CLEAN VEHICLES

World EV Day

For the transit users:

Toronto bus riders can enjoy one of the cleanest trips on the continent after the Toronto Transit Commission became the largest battery electric bus fleet in North America, now operating 60 battery-electric buses. E-buses provide a particularly effective way of cutting pollution: they reduce individual car use while getting whole busloads of people around emissions-free. This recent Clean Energy Canada report has the lowdown on why we need smart policy to accelerate electric buses in more cities across Canada

For the ride hailers:

As the pandemic calls for more socially distant ways of getting around, many may turn to ride hailing apps like Uber and Lyft over their local bus stop, which could be bad news for pollution. So it’s good news that Uber has joined Lyft in promising to transition its fleet to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2030. But as former Clean Energy Review author Dan Woynillowicz writes in a new op-ed, “If we want to ensure that the rise of ride-hailing doesn’t bring with it a big rise in carbon pollution, we’re going to need public policy.”

For the owners:

Charging just got even easier for electric car owners. As this Cleantechnica piece explores, Google Maps has introduced some funky new functionality that allows drivers to locate fast chargers on the go. Android users can also open the app to estimate the amount of battery their journey will use up.

For the manufacturers:

General Motors is getting serious about EVs, announcing it will take an 11% stake in zero-emission vehicle startup Nikola Corp. The two companies are planning to build electric pickup trucks and fuel cell commercial trucks to take on Tesla’s EV market domination. And they’re not the only ones who’ve seen an opportunity: the pandemic has spurred a race for “Tesla-like” electric delivery vans, according to this Reuters article.

Climate action that’s really climate delay

That's probably enough EVs for one morning, so here’s an op-ed about climate delay masquerading as climate action. As the piece by public policy researcher Sara Hastings-Simon reads, “Unlike outright climate denial, ‘climate delay’ acknowledges the reality of a changing climate... But instead of actively working to deal with the issue, it seeks to create a debate... The end goal is to significantly delay action to reduce emissions.”

An inclusive and clean recovery

In the lead up to the Speech from the Throne later this week, it’s clear that any recovery plan must take steps to support inclusivity—the “she-cession” and soaring youth unemployment to name but two of the challenges. But how can our government ensure the recovery also helps create a cleaner, sustainable economy? Here’s the Smart Prosperity Institute with four recommendations for a recovery that is both inclusive and clean. 

The hydrogen hope

The conversations about the future of hydrogen in Canada are growing louder—and Canadian governments are listening. Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan told CBC last week that “things are happening quickly… It looks like trends we saw before the pandemic have accelerated. We want to be ahead of it.” The B.C. government has also announced a $10-million investment in 10 new hydrogen fuelling stations. Meanwhile, the private sector is steaming ahead, with B.C.-based hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer Ballard Power launching the first hydrogen propulsion system for marine vessels last week.

EV batteries get a career change

Old electric vehicle batteries are getting a new lease on life in northern B.C. thanks to a startup and Simon Fraser University. The organization, Moment Energy, is using old batteries to help remote, off-grid communities cut back on diesel consumption by storing power from cleaner—but intermittently producing—energy sources like wind and solar. 

Something is up

As our newsfeeds fill with apocalyptic images of an orange, smoke-filled California, it’s obvious that something serious is up. As this Reuters piece put it, “The planet is showing signs it's in peril.” But we don’t need to rely on our own creeping feeling of unease to know that the thing is climate change. The science of attribution—linking the likelihood and severity of specific weather events to climate change—is growing in sophistication. The Reuters article above provides a summary of some of the latest results. 

IMAGE & MEDIA CREDITS: Mobile Syrup