Are we still convinced that electric vehicles are the best way forward?

[teamzr1]

California firefighters had to douse a flaming battery in a EV Tesla Semi with about 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish flames after a crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.

In addition to the huge amount of water, firefighters used an aircraft to drop fire retardant on the “immediate area” of the electric truck as a precautionary measure, the agency said in a preliminary report.

Firefighters said previously that the battery reached temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit while it was in flames.

The NTSB sent investigators to the Aug. 19 crash along Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap, about 70 miles northeast of Sacramento. The agency said it would look into fire risks posed by the truck's large lithium-ion battery.

The agency also found that the truck was not operating on one of Tesla's partially automated driving systems at the time of the crash, the report said. The systems weren't operational and “could not be engaged,” according to the agency.

The crash happened about 3:13 a.m. as the tractor-trailer was being driven by a Tesla employee from Livermore, California, to a Tesla facility in Sparks, Nevada. The Semi left the road while going around a curve to the right and hit a tree, the report said. It went down a slope and came to rest against several trees. The driver was not hurt.

After the crash, the Semi's lithium-ion battery ignited. Firefighters used water to put out flames and keep the batteries cool. The freeway was closed for about 15 hours as firefighters made sure the batteries were cool enough to recover the truck.

Authorities took the truck to an open-air facility and monitored it for 24 hours. The battery did not reignite.
The NTSB said all aspects of the crash are under investigation as it determines the cause. The agency said it intends to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar incidents.

A message was left Thursday seeking comment from Tesla, which is based in Austin, Texas.
After an investigation that ended in 2021, the NTSB determined that high-voltage electric vehicle battery fires pose risks to first responders and that guidelines from manufacturers about how to deal with them were inadequate.

 

[antijam]

 

[teamzr1]

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is planning to kill the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases as part of broader tax-reform legislation, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Ending the tax credit could have grave implications for an already stalling U.S. EV transition.

And yet representatives of Tesla by far the nation’s largest EV seller have told a Trump-transition committee they support ending the subsidy, said the two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Recall that Joe Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act” which was really the Green New Deal gave a tax credit up to $7,5000 for people who purchased new electric vehicles through 2032.
Under Biden’s plan, if you bought an electric vehicle averaging $62,893, you might have been eligible for a tax credit of up to $7,500 until the year 2032.

$62,893 is the average price of vehicles sold only through dealerships and does not account for direct-to-consumer sales of more expensive electric vehicles. This number also accounts for all-electric vehicle transactions, both new and used.
The Biden Regime and the Democrats in Congress wasted billions of dollars on the electric vehicle scam.

In 2021, the Democrat-controlled Congress gave Joe Biden $7.5 billion to install electric vehicle chargers all over the country and
only 7 or 8 EV charging stations have been built.
It’s a total scam.

According to a 2021 analysis from the New York Times, $1.2 trillion of the ‘Infrastructure’ bill would be spent over 8 years and $550 billion will go to roads, bridges, rail lines, electric vehicles, water systems and other programs.

Electric vehicles are unpopular, expensive and bad for the environment, but the Biden Regime is going into overdrive to force car companies to produce more EVs while they crack down on gas-powered vehicle tailpipe emissions.

 

[Chuffer]

Here in the UK sales of new EV`s are dropping off a cliff with some manufacturers stalling production as they cannot meet their sales targets . This situation will only get worse for them soon ( better in my opinion ) as our new Labour Government has announced the removal of massive Vehicle Excise Duties incentives introduced some years ago during the 14 year Conservative Governments previous tenure in power . Very soon EV drivers will have to pay to use our roads like the rest of us .
In the meantime I happily use my Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi V8 as a daily driver with a smug feeling of satisfaction that it has well and truly `wiped it`s face ` on Carbon Footprint . It is 18 years old and only it`s second owner and have every annual MOT Certificate from new which it has never failed although a couple of " advisories to fix " in the earlier years . During the years I have owned and self maintained the vehicle it passes the MOT test with no advisories every year and the emissions tests continue to be "as clean as they could be" according to the guys at my local testing station . Apart from replacing seized front brake calipers it has only cost me routine maintenance so I am well pleased .

 

[phild]

Here in the UK sales of new EV`s are dropping off a cliff with some manufacturers stalling production as they cannot meet their sales targets . This situation will only get worse for them soon ( better in my opinion ) as our new Labour Government has announced the removal of massive Vehicle Excise Duties incentives introduced some years ago during the 14 year Conservative Governments previous tenure in power . Very soon EV drivers will have to pay to use our roads like the rest of us .
In the meantime I happily use my Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi V8 as a daily driver with a smug feeling of satisfaction that it has well and truly `wiped it`s face ` on Carbon Footprint . It is 18 years old and only it`s second owner and have every annual MOT Certificate from new which it has never failed although a couple of " advisories to fix " in the earlier years . During the years I have owned and self maintained the vehicle it passes the MOT test with no advisories every year and the emissions tests continue to be "as clean as they could be" according to the guys at my local testing station . Apart from replacing seized front brake calipers it has only cost me routine maintenance so I am well pleased .

