Latest news with #ZEVs
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Big challenges': Uber wants more government help shifting drivers to EVs
Uber's (UBER) global head of electrification and sustainability says the ride-hailing giant faces 'big challenges' in its push for 100 per cent zero emissions rides in Canada, the United States and Europe by 2030. Rebecca Tinucci says the San Francisco-based company needs to forge a 'really tight public-private partnership' with Ottawa and provincial governments in order to make it happen. In the first three months of 2025, Uber says just 9.1 per cent of 'on trip' miles in Canada and the U.S. were completed in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Earlier this month, Tinucci announced Uber would not fully achieve its 2025 electrification goals due to "high upfront EV costs, limited charging access, and inconsistent policy support" from governments. According to data from Statistics Canada released on Wednesday, ZEVs comprised 6.5 per cent of total new motor vehicles sold in March. Sales tumbled 47 per cent year-over-year, adding to a 41 per cent decline in February. 'I know it's very challenging,' Tinucci told an audience at the EV & Charging Expo 2025 event in Toronto on Wednesday. 'We have very aggressive goals at Uber around being a zero-emissions platform. Here in Canada, it's 2030.' Uber announced its commitment to become a zero-emissions platform by 2040 back in 2020, including the 2030 target for Canada, the U.S., and Europe. 'To be clear, it is a North Star, and we've said in the beginning that it requires really tight public-private partnership to make that happen. And candidly, right now [there are] big challenges on the horizon,' Tinucci said. In January, Canada's federal government paused its ZEV incentive program worth up to $5,000 on eligible cars and trucks. British Columbia is due to pause its electric vehicle rebate program worth up to $4,000 on May 15. Quebec's EV rebate dropped to a maximum of $4,000 per eligible vehicle, from $7,000 on Jan. 1. Tinucci says Uber is doing its part to spur drivers to shift to ZEVs. The company offers financial incentives for drivers with zero-emission vehicles. In 2020, Uber promised to spend $800 million through 2025 to help drivers in Canada, the U.S., and Europe transition to electric vehicles. 'Many of our drivers across the world take home more money because they drive an EV,' Tinucci said. 'We see better reviews and higher tipping from customers who ride in EVs.' She adds that Uber drivers in Canada are transitioning to electric vehicles six times faster than the general public, and incentivizing ride-hailing drivers to switch is essential, since they spend so much more time on the road. General Motors (GM) Canada vice-president of marketing and sales Shane Peever says the "unpredictability" of EV rebates from the federal and provincial governments has been a speed bump for the automaker. "Having some consistency on that will really help the EV market in Canada," he said on Wednesday at the same event. "Manufacturers, not just General Motors, will be able to plan appropriately. That's one of the things that we've had a challenge with this year, is trying to predict demand amid those ever-changing policy landscapes." Peever notes that over half of GM Canada's EV business is driven by Quebec, where government rebates are among the most generous. BMO Capital Markets analyst Erik Johnson says changes in rebate policies across multiple levels of government were the main reason behind plunging ZEV sales in March. "There are still no details on whether the federal rebate will return," he wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday. Johnson adds that Canada's 47 per cent year-over-year plunge in March stands in sharp contrast to the U.S. market, where sales for the month increased 19 per cent on an annualized basis. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Big challenges': Uber wants more government help shifting its drivers to EVs
Uber's (UBER) global head of electrification and sustainability says the ride-hailing giant faces 'big challenges' in its push for 100 per cent zero emissions rides in Canada, the United States and Europe by 2030. Rebecca Tinucci says the San Francisco-based company needs to forge a 'really tight public-private partnership' with Ottawa and provincial governments in order to make it happen. In the first three months of 2025, Uber says just 9.1 per cent of 'on trip' miles in Canada and the U.S. were completed in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Earlier this month, Tinucci announced Uber would not fully achieve its 2025 electrification goals due to "high upfront EV costs, limited charging access, and inconsistent policy support" from governments. According to data from Statistics Canada released on Wednesday, ZEVs comprised 6.5 per cent of total new motor vehicles sold in March. Sales tumbled 47 per cent year-over-year, adding to a 41 per cent decline in February. 'I know it's very challenging,' Tinucci told an audience at the EV & Charging Expo 2025 event in Toronto on Wednesday. 'We have very aggressive goals at Uber around being a zero-emissions platform. Here in Canada, it's 2030.' Uber announced its commitment to become a zero-emissions platform by 2040 back in 2020, including the 2030 target for Canada, the U.S., and Europe. 