alejandro Agag, Chairman of Formula E and now CEO of Extreme E, have gone off-road and off the chain… Read more »

BoostEV is an on-demand mobile EV charging network, like UberEats for hungry EVs


The EV ecosystem is a work in progress, and when it comes to charging infrastructure, there are some key pieces missing from the puzzle. There will surely be a need for some form of portable charging on demand, and this is the niche that SparkCharge is looking to fill with its new app platform, BoostEV…. Read more »

Former EPA exec surveys the road ahead for US emissions standards


Q&A with former EPA exec Margo Oge Federal emissions and fuel economy regulations have been instrumental in encouraging (or coercing) automakers to produce EVs, and to make their legacy vehicles cleaner. Since President Nixon signed the Clean Air Act in 1963, federal regulations aimed at reducing air pollution have gradually grown stronger. Under President Obama,… Read more »

California environmental lawyer forecasts the future of state and federal emissions regulations


Q&A with environmental lawyer Maureen Gorsen California has led the nation in the fight against air pollution. The state has consistently implemented clean-air rules that are stricter than those imposed at the federal level, including the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires automakers to produce a certain number of electric vehicles. The Trump administration attempted… Read more »