Why some Scrooges want to stop California from handing out $2,000 e-bike vouchers
In what couldn’t have been more on-the-nose timing, a group of local California newspapers published an editorial on Christmas Eve calling for the end of a generous $2,000 voucher program intended to help low-income Californians afford electric bicycles for transportation.
The editorial was provided by the Southern California News Group, a collection of California newspapers owned by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital.
In it, the writers air a number of grievances against the program, which recently closed its first round of applications intended to provide around 1,500 e-bike vouchers of between US $1,750 to $2,000 each. The vouchers can be used to offset the price of electric bicycles and associated gear such as protective equipment, locks, etc.
The first complaint in the op-ed is that the total number of vouchers provided in the first round was relatively small compared to the large size of the California e-bike market. However, instead of suggesting that the budget be increased to help more Californians achieve transportation independence, as we called for recently, the editorial takes the opposite position of suggesting that the program simply be canceled.
Next, the writers bemoan an increase in electric bicycle and electric scooter accidents in recent years, suggesting that this should be weighed against the benefits of helping more Californians afford such vehicles.
However, the argument seems to conveniently overlook the fact that the vast majority of such accidents aren’t caused by e-bike riders, but rather those riders are in fact usually the victims. The actual danger to safety on roads is vehicular traffic, i.e. cars and trucks.
Furthermore, many studies have shown that in crashes caused by e-bike riders, such as when an e-bike rider hits another cyclist or pedestrian, the injuries are on average considerably lighter and more recoverable than in car-related crashes.
If the goal was to protect Californians, then instead of firmly clutching their pearls, perhaps the editorial writers should have urged a reduction in the use of cars and trucks, not a reduction in e-bike vouchers.
The op-ed even goes on to lament the number of children riding electric bicycles in California, though admits further on that children aren’t eligible to receive vouchers as part of California’s e-bike incentive program.
Electrek’s Take
California’s e-bike incentive program is certainly far from perfect. We even discussed many of its shortcomings last week. But the program’s essence is to do a good thing—using public tax money to benefit the public. The solution should be to improve the program, not to remove it. And the simple fact of the matter is that most people who are vehemently against the program are those who don’t directly benefit from it, even if they fail to realize that they will ultimately indirectly benefit.
Electric bicycles are one of the most cost-effective ways to provide transportation independence to marginalized and low-income groups. But it’s more than just that. They’re also the best way to get people out of cars and reduce traffic for everyone. Even ignoring the long-term environmental effects related to reducing the impacts of climate change, e-bikes are uniquely capable of making a larger impact on air quality today by helping to remove sources of emissions from a vehicle’s production all the way through its lifetime use and even to its eventual disposal/recycling. When someone rides an e-bike instead of taking a car, taxi, or bus, everyone’s lungs benefit.
Sure, the California program isn’t perfect. But if a media group owned by a wealthy hedgefund and catering to a well-to-do readership doesn’t like it, then that means it’s probably doing something helpful to people who actually need it. That’s the kind of world I want to live in, at least for as long as it’s still liveable.
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There’s an odd irony in utility-scale construction: working for the power company doesn’t always mean you have power. That lack of accessible grid power makes it tough to fully decarbonize some construction sites, no matter how committed they are to reducing emissions. That’s where Hitachi Energy’s new HyFlex hydrogen generator comes in, offering off-grid charging without the harmful emissions of diesel.
Hitachi Energy successfully deployed its first-ever customer HyFlex hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) generator in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the generator will replace an equivalent diesel generator producing 500-kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In doing so, the HyFlex-powered construction site will save 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, and reduce the company’s carbon-dioxide emissions by ~2,900 tons.
Like an automotive fuel cell, the HyFlex generator delivers electricity and usable heat with almost no noise, and each mWh of power requires about 70 kg of hydrogen (compared to just over 70 gallons of diesel for the same amount, which would produce more than 700 kg of CO₂).
“At Hitachi Energy, we are committed to providing innovative solutions and technologies that inspire the next era of sustainable energy,” explains Marco Berardi Head of Grid & Power Quality Solutions and Service, Hitachi Energy. “We recognize that the entire energy ecosystem needs to move in the same direction. We are proud to have showcased HyFlex in the Netherlands, thanks to a unique collaboration with key industry players.”
Those industry players include Air Products, one of the world’s largest hydrogen suppliers, Dura Vermeer, a leader in sustainable and innovative construction solutions, and (of course) Hitachi Construction Machinery.
