See & drive your favorite EVs at Drive Electric Week starting Sep 23 nationwide

Published

2 years ago

September 21, 2023

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Drive Electric Week kicks off this Saturday with over 200 online and in-person events celebrating electric vehicles. Events will be held for the next two weekends, from September 23 through October 1, in the US & Canada… and one in Mexico City.

Drive Electric Week is an annual event organized by Plug In America, the Electric Auto Association, EVHybridNoire, Drive Electric USA, and the Sierra Club. This is the event’s 13th year. It started in the US as National Drive Electric Week, but for the last few years, some events have been hosted in other countries as well.

These events are an opportunity for prospective EV buyers to talk directly with EV owners about the experience of owning an electric car. The dealership experience is not ideal for many EV shoppers, so unfiltered conversations with EV owners can be a great way to learn.

NDEW is a great chance for drivers to talk to EV owners in their communities about the true EV driving experience. We want to give everyone accurate, practical information so they can make informed decisions about what is best for them. There are a number of great deals and incentives available, not to mention an increase in the variety of models for sale. So there’s a lot to discover at NDEW events, even for current EV owners.

Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America

Each event is organized by local EV advocates, and they range in size from small parking lot meetups and local EV parades to large festivals with lots of booths from nearby car dealers and green businesses. Be sure to check each event page to see what your local events will look like and what types of EVs might be in attendance.

Drive Electric Week has a map and list of events happening this week. Most events are in-person, but there are some webinar-style online events that you can attend to hear about various topics related to electric vehicles. You can also search for events near you.

A map of 2023’s Drive Electric Week events

For the last couple of years, Drive Electric Week has been a little subdued due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, all events were shifted to online, with in-person events returning in later years. Most events were outdoors anyway, and attendees were encouraged to follow COVID guidelines.

This year’s lineup still feels a little smaller than the days of yore, but most events are in-person, with only a few online events left. Here’s a selection of some of the events happening over the course of the week:

Poolesville, MD, on Sep 23 – There will be an EV giveaway hosted by Wells Fargo and a local Nissan dealer, along with a parade, ride and drives, cosplayers, and free drawings.
Cudahy, CA, on Sep 30 – “Ponte Las Pilas” (“put in the batteries”), an event focused on exposing the Latino community to electric vehicles.
Kingman, AZ on Sep 23 – At the Route 66 EV Museum, including free entry to the museum, which has a display of 25 historic EVs.
Schenectady, NY, on Oct 1 – Hundreds of visitors are expected, with food trucks, live music, and zero-emission city bus rides. 88 EVs of 33 different models are currently registered as attending, making this one of the largest events expected in the country.
Knoxville, TN, on Sep 23 – Likely the biggest event in the Southeast US with 127 vehicles and 44 EV models registered, along with test drives of various cars and electric bikes, live music, and an electric boat on display.
Waimea, HI (Kauai), on Sep 23 – Even a small island is getting its own event, with eight different models of EV registered to show off. There are also events on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.
Tulsa, OK, on Sep 23 – EV ride & drive from local dealerships and educational booths for local sustainability efforts, including how to get home solar in the area. This event is part of the local “Monarchs on the Mountain” celebration.
North Bend, OR, on Sep 22-23 – A solar & EV fest at the “Itty Bitty Inn,” with local bands, food trucks, and coffee roasters.

Not all the events are large or hosted in big cities. There are also smaller events happening in town centers, church parking lots, and so on, often with just a handful of EV owners who are typically happy to stand around and have a frank discussion with members of the public about what it’s like to own an EV.

Online events include seminars and interviews with experts discussing various aspects of EVs. There will be seminars on electric school buses, EV charging, local EV issues in New Jersey, an “ask an EV owner” session by Consumer Reports and Generation 180, and a premiere of a new EV ad by Adam McKay, director of Don’t Look Up, along with panel discussion of how storytelling can boost EV adoption.

If you’d like to attend these events, either to show your vehicle, to volunteer to help run the event, or just to show up and look around, you can go to each event’s page to find more information. Remember to click the “RSVP” or “Volunteer” links near the top to register your interest (or register at the links mentioned in the event description).

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Environment

Oil giant BP is seen as a prime takeover target. Is a blockbuster mega-merger in the cards?

Published

3 hours ago

April 15, 2025

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Oil giant BP is seen as a prime takeover target. Is a blockbuster mega-merger in the cards?

BP logo is seen at a gas station in this illustration photo taken in Poland on March 15, 2025.

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Oil giant BP has been thrust into the spotlight as a prime takeover candidate — but energy analysts question whether any of the likeliest suitors will rise to the occasion.

Britain’s beleaguered energy giant, which holds its annual general meeting on Thursday, has recently sought to resolve something of an identity crisis by launching a fundamental reset.

Seeking to rebuild investor confidence, BP in February pledged to slash renewable spending and boost annual expenditure on its core business of oil and gas. CEO Murray Auchincloss has said that the pivot is starting to attract “significant interest” in the firm’s non-core assets.