'To be clear, it is a North Star, and we've said in the beginning that it requires really tight public-private partnership to make that happen. And candidly, right now [there are] big challenges on the horizon,' Tinucci said. In January, Canada's federal government paused its ZEV incentive program worth up to $5,000 on eligible cars and trucks. British Columbia is due to pause its electric vehicle rebate program worth up to $4,000 on May 15. Quebec's EV rebate dropped to a maximum of $4,000 per eligible vehicle, from $7,000 on Jan. 1. Tinucci says Uber is doing its part to spur drivers to shift to ZEVs. The company offers financial incentives for drivers with zero-emission vehicles. In 2020, Uber promised to spend $800 million through 2025 to help drivers in Canada, the U.S., and Europe transition to electric vehicles. 'Many of our drivers across the world take home more money because they drive an EV,' Tinucci said. 'We see better reviews and higher tipping from customers who ride in EVs.' She adds that Uber drivers in Canada are transitioning to electric vehicles six times faster than the general public, and incentivizing ride-hailing drivers to switch is essential, since they spend so much more time on the road. General Motors (GM) Canada vice-president of marketing and sales Shane Peever says the "unpredictability" of EV rebates from the federal and provincial governments has been a speed bump for the automaker. "Having some consistency on that will really help the EV market in Canada," he said on Wednesday at the same event. "Manufacturers, not just General Motors, will be able to plan appropriately. That's one of the things that we've had a challenge with this year, is trying to predict demand amid those ever-changing policy landscapes." Peever notes that over half of GM Canada's EV business is driven by Quebec, where government rebates are among the most generous. BMO Capital Markets analyst Erik Johnson says changes in rebate policies across multiple levels of government were the main reason behind plunging ZEV sales in March. "There are still no details on whether the federal rebate will return," he wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday. Johnson adds that Canada's 47 per cent year-over-year plunge in March stands in sharp contrast to the U.S. market, where sales for the month increased 19 per cent on an annualized basis. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber says push for all-electric rides by 2030 faces 'big challenges'
Uber's global head of electrification and sustainability says the ride-hailing giant faces 'big challenges' in its push for 100 per cent zero emissions rides in Canada, the United States and Europe by 2030. Rebecca Tinucci says the San Francisco-based company needs to forge a 'really tight public-private partnership' with Ottawa and provincial governments in order to make it happen. In the first three months of 2025, Uber says just 9.1 per cent of 'on trip' miles in Canada and the U.S. were completed in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Earlier this month, Tinucci announced Uber would not fully achieve its 2025 electrification goals due to "high upfront EV costs, limited charging access, and inconsistent policy support" from governments. According to data from Statistics Canada released on Wednesday, ZEVs comprised 6.5 per cent of total new motor vehicles sold in March. Sales tumbled 47 per cent year-over-year, adding to a 41 per cent decline in February. 'I know it's very challenging,' Tinucci told an audience at the EV & Charging Expo 2025 event in Toronto on Wednesday. 'We have very aggressive goals at Uber around being a zero-emissions platform. Here in Canada, it's 2030.' Uber announced its commitment to become a zero-emissions platform by 2040 back in 2020, including the 2030 target for Canada, the U.S., and Europe. 'To be clear, it is a North Star, and we've said in the beginning that it requires really tight public-private partnership to make that happen. And candidly, right now [there are] big challenges on the horizon,' Tinucci said. In January, Canada's federal government paused its ZEV incentive program worth up to $5,000 on eligible cars and trucks. British Columbia is due to pause its electric vehicle rebate program worth up to $4,000 on May 15. Quebec's EV rebate dropped to a maximum of $4,000 per eligible vehicle, from $7,000 on Jan. 1. Tinucci says Uber is doing its part to spur drivers to shift to ZEVs. The company offers financial incentives for drivers with zero-emission vehicles. In 2020, Uber promised to spend $800 million through 2025 to help drivers in Canada, the U.S., and Europe transition to electric vehicles. 'Many of our drivers across the world take home more money because they drive an EV,' Tinucci said. 'We see better reviews and higher tipping from customers who ride in EVs.' She adds that Uber drivers in Canada are transitioning to electric vehicles six times faster than the general public, and incentivizing ride-hailing drivers to switch is essential, since they spend so much more time on the road. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
