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Originally published on the NRDC Expert Blog.
By Mitchell Bernard

Today’s unemployment numbers out of Washington affirm what the country’s experiencing on Main Street: a grinding climb from a devastating pandemic that’s taking a continuing toll on the economic security of our people. It’s great news that unemployment is falling. But 9.3 million Americans remain out of work.

President Biden has proposed the right remedy — the American Jobs Plan, a comprehensive package of strategic public investment that weds climate action to equitable recovery and puts people back to work in every community.

This is a bold vision for strong, lasting, and broad-based recovery. It sets the table for a generation of prosperity and progress. It means cleaner, healthier communities, both urban and rural. As the plan makes its way through Congress, it’s time for all of us to rally around it.

The American Jobs Plan is a stirring vote of confidence in the nation’s future. It’s built on the belief that U.S. workers can out-compete anyone in the world when given a fighting chance. That’s what this plan does.

It sets us on the path to 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 — wiping out nearly a third of the dangerous carbon pollution that’s driving the climate crisis — by helping to clean up the nation’s power sector.

It speeds the transition to electric cars and trucks with zero tailpipe emissions, expands sustainable transit options for those who need them most, and reconnects urban neighborhoods divided for decades by misguided highway routes.

It protects our communities from the risks and toxic pollution from more than 3.1 million abandoned oil and gas wells and coal mines, by capping and cleaning up these idled fossil fuel sites as we shift to cleaner, smarter ways to power our future.

And it ends the ongoing and unacceptable exposure to hazardous drinking water in as many as 10 million American homes, by replacing lead pipes and service lines with safe and modern alternatives, while upgrading wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater systems nationwide.

These are essential national priorities. Cleaning up our dirty cars, trucks, and power plants. Capping abandoned wells and mines. Getting the lead out of our drinking water.

Combined with other vital work, such as rebuilding aging bridges, roads, and ports, this investment will create or sustain 15 million jobs over the coming decade, a Georgetown University analysis shows, including 8 million for workers that require only a high school education or less.

These are good-paying jobs for welders, carpenters, truck drivers, electricians, steelworkers, and others, including those who want the collective bargaining opportunities that come from belonging to a union.

The clean energy sector offers multiple advantages: It pays 25 percent more than the average job for some 3 million workers who help to make our homes, cars, and workplaces more efficient; it builds electric and low-emission cars, trucks, and parts; it gets more clean power from the wind and sun; and it modernizes the grid and storage system we depend on for reliable power.

That’s core work in the American Jobs Plan. It’s how we roll up our sleeves and make good on Biden’s pledge to cut the U.S. carbon footprint in half by 2030, so we can stop adding carbon pollution to the atmosphere altogether by 2050.

That’s what the science tells us must happen — at home and abroad — if we’re to avert the worst of a climate crisis that last year alone inflicted more than $95 billion in damage nationwide, while combining with fossil fuel pollution to impose another $820 billion in health-care costs on our people.

Confronting this costly crisis will be the economic play of our lifetime, with clean energy investments set to attract more than $11 trillion in global capital in the space of this generation alone.

The American Jobs Plan will help make the United States a clean energy superpower — and make U.S. companies and workers the winners in the global clean energy sweepstakes.

The plan includes investments to plus-up research and investment in critical new technologies; support innovation to make U.S. factories more efficient; strengthen the domestic supply chain for the next generation of wind, solar, and battery technology; and expand training for workers looking to transition out of fading industries like fossil fuels and into more promising opportunities elsewhere.

Strengthening our economy. Putting our people back to work. Cleaning up toxic pollution that threatens our health. Standing up to the mounting costs and growing dangers of climate change.

These are the pillars of the American Jobs Plan — strategic investment that’s paid for by asking fossil fuel companies, other corporations, and those earning more than $400,000 a year to pay their fair share to support the kind of progress that’s enabled them to thrive. Investing in efficiency, meanwhile, will enable us to do more with less waste in our homes, workplaces and cars, cutting energy costs for our families and businesses.

Small wonder, then, that the plan is supported by nearly two-thirds of the country.

The American Jobs Plan accomplishes one thing more: It addresses what the pandemic has made all the more urgent.

A modern plague that has killed 600,000 people across the United States alone, the coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of us all. No one is surprised to learn who’s suffered most: primarily the same low-income communities and people of color for whom the pandemic has only worsened long-festering inequities in education and employment opportunities, housing, and health care.

The American Jobs Plan is designed to address those inequities head-on. It’s tailored to deliver 40 percent of the economic, environmental, and health benefits of this strategic climate and clean energy investment to the same historically disadvantaged communities that bear a disproportionate share of the burden of environmental hazard and harm.