BP’s green strategy U-turn follows a protracted period of underperformance relative to its industry peers, with its depressed share price reigniting speculation of a prospective tie-up with domestic rival Shell. U.S. oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron have also been touted as possible suitors for the £54.75 billion ($71.61 billion) oil major.

Shell declined to comment on the speculation. Spokespersons for BP, Exxon and Chevron did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by CNBC.

“Certainly, BP is a potential takeover target — no doubt about that,” Maurizio Carulli, energy and materials analyst at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC by video call.

“I would conceptualize the question of ‘will Shell bid for BP’ in the more general consolidation that it is happening in the resources sector, both oil but also mining — particularly in the past year a lot of companies thought that to buy was better than to build,” he added.

A Shell logo in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images

In the energy sector, for example, Exxon Mobil completed its $60 billion purchase of Pioneer Natural Resources in May last year, while Chevron still seeks to acquire Hess for $53 billion. The latter agreement remains shrouded in legal uncertainty, however, with an arbitration hearing scheduled for next month.

In the mining space, market speculation kicked into overdrive at the start of the year following reports of a potential tie-up between industry giants Rio Tinto and Glencore. Both companies declined to comment at the time.

Never say never, right? I think even Exxon-Chevron in the depth of the pandemic held talks so I think that would have been even wilder to say.

Allen Good

Director of equity research at Morningstar

Quilter Cheviot’s Carulli named Chevron as a potential suitor for BP, particularly if the U.S. energy giant’s pursuit of Hess falls through.

Speculation about a potential merger between Shell and BP, meanwhile, is far from new. Carulli said that while the rumors have some merit, a prospective deal would likely trigger antitrust concerns.

Perhaps more importantly, Carulli added that a move to acquire BP would conflict with Shell’s steadfast commitment to capital discipline under CEO Wael Sawan.

‘An existential crisis’

“Never say never, right? I think even Exxon-Chevron in the depth of the pandemic held talks so I think that would have been even wilder to say,” Allen Good, director of equity research at Morningstar, told CNBC by telephone.

“I wouldn’t take anything off on the table. You know, oil and gas is facing an existential crisis. Now, views differ on how soon that crisis will come to head. I think we’re still decades away,” Good said.

For Shell, Morningstar’s Good said that any pursuit of BP would likely be an attempt to merge the two British peers, as opposed to an outright acquisition — although he said he doesn’t expect such a prospect to materialize in the near term.

The sun sets behind burning gas flares at the Dora (Daura) Oil Refinery Complex in Baghdad on December 22, 2024.

Ahmad Al-rubaye | Afp | Getty Images

Asked about the likelihood of Chevron seeking to purchase BP if a deal to acquire Hess collapses, Morningstar’s Good said he couldn’t rule it out.

“BP certainly doesn’t have the growth prospects that Hess does, but you could get a situation where, again, like I said with Shell, you’d have Chevron acquiring BP, stripping out a lot of costs, certainly the headquarters would no longer be in London … but it doesn’t address the growth concerns ex-Permian for Chevron. So, in that case, I would be a little skeptical,” Good said.

“The issues these companies are facing are to please shareholders, and the two ways to do that really are to reduce costs and return cash to shareholders. So if you can continue to lean into that model somehow, then that’s the probably the way to do it,” he added.

What next for BP?

Michele Della Vigna, head of EMEA natural resources research at Goldman Sachs, described BP’s recent strategic reset as “very wise” and “thoughtful,” but acknowledged that it may not have gone far enough for an activist investor.

U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management has reportedly built a near 5% stake to become one of BP’s largest shareholders. Activist investor Follow This, meanwhile, recently pushed for investors to vote against Helge Lund’s reappointment as chair at BP’s upcoming shareholder meeting in protest over the firm’s recent strategy U-turn. BP has since said that Lund will step down, likely in 2026, kickstarting a succession process.

“I think there are three major optionalities in BP’s portfolio that any activist investor would love to see monetized. The first one is not all in BP’s hands, it’s the monetization of the Rosneft stake,” Della Vigna told CNBC over a video call.

BP announced it was abandoning its 19.75% shareholding in Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. It had marked a costly and abrupt end to more than three decades of activity in the country.

CEO of BP Murray Auchincloss speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas, on March 19, 2024.

Mark Felix | AFP | Getty Images

A second optionality for BP, Della Vigna said, is the firm’s marketing and convenience business.

“I mean, within BP, a company that trades on three times EBITDA, there’s a division that can trade at 10 times EBITDA, right? Amazing. You can make the same point for a lot of the other Big Oils,” Della Vigna said.

EBITDA is a standard metric that refers to a firm’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.

“The third option is BP is a U.S.- centered energy company — and it’s clear, right? BP is the most U.S.- exposed of all the majors, more than Exxon and Chevron,” Della Vigna said, noting that 40% of BP’s cash flow comes from the U.S.

“So, being listed in the U.K., when the U.K. gets you the biggest discount of any other region in Big Oil, doesn’t feel right. I think some form of relocation or transatlantic merger may be worth considering,” he added.

