The Hybrid Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Report March 15, 2017

ISSN 1946-1011

The fine print: This report is a summary of articles appearing in popular, business, and technical media referring to the impact of fuel costs and fuel efficiency on vehicle technology, development, and markets. At the end of the report is a list of all articles summarized with hyperlinks to internet sources where available. Some articles may require free registration or paid subscriptions to view. The Hybrid Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Report (ISSN: 1946-1011) is compiled and written by Thomas L. R. Smith, Ph. D. (hereinafter referred to as “The Editor”), Economic Analysis Branch of the Budget and Financial Analysis Division, Washington State Department of Transportation. Contact The Hybrid Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Report’s editor at [email protected] or (360) 705-7941. Contributions of news items, original articles, cookies, and positive comments about The Report are welcome.

TABLE OF CONTENTS HYBRIDS ...... 1 ELECTRIC VEHICLES ...... 2 ALTERNATIVE FUELS ...... 3 COMING TO A LOCATION NEAR YOU:...... 3 OTHER TECHNOLOGY ...... 4 SUBSCRIBING TO The Hybrid Report...... 5 ARTICLES REFERENCED ...... 5

National Sales for January 2016

Hybrids: Hybrid sales were up in February when compared to January, and up compared to February last year, Hybrid Cars (Cobb, March 2) reports. Hybrid sales outperformed the overall new car market, which was down compared to February last year. Toyota continues to dominate the market with 54.25% of hybrids sold. The Prius, which was knocked out of first place last month by the Ford Fusion, is back on top. Toyota has six of the top 10 hybrids, while Ford, Kia, Honda, and Hyundai have entries in the top 10. Hybrids accounted for 2.14% of all new car sales.

Plug-in Hybrids: General Motors’ Volt led the plug-in pack with 29.13%, but Toyota’s Prius Prime plug-in was nipping at the Volt’s heels with 21.8%. The two Ford entries came in at three and four in the top five and pushed Ford ahead of Toyota for total sales at 23.63%. Audi’s A3 plug-in rounded out the top five. Plug-in hybrids accounted for 0.47% of new cars sales (Cobb).

Electric Cars: Tesla’s Model S dominated the electric car sector with 29.08% of electric car sales, while the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt were back in second and third place with 17.74% and 16.28%, respectively. The Tesla Model X took the fourth place slot, while the BMW i3 filled up the top five. Overall, Tesla took 42.76% of the electric car market, while electrics took 0.44% of the new car market (Cobb).

Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric cars accounted for 3.05% of the new car market. In Norway, Europe’s largest oil producing nation, hybrids and electric cars accounted for 51% of new car sales in January and 47.8% in February, the Economic Times (March 6, 2017) tells.

HYBRIDS

In Spain, hybrid sales increased by 68%, selling 31,000 cars last year, while electric car sales increased by 51%, selling 4,750, Murcia Today (February 28, 2017) mentions. In Murcia, however, hybrid sales jumped 111%, while electric sales barely moved the meter. The charging infrastructure is not well developed in Murcia, which may discourage electric buyers. Madrid, which has a better infrastructure has much higher sales of electrics.

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If you ever go across the sea to Ireland, then maybe at the closing of your day, you can sit and watch the moonrise over Claddagh,1 and see all the hybrids drive around Galway Bay, the Galway Independent (March 1, 2017) indicates. Toyota’s hybrid sales in Ireland have jumped 128% over 2016. Hybrids make up 3.5% of the Irish new car market. It’s possible that the success of hybrids is connected to the drop of diesel sales it that country.

Norwegian Electric Systems signed a contract last month to provide hybrid propulsion systems for three ferries operated by Norway’s Fjord1. The ferries will primarily use electric propulsion for ferry crossings and internal combustion engine for charging. The vessels can also charge from shore power (Norwegian Electric Systems, February 7, 2017).

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The North West Ambulance Service is testing electric rapid response vehicles in the English town of Rochdale, near Manchester, Rochdale Online (February 27, 2017) reports. The service is leasing four extended range BMW i3s and expects to save £2.5 million ($3,079,196.95) over the four-year lease of the cars. They also believe the cars will reduce carbon emissions by 73%.

Maven City, a car sharing program operated in 17 cities by General Motors, is electrifying its Los Angeles fleet, GM (February 16, 2017) pressed in a press release. GM is fielding 100 electric Bolts in LA. Bolt drivers using the car sharing service will get to charge free at EVgo Freedom stations for a limited time.