There seems to be an upsurge in the adoption of hydrogen technology which will quell the range anxiety from EV's. There is also the ability to convert regular ICE engines to run on hydrogen, a latter day LPG thing. Seems very sensible rather than scrapping perfectly useable vehicles which I'm not sure is a good thing for carbon footprints.

 

[Chuffer]

There seems to be an upsurge in the adoption of hydrogen technology which will quell the range anxiety from EV's. There is also the ability to convert regular ICE engines to run on hydrogen, a latter day LPG thing. Seems very sensible rather than scrapping perfectly useable vehicles which I'm not sure is a good thing for carbon footprints.

Totally agree . Just think of all the infra -structure costs it will save compared to covering the country with EV charging points and its associated carbon footprint in manufacturing of miles and miles of cables .

 

[teamzr1]

Head of GM Barra 2 weeks ago dumped a lot of her GM stock she got for free and profited by $85 million bucks so
she knows what is coming and at the same time is firing lots of the GM workers and will get worse next year as to President Trump
is going to kill off the EV mandate

General Motors Co. on Friday again laid off roughly 1,000 people globally, with a majority working out of the automaker's Global Technical Center in Warren, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The layoffs, which were done as part of a reorganizing effort, affect both salary and hourly GM employees and impact multiple departments.

The affected employees will receive a payment equal to their wages and benefits only through Jan. 14, 2025, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the state.

In total, 507 employees working at the Global Technical Center or assigned to work there were let go, according to the notice. The cuts included 34 employees working in after sales engineering, 40 working in engineering operations, 26 in manufacturing engineering and 24 in sales operations.

“In order to win in this competitive market, we need to optimize for speed and excellence," GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly said in a statement. "This includes operating with efficiency, ensuring we have the right team structure, and focusing on our top priorities as a business. As part of this continuous effort, we’ve made a small number of team reductions.

We are grateful to those who helped establish a strong foundation that positions GM to lead in the industry moving forward.”

These layoffs come after GM in August laid off more than 1,000 salaried employees working in its software and services organization.

 

[teamzr1]

Rental car giant Hertz is dramatically expanding its electric vehicle selloff program, with used Tesla Model 3s now available for under $20,000 as the company grapples with mounting EV depreciation costs.
Hertz’s heavy investment in Tesla EVs has been a disaster, causing massive losses and the loss of its CEO.

Inside EVs reports that Hertz’s ambitious electric vehicle program has hit another significant roadblock, with the company reporting an 89 percent increase in EV depreciation costs, amounting to $537 per vehicle per month.
The rental car company has committed to selling 30,000 electric vehicles from its fleet by the end of 2024, marking a stark reversal from its earlier EV adoption strategy.

The company’s current predicament stems from its bold 2021 initiative to “go green,” which included plans to purchase 100,000 Tesla Model 3s. While this initial vision appeared promising, with benefits including reduced maintenance costs and strong customer interest, the strategy has since encountered numerous challenges that have forced a significant course correction.

A primary factor in Hertz’s EV difficulties has been Tesla’s multiple price reductions, which have severely impacted the residual value of the rental fleet. These price cuts have created a ripple effect throughout the used EV market, leading to accelerated depreciation of Hertz’s electric vehicle assets. The company is now offering used Tesla Model 3s at prices below $20,000, with additional savings possible through the $4,000 federal tax credit available for used EVs.

The financial impact has been substantial. Beyond the depreciation costs, Hertz has discovered that its Tesla fleet hasn’t delivered the anticipated cost savings. Repair expenses have exceeded expectations, and the company has experienced higher-than-anticipated collision rates with its Tesla vehicles, resulting in significant restoration costs and extended repair times.

These compounding factors have contributed to multiple quarters of losses, resulting in the resignation of CEO Stephen Scherr earlier this year.

 

[Roscobbc]

And there lies the story of individuals and businesses 'listening' and believing what our politicians who rule over us and enforce upon us.......albeit for a few short years whilst their party is in power.
Much the same here in UK where, no doubt as with the 'States major decisions are being made for us by people who have zero knowledge or understanding about the issue they are ruling on, and simply 'spouting-off' Parrott fashion as informed by supposedly knowledgeable 'Advisors' and industry 'experts'.