The American Jobs Plan is the grand strategy the country needs — and we need it now. The 2022 federal budget Biden proposed last week includes a down payment on this eight-year investment plan, with early investment to jump-start the progress it’s meant to ensure.

Now, it’s our turn to rally around this hopeful vision of a cleaner, healthier, more prosperous future for a nation united behind the climate action that can power a strong, just, and equitable recovery for every family, in every community, across this land.


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VW says its cars will get Supercharger access and adapters in June (Updated)

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VW says its cars will get Supercharger access and adapters in June (Updated)

Volkswagen says that its electric cars will be able to charge at Tesla’s Supercharger network starting in June, reports PC Magazine.

In 2022, Tesla announced it would open its charging network, lured by big money promised in President Biden’s federal EV charging grants.

For a while it seemed like a bit of a hail mary, as many thought that most of the industry was already committed to the SAE CCS standard for fast charging.

But then, in 2023, Ford announced it would adopt Tesla’s connector, and all the dominos started to fall. Soon enough, basically the entire industry had announced a shift to Tesla’s charging standard.

For a time, though, VW was a holdout. It wasn’t until December 2023 – half a year after Ford’s announcement – that VW committed to switching to NACS in 2025 (though really, they were just waiting for SAE’s certification of the standard, which was completed a few days prior).

Well, now we’re here in 2025, and VW says they’re ready to step up.

Today at CES, VW PR director Mark Gillies confirmed to PC Magazine that “we get access to the network in June/July, when we have an official VW adapter.”

This means that the VW EVs available in the US – the ID.4 crossover SUV (which just restarted sales after a door handle recall) and the brand new ID. Buzz minivan, should be able to charge within months… as long as everything goes as planned.

Currently, VW isn’t even listed on Tesla’s NACS page, which mentions that Ford, Rivian, GM, Volvo, Polestar, and Nissan vehicles can all charge on Tesla’s charging network. The only manufacturer currently listed as “coming soon” is Mercedes-Benz, and generally manufacturers have spent a few months on that page before gaining access.

So this is a bit of a surprise announcement from VW, but certainly welcome. Then again, we have witnessed miscommunications in this respect before, so maybe Tesla just didn’t want to jump the gun again, like it did with Nissan. (Update: It turns out VW jumped the gun this time, as a previous version of this article quoted VW saying it will get access in March, not June).

In the past, adapters have taken some manufacturers time to make and ship out. Ford, for example, not only delayed its adapter rollout, but also had to replace some adapters – so caution might be warranted here.

VW’s confirmation today doesn’t specify whether its sub-brands, Audi and Porsche, would be on the same timeline. But since the three brands committed to NACS in a joint announcement, it stands to reason that they could be on the same timeline to get access and adapters.

Update: A previous version of this article stated that VW cars will get access in March, and adapters in June. It turns out, both access and adapters will come in June.

Electrek’s Take

Given that VW was one of the last manufacturers to officially adopt NACS, it’s nice to see them keeping to their timeline – and possibly beating some other manufacturers to the punch too.

This could also be a sign that we’ll start seeing more of a flood of manufacturers getting access soon. The transition is supposed to happen “throughout 2025” after all, and, well, that’s where we are. But the casual nature with which VW has confirmed this timeline suggests that perhaps this transition is really about to get on a roll.

So, look forward to having a lot more interesting sights to see at Superchargers, as the menagerie gets more varied throughout the year.


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Cox Automotive: 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2025 will be electric

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Cox Automotive: 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2025 will be electric

US EV sales will continue to grow in the year ahead, accounting for 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2025, according to Cox Automotive’s 2025 Outlook.

Cox Automotive is kicking off 2025 with a bright outlook for the auto market. After wrapping up 2024 on a high note, the US auto industry seems to be on a solid path forward, despite some uncertainties. In fact, Cox is predicting that it’s going to be the best year for the auto market since before the pandemic, in 2019.

With the exception of Stellantis and Tesla, nearly every automaker posted higher sales year-over-year overall in 2024. General Motors was the top-selling automaker in 2024, while Honda and Mazda delivered strong growth.

The US market posted record EV sales in 2023 and 2024, and this trend is expected to continue in 2025. Cox Automotive predicts that EVs will account for approximately 10% of the market total in the year ahead, up from roughly 7.5% in 2024.

Hybrids and plug-ins will account for about 15% of the market, and sales of ICE vehicles will tumble to 75% of total volume, the lowest level on record.

EV growth will be supported by around 15 additional EV models entering the market, consumers deciding to buy before the Trump administration cuts the $7,500 tax credit, and state-level incentives countering potential federal cuts. The rapid expansion of the EV charging network is also contributing to this growth.

