Migration from polluting vehicles that burn fossil fuels to electric vehicles, ideally using electricity generated sustainably could significantly reduce the incidence of cardiopulmonary illness due to air pollution, says a study.
This could lead not only to less employee absence from work through illness but also lead to broad improvements in the quality and length of life.
The researchers, Mitchell House and David Wright from the University of Ottawa in Canada, analysed the health benefits associated with driving an electric vehicle, and compared them with the cost of expanding the electric vehicle-charging infrastructure between 2016 and 2021.
The study, published in the International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, found that in the majority of plausible scenarios of balanced growth, when the number of vehicles rises so does the number of charging stations, and there is a positive net benefit to society.
The only thing sure about electric cars is they will eclipse the internal combustion engine—one day.
The timing, however, is the topic of fierce and wildly divergent speculation. At the moment, only one in 250 cars on the road is electric. Battery electric cars comprise 2.1% of new global auto sales (about 2 million passenger vehicles). Electric vehicle (EV) sales should hit 2.7 million in 2019 even as the broader auto market declines (paywall).
But guesses about the timing of gas guzzlers’ eclipse are all over the map. Quartz assembled several of the top projections to gauge the size of the discrepancy. Optimists such as Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) in its 2019 Electric Vehicle Outlook report see the total EV stock soaring to 548 million by 2040, or about 32% of the world’s passenger vehicles. Bears, such as ExxonMobil and the oil cartel OPEC, put that day far into the future. Exxon’s most recent predictions, the most pessimistic (or optimistic?), show the global stock of EVs reaching only 162 million by 2040. That’s 70% lower than BNEF’s base case.
How can these predictions be so divergent?
Two assumptions make all the difference in EV adoption models, says Colin McKerracher, head of advanced transport for BNEF. The first is price parity. EV’s sticker price is expected to exceed conventional cars’ until the mid-2020s. Right now, electric vehicles are more expensive than conventional counterparts thanks to their pricey batteries and relatively small EV manufacturing capacity. No one is sure how far battery costs, the biggest expense in making EVs, can fall (they’ve already dropped 85% since 2010), and when EVs will achieve the same economies of scale as combustion engines have secured over the past century. The price of oil changes the total cost of ownership as well (New York City says EVs’ lower fuel and maintenance costs already makes them the cheapest option for its fleet).
We find out if the new Kia e-Niro or revamped BMW i3 can beat our current EV champion, the Hyundai Kona Electric
Until recently, electric vehicles generally fell into one of two camps: small, more affordable and often frustrating because of drawbacks such as a limited range; or bigger cars that had larger batteries and therefore a longer range, but were also much pricier.
However, there’s now a growing group in the middle ground promising affordability and usability, thanks to their accurate and genuinely exploitable predicted range that’s making ‘range anxiety’ a thing of the past.
EVs are as usable as ever and leading this group are two upstarts and one familiar face. The newest model is the Kia e-Niro, which combines an advanced electric drivetrain with a conventional compact SUV body. The latest BMW i3 gets a bigger battery that gives it even more range. And in the sportier i3s trim that we’re testing here, it pretty much matches the e-Niro for performance and price.
Finally the Hyundai Kona Electric is our current favourite affordable EV, having taken the title at our New Car Awards last year – but it’s by no means old. The e-Niro shares much of the Hyundai’s tech, so it’ll be interesting to see how much difference there is and which will be Britain’s best wallet-friendly EV.
A new scheme has been launched to recognise dealerships skilled at selling and servicing electric vehicles.
The Electric Vehicle Approved scheme will encourage car dealers to develop their expertise in servicing electric vehicles, as the country continues to move towards a zero-emission future backed by the government’s comprehensive £1.5 billion Road to zero strategy.
The standard for electric vehicle dealer accreditation has been developed by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
Successful dealerships will be known as ‘Electric Vehicle Approved’ and recognised for their commitment to training, quality advice and effective service.
Future of Mobility Minister Jesse Norman said: “Record levels of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads are good news, as we seek to end the sale of new conventional diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2040.