Chargemaster, which operates a charging network in England, will open an multibrand electric vehicle showroom in Milton Keynes, northwest of London, Wards Auto (Harman, February 28, 2017) writes. The EV Experience Center will have electric car experts on hand who can answer questions about the cars and visitors to the Center can test drive vehicles. The Center will have 52 electric vehicles available. Prospective buyers will be directed to dealerships.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, which operates the transit system in St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, Florida, authorized the purchase of two electric buses, Sierra Club of Florida (Compton, February 24, 2017) says. The transit authority will buy the buses from BYD, which should be in service next year.

Even as more states are considering charging additional fees on electric cars, New York will begin offering up to $2,000 in rebates for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, The Sacramento Bee (Klepper, March 3, 2017) buzzes. The rebates will be available starting April 1st.

Ocado, an online grocery delivery business in London, is testing an electric delivery vehicle, The Independent (Rodionova, March 5, 2017) indicates. The TRIPL, designed in Denmark, is a three-wheeled scooter. It has a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour (27.96 mph) and range of 100 km (62.14 miles).

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The Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God, a.k.a. the Pope, just acquired a Nissan Leaf, Huffington Post (Grenoble, March 6, 2017) huffs. The vehicle was donated to Vatican City by the German company Wermuth Asset Management, which manages renewable energy assets. The company originally offered the Pontiff a Tesla Model S, but Francis, who is known for frugality, turned that vehicle down. The Leaf fits Vatican City’s goal of being the first state to be completely powered by renewable energy.

Workhorse says that fleets want to buy their W-15 electric pickup truck, Work Truck (March 7, 2017) writes. Workhorse claims that fleets have sent letters of intent to buy 2,150 trucks when the company starts making them later this year. The trucks will have a range of 80 miles on a charge.

The New York Times chronicles not only the decline in incentives for electric cars, but the increase of state and local fees on them in a report called “Behind the Quiet State-by-State Fight Over Electric Vehicles” (Tabuchi, March 11, 2017). At one time 25 states offered incentives for electric cars, now only 16 offer them. In nine states there are bills that will require electric car owners to pay extra fees to register them. While many of the state legislatures say the intent of these electric car fees is to make up revenue lost from nonpayment of gas taxes, The Times says that some of these bills are supported by the Koch brothers’ Americans for Properity and the Independence Institute, which is financed by petrochemical companies. New York is one state going against the trend. It recently began offering a $2,000 rebate.2

If you live in Blaine County, Idaho, you have through May 31 to get a deal on a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt, the Idaho Mountain Express (March 9, 2017) expresses. The Leaves are on sale for 30% off, while Chevrolet is selling Volts at cost. The Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, Idaho National Laboratories, Idaho Power, and vehicle dealerships have joined to make the deals available.

Australia Post is trying out three-wheel electric delivery vehicles, Technology Decisions (Bushell-Embling, March 13, 2017) discusses. The scooters will run in Hobart in Tasmania and have three times the capacity of the motorbikes Australia Post currently uses. The scooters can go nine hours on a charge at 45 km/h (27.96 mph). Transport Tasmania will allow the Posties to use the vehicles on sidewalks. The Post Office will also try the vehicles in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

There is no alternative.

COMING TO A LOCATION NEAR YOU: The latest news on new charging stations which may or may not be somewhere close to you.

2 Mrs. Hybrid Report Editor pushed this in my face as I was eating breakfast Sunday morning.

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United States: University of Alabama at Birmingham has three new charging stations, the UAB Reporter (February 9, 2015) reports. Users of the stations will pay $1 per hour of charging. The University has had six charging stations since 2016, but those were installed for the school’s fleet vehicles.

Fast charging stations could be coming to Chicago if businesses takes Chicago DOT’s offer for grant funding, WTTW’s Chicago Tonight (Ruppenthal, March 1, 2017) broadcasts. DOT will cover 30% of the cost through the Drive Clean Station Program. Businesses, public organizations, and nonprofits in the six northeastern counties of Illinois that make up the Greater Chicago area are eligible for the funding.

Rutherford, New Jersey, is getting eight charging stations, The Record (Grant, March 1, 2017) records. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection provided $40,000 for the chargers that will be installed in four locations around Rutherford.

