InfoHive – Transportation

What is happening? Orange County, FL has high EV sales numbers and is currently home to the largest inventory of public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure of any county in Florida. It’s also a hurricane area which means there is a focus on EV chargers on evacuation routes.

Why is this important? When it comes to building EV Chargers, Orange County “exceeds the LEED Credit requirement of 1.07 with a current total of 3.44 EV Charging stations per 10,000 residents.”

How will this be important? There’s a bg focus on ensuring that tourists to Disney World have access to EV chargers.

Route Fifty | One County’s Big Plans to Electrify Its Fleet, Build Out Local Charging Network

What is happening? Ernst and Young formulates an Electric Vehicle Country Readiness Index that ranks country EV readiness. Top of the pack: Sweden, Norway, China.

Why is this important? The Index looks to things like  strong energy ecosystem , consumer readiness, strong manufacturing presence, and that there is a strong correlation between overall success and the strength of regulation.

How will this be important? The US is ranked 7th largely due to poor demand.

EY | China, Norway and Sweden lead the pack on electric vehicle readiness – EY study

What is happening? The Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022 would put NTSB in charge of space transportation oversight for commercial space travel.

Why is this important? Space travel litigation is that in federal court or your state’s court? Is your state home to a commercial space travel company?

How will this be important? If the number of space oriented films and television shows there are, this topic isn’t disappearing anytime soon and regulation and oversight is thin to non-existent.

Transportation Today | Legislation clarifies NTSB’s authority to investigate certain space accidents

What is happening? Sweden is considering super-speed ferries to move people around. These super fast ferries will be electric vehicles and will cut emissions by 70%

Why is this important? Stockholm, the capital, is an archipelago, people who live around Stockholm rely on a system of bridges that get them into the city. How do you beat bridge congestion? boats.

How will this be important? Stockholm also has a toll charge to enter the city to encourage mass transit as a means to enter the city. It is a city unafraid of new methods of managing traffic congestion.

Politico EU | Sweden to test super-fast ferries to beat traffic congestion

What is happening? Polestar will be supplying batteries for Candela’s flying electric boats. I’d like to joke about electric flying boats but both these companies are Swedish so I’m like that rainbow spinning wheel on the computer that means- reboot your system….

Why is this important? The flying boat angle is key here. Sure it’s all electric, but flying boats. The boat uses hydrofoils to lift he hull out of the water.

How will this be important? The hydrofoils that make the boat fly also reduce the boat’s energy usage.

CNBC | EV maker Polestar to provide batteries for ‘flying’ electric boats

What is happening? New EV credits that were established in the $430 billion climate, health and tax measure (The Inflation Reduction Act) require that the vehicle be manufactured in the U.S. to receive credits.

Why is this important? This is the first time EV credits will be tied to where the vehicle is manufactured and removes the limitations previously placed on GM and Tesla.

How will this be important? An opportunity to shift manufacturing to the U.S.

Car Scoops | These 34 Electric Cars Won’t Qualify For Biden’s New EV Tax Credits

What is happening? Scooters…are they causing more collisions? Are they reeking havoc on local traffic and pedestrians?

Why is this important? Austin, Detroit and other cities are looking for the data to determine how to proceed. The issue in Austin is that collisions are self reported. Oops.

How will this be important? The world revolves around data, some how and some way this data will be revealed.

Austin Monitor | Data tracking electric scooter collisions still incomplete

Axios | FOIA Friday: How dangerous are e-scooters?

What is happening? The 1st quarter of 2022 saw the highest number of traffic fatalities in 20 years, and it was an increase of 7% from 2021. The increase hit Mid Atlantic States most where they saw a 52% increase and New England which saw a 32% increase in fatalities.

Why is this important? National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says risky behaviors “skyrocketed” in March 2020 and have not relented.

How will this be important? When and how will policymakers react and will that cause new requirements for auto manufacturers.

Route Fifty | US Road Fatalities Soared in Early 2022

What is happening? NYC is considering limiting fleet speeds to posted speed limits because if it is one thing New Yorkers are known for it is their impeccably polite driving skills.

Why is this important? The policy will exempt emergency vehicles and the mayor’s car.

How will this be important? Surveys by the European Transport Safety Council say 64% of the drivers like the speed limiting software.

Route Fifty | Technology to Limit Speeds on New York City Fleet Vehicles

What is happening? IKEA is partnering with ElectrifyAmerica by installing EV chargers at more than 25 of its stores, and total 200 individual chargers to shops in 18 states, including California, Florida, New York, Texas and Washington.

Why is this important? The chargers at IKEA will be both 150kW and 350kW, and will serve both customers as well as IKEA’s fleet.

How will this be important? IKEA has long touted its environmentally friendly policies from forestry to plastics for decades.

Engadget | IKEA will install Electrify America’s fast EV chargers at over 25 US stores