Environment

Idaho Power wants to cut solar pay rate to under 1¢ per kWh and charge 8¢ per kWh for electricity

Published

8 hours ago

April 15, 2025

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Idaho Power wants to cut solar pay rate to under 1¢ per kWh and charge 8¢ per kWh for electricity

Idaho solar — Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.com

Utility Idaho Power has asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to drastically slash the rates it pays rooftop solar customers for excess energy. This move could severely impact solar adoption in Idaho just as electricity rates are climbing.

The utility wants to drop the Export Credit Rates (ECRs) – the amount rooftop solar owners get credited for feeding power back to the grid – by 60%, from the current 6.18 cents per kilowatt-hour to just 2.46 cents. That’s a massive 72% plunge from the previous rate of 8.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, which had stood for over a decade.

If the PUC approves the proposal next Month, the new lower rates will kick in on June 1, right before peak solar-producing months. This shift is part of Idaho Power’s controversial “Net Billing” program approved in December 2023, despite public backlash. Under this new system, ECRs would change every year, making it nearly impossible for residents to calculate the financial returns of their rooftop solar investments – a major deterrent to adopting solar.

The proposed rates would vary seasonally. From October through May, when electricity demand drops, Idaho Power wants to cut solar payments even further by a staggering 80%, paying less than 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. Meanwhile, it plans to charge non-solar customers at least 8 cents per kilowatt-hour for the same electricity, padding its own profits.

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Idaho Power is basing these rate cuts on an internal “Value of Distributed Energy Resources Study” from 2022. However, environmental groups hired independent analysts who argue that Idaho Power’s data selectively undervalues solar power.

“How can our state regulators just let this happen? The PUC is supposed to double-check the utility’s math to make sure Idaho ratepayers aren’t being taken advantage of,” said Lisa Young, director of the Idaho Sierra Club. “Distributed solar is worth more than the retail electricity rate, not less. The PUC needs to stop turning its cheek on corrupted math and letting this monopoly utility pad its pockets even more.”

Idaho Power customers already faced unpopular hikes to their monthly fixed charges from January 2025, when their flat monthly fees rose from $5 to $15. These fixed charges hit low-income residents hardest and discourage energy conservation and rooftop solar.

“People in Idaho go solar because it lowers their power bills, gives them energy freedom and security, and helps the environment,” said Alex McKinley, owner of the local small business Empowered Solar. “Idaho Power is trying to take that opportunity away from people by skewing these rooftop solar rates in its favor. It’s not right.”

Members of the public can submit public comments at puc.idaho.gov/Form/CaseComment and reference Case #IPC-E-25-15.

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Environment

Global EV sales jump 40% in March despite tariff turmoil

Published

10 hours ago

April 14, 2025

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Global EV sales jump 40% in March despite tariff turmoil

Global EV sales surged to 1.7 million units in March, hitting 4.1 million for Q1 2025 as the EV market continues its robust growth, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion. Year-over-year sales jumped 29% and marked an impressive 40% month-over-month leap from February.

Europe saw a solid 22% growth in EV sales year-to-date, driven primarily by battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), which climbed 27%. Germany’s BEV market rose 37%, Italy surged by 64%, and the UK hit a milestone with over 100,000 EVs sold in March alone, a first-time record boosted by new vehicle registrations. France’s EV sales dropped 18%, severely impacted by reduced government subsidies, with BEVs down 5% and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) falling sharply by 47%.

In North America, EV sales increased by 16% in Q1 2025. The market’s outlook remains unclear due to Donald Trump’s recent imposition of substantial tariffs. February’s 25% tariff on auto imports from Canada and Mexico and a broader tariff in March affecting all auto imports are expected to hike consumer prices. With approximately 40% of US EV sales being imported from countries like Japan, Korea, and Mexico, the impact on affordability and market dynamics is likely significant.

China, still the global leader in EV adoption, saw EV sales grow 36% year-over-year in Q1, approaching 1 million units in March alone – a milestone previously reached in August 2024. The US-China tariff crisis will have a minimal impact on China due to the low volume of cross-border EV sales. However, Tesla’s Model X and Model S are exported from the US to China, and the prices for these could nearly double due to tariffs.

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Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester said, “This quarter, while turbulent, has seen a strong rate of growth globally for the EV market. Some countries, such as the UK, had a record-breaking March as drivers continue to go electric.

Meanwhile, in North America, forecasts are struggling to keep up with the rate of policy announcements under the current White House administration. What is sure is that the electric vehicle market is already struggling to compete with ICE on cost, so reductions in subsidies and hefty tariffs for a very international supply chain are guaranteed to have a cooling effect on the industry.”

EV sales in Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024, YTD percentage:

Global: 4.1 million, +29%
China: 2.4 million, +36%
Europe: 0.9 million, +22%
North America: 0.5 million, +16%
Rest of World: 0.3 million, +27%

The bottom line: EV sales are up month-over-month, quarter-over-quarter, and year-over-year.

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*

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