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Electric Vehicle Series

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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 Vehicle Series

Wrong way, go back: a proposed new tax on electric vehicles is a bad idea

Dec 24, 2019 08:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

In recent years, false claims have circulated that electric vehicles are breaking our roads because they dont use fuel and so their drivers dont pay fuel excise. Heeding such concerns, both the Victorian and New South...

Electric Vehicle Series

Love it or hate it, Tesla's Cybertruck is revolutionary

Dec 04, 2019 11:23 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

With a collective gasp and puzzled looks, the world was recently introduced to Teslas newest vehicle. The so-called Cybertruck is an angular, stainless steel, all-electric pickup truck that quickly became...

Electric Vehicle Series

Sweden's new road powers electric vehicles – what's the environmental impact?

Apr 21, 2018 16:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Sweden has built the first smart road that will allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive. The eRoadArlanda pilot scheme, which covers two kilometres of road outside Stockholm, is an attempt to solve one of the...

Electric Vehicle Series

Why don't electric cars look like the future?

Jan 09, 2018 15:34 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Electric cars were supposed to be the future or at least look like it. So now theyre here, why do they still look like ordinary petrol and diesel cars and not dazzling props from a science fiction film. Before they hit...

Electric Vehicle Series

End of the road for traditional vehicles? Here are the facts

Oct 10, 2017 13:32 pm UTC| Insights & Views

New sales of petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040 in the UK, which has since been joined by France. Sweden and Scotland will impose the ban by 2032, and Norway by 2025. Coupled with increasing concern over the...

Electric Vehicle Series

Jobs, tax and politics: three ways electric vehicles will change our world

Oct 06, 2017 00:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology Economy

China, the worlds largest car market, is working on a timetable to stop the production and sale of vehicles powered by fossil fuels. India has declared its intention to make all new vehicles electric by 2030. Like...

Electric Vehicle Series

New Mercedes-Benz Maybach Convertible Is An Electric Car Enthusiast’s Dream

Aug 21, 2017 06:24 am UTC| Technology

Anyone who has been following the development of the electric car for decades will remember a time when analysts and so-called experts said that such vehicles would never be sexy enough for the masses. Then Tesla came...

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Economy

Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets

Most Asian currencies held steady on Thursday after modest gains, as markets continued to price in the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. The US Dollar Index edged 0.1% higher following an overnight dip...

Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains

Asian stock markets traded mostly subdued on Thursday, mirroring the modest uptick seen on Wall Street as investors positioned themselves ahead of next weeks Federal Reserve meeting. Market sentiment remained cautiously...

China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to direct his focus toward revitalizing Chinas weakening economy rather than pursuing territorial expansion, highlighting widening economic contrasts...

IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears

International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz is making his first trip to China since leaving his position as chief of staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, marking a significant moment ahead of...

Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut

The U.S. dollar fell to a five-week low on Thursday as Asian stocks opened the trading day with muted performance, reflecting growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its meeting next week....

Politics

Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean

Cuban authorities announced that the island is intensifying its fight against narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean, emphasizing ongoing cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard despite heightened political tensions and an...

Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert

An Irish naval vessel detected as many as five drones operating close to the flight path of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys aircraft as he arrived in Ireland for a state visit, according to local media reports on...

Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support

Australia is moving forward with the newly received United States review of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine partnership, signalling renewed confidence in the trilateral defence pact with the U.S. and the United...

Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship

The Trump administration has introduced stricter vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants, targeting professionals in highly skilled fields often recruited by major U.S. tech companies. According to an internal State...

California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents

California has introduced a new online portal that enables the public to submit videos, photos, and other evidence of potential misconduct by federal immigration agents. The initiative comes as immigration enforcement...

Science

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump and German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have announced a groundbreaking deal aimed at lowering the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments while boosting access to fertility care in...

Technology

EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp

The European Commission is reportedly preparing to launch a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) over the companys recent rollout of artificial intelligence features within WhatsApp....

Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly explored raising significant capital to acquire or partner with a rocket company, a move that could have created direct competition with Elon Musks SpaceX. According to a report from the...

Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation

Wikipedia is seeking additional licensing deals with major technology companies to address the growing financial burden caused by artificial intelligence firms heavily scraping its platform, according to co-founder Jimmy...

Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature

Firelight reaches 25M XRP deposit cap within hours of launch; ushers in a new era for decentralized XRP staking. A new XRP staking platform, Firelight, has officially launched on the Flare blockchain, marking the first...

OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities

OpenAI has confirmed plans to acquire Neptune, a startup known for its advanced tools that help companies track, monitor, and optimize AI model training workflows. Although the company did not release the financial details...