You’re not gonna believe this
Hitachi makes lots of stuff, and lots of different kinds of stuff. One kind of stuff it makes is highly capable construction equipment – just like the Hitachi ZE135 electric excavator. It’s just one of the big, battery-powered heavy equipment assets that’s set to be charged by the HyFlex generator on the Dura Vermeer site in Rotterdam.
The 15-ton Hitachi ZE135 ships with a 298 kWh battery and packs a 160 kW electric motor. The quiet, energy-efficient combination that’s good for up to six hours of continuous operation.
Hitachi plans to have a full zero-emission “ecosystem” on display at the Dura Vermeer pilot site, with plans to deploy similar low carbon ecosystems in noise-and pollution-sensitive areas like hospitals, critical data centers, disaster relief efforts, or shore-to-ship power applications.
No word on what Dura Vermeer paid for their HyFlex.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Hitachi, via Equipment World; FCW.
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General Motors (GM), EVgo, and Pilot Co. just hit a milestone: their joint EV charging network can now be found at more than 200 locations across nearly 40 states. They’ve rolled out almost 850 new fast-charging stalls in just over two years.
Less than a year ago, it spanned 25 states; now it covers almost 40. Some of the newest additions include Colorado, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, with big growth across Texas, Missouri, and Florida, including in rural counties, where EV chargers are still scarce.
The chargers are sited at Pilot and Flying J locations, which means drivers can access free Wi-Fi, restaurants, groceries, and convenience items while they charge. The EVgo stalls can deliver up to 350 kW, cutting charging times and quickly getting people back on the road. Many sites include overhead canopies for weather protection and pull-through stalls for trucks, trailers, and vans. Plug and Charge is also available for compatible EVs.
EVgo CEO Badar Khan said the goal is to make highway charging as flexible as the American road trip itself: “Our EVgo eXtend network, built in collaboration with Pilot and GM, is delivering reliable charging to communities large and small – ensuring freedom of fueling choice for every driver.”
GM is adding more electric models across Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac, and it wants its customers to be able to take them wherever they want to go. Wade Sheffer, VP of GM Energy, said, “Through our collaboration with Pilot and EVgo, we’re committed to helping ensure that charging access doesn’t get in the way of your EV journey.”
The three companies announced their collaboration in 2022, with a goal of building up to 2,000 fast-charging stalls at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J locations across the US. They’re nearly halfway there: By the end of 2025, they expect to hit 1,000 stalls across 40 states.
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Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand LiveWire may be gearing up to launch a new model under the name “S4 Honcho,” according to a recent trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The trademark was filed for use on “electric motorcycles and structural parts therefor.” That’s about as vague as it gets, but it’s enough to get the speculation wheels turning, especially since the name “Honcho” feels a little more wild west than LiveWire’s current city-slicker lineup.
LiveWire currently offers two motorcycle platforms: the flagship LiveWire One, and the more affordable S2 line (which just went on supersale), built on a more adaptable platform that currently serves the S2 Del Mar, S2 Mulholland, and S2 Alpinista. The company has already previewed two more models in the works, likely to become the new S3 platform, and so this “S4 Honcho” filing could be our first hint at an entirely new platform. Based on LiveWire’s naming system, an S4 designation would point to a larger, more premium electric motorcycle, potentially even one with touring or adventure capabilities. It also fits with previous indications from LiveWire that an S4 flagship platform could follow in the future.
That fits with the name “Honcho,” which carries an aggressive, take-the-lead kind of vibe. Could this be LiveWire’s entry into the ADV segment? Or perhaps a full-size electric cruiser to win over traditional Harley riders who haven’t yet gone electric? Is it meant to compete with heavier-weight gas motorcycles? Or could it be something else entirely? Such new directions could help expand LiveWire’s currently limited lineup into new categories, especially as more brands enter the commuter and urban e-moto space. But at the same time, LiveWire has struggled to move its already full-sized electric motorcycles, leading many to speculate that its best chance of short-term success could lie in the upcoming smaller format and more affordable S3 line.
Of course, it’s worth noting that companies often file trademarks for names that never see the light of day, or that take many years to eventually work their way to production. Filing for trademarks early is a common industry tactic to secure intellectual property, even if a product isn’t finalized yet – or might not be built at all. Still, the fact that LiveWire has applied for the S4 Honcho trademark suggests this is more than a back-of-the-napkin idea.
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