Category Archives: 2019 issue

TREND. Largest Deployment of EV Fast Charging Stations. What you need to know:

Who: EV Go

How many fast charging stations: 14 battery storage systems at 11 fast charging stations
 

2 Industry reasons EVGo offers for their charging deploymnt:

  • cahrging stations will offer load balancing
  • charging stations will mitigate distribution grid upgrade costs,

Utility Dive | EVgo adding 14 battery storage systems to spur EV fast charger deployment

Legislation TREND begets Business TREND. Rideshare Adopts Safety Measures

In light of the influx of recent safety bills after a student was killed when she mistook a car for a ride share driver’s car, ride share companies are adopting safety measures.

What safety measures are ride sahre companies adopting in response?

  •  Uber is launching the Campus Safety Initiative
    • This reminds riders to check the license plate, make and model of the car, as well as the driver’s name and picture, before ever entering into a vehicle
  •  Uber is building out dedicated pickup zones…

3 Arguments for EV Paying Mileage Tax. Energy Institute

The academics: The Energy Institute at HAAS School of Business, University of California Berkeley

Their arguments to support pay as your drive programs:

  • The gasoline tax is highly regressive, and EV drivers tend to be disproportionately high income
  • EV environmental damage is not ZERO
  • EV cars still impact roads and impact congestion and traffic

How many states are testing pay as you drive? 

Lege TREND. EV Tax Credits in a Southern Red State.

Georgia legislation, HB 732 (2019 | GA) looks to:

  • reinstate a $2,500 state tax credit for the purchase or lease of new electric, zero emission, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
  • $10 million annual cap
  • $500 state tax credit for residential EV charging stations
  • $1,500 credit for commercial charging stations

Electrek | Georgia Republicans propose $2,500 state tax credit for electric vehicles

TX Attorney General Opinion. Can TXDOT still contract under North Tarrant Express CDA?

Why wouldn’t TXDOT enter into an agreement under the North Tarrant CDA? The authority ceased on August 31, 2017 with SB 1730.

Why does this matter? TXDOT says they can amend an existing agreement that pre-dates the cut off deadline

Which members are asking for this? Chair Bob Hall & Chair Lois Kolkhorst

RQ-0281-KP

Lege TREND. Bills to allow Ride Share Drive Medicaid Patients to Appointments.

HB 411 (2019 |FL) would allow ride sahre to enter medical transportation services for non-emergency transportation.

How would it work? ride share would contract with managed care providers

What benefits of ride sahre medical transportation contracting? 

  • save the state Medicaid money
  • easier for patients to make doctors appointments
  • will improve patient outcomes

A USC study examined a LYFT pilot program for non-emergency medical transportation and found that it improved quality of life for…

New Study. Congestion Pricing & Ride Share Safety

The researchers: University of Chicago School of Business and Rice University researchers

The study conclusions: 

  • 3 % rise in serious and deadly accidents in major American cities once ride-hail platforms are introduced
  • $10 Billion cost to the economy

Opponents say:

  • deeply flawed study
  • problematic methodology
  • unjustified conclusions

Efficient Government | Lyft & Uber Reject Transportation Safety Study, Researchers Support Congestion Pricing

Market Watch  | Study: Cities with ride-shares…

Lege TREND. What Legislative reactions have hit ride share after a ride share driver murdered a student?

In South Carolina, legisltors are considering the Samantha L. Josephson Ridesharing Safety Act which would requrie ride share drivers have lighted signs indicating their ride share company.

CBS News | Student’s death sparks bill requiring Uber and Lyft drivers to display illuminated signs

REgulatory TREND. How one State his tackling EVs with an Innovation Start Up Competition. Who. Where. How.

Where: New York

How:

  • New York Created The NYPA Innovation Challenge to spur commericalization for energy storage
  • Supported by  NYPA’s $250 million EVolveNY electric vehicle adoption initiative
  • To meet New York’s goal to add 3 GW of battery storage by 2030.

Who: partnership between the New York Power Authority and New York University Tandon’s Urban Future Lab

Utility Dive | NYPA initiative targets quicker commercialization path for storage, EV startups

Ways States Are Overcoming the EV Gap. Regulation. Legislation.

  • Utility Commissions  implement EV infrastructure programs
  • Partnerships with utilities to roll out EV charging infrastructure programs
    • Utilities can also recoup their investment in EV charging infrastructure
    • Utilities could have rules to allow selling electricity and using the chargers as responsive demand to balance the power grid
  • Which state utility commissions are actively implmenting plans?
    • CA
    • MN
    • OR
    • NY

Forbes | How States Can Overcome The Looming Electric Vehicle Charging…