Electric Vehicle News Roundup - June 12
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Events
Electrify The South and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy look forward to resuming ride and drive events in person once it's safe to do so, and we welcome your ideas or suggestions for an event near you. In the meantime, we are continuing to enjoy hosting the popular virtual ride and drive events in an electric vehicle. Join us for a mini virtual getaway during one of our four upcoming ride and drive webinars!
Driving On Sunshine Virtual Test Drives
Webinar
We're offering 4 opportunities to learn how fun it is to drive an EV during a virtual ride and drive in a Tesla Model 3 or a Chevy Bolt. You'll see just what it's like on an in-person Driving on Sunshine test drive as we highlight the features of the car, talk about the benefits of driving electric, and have time for a live-audience question and answer session. Register for a free one-hour virtual ride and drive below!
Lunchtime Ride & Drives // 12 PM ET
June 15: bit.ly/EVDriveJune15
June 27: bit.ly/DOSVirtualLWV
July 9: bit.ly/EVDriveJuly9
July 30: bit.ly/EVDriveJuly30
NOW ONLINE: Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo 2020
EV Conference
The Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference is going virtual, with a series of 12 free webinar sessions on a variety of topics highlighting the leading edge of sustainable fleet practices and alternative fuel opportunities. Expert speakers from around the country will discuss the latest and greatest opportunities for biofuel, electric, natural gas, and propane fuels and fueling. With a strong focus on data-driven decisions, tools, and technologies, the sessions will help you find the best solutions for your fleet or vehicles.
All webinar sessions will be offered free of charge beginning July 15th, with "The Green Garage: How to Make Your Facilities More Sustainable," and continuing through Dec. 16th.
12 Free Webinars • July 15 — December 16
Electric Vehicles
Clean Car Chats: Charging on a Road Trip
Check out the latest Clean Car Chats to learn how easy it is to take a road trip in an electric vehicle—even with a baby!—as Level 2 and Level 3 charging stations are becoming more widely available. Learn more about the benefits and unexpected surprises—Pez Factory, anyone?—of driving electric at ElectrifyTheSouth.org!
Volvo CEO: Pandemic will rapidly accelerate shift to electric cars
The CEO of Volvo believes that the auto industry’s recovery from the pandemic should be based on supporting EVs and other new technology. As such, Volvo plans to launch an all-electric car every year for the next five years, and wants all-electric cars to represent 50% of its global sales by 2025.
A New Era Of EV Pickup Trucks Is On The Way
Trucks are booming in popularity, and if you're in the market for one you'll likely have a range of EV models to choose from in the next year or two. Tesla's Cybertruck, GMC's Hummer EV, Ford's F-150 EV, and the new American startup brand Rivian's R1T EV pickup are just a few of the high-powered electric trucks in development. And if it's an SUV you prefer just hang on—automakers have those in the works, too.
Infrastructure
Florida Gov. DeSantis Signs Landmark EV Legislation Into Law
On June 9th, Governor DeSantis signed the Essential State Infrastructure Bill into law. This is a big win as it will grow Florida's electric transportation market faster and pave the way for cleaner transportation options. The law is also one of the first pieces of state legislation that acknowledges the risks of climate change and identifies electric transportation as a means to combat it.
Policy
Four SE States Win Grants To Expand Low or No- Emission Bus Fleets
Help us congratulate these 4 SE transit agencies that were awarded US Department of Transportation Lo-No grants to help them expand their electric bus fleet: Charlotte, NC; Greenville, SC; Chatham, GA; Gainesville, FL. Every zero emission bus is able to eliminate 1,690 tons of CO2 over its lifespan!
EV Charger Tax Credit Extended – What That Means for You
Are you looking to purchase an electric vehicle charger? Have you purchased one since 2016? If so, you may be eligible to take a tax deduction of up to $1,000. Congress has extended a tax credit through the end of 2020, that previously expired in 2016, allowing you to deduct 30% of the cost of the charger on your taxes, up to a $1,000 limit.