News & Events

Over Half of All-Electric Vehicle Sales in 2016 Were Large Cars and Standard SUVs

All-electric vehicles (EV) come in many different size classes, but the largest share of EV sales in calendar year 2016 were large cars (35%) and standard sport utility vehicles (SUV)(23%). Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales were mainly compact and midsize cars, with 42% and 40% of the market share, respectively. Of the nearly 347,000 hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) sold in 2016, close to three-quarters were midsize cars. There were 17.3 million light vehicles sold in the United States in 2016, more than half were SUVs, pickups, and vans.

Electric Car Charging: The Basics You Need to Know

The number of plug-in electric cars on North American roads grows every year, and with them come new buyers. Each new electric-car driver will have a few things to learn, so we’ve rounded up some tips on how, where, and when to charge up that new plug-in vehicle. Whether you’re already an owner, considering the purchase of a new or used battery-electric or plug-in hybrid car, or just curious, here’s what we think you need to know. The first thing you’ll need to understand is the difference between the three types of charging…

Grant Funding Offered to Help Businesses Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

El Dorado County Air Quality Management District is seeking proposals, from businesses to receive grant funding to install chargers at their businesses for public use.

California Utilities Submit $1 Billion of Electric Car Projects to Regulators

California continues to lead the United States, and in some ways the world, in efforts to reduce and eliminate harmful emissions from road vehicles. Following the lead of Governor Jerry Brown, the state legislature and regulatory agencies have set aggressive goals to reduce emission of climate-change gases, primarily carbon dioxide. That will be accomplished by boosting the number of zero-emission vehicles sold in the state, either battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell cars and light trucks. Now, three large public utility companies have released programs and investments aimed at achieving those goals. And their total tab will be roughly $1 billion, meaning this isn’t just a handful of electric-car charging stations sprinkled here and there…

Electric Vehicle Summit Promotes More Electric Vehicles on Nevada's Roads

How to propel transportation’s electric future was the main topic at the Electric Vehicle Summit in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The summit at the Regional Transportation Commission’s Mobility Center included a panel discussion of industry leaders speaking on electric vehicle policies and funding for energy-efficiency programs. Although still relatively small compared to other states, the electric vehicle industry in Nevada is ripe for growth, according to Marie Steele, manager of electric vehicles and renewable energy for NV Energy…

Tahoe Striving to be Electric Vehicle Friendly

Electric vehicle readiness is on its way to the Tahoe-Truckee region. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Truckee-Donner Public Utility District, an independent consultant team and a Plug-in Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council have all partnered to accelerate transportation electrification in the region. Vehicle technologies in the United States and around the world are in a phase of rapid change. The last six years have seen the introduction of self-driving cars, mass production of electric vehicles, and new vehicle sharing. Electric vehicles are booming and this area has a chance to become the “electric highway in the sky.” Millions visit the region and transportation has impacted air quality and become the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. To counteract the tendency to negatively impact the nature of our surroundings, regional planners are leading an effort to encourage the use of plug-in electric vehicles…

The Electric Cars Available Today, How Much They Cost, and How Far They Go -- In One Chart

So you want an electric car. You’re not alone — surveys show that consumer interest in EVs is steadily rising. People are slowly becoming convinced that EVs are real, not some distant techno-future. But consumers are also confused. There’s a lot of hype and misinformation floating around about EVs. I thought it would be helpful to share this simple chart, from the folks over at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. It shows the battery electric vehicles, or BEVs (not hybrids or plug-in hybrids) currently available and coming soon, how much they cost, and how far they can go on a charge…

Electric Car Sales Remain Ahead of Hybrids After Five Years

A recent survey of car buyers suggests that consumer interest in electric cars is rising, and is highest among young adults. They’re the car buyers of the future, so that would seem to be good news for the long-term prospects of plug-in cars. The information came from the second annual survey on electric cars conducted by the Consumer Federation of America. But the one chart contained in the CFA’s September press release may have said more about the prospects for electric cars than the rest of the words. It simply compared the sales of plug-in vehicles—both battery-electrics and plug-in hybrids combined—to those of hybrid cars over the first five years each were on sale…