Almost 30% of tree species in the wild are now at risk of extinction, with a wide range of factors responsible for their decline, according to analysis released Wednesday.
Published by Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the State of the World’s Trees report found that out of the planet’s 58,497 recorded tree species, 17,510 — or 29.9% — were threatened.
In addition, 4,099 are regarded as being “possibly threatened” while at least 142 species are now extinct in the wild, according to the report.
The figure of 29.9% does not assume that “data deficient” species, or those that scientists don’t have enough information on, are threatened. If all species in this category were deemed to be threatened, the percentage under threat of extinction would jump to 51.3%.
“Assuming that Data Deficient species are equally likely to be threatened as all other tree species, we can estimate that 38.1% of tree species are classified as threatened,” the report said. Conversely, 41.5% of species are not seen as being under threat.
“The main threats to tree species are forest clearance and other forms of habitat loss, direct exploitation for timber and other products and the spread of invasive pests and diseases,” the report said. “Climate change is also having a clearly measurable impact.”
Expanding on the latter, a statement from BGCI said both climate change and extreme weather were “emerging threats to tree species globally.”
“As the temperature and weather of the world changes, many trees risk losing areas of suitable habitat,” it added. “This affects species in both temperate and tropical habitats, with Cloud Forest tree species of Central America being at particular risk.”
The report’s figures were based on data from various sources such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, scientific research papers and conservation assessments.
The trees under threat will be familiar to many and include oaks, magnolias and maples.
Paul Smith, BGCI’s secretary general, said the report was “a wake up call to everyone around the world that trees need help.”
“Every tree species matters — to the millions of other species that depend on trees, and to people all over the world,” he said.
Trees are a crucial cog in the planet’s ecosystem, with a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. stating forests “supply water, mitigate climate change and provide habitats for many pollinators, which are essential for sustainable food production.” Elsewhere, the IUCN says forests absorb roughly 2.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide every year.
While the BGCI report makes for sobering reading, the organization also listed a number of actions that could be taken to “protect and bring back threatened species.”
These include: conserving threatened species in seed bank and botanic garden collections; increasing the availability of corporate and government funding for tree species under threat; the expansion of schemes focused on tree planting; and extending “protected area coverage for threatened tree species that are currently not well represented in protected areas.”
Among those commenting on Wednesday’s findings were Sara Oldfield, who is co-chair of the Global Tree Specialist Group.
“Trees are vital for our future and for a healthy world we need tree species diversity,” Oldfield, who also contributed to the BGCI report, said.
“Each tree species has a unique ecological role to play. With 30 percent of the world’s tree species threatened with extinction we need to urgently scale up conservation action.”
With a massive, 240 ton payload and a host of new features, the first of Caterpillar’s next-generation CAT 793 XE Early Learner battery electric trucks has arrived at Newmont’s Cripple Creek and Victor (CC&V) mine in Teller County, Colorado.
“In less than two years, we went from retrofitting an existing piece of equipment at our proving ground to designing a ruggedized solution ready for validation at our customers’ sites,” explains Caterpillar Vice President, Brian Weller. “This was not a small change. Just about everything in the powertrain has been enhanced while still leveraging proven components of our Cat 793 model. With these changes, we still have learning to do with our customers in real-world applications.”
The next phase of Caterpillar’s Early Learner program will see the company attempt to integrate multiple electrified trucks at a single site with remote operators, validating the integration of a battery electric fleet with CAT’s existing autonomous and fleet management systems.
The Newmont gold mining operation has a long-standing “strategic alliance” with Caterpillar (signed in 2021) that aims to deliver a fully connected, automated, zero carbon emitting, end-to-end mining operation by 2050 while reducing downtime and operating costs.
Electrek’s Take
As I’ve said before, EVs and mining to together like peanut butter and jelly. In confined spaces, the carbon emissions and ear-splitting noise made by conventional, ICE-powered mining equipment can create dangerous circumstances that can lead to serious injuries (or worse), and that’s just going to make it even harder for a mining operation to keep people working and minerals coming out of the ground.
By working with companies like Caterpillar to prove that forward-looking electric equipment can do the job as well as well as (if not better than) their internal combustion counterparts, Newmont will go a long way towards converting what’s left of the ICE faithful.
Chinese electric truck maker JAC has shipped 100 MD electric trucks (cab and chassis) from Hefei, China to a single customer in Mexico, marking a major milestone in the commercial vehicle brand’s growing North American ambitions.
“We call on all interested parties to share the best international practices to contribute to a better development of electromobility and bring its benefits to all Mexican cities,” says Shirley Wagner, president of Mexico’s Electro Movilidad Asociación (EMA), a coalition of companies that includes Kia, Volvo, Tesla, JAC, and BYD that is working to help reduce Mexico’s vehicular carbon emissions by going “100% electric” by 2035. “We believe that those of us living in Mexico deserve cleaner air, and it is possible to achieve it if we work together to make previously made commitments a reality.”
JAC N55 electric truck
JAC Motors entered the Mexican market in 2012, and has built out a nationwide sales and service network there, earning enough local trust to support this single 100-unit order.
It doesn’t seem to matter if we’re talking about the low-end or the high-end of the EV market, the Chinese are there with solid products that seem poised to seriously challenge Western automakers in their home turf. The electric truck market seems to be no exception.
ALSET Auto doesn’t protect cars; it protects EVs. This year, the Tesla customization company expanded its services to include all EV owners and offers services such as tint, ceramic coatings, paint protection film (PPF), and colored wraps. As ALSET Auto’s business grows, the company is offering new franchise opportunities to help expand its services to EV owners in the US and Canada.
