Author: Gordon Rodda

House budget bill sets out Trump’s EV objectives; they are not good for EVs or Trump’s industrial policies

The House-passed budget bill makes a number of substantive EV policy changes, which will set back the adoption of EVs. This has been expected and will understandably have negative effects on climate change, accelerating the frequency and severity of natural disasters, air pollution, health, home insurance costs, endangerment of species, …

Kia Niro plug-in hybrid: A great-driving crossover at a modest price point (MSRP: $34,490)

By Jan Sharkey & Gary Wiles We bought our 2024 Kia Niro EX plug-in hybrid a year ago and have liked it immensely.  We were in the market for either a high-efficiency hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric vehicle, but needed a smaller sedan or SUV to fit our narrow garage …

A year ago, major media outlets were blaming consumers for a slump in US EV sales; did that actually happen?

Near the end of 2023, mainstream print media outlets (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post) were conveying the storyline that US consumers were not buying EVs at the rate expected of them by the legacy producers, causing the manufacturers to delay or suspend their EV investments. For example, …

Tips for extending EV range in winter

All cars lose range in winter, but for different reasons. Standard combustion (ICE) engines need to heat up before the engine works properly, but once they do they have plenty of waste heat to warm the occupants. ICE cars are sometimes hard to start, especially when it is very cold. …

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EV car policies often start in California (Colorado often follows suit)

Two recent developments in EV policy emerged first in California. What do they mean to us here in the Four Corners? The first bolsters bidirectional home charging. In September, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed into law a requirement that new EVs to be sold in California must be capable of …