“The accreditation recognises businesses with knowledge, capability and commitment to electric vehicles, and will help to encourage more car owners to switch to a greener alternative.”
Following a pilot scheme, in which the electric vehicle skills of 12 dealerships were audited, it is estimated there will be 130 Electric Vehicle Approved sites across the UK by the end of 2019.
Uncertainty among customers and poor advice from dealers have been identified as a key barrier to electric vehicle ownership. The scheme therefore aims to help create a trusted brand, increasing the confidence of drivers looking to buy an electric vehicle.
Renault and several partners have started “The Paris-Saclay Autonomous Lab” project which aims to make self-driving transportation a reality in France.
The project aims to develop new mobility services using dedicated lane and public and campus streets to supplement the existing Saclay Plateau transportation systems.
Made possible by Renault’s collaboration with the Transdev Group, IRT SystemX, Institut VEDECOM and the University of Paris-Saclay, the trial program uses three Renault Zoe Cab self-driving prototypes and a Transdev-Lohr i-Cristal autonomous shuttle.
The latter will provide collective transportation service for up to 16 passengers at a time during the night when the regular transportation systems are not functioning. As for the three Zoe Cab vehicles, they will be used for a daytime on-demand car service for the Paris-Saclay urban campus.
ZOE Cab autonomous vehicle (Image: Renault)
People can hail a car or book one ahead of time using a dedicated Marcel smartphone app. A prototype autonomous electric Renault Zoe Cab vehicle will then come to pick up the user and then drop them off at the destination. The service is designed to provide a large number of pick-up and drop-off points, which do not interfere with other traffic and are located near the most frequented campus areas.
The all-electric Renault Zoe Cab and Transdev-Lohr i-Cristal shuttle autonomous vehicles are equipped with GPS-type sensors, Lidar, cameras, inertial units, and self-driving software. The technology enables them to detect other vehicles and pedestrians, safely pass through intersections and roundabouts, detect deceleration and recognize traffic lights. In the specified areas they operate they provide full autonomy, although a “safety operator” is present at all times inside the vehicle.
Renault does not provide additional details about the Zoe Cab autonomous prototype but it’s easy to spot the changes compared to the regular production model. Those include the massive Lambo-style door on the right-hand side which eases access to the cabin thanks to the elimination of the B-pillar. The interior features three passenger seats, two facing forward and one facing rearward, as well as a “driver’s seat” that is isolated from the passenger compartment, presumably for safety reasons.
Big Oil and its front groups want to kill electric vehicles (EVs) under the pretense of fairness.
It’s no secret why. The industry sees that the electric transportation future is coming fast, threatening their polluting profits, and they’re scared. We should double down on electrifying transportation and support an expansion of EV tax credits so we can stop pollution that is driving the climate crisis and making our air healthier for everyone.
Let’s get real about Big Oil: The industry receives over $26 billion in subsidies from American taxpayers and pays nothing for polluting the air we breathe and exacerbating the climate crisis. If there’s any group doesn’t need help from the government, it’s this industry.
Let’s also get real about who suffers the most from air pollution and climate: low-income families and communities of color. Pollution from fossil-fueled transportation is the largest single source of climate pollution in the United States. As we saw when Hurricane Harvey dumped 60 inches of rain on Houston or when Hurricane Maria pummeled Puerto Rico, it’s frontline communities who suffer the greatest losses and are left without the help they need.
The threat and disparate impacts go beyond climate. Transportation pollution is also making us sick. According to new research published in The Lancet Planetary Health, exhaust from cars is responsible for up to 4 million new cases of pediatric asthma each year. Another recent study by the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that African Americans and Latinos are exposed to roughly 40 percent more air pollution from vehicles than white people in California. The same study found that California households earning less than $20,000 per year are exposed to 25 percent more particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5) than California households earning more than $200,000 per year.
There’s a straightforward fix for a good part of this dangerous pollution: electrify the transportation sector. And thankfully, the sector is heading that way fast. For instance, electric vehicle (EV) and electric bus sales, while still a small percentage of overall sales, are growing precipitously. Between 2017 and 2018, EV sales almost doubled, and, in the latter half of last year, a zero-emissions vehicle was the fifth-best-selling passenger car in the United States. Bloomberg New Energy Finance projects that over 80 percent of all new bus sales globally will be electric buses by 2030. These increased sales are driving down costs and making electric transportation affordable for all.
