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Auto Blog
3 days ago
- Business
- Auto Blog
EV Charger Installations Decline Amid Trump Criticism
High-speed charger growth slowed in the first quarter of the year, as stalled infrastructure plans and tariff threats shake investor and automaker confidence. Charger installation slowdown raises alarm The growth of high-speed electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S. has hit a major speed bump. Installations dropped more than 21% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to BloombergNEF analysis of Energy Department data. Analysts say the sharp decline could threaten broader EV adoption just as the U.S. market needs to scale rapidly to meet climate goals and consumer demand. Volkswagen ID.4 charging in California — Source: Getty Politics cast a long shadow over the EV future The dip in installations comes amid heightened political uncertainty. President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle much of the Biden-era climate agenda, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides up to $7,500 in tax credits for EV buyers. Trump's allies in Congress have also proposed eliminating those credits, and his administration has already rolled back auto emissions standards and paused implementation of federally funded charging programs. 2026 Toyota bZ That has led to a 'negative feedback loop,' says BloombergNEF analyst Ash Wang. 'The uncertainty has automakers scaling back EV investments.'. BloombergNEF has already revised its charging installation forecast for 2025 downward, from 360,000 new chargers to just 285,000. State-funded projects hit the brakes Although the bipartisan infrastructure law designated $5 billion for EV charging buildout, some states have halted or delayed projects tied to that money, citing the Trump administration's freeze on implementation. With federal momentum stalled and no clarity on whether tax credits will be preserved, private sector investment has also cooled. Wood Mackenzie analyst Emil Koenig noted that his firm's charging projections are still based on the existing EV credit, but even so, they've lowered expectations. 'If the credit is repealed, it would materially affect our forecast,' Koenig said. BP America, President & CEO, Orlando Alvarez, left and BP Executive Vice President of Customers and Products, Emma Delaney, right, stand by as Chief Executive Officer, BP Pulse, Sujay Sharma, cuts the ribbon to celebrate the opening of the Pulse Gigahub EV charging station Wednesday, March 20, 2024. — Source: Houston Chronicle/Tariffs could stall affordable EV rollout Beyond tax credits and infrastructure, analysts are also eyeing how Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods and foreign-sourced auto parts could further stifle EV momentum. About 35% of EVs sold in the U.S. last year were imported, and even some U.S.-assembled models rely heavily on global supply chains. Rivian R2 — Source: Rivian Rising costs could kill or delay the launch of affordable EVs in the $25,000 range — models that are crucial for mass adoption. 'Any delay in low-cost EV models will also materially set back charging infrastructure deployment,' said Koenig. Final thoughts With more than 208,000 public EV charging ports currently online, the U.S. still lags far behind what's needed to support projected EV adoption by 2030. BNEF estimates that nearly 174,000 new charging points need to be added every year just to stay on track, assuming no new policies are introduced. Without continued federal support, experts warn, EV infrastructure could fall dangerously short, discouraging new buyers and risking a major setback in the transition away from fossil fuels.
Bloomberg
22-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Carbon Removal Pioneer Climeworks Tackles Its First Major Layoff
By and Sommer Saadi Save Scientists are clear that meeting climate goals means ending carbon pollution and drawing down excess CO2 from the air. That's why carbon-removal technologies have proliferated over the past decade. But with the US government slashing climate incentives and programs, some companies are being forced to cut costs. This week Akshat Rathi speaks with Jan Wurzbacher, co-founder of Climeworks, a startup that pulls carbon dioxide from the air, about its first major layoff and what the future holds for the most expensive climate solution.
