QUICK NEWS, January 7: THE PEOPLE WANT NEW ENERGY 9 TO 1; EV SALES KEEP RISING; VEHICLE EFFICIENCIES TO GROW

THE PEOPLE WANT NEW ENERGY 9 TO 1 Republicans Want More Wind/Solar Energy Too, So What’s the Hold Up?

Kevin Mathews, January 4, 2015 (Care2)

“…[A] new poll shows that the energy divide is not nearly so black and white – in fact it might not even be a “divide” at all…Professor Stephen Ansolabehere, a political scientist for Harvard, has studied Americans’ perceptions of energy and climate change for more than a decade…[H]e learned that 90% want to see clean energy sources like solar and wind developed at least somewhat…[and] 80% want to see clean energy developed “a lot.” … So what’s the hold up? While energy may not be a partisan issue for American citizens, it is highly partisan for the actual legislators. Because of the influx of money in politics, oil and coal companies can keep lawmakers in their pocket…Energy companies may be in the minority on wanting to preserve coal mining, but money talks…It’s not that the two-party system isn’t representational, it’s that it’s representing corporate/private interests instead of the people…[E]ven people who don’t believe in climate change are supporting clean energy…” click here for more

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EV SALES KEEP RISING Plug-In Electric Car Sales Continue Rise In 2014: 100,000-Plus Last Year…”

John Voelcker, January 5, 2015 (Green Car Reports)

“Plug-in electric car sales for calendar year 2014 rose above the 100,000 level, the third annual increase in full-year sales in the U.S. since modern electric cars first went on sale in December 2010…The highest-selling electric car in the world, the Nissan Leaf, set a new U.S. record for plug-in sales of a single vehicle in one year, logging 30,200 deliveries during 2014…That compares to a 2013 total of 22,610, and less than 10,000 units in each of its first two years on sale…The balance of 70,000-plus was made up of sales of no fewer than 20 other cars with plugs…Only a small number of plug-in electric cars routinely racks up U.S. sales of 1,000 or more units a month…[They] include the Chevrolet Volt and the Tesla Model S…[T]he BMW i3 sales hit that level for three months last year…Last month, the Volt added 1,490 December sales to make a total of 18,805 sales in calendar 2014. That's lower than the pace for 2012 and 2013 deliveries of 23,461 and 23,094 respectively…The 2016 Chevy Volt will be unveiled next at the Detroit Auto Show, and will go on sale in the third quarter of this year…” click here for more

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VEHICLE EFFICIENCIES TO GROW Automotive Fuel Efficiency Technologies; Powertrain and Body Engineering Technologies for Improved Fuel Economy: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts

4Q 2014 (Navigant Research)

“Increasingly strict global standards to limit CO2 and other greenhouse gases [and financial penalties for failing to meet them] will be the most important factor that drives global automotive manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles…[Other factors include rising liquid fuel costs and consumer demand. Global] new vehicle production is expected to increase slowly but steadily through 2025, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Although the use of alternative fuels and electric power is expected to continue growing, gasoline is anticipated to remain the leading fuel, with a strong trend toward stop-start vehicles. According to Navigant Research, global light duty vehicle (LDV) sales are expected to grow from 84 million in 2014 to 109 million in 2025…” click here for more

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