DPD is to incorporate over 500 EVs into its delivery fleet, claiming a UK first with the addition of new Mercedes-Benz eVito vans.
The move comes as part of the delivery company’s commitment to having 550 EVs as part of its fleet by 2021, with 100 of these to be added this year.
The delivery company has commissioned 10 eVito vans to be part of its London fleet, with plans for more to be a part of a nationwide roll-out of EVs later this year. The vans are the 3.2 tonne long-bodied version and can be fully charged in six hours, with a range of approximately 93 miles.
Mercedes eVito electric van (Image: DPD)
As part of its commitment to reducing emissions in its deliveries, DPD is also intending to open eight all-electric micro-depots in London. It opened its third all-electric microin March this year and it is also working on developing an eCargo bike with Electric Assisted Vehicles Limited.
Volkswagen’s electric people’s car looks like it could be a huge success
It was a bold statement from Volkswagen to claim that the ID.3 electric car would represent just the third chapter in the company’s long history. After all, the first two were rather successful – the original Beetle and then all generations of the Golf sold rather well didn’t they?
Still, if pre-orders are anything to go by, it seems as though the newly-named ID.3 could live up to that claim. Within 24 hours of opening up sales earlier this week, VW received a staggering 10,000 pre-orders.
VW ID.3 electric car in camouflage wrap (Image: Volkswagen)
All of those orders were for the 1st Edition spec, which includes the mid-spec battery and a range of over 260 miles at a cost of less than €40,000. Unfortunately, the camo-wrap above isn’t an option – we’ll see the final product at the Frankfurt motor show later this year.
BP Chargemaster is to install 100 rapid chargers across 50 of its petrol station forecourts by the end of this year.
Installs will begin in July, with the target of installing 400 150kW chargers by 2021.
Announced at an industry event this week by Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of downstream at BP, the project was first teased earlier this year after BP Chargemaster opened a new rapid EV charging hub in Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes ‘Mushrooms’ Charging Hub (Image: T. Larkum)
The chargers will add to BP’s Polar network, which currently boasts 400 rapid chargers across the UK, effectively doubling its numbers.
They are on the cusp of potentially dominating tech era
It’s no secret that the world is heading in the direction of pollution-free electric vehicles with many European and Asian countries already pledging to go electric within the next 20 to 30 years. However, it’s possible that this transition could be fast-tracked by our spending habits and constant need of the latest technology.
This is still the case, despite Tesla going through its fair share of criticisms in recent months. There being dips in sales, issues with their battery providers, controversy through chief executive Elon Musk’s Twitter usage and of course, underwhelming first quarter revenue returns. All of this has caused many investors to lose faith in the company. The only question we have to ask ourselves now is, is this loss of faith justified or a premature bailout during troubled times?
Tesla Model 3 (Image: Tesla)
Despite all the criticism involving Tesla, electric cars are still widely considered the future. But before investors or business owners planning to switch to electric could seriously consider anything to do with this so called “future,” we need to consider why electric cars are on the cusp of potentially dominating tech era.
The Changing Times
The last decade was all about the smartphone revolution, and before it was the dotcom era. Now, in 2019, it is believed the smartphone era is ending.
Therefore, we could slowly move our sights on to the next big technological advancement. Already, Uber has invested over $500 million into electric and driverless cars. Just imagine how much money ride-share companies like Uber would save annually not paying drivers.
What’s more, businesses that use many vehicles daily can also potentially save a ton of cash. This is because unlike gasoline cars, electric vehicles require less maintenance. This highlighted on Tesla’s website: “Tesla cars require no traditional oil changes, fuel filters, spark plug replacements or emission checks. As electric cars, even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on brakes.”
In addition, our obsession for revolutionary technology, especially upgrading technology regularly, is something that can really make electric vehicles fast track from the future to present sooner than expected. It has become almost unusual for consumers to allow technology to linger around for too long nowadays.
