December News

by | Dec 18, 2017 | Industry News

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Volkswagen subsidiary, Electrify America, will install more than 2,800 workplace and residential charging stations by June 2019. The installations are part of Volkswagen’s Consent Decree ruling from the diesel emissions cheating. The charging stations will be installed at more than 500 locations and will have more than one charging station. 75% will be at workplaces and remainder will be at apartment buildings, condominiums and other multi-family properties. Installations will be in 17 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, including 6  in California.

A source states that the income-tax credit for purchase of a plug-in electric vehicle will not be killed off in the proposed changes to the U.S. tax code. It appears the Senate has decided to keep the credit while the House had decided to end it. It’s not clear if the auto industry, public opinion or a letter signed by two dozen mayor was responsible for the decision to keep the credit.

Whether your area is subject to floods, fires, hurricanes, or blizzards, public fleets are pressed into service to respond to threats. Their vehicles help maintain order, transport casualties, and clear roads during and after emergencies. Ensuring that there is sufficient fuel to keep services running is a difficult task. Government Fleet Magazine surveyed fleet managers that have endured severe weather events to find out how their emergency plans held up and what kind of advice could be given on how to keep fleets running in difficult circumstances. Click here to learn more.

Toyota has announced a plan for a significant acceleration in the development and launch plans of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). By around 3030, the company aims to have sales of more than 5.5 million electrified vehicles, including more than a million zero-emission vehicle.  By 2025, every Toyota and Lexus model will be available either as a dedicated electrified model or have an electrified option.

Tacos are irresistible, even to autonomous vehicles. GM’s Bolt drove through crowded San Francisco streets, navigating through traffic, cross-walks with pedestrians, and construction zones. The vehicle, like many humans, was no match for a taco truck. A human driver had to take over after the vehicle stopped behind a taco truck for over a minute!