California's green new scam could cost you $20,000
California has long fancied itself a beacon of environmental progress, a state willing to lead the charge in combating global warming. But the reality is that this pursuit of a "green" future is coming at a staggering cost to California consumers and businesses, a cost that's becoming increasingly unsustainable. A recent study by the Pacific Research Institute reveals the truly alarming scale of this financial burden, estimating that the green transition will cost Californians between $17,398 and $20,182 per family to fund the state's switch to alternative energy sources. BIDEN GREEN ENERGY PROJECT HALTED BY TRUMP ADMIN RELIGED ON RUSHED, BAD SCIENCE, STUDY FINDS Altogether, California's green transition is projected to cost as much as $246.7 billion to build out solar panels, construct wind turbines and battery infrastructure while also shutting down nuclear plants and oil fields – a bill that will be paid by us all. These shocking figures should give every policymaker and resident pause. The state's aggressive mandates, such as the push for 100% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035, are a prime example of this misguided approach. While the goal of reducing emissions is commendable, Sacramento's top-down, one-size-fits-all approach ignores basic economic realities. These mandates artificially inflate the cost of transportation, placing a disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income families. And these mandates deny the reality that electric vehicles are often more expensive to purchase than their gasoline-powered counterparts. While proponents tout potential long-term savings on fuel, those savings are quickly eroded by rising electricity costs in California. Aside from higher costs, these mandates will also soon bring major energy shortfalls – the state will be 21.2% short of the power needed to fuel the grid each day – when the state's 100% renewable energy and electric vehicle mandates are in effect. And this doesn't include huge looming power demands for artificial intelligence, or for green appliances and HVAC mandates on homes and businesses that will take effect in the coming years. But you don't need to be an economist to see the pain. California drivers are routinely paying some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation. These prices aren't solely driven by global market fluctuations; they're also a direct result of California's unique blend of environmental regulations, taxes, and fees. Gov. Newsom can point fingers at oil companies all he wants, but his policies play a significant role. And it's not just gasoline. Electricity rates in California are skyrocketing. A recent report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office confirms what many Californians already know: we pay nearly double the national average for electricity. These costs are driven by a combination of factors, including wildfire mitigation expenses and the state's very "ambitious" greenhouse gas reduction programs. Businesses are also feeling the squeeze. The high cost of energy in California makes it more difficult for them to compete, discouraging investment and driving jobs out of the state. How can California businesses compete with those in states with far lower energy costs? CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Despite these real consequences, Gov. Newsom and other policymakers seem intent on forging ahead on the same course. They tout the long-term benefits of a green economy, but they ignore the very real and immediate pain that their policies are inflicting on ordinary Californians. Families are struggling to pay their bills, small businesses are closing their doors, and the dream of homeownership is slipping further out of reach for many. It's time for a reality check. California needs a more balanced and pragmatic approach to energy policy. We need to acknowledge the limitations of current renewable energy technologies, address the skyrocketing costs of electricity, and stop pretending that we can simply wish our way to a carbon-free future by legislative fiat. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Much as they wish, Sacramento politicians can't legislate innovation – but it should incentivize it and also embrace sensible reforms like expanding the use of low-emission and more affordable nuclear power and establishing a pro-emission reduction innovation environment. The state's current path is unsustainable. Unless we change course, California's green dream will become an economic nightmare for millions.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
House votes to revoke California's trucking-related EPA waivers
