Electric Vehicle News Roundup - March 13
Updated: Mar 27, 2020
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Events
St. Petersburg, Florida
Earth Day is right around the corner on April 4th! Mark your calendars to join us for a test ride or drive from 10 AM to 4 PM. Bring your family, bring a friend and let's educate each other on how clean transportation reduces carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. RSVP here.
Driving on Sunshine Roadshow events pop up everyday and can be cancelled anytime for weather, etc. Click here for the most up-to-date events calendar.
Electric Vehicles
Have you seen our latest video promoting our Driving On Sunshine campaign in Florida that aims to get drivers in the seats of electric vehicles? Check it out here.
UGA to have more electric buses than any other university in the nation
The University of Georgia started running new electric buses in mid-February and will soon have a fleet of 33 Proterra, zero-emission buses. The electric buses cause enormous cost savings for the university in addition to their environmental benefits.
The electric fleet will be a step toward meeting UGA’s Campus Sustainability Plan.
GM reveals 10 new production EVs all at once, with range up to 400 miles
Last week GM revealed 10 new EVs, along with a new EV architecture and a new battery system, dubbed “Ultium,” which will power GM EVs starting next year. It's clear the car company is serious about an electric vehicle future.
Tesla has produced 1,000,000 cars and commemorating with a red Model Y
Over the past twelve years, Tesla has produced 1 million cars and has become one of the most valuable automakers in the world. Including the Tesla Roadster, the company has successfully launched four electric cars to the mass market: Model S large luxury sedan, Model X SUV, Model 3 sedan, and days away from launching its fifth vehicle – Tesla Model Y crossover.
Infrastructure
Florida: Take advantage of current funding opportunities for EV charging infrastructure. Let's build a cleaner electric transportation future in the Sunshine State!
A Look Inside Babcock Ranch: America’s First Solar-Powered Town
Jason Caissie, SACE's Electric Vehicle Transportation Coordinator, lives in Babcock Ranch, Florida - America’s first and only solar town. This utopic town is powered by an 880-acre solar field. Most of the town's energy is harnessed from approximately 700,000 panels, but some residents also have solar panels on their rooftops. Not surprisingly, the town supports electric vehicle transportation. There are several EV charging stations throughout the community and every house comes EV charger ready. Additionally, there are plans to create an EV bus route.
Policy
Federal Tax Credits for EV Charging Stations & Installation – Extended!
Did you purchase a charging station for your electric car in 2018 or 2019? Or plan to buy one in 2020? Congress passed a retroactive federal tax credit for environmentally responsible transportation, including costs for EV charging infrastructure.
Receive a federal tax credit of 30% of the cost of purchasing and installing an EV charging station (up to $1,000 for residential installations and up to $30,000 for commercial installations) with the retroactive credit.
Previously, this federal tax credit expired on December 31, 2017, but is now retroactively extended through December 31, 2020. View full details on DOE website.
In North Carolina, Volkswagen funds still depend on GOP legislature
A political dispute has prevented NC from awarding any Volkswagon funds.
But Stan Cross, Electric Transportation Policy Director notes a clear path forward: "The GA should pass another mini-budget bill to allocate & release VW settlement money. Applicants deserve to have their projects funded," Stan Cross.