Four new charging stations opened in Truckee, California, the Sierra Sun (March 2, 2017) shines. The stations include two Tesla station and two Clipper Creek stations. They are located at the Northstar Community Service District office in Truckee.

The Park Place parking place in Missoula, Montana, has two new charging stations, NBC Montana (Foehringer, March 10, 2016) mentions. The city and NorthWestern Energy worked together to provide the stations.

On Hawaii’s Big Island, Hawaii Electric Light opened the island’s third fast charger, Big Island Now (March 11, 2017) notes. The charger is at the KTA Super Store in Waimea Center. The other two fast chargers are at Hawaii Electric Light offices in Hilo and Kona. It costs from $7 to $8 per session, depending on time of day.

Teton Village in Wyoming has two new charging stations, the Jackson Hole News and Guide (Cassutt, March 13, 2017) guides. The stations are at the Teton Village parking lot and the Stilson Ranch parking lot. Charging is free, but it may cost to park.

Around the World: While they are not establishing new charging stations, five European networks have united in an alliance so that members can travel throughout the Continent, Fastned (February 7, 2017) said in a press release. In addition to the fast charger network Fastned, from the Netherlands, Sodetrel (France), Smatrics (Austria), Grønn Kontakt (Norway), and GOtthard FASTcharge (Switzerland) have joined the alliance. The alliance will operate 500 chargers in six countries. Other companies may join the alliance.

Woodstock, in Ontario, Canada, has three new charging stations, the Ontario government (March 10, 2017) announced. The County of Oxford used a federal grant to install two level 2 chargers and a fast charger in Woodstock.

OTHER TECHNOLOGY

There’s nothing to see here.

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SUBSCRIBING TO The Hybrid Report. The Hybrid Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Report (ISSN: 1946-1011) is published in Olympia, Washington on or about the 15th and 30th of each month, except for when we decide to do something elsel. The Report is available on the WSDOT website by clicking this link. From there, you can download the current issue in a PDF, look at back issues, or subscribe to a notification service that lets you know when a fresh issue has been posted to the website. You may also click this link to subscribe or contact the editor at [email protected] who can add you to the subscription list.

More fine print: The Hybrid Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Report (ISSN: 1946-1011) is not responsible for hyperlinks that do not work or are inactive. All links worked when created; however, many news outlets archive or move reports soon after publication, so it’s not our problem that you can’t get to the cited article so don’t call or email to complain. It will be much like trying to teaching a pig to sing: it will waste your time and irritate the pig. The appearance of articles, products, opinions, humor (such as it is), and links in this summary does not constitute an endorsement of the same by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), my wife, or my cat (especially not my cat, who has no sense of humor. She’s a cat). Except as otherwise noted, WSDOT holds the copyright to The Hybrid Report. Photos and other artwork in The Report are included with express permission of the copyright holders of those works or the work is in the public domain. Further reproduction or distribution of copyrighted material is not authorized without permission of the original copyright holder. Merely acknowledging the source is not always sufficient and does not excuse reproducing copyrighted material without permission. It’s not that hard to ask for and get permission. Use only as directed; batteries not included. In the interest of full disclosure, the editor of this summary drives a Lexus NX 300h hybrid, while Mrs. Hybrid Report Editor drives a Lexus HS 250h hybrid. We are not saying you should get either one, but they are very nice.

ARTICLES REFERENCED

Big Island Now. 2017, March 11. Hawaii Electric Light Opens Third EV Charger on Big Island. Retrieved: http://bigislandnow.com/2017/03/11/hawaii-electric-light-opens-third-ev- charger-on-big-island/

Bushell-Embling, D. 2017, March 13. AusPost to trial electric vehicles in Hobart. Technology Decisions. Retrieved: http://www.technologydecisions.com.au/content/gov-tech- review/news/auspost-to-trial-electric-vehicles-in-hobart-1253864141#axzz4bJIAjYuc

Cassutt, M. 2017, March 13. Teton Village offers two charging stations. Jackson Hole News and Guide. Retrieved: http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/jackson_hole_daily/local/teton- village-offers-two-charging-stations/article_b2c95247-3b93-5b01-9796- 911d2d51830b.html

Cobb, J. 2017, March 2. February 2017 Dashboard. HybridCars. Retrieved: http://www.hybridcars.com/february-2017-dashboard/