A congressional push to end two California trucking-related emissions waivers granted by the Environmental Protection Agency passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, though California is expected to challenge Congress' authority to take that step. The vote in the House was 231-191 to revoke a waiver that permitted California to implement the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule. The ACT rule would have mandated a road to increasing use of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), among other provisions. In a separate vote, the House voted 225-196 to revoke a waiver that allowed the Low NoX Omnibus rule, which more tightly regulates nitrogen oxide emissions from heavy duty trucks. The measure now goes to the Senate. California needs an EPA waiver when it seeks to implement an environmental standard more stringent than the national rule. Although that requirement has been in place since the '60s, it has become increasingly controversial. The immediate legal issue with the vote, however, is whether Congress can overrule a waiver, as opposed to a rule. Earlier this year, the General Accounting Office issued an opinion that said Congress does not have the power to overturn a waiver granted to California. Should the Senate vote to approve the House measure on the California waivers, it is likely to set up a fierce court fight that would be funded on California's side by a war chest it established just for the purpose of such battles. What might be seen on the surface as a standoff between the federal government and the Golden State has taken on national significance for two key reasons. First, 10 other states have agreed to follow the provisions of the ACT rule. California has always had a central role in determining national standards for some environmental rules, because OEMs do not want to build 'two cars': one for the Golden State and one for the rest of the country. Trucks are the same. That has set off in recent months a wave of pushback by trucking groups in some of those states: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico and Rhode Island. The second key reason is focused on the Omnibus rule and the Clean Truck Partnership between the state and engine manufacturers. In that deal from July 2023, California backed off its own NoX rule and accepted the less-stringent federal rules, while the engine manufacturers agreed to accept the standards of the ACT. A question that has arisen is whether that agreement is enforceable should the ACT rule's waiver disappear due to congressional action. Two Washington-based trade groups were quick to praise the action by the House of Representatives. The national impact of the California rules was referenced in a prepared statement issued by the American Trucking Associations after the vote, which said the resolutions will 'undo damaging emissions regulations set by California and prevent the Golden State from setting de facto national emissions policies in the future.' 'California should never be given the keys to set policies that impact our interstate supply chains,' ATA President Chris Spear said in the statement. The Clean Freight Coalition (CFC), a trade group made up of other trucking-focused trade groups like the ATA, issued a similar statement. 'The CFC applauds Speaker Johnson for his leadership and thanks those members of the House who voted to dissolve the waivers for California's ACT and NOx regulations,' the CFC said. 'Truck dealers in ACT states are already suffering from California's disastrous policies. If these waivers are not rescinded, it is only a matter of time before the entire trucking industry and supply chain suffers serious negative consequences.' The reference to dealers is tied to multiple reports of retail dealers of heavy-duty trucks pulling back on orders for new vehicles because of the uncertainty regarding the rules they will be facing. The CFC said it wants the Senate to follow the House's action, 'to complete the rescission of the waivers, restore a single national standard, and prevent further damage to an already struggling trucking industry.' Complicating the issue is the decision by California, in the waning days of the Biden administration, to drop its request for a waiver that would permit California to go ahead with the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule. State officials have said the ACF is not dead, but there is nothing to implement without an EPA waiver. For now, ACF is on the shelf. ACT governs a level of zero-emission vehicles that truck manufacturers would be required to sell into California and by extension the states that have followed Sacramento's lead. ACF was to govern the types of ZEVs companies needed to hold in their fleets for the next roughly 20 years. The two were designed to work side by side. But as observers of the California regulatory scene have noted, implementing the ACT without any mandate on buyers to purchase ZEVs creates a host of uncertainties, including the decision by some truck retailers not to stock ZEVs due to the ACT. Their quandary: If nobody is required to buy them, why should they keep them on the lot? The most immediate rule that was to be part of ACF was the requirement that no new non-ZEV drayage trucks could be registered with the state after the start of 2024. Despite the absence of that mandate, the number of ZEV drayage trucks, at least in Long Beach, has continued to rise. More articles by John Kingston Werner CEO Leathers confronts losses, outlines plans to bounce back 2 more charged in death of Louisiana staged truck accident witness New decline on weak earnings delivers fresh pain to Wabash stock The post House votes to revoke California's trucking-related EPA waivers appeared first on FreightWaves.
