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An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration. They are also around three times as efficient as cars with an internal combustion engine. The first electric cars were produced in the 1880s. Since 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing has occurred due to advances in batteries and energy management, concerns about increasing oil prices, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several national and local governments have established tax credits, subsidies, and other incentives to promote the introduction and adoption in the mass market of new electric vehicles depending on battery size and their all-electric range. Electric cars are significantly quieter than conventional internal combustion engine automobiles. They do not emit tailpipe pollutants, giving a large reduction of local air pollution, and, can give a significant reduction in total greenhouse gas and other emissions (dependent on the method used for electricity generation). As of September 2015, there are over 30 models of highway legal all-electric passenger cars and utility vans available for retail sales, mainly in the United States, China, Japan, Western European countries. By mid-September 2015, about 620,000 light-duty electric vehicles have been sold worldwide out of total global sales of one million plug-in electric cars sold since 2008. The world's top selling highway-capable electric car is the Nissan Leaf, released in December 2010 and sold in 46 countries. Global Leaf sales passed the 200,000 unit milestone in December 2015, and the Tesla Model S, released in June 2012, ranks second with over 107,000 units sold worldwide. In this series, we cover stories covering the development of electric vehicles around the world.

Electric Car Series

Why surging sales of large electric vehicles raises environmental red flags

Nov 07, 2023 09:00 am UTC| Business

Electric cars are getting bigger and heavier. In 2019, 30% of the electric vehicle (EV) models available worldwide were sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Fast forward to 2022 and that figure stood at 40% equivalent to...

Electric Car Series

Will drivers who paid Victoria's electric vehicle tax be able to get their money back?

Oct 25, 2023 05:32 am UTC| Business

Electric vehicle owners in Victoria couldnt be blamed for wondering if they might get their money back after the High Court found the states zero and low-emission vehicle road-user charge to be unconstitutional. The...

Electric Car Series

The High Court of Australia's decision on electric vehicles will make charging for road use very difficult

Oct 24, 2023 09:22 am UTC| Law Business

The High Court of Australias decision to invalidate Victorias electric vehicle tax has been widely noted as a major judgement in the history of federal-state taxation powers. In 2021, Victoria introduced a 2.5 cents per...

Electric Car Series

How sodium-ion batteries could make electric cars cheaper

Oct 11, 2023 03:38 am UTC| Technology

Cars that burn petrol and diesel must be replaced with renewable alternatives if the climate crisis is to be overcome. Electric vehicles (EVs) are widely viewed as the best option available. This is because EVs can be...

Electric Car Series

Why delaying the ban on petrol and diesel cars won't slow UK's shift to electric vehicles

Sep 23, 2023 00:49 am UTC| Economy

The UK has delayed its ban on the sale of new cars which burn petrol or diesel in internal combustion engines (ICE) from 2030 to 2035. In some ways, this is no surprise: the original plan was to ban them from 2040, a...

Electric Car Series

The EU’s anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles is a risky strategy that may backfire

Sep 21, 2023 01:52 am UTC| Law Business

In her State of the Union address on 13 September, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced a new anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles (EVs) from China, claiming that the market is being...

Electric Car Series

How electric vehicle batteries could save the UK auto industry

May 29, 2023 05:31 am UTC| Technology

The UK may have lost Eurovision this year, but it recently beat European rivals for an arguably more valuable prize. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is expected to build a multi-billion-pound electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in...

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Economy

Budget 2024: experts react to the UK government’s last roll of the economic dice ahead of a general election

The spring budget of 2024 was widely seen as a chance for UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to inject some economic optimism into British politics ahead of a general election. Would he or wouldnt he cut income tax? (He wouldnt.)...

From micro to macro, Andrew Leigh’s accessible history covers the economic essentials – and an epic rap battle

Andrew Leighs The Shortest History of Economics is the latest in a series of such histories, mostly focused on particular countries. It begins with a striking mini-history of household lighting, focusing on the amount...

