Electric Vehicles
Last week we highlighted an article explaining the inefficiencies of a traditional internal combustion engine. This week we bring you a contrasting graphic and information from the U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which demonstrates why EVs are such a better option to traditional internal combustion engines: 77%-82% of Energy Put into an Electric Car is Used to Move the Car Down the Road. “When energy gains from regenerative braking are included, the amount of energy used for traveling down the road can rise to more than 80% in the EPA-combined city and highway driving cycle.”

Consumer Reports’ article, It’s a Great Time to Buy a Used Electric Vehicle, details why now is a great time to find a deal on an emission-free EV! With significantly lower fuel costs buying a used EV is a great way to drive for less.

German-based engineering firm ‘Lion Smart’ develops energy storage solutions for automakers and claims to have developed a ‘wireless-to-a-degree’ battery pack capable of adding 435 miles on a single charge: BMW i3 gets a 100 kWh battery pack for 435 miles of range as a proof-of-concept by Lion Smart.

Infrastructure
The article, SmartCharge Nashville to Help Prepare City for Growing Power Demand From Electric Vehicle Drivers, explains the new project underway, a partnership between FleetCarma and The Tennessee Valley Authority, with Nashville Electric Service and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. The project is a voluntary study in and around the Nashville area to understand how the city can prepare for a growing number of electric vehicles. Volunteers are eligible to participate in the study if they live in the greater Nashville area and drive an electric vehicle either plug-in hybrid or all-electric.

Policy
On Eve of Global Climate Summit, 19 U.S. Cities Launch Electric Car Effort. On September 11th at the Los Angeles Forum on Clean Transportation, Mayor Garcetti launched the Climate Mayors EV Purchasing Collaborative where municipal fleets from around the country announced a large-scale commitment to electrification. City and county representatives signed on to the new initiative to reduce greenhouse gases created by vehicles, by pledging to incorporate electric vehicles into their municipal fleets. It allows municipalities to purchase at volume pricing by purchasing in bulk. Kudos to the cities who have already joined!

Speaking at an event affiliated with California Governor Jerry Brown’s Climate Action Summit, BMW’s head of external affairs and sustainable communications, Andreas Klugescheid, made the following remarks, “We understand what the issues are, and we have no question mark when it comes to the Paris accord, nor do we have a question mark that decarbonizing the transportation sector is clearly a target that we should pursue.” Read BMW Says No ‘Question Mark’ About Vehicle Electrification to learn more.

Events
Don’t forget that September 16th wraps up National Drive Electric Week! Click here to find a list of all the cities participating.