Canada, too, wants to wait until 2035 to ban ICE vehicles
This week, Canada will announce new regulations requiring all vehicles sold in the country to be zero-emissions by 2035, according to a report. The move works to phase out fossil-fuel-burning vehicles in the country but also shorten the biggest barrier for Canadian consumers: long wait times.
“This is helping to solve one of the greatest barriers to EVs uptake: that wait times are too long,” an unnamed senior government official told the Toronto Star in a report.
“We are making sure that supply is going toward Canadian markets, because one of the issues with EVs is that we’re competing against other markets where the actual EVs are being shipped to.”
The new regulations, dubbed the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, intend to correct this problem by ensuring that enough EVs are available in the Canadian market to meet the ”large and growing” demand. The source said that Canada – which sold around 85K BEVs in 2022 – had concerns about its role in the market being overshadowed by the US and other markets.
The government is expected to announce the news tomorrow.
According to the new rules, 20% of all new car sales in 2026 will include battery electric, hydrogen, and plug-in electric vehicles. By 2030, that percentage will rise to 60%, and 100% in 2035. “The total anticipated cost to consumers of zero-emissions vehicles and chargers will be $24.5 billion over 25 years, but Canadians can expect to save $33.9 billion in net energy costs,” cites the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Automakers can also earn credits based on the number of EVs they sell, the report said, with the cleanest cars gaining more credits. Credits can also be accrued by automakers for investing in EV charging infrastructure and for rolling out more EVs before the regulations begin in 2026.
Back in April, the Biden administration aimed for two-thirds of light-duty passenger cars to be electric by 2032, but the House voted last week in favor of blocking proposed regulations that would have pushed the country toward this target.
New York, New Jersey, and California are among more than a dozen states that have EV sales regulations. The European Union has set its date as 2035 to ban the sales of new ICE vehicles, and the UK introduced its EV sales mandate with a target of 100% of EV sales by 2035.
Electrek’s Take
According to the IEA, there are some 26 million electric cars on the road around the world as of 2022, up 60% from 2021. Demand is there, and people are ready, but legislation needs to catch up. No one said that decarbonizing the automobile industry would be easy, of course, and parts of this transition won’t look pretty. Still, moves like this add more pressure to automakers to accelerate EV production. Major automakers are already doing that with firm plans in place to phase out ICE vehicles: GM is targeting 2035, with smaller automakers with quicker timelines, and European automakers are moving to phase out quickly to meet the EU deadline.
Plus, even with that far-away date of 2035, the policy (at least as it is expected to be announced) would prevent the release of some 430 millions tones of greenhouse gas emissions, reports say, which is something.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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*
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