For those of you who live in places with scooters on the sidewalks everywhere, this is probably old news, but my habit of living in the hinterlands does give me a unique perspective on the scooter phenomenon. I do ride one from time to time, but then I’m away from them for months at a time. When things change, I don’t experience it gradually.
Ebusco delivered 60 of its 12-meter Ebusco 2.2 electric buses to transit operator Qbuzz in the Netherlands. The new buses were brought into the service area in grand fashion, as a parade of the titans traveled the 250 kilometers into Groningen for the official delivery.
One of CleanTechnica’s first rate, well written, most fascinating articles this year was one by Maarten Vinkhuyzen, who wrote, “A perfect storm is brewing above the automotive industry. Three hardly grasped phenomena are working together. Just like a real storm, when the conditions align in the best/worst way, we get a devastating superstorm. These phenomena (or events) are the Osborne effect of delayed demand, the technology (cost) curve of battery prices and other technology, and the S-curve that describes market acceptance of new technologies.”
Readers of CleanTechnica are likely familiar with two of the first companies to build sustainable new energy businesses around the combined opportunity of electric vehicles, energy storage, and solar — BYD and Tesla.
Loveland, Colorado-based commercial EV builder Lightning Systems just closed a $41 million round of financing comprised of equity, debt, and working capital line funding from a variety of investors. Lightning Systems plans to use the new funding to scale up production of its electric powertrains for Ford Transits, Ford E-450s, Ford F-59 step vans, Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 6500XD trucks, and Lightning Electric city buses.
BYD is electrifying Bali and Jakarta with a new order for a fleet of 200 of BYD’s fully electric T3 vans from the operator of the largest taxi network in Indonesia, PT Blue Bird Tbk. The new order is the largest order for fully electric taxis in history in Indonesia and also sets a new record for BYD for its electric vans outside of China.
Kansas City has voted to provide free public transportation to all. Is that a good idea?
The Netherlands is getting another massive wave of electric buses, thanks to a massive order from Keolis Nederland BV for 259 new buses from BYD. The order, which was inked on December 6th at Keolis’ head office in Deventer, is the largest single order for electric buses in Europe and reveals just how comfortable transit operators around the world are with the prospect of electric vehicles in their fleets.
NASA & Uber Air share, by all appearances in this simulation, a tidy answer to a widespread urban issue: electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
Los Angeles. 2028. The Summer Olympics return for their third trip. The Olympic Committee has fulfilled their promise to only use recycled materials. An easy promise in a city with so much existing Olympic Infrastructure. But will the Olympians be able to breathe? Will Los Angeles, America’s manufacturing hub, be forced to shut down factories (and the ports!) for weeks preceding the Olympics in order to ensure adequately clean air? Or will this not be enough? Will all Olympic events be held indoors? Will Olympians compete wearing filtration masks and oxygen tanks?