Taxes aren’t just about money – they shape how we think about each other

Taxes raising them, cutting them, creating them are useful political tools in an election year (as Chancellor Jeremy Hunts decision to cut national insurance shows). But they are always pertinent, even if some people...

Interest rates are expected to drop but trying to out-think the market won’t guarantee getting a good deal

With most economists expecting interest rates to start falling later this year, prospective home buyers might be weighing up whether to buy now for fear of strong competition for stock, or waiting until repayments are...

Wendy’s won’t be introducing surge pricing, but it’s nothing new to many industries

The recent controversy over Wendys pricing strategies is a perfect example of how online word-of-mouth can distort marketing communications and create confusion for consumers. Wendys new president and CEO Kirk Tanner...

Politics

3 things to watch for in Russia’s presidential election – other than Putin’s win, that is

Russians will vote in a presidential election from March 15-17, 2024, and are all but guaranteed to hand Vladimir Putin a comfortable victory, paving the way for him to remain in power until at least 2030. While the...

Ireland referendums: what went wrong for the government and why double defeat draws a line under a decade of constitutional reform

Ireland, more than any other EU country, has a long and colourful history of referendums. Another chapter in that history has played out in the form of resounding defeats for two government proposals aimed at modernising...

Artdocfest is a crucial outpost of free expression on Russia’s doorstep

On the day of the funeral of Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putins most prominent opponent, the biggest festival of documentary film in the former Soviet countries opened in Latvia with a minutes silence. Artdocfest Rigas...

A beginner’s guide to the taxes you’ll hear about this election season

National insurance, income tax, VAT, capital gains tax, inheritance tax… its easy to get confused about the many different ways we contribute to the cost of running the country. The budget announcement is the key...

Science

Our survey of the sky is uncovering the secrets of how planets are born

When we look out to the stars, it is typically not a yearning for the distant depths of outer space that drives us. When we are looking out there, we are truly looking back at ourselves. We try to understand our place in...

Archeoastronomy uses the rare times and places of previous total solar eclipses to help us measure history

Total solar eclipses have fascinated and terrified people for centuries. Today, we know that total solar eclipses like the upcoming eclipse on April 8 are caused by a cosmic coincidence when the moon comes between the...

Spacesuits need a major upgrade for the next phase of exploration

Humans have long dreamed of setting foot on the Moon and other planetary bodies such as Mars. Since the 1960s, space travellers have donned suits designed to protect them from the vacuum of space and stepped out into the...

The brightest object in the universe is a black hole that eats a star a day

Scientists have no reported evidence of the true conditions in Hell, perhaps because no one has ever returned to tell the tale. Hell has been imagined as a supremely uncomfortable place, hot and hostile to bodily forms of...

The brain is the most complicated object in the universe. This is the story of scientists’ quest to decode it – and read people’s minds

In the middle of 2023, a study conducted by the HuthLab at the University of Texas sent shockwaves through the realms of neuroscience and technology. For the first time, the thoughts and impressions of people unable to...

Technology

Ford Plans $25K Electric Pickup, SUV to Counter Chinese EV Influence

Ford shifts its focus to affordable electric vehicles, announcing plans for a new platform. CEO Jim Farley highlights the importance of competitiveness amidst Chinese rivals. Ford CEO Jim Farley Warns of Chinese...

Shiba Inu Eyes 10% Dip Before Surge, Boasts $16.42B Cap Amid Volatility

Shiba Inu (SHIB) anticipates a potential 10% price correction for a liquidity sweep, even as it demonstrates remarkable market resilience with a $16.42 billion capitalization amid fluctuating trading conditions. Shiba...

Grab's Game-Changer: Crypto Payments Launch in Asia's Premier Super App

In a landmark move, Grab, the leading super app in Asia, has announced its partnership with Triple-A to introduce cryptocurrency payments, marking a significant milestone in digital finance within the region. Grab...

Rivian Joins Tesla's Supercharger Network, Boosting Electric Vehicle Accessibility

Rivian, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has integrated its vehicles into Teslas Supercharger network, adding to the accessibility of charging stations for EV owners. This move follows Fords recent inclusion in...
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