Connect with us

Published

on

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and U.S. President Joe Biden react during the “Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment” session during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain November 2, 2021.
Jeff J Mitchell | Reuters

GLASGOW, Scotland — Climate campaigners and environmental activists have sharply criticized the organization of the COP26 climate summit, describing U.N.-brokered talks as the most exclusionary they have ever known.

The meeting, which formally opened on Sunday, has been billed as humanity’s last and best chance to prevent the worst of what the climate crisis has in store. The U.K. is presiding over the talks in Glasgow, Scotland through to Nov. 12.

Logistical difficulties, the exclusion of people with disabilities and a lack of attendees from the Global South are just some of the criticisms leveled at the event organizers.

The COP26 presidency was not immediately available to comment when contacted by CNBC on Friday.

“I’d like to be polite,” Asad Rehman, a spokesperson for the COP26 coalition, told CNBC Tuesday when asked about his experience of COP26 so far. “But it will go down as the worst planned, worst organized and least effective COP that I have ever known. It is just unbelievable.”

Rehman, who said he had been attending U.N. climate talks for over a decade, estimated that only one-third of the usual number of participants representing the Global South had been able to attend COP26 due to Covid-19 restrictions, a lack of affordable accommodation and an inability to access the conference.

This “seriously undermines” the credibility of the meeting, he said, before adding that some civil society groups in attendance had also been “locked out” of negotiations. The COP26 coalition is a U.K.-based group that represents indigenous communities, frontline activists and grassroots campaigns from the Global South.

The start of the week saw chaotic scenes outside the venue, with attendees stuck in long lines trying to gain access to the complex at the SEC in Glasgow.

COP26 President Alok Sharma told reporters earlier in the week that he “regrets” delegates have had to endure lengthy lines to enter the venue.

“This is a unique COP in quite extraordinary times,” Sharma said on Wednesday. “Of course, we regret any logistical issues that people feel are stopping them coming in in a timely manner. I hope that will settle over the next few days.”

‘Two week celebration of business as usual’

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is expected to take part in a climate protest on Friday with thousands of other young people, said COP26 could no longer be considered a climate conference.

“This is a Global North greenwash festival,” Thunberg said via Twitter on Thursday, referencing criticism that the Glasgow summit has been described as “the most excluding COP ever.”

“A two week celebration of business as usual and blah blah blah,” she added.

It follows a pledge from the U.K. government to make the Glasgow summit “the most inclusive COP ever,” saying extra measures would be put in place to alleviate concerns about safety and inclusivity at the event amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, U.N. climate chief Patricia Espinosa admitted that measures put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic meant the summit could not be as accessible as previous COPs.

The Climate Action Network, a global alliance of more than 1,500 environmental campaign groups, called for the event to be postponed in early September, citing concerns that it would be “impossible” to ensure a safe, inclusive and just global climate conference.

Alexandria Villasenor, a youth U.S. climate activist, has described the summit as an “exclusionary dystopian hellscape.”

“First, it’s true, there’s one entrance for 20k attendees, it’s like a single file line for everyone to get in and get through security. I’ve spent 4 hours in line over the past 2 days. It’s chaos and a failure on the part of the organizers,” Villaseñor said via Twitter on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old said civil society groups and NGO observers had been unable to access negotiation spaces in-person and were instead left to observe the main plenary sessions online in a separate room.

Villasenor also criticized the summit for failing to consider the inclusion of people with disabilities, citing no sign language interpreters on the COP26 stage and no wheelchair access.

Israel Energy Minister Karine Elharrar was unable to take part in the COP26 summit at the start of the week because the venue was not wheelchair accessible. She has since criticized the U.N. for failing to provide accessibility to its events despite it promoting the importance of ensuring accessibility to those with disabilities.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized to Elharrar when the pair met on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Dipti Bhatnagar, a climate justice and energy co-coordinator for Friends of the Earth International, an environmental group, said last week that the U.K. was on course to deliver “the most exclusionary COP ever.”

Bhatnagar, who was not able to travel to Glasgow from Mozambique where she is based, said on Sunday: “The chaotic and last minute nature of plans to help support participation from overseas are too little too late for many delegates from global south countries.”

“It is hard to see how COP26’s outcomes could be considered fair and legitimate with those on the frontline of climate impacts unable to make their voices heard in the streets of Glasgow and in the halls of the COP,” she added.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

Published

on

By

Tesla is starting to have Model Y inventory in the US again, ramps up incentives in China/Europe

Tesla is starting to replenish its Model Y inventory in the US after the design changeover, and it is ramping up incentives in China and Europe, suggesting that demand issues persist despite the new Model Y’s introduction.

After Tesla’s disastrous first quarter, shareholders attempted to blame the company’s issues on the transition to the new Model Y, which resulted in limited supply and buyers delaying their deliveries.

There’s no doubt that it impacted Tesla’s performance in Q1, but there were also other clear demand issues.

The automaker stated that it successfully resumed Model Y production to normal levels in record time. Therefore, Model Y supply can’t be blamed going forward and there are reasons to be concerned.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Earlier this month, we reported that Tesla was already able to deliver new Model Y on the same day in the US and was operating a sort of shadow inventory without actually listing new inventory Model Y.

Now, Tesla has officially started to add new inventory Model Ys in the US – confirming that it doesn’t have a backlog of orders for the updated vehicle:

It’s challenging to determine the exact number of new Model Y vehicles Tesla has in stock.

