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Category Archives: public health
California Continues Expanding ZEV Programs
The State of California has awarded $500 million to school districts and other educational agencies to buy zero-emission school buses and chargers. Zero-emission school buses are part of the state’s relentless move to a clean-energy future and lead to better health for students and communities. California’s transition to zero-emission transportation is also accelerating with support from the state’s Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). Funded primarily with proceeds from the Cap-and-Trade Program, HVIP underwent 177% year-over-year growth in 2024. This February, more than 200 HVIP-funded zero-emission trucks and buses were deployed with $31 million in incentives. The incentive program is a collaboration between the California Air Resources Board (CARB)* and the California Energy Commission (CEC), and is administered by CALSTART, a non-profit transportation organization. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged and the California Energy Commission, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Air Resources Board, California’s Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Market, CALSTART, carb, CEC, Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, Ken Zino, Liane Randolph, X @KenAutoinformed
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Dark Roadways Deadly for Cyclists, Pedestrians
The twice-yearly time change is not a major factor in America’s ongoing road safety problem that some call an emergency. However, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation yesterday held a hearing on whether to continue switching back and forth between daylight saving time and standard time every year.
“Whatever you decide to do about the clock, I hope you will also consider actions to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe, especially after sundown,” said David Harkey president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in written testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, insurance, news analysis, public health, safety, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation, X @KenAutoinformed
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Kill The Cuts National Day of Action Against Trump Administration
Researchers and educators who have had their funding cut spoke today at 37 separate demonstrations about the effects this Trump Administration assault on publicly-funded research is having at their institutions and across the country. Senator Ed Markey and Representatives Jayapal and Simon were at the DC rally. President Trump has issued Executive Orders attacking the NIH, NSF, while dismantling the Department of Education.
“Thousands of people across the country came together today for Kill the Cuts, a national Day of Action to raise awareness and fight back against the Trump administration’s devastating attacks on research, health, and higher education. The events (see the full list here) were sponsored by a coalition of education, labor and health advocates, including UAW, SEIU, AFSCME, UE, NEA, AFT, CWA, AAUP, HELU, Labor for Higher Education, the Debt Collective,” the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW),” said. Continue reading
Posted in economy, environment, news, news analysis, people, public health, shows and events, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Washington, UAW 2750, UAW 4121, UAW 4811, Weill Cornell Medicine, X @KenAutoinformed
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Honda R&D to Test Life-Support Systems in Space
Honda today announced plans to test its high-differential pressure water electrolysis system at the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with space and technology companies Sierra Space and Tec-Masters.
“The project is part of Honda’s vision for a regenerative fuel cell system that could provide advanced energy storage capable of supporting human life on the lunar surface,” Honda said. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, electronics, engineering, environment, global warming, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, circulative renewable energy system, International Space Station Testing, Ken Zino, Sierra Space, Sierra Space Dream Chaser® spaceplane, Tec-Masters, U.S. Honda Space Development Division, X @KenAutoinformed
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Electric Vehicle Sales Outpacing Public Chargers
Electric vehicles sold in the US during Q4 of 2024 comprised ~11% of all light duty vehicle sales. This is the highest quarter on record.* This also represents a 0.3% percentage-point market share increase from the 3rd quarter of 2024, according to an analysis released today by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade and lobbying group for automakers. There were about 433,843 EV sales from 144 different electric vehicle models sold in the 4th quarter alone of last year. Battery electric vehicles make up the majority of those, but plug-in electric as well as hybrid vehicle sales have been growing as well. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, electric vehicles, global warming, news analysis, public health, sales
Tagged Alliance for Automotive Innovation, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, public EV charging ports, X @KenAutoinformed
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Genesis Offers Free NACS Adapters
Genesis today announced that current U.S. EV owners who purchased their vehicle on or before 31 January 2025 will begin receiving emails inviting them to redeem their complimentary North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters starting the week of 7 April. This Genesis authorized adapter gives Combined Charging System (CCS1) port GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80 owners access to an additional 20,000 NACS DC fast chargers in the U.S. at the Tesla Supercharger Network. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, global warming, marketing, milestones, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, NACS adapters, North American Charging Standard adapters, Tedros Mengiste, Tesla Supercharger network, X @KenAutoinformed
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CARB Using Methane Leak Satellite Data
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today announced that the state is moving forward with an innovative effort to reduce planet-warming methane emissions using satellite technology. The project is made possible by a $100 million state budget investment to purchase methane plume data collected by satellites. Methane is a climate pollutant that warms the atmosphere at least 25 times more than carbon dioxide.
“Decades of progress to protect public health is on the line with these EPA rollbacks. California isn’t having it. Thanks to our state investment, we’re using satellite technology to detect methane leaks as they happen. With this new data, we’ll be able to move faster to cut harmful methane pollution – protecting Californians and the clean air we’ve fought so hard for,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, milestones, news, news analysis, public health, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Energy Commission, climate harming pollutants, co2, Governor Gavin Newsom, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ken Zino, methane leaks, satellite methane monitoring and reduction programs, X @KenAutoinformed
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Global Warming – Rising Weather and Climate Impacts!
There are clear signs that human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, with some of the consequences being irreversible over hundreds if not thousands of years, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which also underlined the massive economic and social upheavals from extreme weather.
“Our planet is issuing more distress signals – but this report shows that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. Leaders must step up to make it happen — seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies with new National climate plans due this year, ” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, milestones, news, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Celeste Saulo, economic and social upheavals from extreme weather, Ken Zino, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterre, World Meteorological Organization, X @KenAutoinformed
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Nissan and SK On Reveal EV Battery Deal
Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) and SK On said today that SK On will supply ~100GWh of U.S.-made batteries from 2028 to 2033. This is Korean SK On first partnership with a Japanese automaker.
“This agreement with SK On is a significant milestone for Nissan’s electrification journey and supports further investment in U.S. manufacturing,” said Christian Meunier, chairman, Nissan Americas. “Through this smart partnership with SK On, we can leverage their growing U.S. production capacity to deliver innovative, high-quality electric vehicles that meet the needs of our customers.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, energy, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Canton Assembly Plant, christian meunier, Ken Zino, nissan americas, Seok-hee Lee, sk on, X @KenAutoinformed
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CFC Reduction Induces Ozone Layer Fixing
A new MIT-led study confirms that the Antarctic ozone layer is healing as a direct result of global efforts to reduce ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs. This is significant because scientists have observed signs of ozone recovery in the past. However, the new study is the first to show, with high statistical confidence, that this recovery is due primarily to the reduction of ozone-depleting substances, instead of other influences such as natural weather variability or increased greenhouse gas emissions to the stratosphere.
“There’s been a lot of qualitative evidence showing that the Antarctic ozone hole is getting better. This is really the first study that has quantified confidence in the recovery of the ozone hole,” says study author Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies and Chemistry. “The conclusion is, with 95% confidence, it is recovering. Which is awesome. And it shows we can actually solve environmental problems.” Continue reading
Posted in environment, global warming, milestones, news analysis, public health, results, shows and events, Trump Truth Tests
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, El Niño, Kane Stone, Ken Zino, Klaus Hasselmann, La Niña, massachusetts institute of technology, mit, nasa, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nobel Prize in Physics, Peidong Wang, Susan Solomon, the Montreal Protocol, the National Science Foundation, the polar vortex, X @KenAutoinformed
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ZEV Truck Adoption Stalled by Costs
Cutting the total cost of ownership could boost the transition to zero-emission truck fleets. A new study released by the respected McKinsey & Company counsultancy observes that the total cost of ownership (TCO) for ZEVs remains significantly higher than that of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The TCO gap ranges between 30% and 50% compared to ICE vehicles running on dirtier diesel fuel. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, electric vehicles, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, news analysis, public health, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Cross Pagano, Dilip Bhattacharjee, Disha Mendhekar, Ken Zino, long-haul full truckload networks, McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company Fleet Decarbonization recommendations, Moritz Rittstieg, Neeraj Gole, Nick Inchaustegui, Saral Chauhan, X @KenAutoinformed, zero-emission truck adoption, zero-emission truck costs
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Stellantis – Notable Progress in Solid State Batteries
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA) and Factorial Energy today announced the successful validation of Factorial’s automotive-sized FEST® (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) solid-state battery cells. This feat claims to be a significant step forward on the path to bringing next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries to market.
“Reaching this level of performance reflects the strengths of our collaboration with Factorial,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis Chief Engineering and Technology Officer. “This breakthrough puts us at the forefront of the solid-state revolution, but we are not stopping there. We continue working together to push the boundaries and deliver even more advanced solutions, bringing us closer to lighter, more efficient batteries that reduce costs for our customers.” Continue reading →