Table of contents
Founded by EV owners for EV owners
ALSET Auto was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2018 by Phil Bunting and Marcus Brown after they each purchased Teslas and were dissatisfied with their experience in their search for viable exterior protection options.
I called a half dozen shops in my area and got the same runaround. They loved to disparage Tesla’s soft paint, but no one wanted to give me a firm price for paint protection over the phone,
recalls ALSET CEO, Phil Bunting:
They all wanted me to bring my Tesla into their shop first, refused to provide a firm estimate over the phone, and declined to list their all-in prices on their website. I remember thinking, if I can build, price, and purchase a $100,000 Model X on my iPhone in five minutes, why should getting my Tesla protected be any different?
Thus, the idea for ALSET (Tesla spelled backward) was born. The company envisioned offering customers an experience similar to buying a Tesla, where the price is transparent, and there is no upselling, bait-and-switch tactics, or pricing gimmicks. Instead of selling Tesla owners on the fear of what could happen to their EV’s unprotected paint, ALSET set out to build a lasting connection with customers based on a shared passion for the cars they love.
Over the past five years, ALSET Auto has quickly become a leading provider of paint protection and personalization services. Operating in 15 markets across North America, ALSET has protected and personalized more than 7,000 EVs.
Aside from Cybertruck wraps, ALSET Auto’s three core services appeal to the broader market of owners who are looking to protect, preserve and enhance the look of their EVs. The company forged a partnership with XPEL Inc. to offer its customers a suite of best-in-class protective film and coating options, which include:
ALSET Auto offers a suite of options to protect, preserve and personalize your EV
Tesla Cybertruck wraps have quickly become a significant portion of ALSET Auto’s expanding business. The company offers the largest selection of colored PPF in the industry with more than 250 options in gloss, matte, metallic, and color shifting. The company is currently wrapping about 100 Cybertrucks per month, with several locations wrapping as many as five per week. Bunting elaborated:
The demand for colored paint protection film in recent years has surged because most EVs are offered in limited colors. Unlike flimsy vinyl wraps, colored PPF offer durable protection, self- healing properties and longer warranty coverage. It is the best of both worlds for protection and aesthetics. For Cybertrucks, we are finding that it’s a matter of when their owners will purchase wraps, not if.
The company has received nearly 1,000 five-star reviews for offering highly specialized customer service along with an industry-leading, lifetime warranty. In addition, ALSET services are CARFAX certified so that all upgrades appear on CARFAX reports to increase resale value and assist in insurance claims.
Paint Protection Film (PPF) – This durable self-healing film is offered in a clear or matte finish and is most commonly applied to the entire car or the front impact zones which include the full hood, fenders, bumper and mirror caps. PPF protects the vehicle’s paint from unsightly rock chips, scratches and abrasions. In many instances, scratches in the film can be removed with heat from the sun or blowdryer, or by using hot water.
Nano Ceramic Coatings – When fully cured, ceramic coatings are up to three times harder than factory clear coat. ALSET Auto’s full interior and exterior ceramic package uses four different ceramic formulas which are applied to the paint and trim, wheels, windshield, as well as the interior. While these coatings are not intended to prevent rock chips, they help protect from light scratches and swirls, environmental contaminants, and etching from bug guts and bird droppings. They also make your EV extremely shiny and hydrophobic, which makes washing and maintenance a breeze.
Ceramic Window Film – Available in a variety of shades, ceramic window tint offers unrivaled heat rejection as well as protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays. It also provides a sleeker look and enhanced security and privacy. EVs with ceramic window tint can expect to get more range from their battery due to lower cabin temps and less use of their EV’s air conditioning.
ALSET Auto also participates in XPEL’s OEM referral programs, which include Tesla and Rivian.
ALSET Auto plans to award 12 new franchises in 2025
After successfully opening corporate locations in Portland and Seattle, ALSET Auto launched the company’s first franchise in 2021 in Dallas, Texas. In doing so, ALSET Auto completed a rigorous franchise registration process with iFranchise Group, Inc., an industry-leading consultancy group that has worked with Massage Envy, Denny’s, Vitamin Shoppe, Shelf Genie and other name brands.
Since then, ALSET Auto has expanded to 15 locations with several more franchises currently in the pipeline.
Locations:
Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX
Dallas, TX
Jacksonville, FL
Las Vegas, NV
Orange County, CA
Portland, OR
Raleigh, NC
Richmond, VA
San Diego, CA
Sacramento, CA (ALSET Affiliate)
Seattle, WA
Tampa, FL
Vancouver, BC, Canada
The average annual revenue for ALSET Auto locations open at least 12 months was $1 million in 2023, according to the company’s 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
ALSET Auto provides franchisees a wide range of ongoing support including training, site selection assistance, coaching, access to proprietary software systems, in-house marketing and advertising, vendor partnerships, and dealer programs. These services are critical to setting up news franchise operators for success.
Current ALSET franchisees joined the company without any prior experience in the industry. They come from various backgrounds, including the restaurant and entertainment industries, sales, technology, sports, and finance.
Ideal franchise candidates are EV owners and enthusiasts who are passionate about the booming EV market and seeking financial freedom and independence from a typical 9-to-5 job. Candidates should be well-capitalized, business-minded, passionate about the EV industry, and committed to actively working in their business.
To learn more about franchising with ALSET Auto and receive the company’s franchising e-brochure, visit their website here.
If you’re interested in learning more about their services, visit their retail site at www.alsetauto.com.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.