The website Tesla-Info tracks new vehicle listings in the US, but Tesla only lists configurations available in specific markets. After depleting the inventory of the older version of the Model Y in late March, Tesla is now listing 93 new Model Ys in the US:

However, for any of those listings, there could be several Model Ys in inventory, especially considering that Tesla currently has a limited number of options for the new Model Ys.

Tesla’s Model Y configurations also lists most configurations as being available today in most major US markets. This again points to Tesla having no order backlog for the brand-new vehicle.

At least, Tesla has yet to introduce incentives to sell the vehicle in the US, but it does in other markets.

We previously reported that Tesla quickly introduced 0% financing for the new Model Y in China. The incentive was initially scheduled to end this month, but Tesla has now extended it through June 30th, the end of the quarter.

Tesla is having even more issues in Europe, where its sales are crashing. The automaker is also struggling to sell some older Model Ys from its inventory.

Tesla produced about 30,000 more vehicles than it delivered in the first quarter, and it increased its inventory by $1.7 billion.

Electrek’s Take

Some people think that I’m happy to see this, but they couldn’t be more wrong. I’m just emphasizing it because recognizing the problem is the first step toward fixing it, and I want it to be fixed.

The biggest EV automaker failing is not good for EV adoption, and Tesla is going in that direction.

Tesla shareholders need to recognize that the Model Y refresh is not saving Tesla. Sales have been declining since last year, while electric vehicle (EV) sales continue to increase in most markets.

The combination of Elon Musk alienating half of Tesla’s potential customer base and Tesla’s stale lineup due to the focus on self-driving is resulting in an impossible situation for Tesla right now. Something needs to change.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

Published

on

By

Greenlane's flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

Greenlane, which is rolling out a US EV charging network for big rigs, just switched on its first electric truck stop in Colton, California.

April 24, 2025: The flagship facility, at the intersection of Interstates 215 and 10, was completed eight months after breaking ground. It’s got 41 OEM-agnostic chargers with 12 pull-through lanes and CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers with liquid-cooled cables. They’re built to handle big Class 8 electric rigs with ease. Twenty-nine bobtail lanes feature CCS 180 kW chargers.

Colton offers a spacious lounge with food and drinks, a water refill station, and restrooms. There’s free wifi, mobile charging stations, and 24/7 customer support. Security includes round-the-clock on-site attendants, security cameras, gated access, and enhanced lighting. Office space is available for leasing, and there’s overnight truck and trailer parking.

It’s the first of several electric charging truck stops planned for the company’s I-15 commercial EV charging corridor. Greenlane plans to expand its network with future sites expected roughly every 60 to 90 miles in Long Beach, Barstow, and Baker, California.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Greenlane has also secured its first commercial fleet customer, fully electric truckload carrier Nevoya, which will begin operating its fleet of electric trucks out of Colton early next month. Nevoya will use the charging infrastructure and occupy on-site office space. The two companies plan to scale the partnership to include up to 100 of Nevoya’s electric trucks.

Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop

March 11, 2025: Builder and developer Mortenson is constructing the commercial EV charging facility in Colton, which broke ground last September. It will include more than 40 chargers when it comes online for heavy, medium, and light-duty EVs. In its next phase, Greenlane plans to deploy solar panels and battery storage to enhance grid stability, manage peak loads, and increase energy efficiency.

Greenlane’s pull-through lane chargers will be equipped with Alpitronic CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers featuring oil-cooled cables. That means faster charging without the bulk—these cables stay lightweight and easy to handle. For bobtail charging, eFill CCS 180 kW chargers will be available, bringing smart energy management to keep fleet operations running smoothly.

To keep everything in check, ABB’s SCADA system will handle remote monitoring and breaker management, boosting reliability and efficiency. Plus, Greenlane’s sites are built with Trenwa precast cable trench, making it easier to expand EV charging infrastructure and upgrade to megawatt charging as fleet demand grows.

Greenlane’s tech launch

Greenlane, a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy, and BlackRock, also debuted its branded digital technology suite as part of its ongoing development of the I-15 Commercial EV Charging Corridor. The products will be rolled out in phases.

Greenlane’s Chief Technology Officer, Raj Jhaveri, said, “Our technology helps maximize uptime and operational efficiency by ensuring vehicles are charged efficiently and ready to meet the demands of their freight schedules.”

The tech rollout includes an app that allows drivers to check charger availability and make reservations in advance, a fleet portal that enables fleet managers and dispatchers to plan and manage routes for their electric fleets, and a new Greenlane website.

Greenlane also now has OnRamp Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that integrate with existing fleet solutions, providing fleet managers and drivers access to optimized routes, efficient charging and refueling schedules, and related charging data and emissions savings.

Read more: Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

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*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

Published

on

By

Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

VW’s US self-driving arm, Volkswagen ADMT (Autonomous Driving Mobility & Transport), is partnering with Uber to roll out thousands of autonomous ID. Buzz vans across the US over the next decade.

The plan kicks off in Los Angeles, with testing starting later this year and commercial rides expected to launch in 2026.

The ID. Buzz autonomous driving (AD) vans will have human operators onboard during early testing and launch phases to help fine-tune the tech and keep things safe. Each stage will only move forward once regulators give the green light.

Volkswagen’s mobility brand MOIA is supplying the vehicles and the AD software that’ll run them on Uber’s platform. It’s a full-stack approach to bringing self-driving EVs to ride-hailing, and another sign that the robotaxi race is heating up.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer – we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” said Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility. 

In March 2024, Volkswagen became the first vehicle manufacturer to develop a Level 4 AD service vehicle for large-scale production. Level 4 AD means the car can handle most driving situations independently in a defined area, such as a city. It can also drive alone, without passengers.


To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

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*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending