NEWSNOTES | August 16, 2023
News Notes

When considering the purchase of an electric vehicle (EV), comparing mileage range can end up saving you money. Business News looked at some affordable models that have long mileage ranges. Among those that made the list of 2023 models are the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Hyundai Kona Electric, and the Tesla Model 3. And, in another sign of how the market is evolving, Google Maps is going to stop showing gas stations to EV owners. In the spirit of giving people the most reliable information, last year they added an option for users to see charging stations on their map instead of gas stations.

VinFast, the Vietnamese EV maker enjoyed market success on Wall Street last week with another impressive rally yesterday. The company has launched an ad campaign for its VF 8 crossover in the U.S. They are offering a ten-year or 125,000 mile basic warranty as well as a ten-year and unlimited mile warranty on the vehicle’s battery.

Kudos to Lightning eMotors for hitting the milestone of surpassing 5 million all-electric miles which includes deliveries of over 600 zero-emission commercial vehicles that are operating in over 80 fleet depots across North America. 

EVgo is one of the largest fast-charging networks in the U.S. and they’ve announced a partnership with Rivian R1S and R1T owners who can now use its Autocharge+ program. EVgo now has partnerships with 10 OEMs including GM, Hyundai, and others. Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, keeps rolling out orders, so far including 12,460 deliveries in the second quarter of 2023.

 Michigan-based utility Consumers Energy is working with several school districts in the state to get dozens of buses on the road during this school year. This is part of a bigger push to electrify many vehicles in the state. They are also offering rebates to help pay for charging equipment. 

Volvo Trucks is working with InCharge Energy and Gilbarco Veeder-Root to install electric truck charging infrastructure. They launched a program this week designed to be a one-stop-shop for all their North America customers. The program will also offer planning for incentives, installation, and interfacing with utilities to streamline services. 

Thanks to $58 million in funding from the California Transportation Commission, the California Department of Transportation and others, Nikola will build a series of hydrogen refueling stations for HD trucks in the state. Earlier this year the company announced that it will develop up to 50 hydrogen stations in North America over the next five years. There is a lot for fleets to digest in California and one solution that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is providing is a program called Cal Fleet Advisor which is designed to push adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the state. The program, launched by CARB in conjunction with CALSTART, is available to all fleets but with a particular interest in engaging with small fleets and single owner operators. Fleets that sign up will be paired with their own personal advisor.

 RESOURCES

Six Affordable EVs With the Longest Range, Business News | https://tinyurl.com/5d696tnc 

Google Maps to Stop Showing Gas Stations to EV Owners, The Verge | https://tinyurl.com/5fp2ake5 

VinFast Launches Ad Campaign, TESLARATI | https://tinyurl.com/mj269nj5 

Lightning eMotors Surpass 5 million All-Electric Miles, School Transportation News | https://tinyurl.com/6r3bnstk 

EVgo Adds Rivian to its Charging System, ChargedEVs | https://tinyurl.com/3keekcdb

Consumers Energy Supporting School Fleet Electrification, NGT News | https://tinyurl.com/jpymzpah 

Volvo Offers Turnkey Charging Solutions for Fleets, Transport Topics | https://tinyurl.com/bdfrexsb 

Nikola Bags $58.2 Million for Hydrogen Stations, PV Magazine | https://tinyurl.com/34dx2adw 

CARB Helps Fleets Navigate Clean Fleets Rule, FreightWaves | https://tinyurl.com/w7c2dh25