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The receiving dock at the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage project, controlled by Equinor ASA, Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE, at Blomoyna, Norway, on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

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Norway’s government wants to show the world it is possible to safely inject and store carbon waste under the seabed, saying the North Sea could soon become a “central storage camp” for polluting industries across Europe.

Offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) refers to a range of technologies that seek to capture carbon from high-emitting activities, transport it to a storage site and lock it away indefinitely under the seabed.

The oil and gas industry has long touted CCS as an effective tool in the fight against climate change and polluting industries are increasingly looking to offshore carbon storage as a way to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

Critics, however, have warned about the long-term risks associated with permanently storing carbon beneath the seabed, while campaigners argue the technology represents “a new threat to the world’s oceans and a dangerous distraction from real progress on climate change.”

Norway’s Energy Minister Terje Aasland was bullish on the prospects of his country’s so-called Longship project, which he says will create a full, large-scale CCS value chain.

“I think it will prove to the world that this technology is important and available,” Aasland said via videoconference, referring to Longship’s CCS facility in the small coastal town of Brevik.

“I think the North Sea, where we can store CO2 permanently and safely, may be a central storage camp for several industries and countries and Europe,” he added.

Storage tanks at the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage project, controlled by Equinor ASA, Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE, at Blomoyna, Norway, on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

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Norway has a long history of carbon management. For nearly 30 years, it has captured and reinjected carbon from gas production into seabed formations on the Norwegian continental shelf.

It’s Sleipner and Snøhvit carbon management projects have been in operation since 1996 and 2008, respectively, and are often held up as proof of the technology’s viability. These facilities separate carbon from their respective produced gas, then compress and pipe the carbon and reinject it underground.

“We can see the increased interest in carbon capture storage as a solution and those who are skeptical to that kind of solution can come to Norway and see how we have done in at Sleipner and Snøhvit,” Norway’s Aasland said. “It’s several thousand meters under the seabed, it’s safe, it’s permanent and it’s a good way to tackle the climate emissions.”

Both Sleipner and Snøhvit projects incurred some teething problems, however, including interruptions during carbon injection.

Citing these issues in a research note last year, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a U.S.-based think tank, said that rather than serving as entirely successful models to be emulated and expanded, the problems “call into question the long-term technical and financial viability of the concept of reliable underground carbon storage.”

‘Overwhelming’ interest

Norway plans to develop the $2.6 billion Longship project in two phases. The first is designed to have an estimated storage capacity of 1.5 million metric tons of carbon annually over an operating period of 25 years — and carbon injections could start as early as next year. A possible second phase is predicted to have a capacity of 5 million tons of carbon.

Campaigners say that even with the planned second phase increasing the amount of carbon stored under the seabed by a substantial margin, “it remains a drop in the proverbial bucket.” Indeed, it is estimated that the carbon injected would amount to less than one-tenth of 1% of Europe’s carbon emissions from fossil fuels in 2021.

The government says Longship’s construction is “progressing well,” although Aasland conceded the project has been expensive.

“Every time we are bringing new technologies to the table and want to introduce it to the market, it is having high costs. So, this is the first of its kind, the next one will be cheaper and easier. We have learned a lot from the project and the development,” Aasland said.

“I think this will be quite a good project and we can show the world that it is possible to do it,” he added.

Workers at an entrance to the CO2 pipeline access tunnel at the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage project, controlled by Equinor ASA, Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE, at Blomoyna, Norway, on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

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A key component of Longship is the Northern Lights joint venture, a partnership between Norway’s state-backed oil and gas giant Equinor, Britain’s Shell and France’s TotalEnergies. The Northern Lights collaboration will manage the transport and storage part of Longship.

Børre Jacobsen, managing director for the Northern Lights Joint Venture, said it had received “overwhelming” interest in the project.

“There’s a long history of trying to get CCS going in one way or another in Norway and I think this culminated a few years ago in an attempt to learn from past successes — and not-so-big successes — to try and see how we can actually get CCS going,” Jacobsen told CNBC via videoconference.

Jacobsen said the North Sea was a typical example of a “huge basin” where there is a lot of storage potential, noting that offshore CCS has an advantage because no people live there.

A pier walkway at the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage project, controlled by Equinor ASA, Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE, at Blomoyna, Norway, on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

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“There is definitely a public acceptance risk to storing CO2 onshore. The technical solutions are very solid so any risk of leakage from these reservoirs is very small and can be managed but I think public perception is making it challenging to do this onshore,” Jacobsen said.

“And I think that is going to be the case to be honest which is why we are developing offshore storage,” he continued.

“Given the amount of CO2 that’s out there, I think it is very important that we recognize all potential storage. It shouldn’t actually matter, I think, where we store it. If the companies and the state that controls the area are OK with CO2 being stored on their continental shelves … it shouldn’t matter so much.”

Offshore carbon risks

A report published late last year by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), a Washington-based non-profit, found that offshore CCS is currently being pursued on an unprecedented scale.

As of mid-2023, companies and governments around the world had announced plans to construct more than 50 new offshore CCS projects, according to CIEL.

If built and operated as proposed, these projects would represent a 200-fold increase in the amount of carbon injected under the seafloor each year.

Nikki Reisch, director of the climate and energy program at CIEL, struck a somewhat cynical tone on the Norway proposition.

“Norway’s interpretation of the concept of a circular economy seems to say ‘we can both produce your problem, with fossil fuels, and solve it for you, with CCS,'” Reisch said.

“If you look closely under the hood at those projects, they’ve faced serious technical problems with the CO2 behaving in unanticipated ways. While they may not have had any reported leaks yet, there’s nothing to ensure that unpredictable behavior of the CO2 in a different location might not result in a rupture of the caprock or other release of the injected CO2.”

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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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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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