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
India's steel expansion threatens climate goals and global efforts to clean up industry: report
BENGALURU, India — India's plans to double steel production by the end of the decade could jeopardize its national climate goals and a key global target to reduce planet-heating gas emissions from the steel industry, according to a report released Tuesday. The report by Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks energy projects around the globe, said efforts to decarbonize steelmaking are gaining traction around the world. However, in India, which is the world's second largest steel-producing nation, overwhelming reliance on coal-based technologies presents a big challenge.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
India's steel expansion threatens climate goals and global efforts to clean up industry: report
India's plans to double steel production by the end of the decade could jeopardize its national climate goals and a key global target to reduce planet-heating gas emissions from the steel industry, according to a report released Tuesday. The report by Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks energy projects around the globe, said efforts to decarbonize steelmaking are gaining traction around the world. However, in India, which is the world's second largest steel-producing nation, overwhelming reliance on coal-based technologies presents a big challenge. 'India is now the bellwether of global steel decarbonization,' said Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, project manager of the Global Iron and Steel Tracker at GEM and report co-author. 'If the country does not increase its plans for green steel production, the entire sector will miss an important milestone. So goes India, so goes the world.' Currently, up to 12% of India's greenhouse gas emissions, which go into the atmosphere and heat the planet, come from steelmaking. That number could double in five years if steel is produced in line with the government's plans, according to the report. At the same time, India wants to produce 500 gigawatts of clean power — enough to power nearly 300 million Indian homes — by the end of this decade. The South Asian nation recently crossed the milestone of installing 100 gigawatts of solar power, most of which was installed in the last 10 years. By 2070, India also aims to go net zero, that is, it will either eliminate all carbon dioxide pollution it emits or cancel it out by using other methods, such as planting trees that absorb carbon. Steel production is one of the most carbon polluting industries, responsible for nearly 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency has set a target for 37% of global steelmaking capacity to rely on lower-emission electric arc furnaces by 2030. Current projections by GEM show the world reaching just 36% — a shortfall largely due to India's coal-heavy pipeline. India plans to expand its steel production capacity from 200 million to over 330 million tonnes per year by 2030. According to the new data, over 40% of global capacity in development — about 352 million tonnes per annum — is in India, with more than half of that using coal-based capacity. 'India is the only major steel-producing nation that has so much coal-based capacity in the pipeline,' said Henna Khadeeja, a research analyst with GEM who also worked on the report. India's steel sector releases approximately 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of steel, roughly 25% more than the global average. China, the world's largest steelmaker, has managed to keep its emissions lower per ton by producing more scrap-based steel and retiring older coal-based plants. India's heavy dependence on coal for steelmaking is driven by a combination of factors: low-cost domestic coal, a relatively young fleet of blast furnaces that still have 20–25 years of operational life left, and a lack of natural gas and steel scrap. The country's scrap recycling ecosystem remains informal, and high-quality iron ore is scarce. 'There is potential for India to change course,' said Khadeeja of GEM. 'Much of the planned capacity is still on paper. Only 8% of it has actually broken ground. This means there is still a window to shift toward lower-emission technologies.' The consequences of producing carbon polluting steel may go beyond climate goals. While India's steel exports are only a small share of its overall production, they could suffer as major markets like the European Union begin enforcing carbon border taxes next year. 'India may be better off tolerating some short-term pain of technological upgrading to make its steel cleaner for long-term competitiveness gain,' said Easwaran Narassimhan of the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
India's steel expansion threatens climate goals and global efforts to clean up industry: report
BENGALURU, India (AP) — India's plans to double steel production by the end of the decade could jeopardize its national climate goals and a key global target to reduce planet-heating gas emissions from the steel industry, according to a report released Tuesday. The report by Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks energy projects around the globe, said efforts to decarbonize steelmaking are gaining traction around the world. However, in India, which is the world's second largest steel-producing nation, overwhelming reliance on coal-based technologies presents a big challenge. 'India is now the bellwether of global steel decarbonization,' said Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, project manager of the Global Iron and Steel Tracker at GEM and report co-author. 'If the country does not increase its plans for green steel production, the entire sector will miss an important milestone. So goes India, so goes the world.' Currently, up to 12% of India's greenhouse gas emissions, which go into the atmosphere and heat the planet, come from steelmaking. That number could double in five years if steel is produced in line with the government's plans, according to the report. At the same time, India wants to produce 500 gigawatts of clean power — enough to power nearly 300 million Indian homes — by the end of this decade. The South Asian nation recently crossed the milestone of installing 100 gigawatts of solar power, most of which was installed in the last 10 years. By 2070, India also aims to go net zero, that is, it will either eliminate all carbon dioxide pollution it emits or cancel it out by using other methods, such as planting trees that absorb carbon. Steel production is one of the most carbon polluting industries, responsible for nearly 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency has set a target for 37% of global steelmaking capacity to rely on lower-emission electric arc furnaces by 2030. Current projections by GEM show the world reaching just 36% — a shortfall largely due to India's coal-heavy pipeline. India plans to expand its steel production capacity from 200 million to over 330 million tonnes per year by 2030. According to the new data, over 40% of global capacity in development — about 352 million tonnes per annum — is in India, with more than half of that using coal-based capacity. 'India is the only major steel-producing nation that has so much coal-based capacity in the pipeline,' said Henna Khadeeja, a research analyst with GEM who also worked on the report. India's steel sector releases approximately 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of steel, roughly 25% more than the global average. China, the world's largest steelmaker, has managed to keep its emissions lower per ton by producing more scrap-based steel and retiring older coal-based plants. India's heavy dependence on coal for steelmaking is driven by a combination of factors: low-cost domestic coal, a relatively young fleet of blast furnaces that still have 20–25 years of operational life left, and a lack of natural gas and steel scrap. The country's scrap recycling ecosystem remains informal, and high-quality iron ore is scarce. 'There is potential for India to change course,' said Khadeeja of GEM. 'Much of the planned capacity is still on paper. Only 8% of it has actually broken ground. This means there is still a window to shift toward lower-emission technologies.' The consequences of producing carbon polluting steel may go beyond climate goals. While India's steel exports are only a small share of its overall production, they could suffer as major markets like the European Union begin enforcing carbon border taxes next year. 'India may be better off tolerating some short-term pain of technological upgrading to make its steel cleaner for long-term competitiveness gain,' said Easwaran Narassimhan of the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
