Electric vehicles are still relatively expensive but a trial to help them power the national grid in times of need could see owners being paid. That could make them a lot more attractive.
A switch to electric transport is one of New Zealand’s key climate strategies. It will increase demand on the national grid, but might also help increase renewable electricity generation.
Bus travel is now free for all passengers throughout Luxembourg.
EPA-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND
There’s still a long road ahead in the electric car revolution. But Australia can learn from New Zealand’s policies to boost electric car sales.
The Garzweiler surface mine produced 35 million tonnes of brown coal (lignite) in 2017. Germany plans to phase-out coal-fired power by 2038.
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Plans to reduce emissions quickly are seductive but can stall. Climate initiatives should end dependence on fossil energy and pursue a path towards a more just and equitable society.
Household actions lead to changes in collective behaviour and are an essential part of social movements.
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Households generate a large share of national greenhouse gas emissions and can take steps to reduce them.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduces the Cybertruck – with shattered windows – at Tesla’s design studio in November 2019 in Hawthorne, Calif.
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Democratic candidates are keen to burnish their climate credentials by calling for grand electric vehicle plans. But there are both economic and political reasons for going slowly.
While still new, Tesla’s electric cybertruck has not performed as well is its predecessor, the 2016 Model 3, which got 200,000 orders within a day of being unveiled.
Christophe Gateau/AAP
Elon Musk’s latest venture has been met with confusion and ridicule. But drawing inspiration from science fiction for new technology should go beyond simplistic futurist fantasies.
Scooters and motorcycles are widely used in developing countries and are better suited to electrification than sedans.
AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.
Electric cars gets lots of attention, but in the developing world, electric two-wheelers have the potential to spread quickly – if batteries continue to improve on performance and cost.
In New Zealand, where more than 80% of electricity is renewable, the carbon footprint of electric cars is 62% lower than that of fossil cars. But their lithium battery has other environmental impacts.
Traffic congestion on the M5 motorway in Sydney. Government assumptions that Australian cars are becoming more fuel efficient are incorrect, research shows.
Dean Lewins/AAP
Surprise findings have revealed that Australia’s cars are getting less fuel efficient. This is bad news for the hip-pockets of motorists - and for the climate.
A farmer who installed solar panels to power his irrigation systems on the family farm walks by the panels near Claresholm, Alta., in June 2019.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Climate journalism can play an important role in painting the picture of a post-carbon economy. It should start by encouraging collective action and a sense of empowerment for everyday people.
Many vehicles can’t just be powered by battery.
MuchMania/Shutterstock
Despite the overwhelming evidence that electric vehicle technology can deliver huge benefits, misinformation continues to muddy debate. Let’s look at the facts.
Australia and Russia could soon be the last remaining developed nations without fuel efficiency standards, with New Zealand proposing new rules and financial incentives to get more people driving cleaner cars.
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New Zealand has proposed new fuel standards, along with a consumer rebates for cleaner cars – paid for by higher costs for high-polluting cars – to cut its rising transport emissions.
Better Place: A good idea before its time.
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Electric cars are hot, yet their global market penetration remains less than 0.5% of all vehicles. Research points the way to key questions to ask when building new markets.