Cox asserts that “consumers are feeling better about the road ahead, as the US election was smoothly settled, interest rates are below their peaks, and the job market has stabilized.”

Read more: ‘EVs right now are the best deals in the market’ – Kelley Blue Book


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January

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Here are the EVs you can still lease for under 0 a month in January

With more models hitting the market and massive incentives, electric vehicles are more affordable than ever. However, with Trump’s transition team reportedly planning to end the EV tax credit, the savings may soon disappear. Here are the EVs you can still lease for under $300 a month in January.

2024 was another record year for EV sales in the US. Many automakers, including GM, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Honda, sold significantly more electric cars last year than in 2023.

According to Cox Automotive, electric vehicles are expected to represent 7.5% of all US auto sales in 2024. Although all December and full-year 2024 sales numbers have yet to be released, EV sales hit a record in November. With over 116,000 units sold, electric cars achieved an 8.5% market share.

A big reason behind the growth was new models, like the Honda Prologue, which was the third best-selling EV in the US in November. That’s after deliveries began in just March.

Honda sold over 33,000 Prologues in the US last year, with nearly 7,900 in December alone. With over 114,000 EVs sold, GM outpaced Ford’s roughly 97,900. Meanwhile, Hyundai, Kia, and others reported record EV sales in 2024.

Although a big reason behind the sales surge is due to new options, massive incentives have made EVs even cheaper to lease than gas-powered cars.

EVs-lease-$300-January
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)

What EVs are for lease for under $300 in January 2025?

With additional discounts on top of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, some discounts are reaching as high as $10,000 to $20,000 off MSRP. In Q3, EV incentives averaged over 12% of the average transaction price (ATP), nearly double the industry average of 7%.

Despite having a starting MSRP almost double that of a Civic Sedan, you can lease a Honda Prologue for less in many parts of the US.

EVs-lease-$300-January
2024 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

The 2024 Honda Prologue is listed at just $229 for 36 months in California and other ZEV states. With $1,299 due at signing, the effective monthly payment is $265. That’s for the EX (FWD) trim, which has a range of up to 296 miles.

In other parts of the country, don’t worry — Honda is still offering Prologue leases starting at $249 per month. You can also opt for a 0% APR.

Lease From Term
(months)
Due at Signing Effective rate per month
(including upfront fees)
2025 Kia Niro EV $149 24 $3,999 $315
2024 Kia EV6 $159 24 $3,849 $319
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 $189 24 $3,999 $355
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 $159 24 $3,999 $326
2024 Fiat 500e $211 42 $211 $216
2024 Toyota bZ4X $219 39 $2,999 $296
2024 Honda Prologue $229 36 $1,299 $265
2024 Subaru Solterra $279 36 $279 $287
Tesla Model 3 $299 36 $2,999 $382
Tesla Model Y $299 36 $2,999 $382
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV $299 24 $3,169 $431
Best EV lease deals for under $300 a month in January 2025

Using data from auto intelligence firm CarsDirect, we’ve gathered the top EVs you lease for under $300 a month this January. You can view offers in your area at the bottom.

Several other electric crossovers and SUVs, including the 2024 Subaru Solterra, Toyota bZ4X, and Hyundai IONIQ 5, are available to lease for under $300.

EVs-lease-$300-January
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (left) and IONIQ 6 (right) at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Hyundai)

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is listed as low as $189 for 24 months. With $3,999 due at signing, the effective rate is $355. Hyundai is offering big savings to clear inventory with the upgraded 2025 models arriving at US dealerships.

Hyundai’s other dedicated EV, the IONIQ 6, is listed at just $159 for 36 months. With $3,999 due at signing, the monthly effective rate is $326.

EVs-lease-$300-January
2024 Subaru Solterra (Source: Subaru)

Subaru is offering 2024 Solterra leases starting at $279 per month (36 months). With just the first month’s payment due up front ($279), the monthly rate is $296. Although Toyota’s bZ4X is listed for as little as $219 for 39 months, with $2,999 due at signing, it’s slightly more with an effective rate of $296.

Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 can be leased for just $299 per month (36 months). With $2,999 due at signing for an effective rate of $382.

EVs-lease-$300-January
Chevy Equinox EV (Source: GM)

The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV can be leased for as little as $299 for 24 months. With $3,169 due upfront, the monthly rate is $431.

Meanwhile, a November report by Reuters claimed that Trump’s transition team aimed to eliminate the $7,500 federal tax credit. If true, many of these savings could soon disappear.

Are you ready to find your new EV? We’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to find the best deals on popular electric vehicles in your area.

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