Compton, P. 2017, February 24. In Historic First, Pinellas Transit Purchases Two Zero-Emission Electric Buses. Sierra Club Florida News. Retrieved: http://www.sierraclubfloridanews.org/2017/02/in- historic-first-pinellas-transit.html

Economic Times. 2017, March 6. Norway says half of new cars now electric or hybrid. Retrieved: http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger- vehicle/cars/norway-says-half-of-new-cars-now-electric-or-hybrid/57495110

Galway Independent. 2017, March 1. Toyota Ireland sees spike in demand for hybrids. Retrieved: http://www.galwayindependent.com/motoring/topics/articles/2017/03/01/4135726- toyota-ireland-sees-spike-in-demand-for-hybrids/

General Motors. 2017, February 16. Maven Joins the City of Los Angeles in Expanding Sustainable Transportation Solutions. Corporate Newsroom. Retrieved: http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2017/f eb/0216-maven-bolt.html

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Grant, M. 2017, March 1. Rutherford using grant for 8 electric vehicle charging stations. The Record. Retrieved: http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/rutherford/2017/03/01/rutherford- using-grant-8-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/98540930/

Grenoble, R. 2017, March 6. Pope Francis Has A Sweet New Eco-Friendly Ride. Huffington Post. Retrieved: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-electric- car_us_58bd82fbe4b0d2821b4f9826

Fastned. 2017, February 7. European electric travel made easier. Retrieved: http://press.fastnedcharging.com/142507-european-electric-travel-made-easier

Foehringer, C. 2017, March 10. Electric vehicle charging stations introduced in downtown Missoula. NBC Montana. Retrieved: http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/keci/electric- vehicle-charging-stations-introduced-in-downtown-missoula/388614163

Harman, W. 2017, February 28. U.K. Shopping Center to Promote Electric Vehicles. Wards Auto. Retrieved: http://wardsauto.com/engines/uk-shopping-center-promote-electric-vehicles.

Idaho Mountain Express. 2017, March 9. Program offers Blaine County residents cheaper electric vehicles. Retrieved: http://www.mtexpress.com/news/blaine_county/program- offers-blaine-county-residents-cheaper-electric-vehicles/article_ae622680-050f-11e7- a751-9f8380141785.html

Klepper, D. 2017, March 3. New York state to launch electric vehicle rebate. The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved: http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article136251763.html

Murcia Today. 2017 February 28. Murcia climbs on board the hybrid car bandwagon. Retrieved: http://murciatoday.com/murcia-climbs-on-board-the-hybrid-car-bandwagon_34189-a.html

Norwegian Electric Systems. 2017, February 7. Another Ferry Contract for NES. Retrieved: http://www.norwegianelectric.com/?menu=7&id=292

Ontario. 2017, March 10. Making it Easier for Electric Vehicle Owners to Charge Up in Woodstock. Newsroom. Retrieved: https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2017/03/making-it- easier-for-electric-vehicle-owners-to-charge-up-in-woodstock.html

Rochdale Online. 2017, February 27. North West Ambulance Service trialing electric vehicles in Rochdale. Retrieved: http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news- headlines/108393/north-west-ambulance-service-trialing-electric-vehicles-in-rochdale

Ruppenthal, A. 2017, March 1. Chicago Pushes Charging Stations as Electric Car Sales Rise in Illinois. Chicago Tonight, WTTW. Retrieved: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/03/01/chicago- pushes-charging-stations-electric-car-sales-rise-illinois

Sierra Sun. 2017, March 2. Four electric vehicle charging stations open at Northstar California. Retrieved: http://www.sierrasun.com/news/environment/four-electric-vehicle-charging- stations-open-at-northstar-california/

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Tabuchi, H. 2017, March 11. Behind the Quiet State-by-State Fight Over Electric Vehicles. The New York Times. Retrieved: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/11/business/energy- environment/electric-cars-hybrid-tax- credits.html?emc=edit_th_20170312&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=39110219&_r=0

UAB Reporter. 2017, February 9. 3 electric car-charging stations now open on campus. Retrieved: https://www.uab.edu/reporter/work-resources/sustainability/item/7445-three- electric-car-charging-stations-now-open-on-campus

Work Truck. 2017, March 7. Workhorse Receives 2,000-Plus Letters of Intent. Retrieved: http://www.worktruckonline.com/news/story/2017/03/workhorse-receives-2-000-plus- letters-of-intent.aspx?utm_campaign=Weekly- &utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Enewsletter

That’ll do.