Weekly-ish News - Episode 16 (May 21, 2021)

What's the Alternative?

If you have any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to find me on Twitter @archduketyler

**While editing this episode, I noticed that my claim about the average home generator size may be slightly off from the actual average. The numbers I gave were in line with my experience, but may not be representative of the average. This is inconsequential to the point I was making, but I figured I'd mention it here just as an aside. Our generator produces a max of 5.5kW, so at the high range of what I said in the episode.

Headlines from this episode:

Electric Vehicles:

Hyundai will invest $7.4b in U.S. EV production by 2025.

• U.S. EV production to begin in 2022.
• They will also continue investment in hydrogen.

2022 Kia EV6 details now available, will be for sale in all 50 states, reservations open on June 3.

Toyota is a wimp. They project 85% of their U.S. vehicles will have a gas engine by 2030 (includes plug-in hybrids).

• Their 2030 sales projections are:
  • 30% pure gasoline
  • 55% gasoline hybrids
  • 15% battery or hydrogen electric

Ford is partnering with SK Innovations to build 2 EV battery plants, eventually producing enough batteries to supply 600k EVs per year.

Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck! Some places to learn about the truck:

• Ford's YouTube channel (several Lightning videos in addition to the livestream.
• Reveal livestream.
• Sandy Munro first impressions.
• Verge article about it.
• I also did a podcast episode with my first impressions of the reveal! Look in your podcast feed if you haven't already listened to it.

Energy:

Bitcoin miners take advantage of flared methane at oil drill sites.

Another natural gas power plant has been resurrected for the sake of feeding the Bitcoin monster.

Policy:

There are whisperings about the new administration proposing changes to the federal EV incentives, including direct rebates but potentially an income cap of $250k.

Texas is considering a bill that would enact an annual EV fee, a scaled VMT fee, and an annual surcharge.

• $190–$240 annual alternative fuel vehicle fee.
  • $190 for vehicles weighing less than 6,000lb, $240 for heavier vehicles.
• A scaled VMT (vehicle miles traveled) fee:
  • This fee can be taken *instead of* the annual fee.
  • The fee starts at $30/year for vehicles traveling 3k miles or less, and increases by $40 for every 3k miles up to a max of $190 at 12k miles.
• There is a different, cheaper fee schedule for plug-in hybrids.
• $10 annual surcharge that funds a new charging infrastructure advisory council.
• The bill also includes language for the fees be reassessed yearly to account for:
  • Inflation
  • If the federal government levies a special tax on alternative fuel vehicles, the state tax will decrease proportionately.
• Relevant section of bill starts at Sec. 502.503.