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Speaking to fossil fuel executives and other energy leaders at the CERAWeek conference last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright made a bold claim.
“Everywhere wind and solar penetration have increased significantly, prices on the grid went up and stability of the grid went down,” he said.
But that claim is“not borne out by the data at all,” Robbie Orvis, the senior director of modeling and analysis for nonpartisan think tank Energy Innovation, told Canary Media’s Jeff St. John. In fact, a report out Thursday from Orvis and his colleagues found that clean energy is key to keeping U.S. electric bills in check.
The analysis looks at what would happen if congressional Republicans succeed in repealing the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits that have helped supercharge clean energy adoption in the U.S. The result of such a repeal? Dirtier air, more carbon emissions — and higher power bills. The average household’s energy bills would rise $48 per year by 2030 and $68 by 2035. Three other recent studies echo Energy Innovation’s findings, including one released Thursday by Rhodium Group.
The reason bills would rise is straightforward: Cutting IRA incentives would discourage the construction of solar and wind, which have become the cheapest sources of new power generation over the past decade.
Aside from electricity cost, clean energy boasts several other economic advantages over fossil fuels. A 2023 Energy Innovation report found that 99% of the country’s coal plants could be cost-effectively replaced with wind, solar, and batteries. The industry is also a growing employer, with jobs in clean energy expanding at more than twice the rate of the country’s entire job market in 2023. And numerous studies show that curbing fossil fuel use drastically reduces particulate matter and other air pollutants, which in turn helps people avoid health care costs.
Those benefits — specifically lower energy costs and job creation — are why a group of Republican Congress members are pushing to keep IRA incentives in place. Some conservative advocates and business leaders are joining them and making a case that clean energy is the cheapest, quickest way to achieve the “energy dominance” President Donald Trump is looking for.
More top clean energy stories
Two clean energy projects get Trump’s green light
The U.S. Energy Department on Monday sent a $56.8 million loan disbursement to Holtec’s Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, which will help the company restart the shuttered facility. It’s just a tiny first slice of the up to $1.52 billion loan Holtec could receive, but it indicates the Trump administration supports the Biden-era project even as many others remain in question. The federal Bureau of Land Management also approved a transmission line that will serve a utility-scale solar project in southern California — and went so far as to say the project will support “American Energy Dominance.”
Rivian R1T and R1S owners can now buy a rooftop tent designed specifically for their electric vehicles.
Tent and camping gear manufacturer iKamper recently announced a special edition of its Skycap 3.0 Mini rooftop tent for Rivian, with mounting hardware keyed to the automaker’s trucks, an aerodynamic shell to reduce drag, and a Rivian-inspired color palette.
Rivian x iKamper Skycamp Mini rooftop tent
The tent itself can be pre-ordered for $4,595, and the first customers who do so will also receive iKamper’s Disco Series Stove for outdoor cooking. Rivian does offer a Travel Kitchen that can make breakfast for those who camp out, with a two-burner induction stovetop that can fit on an R1T’s open tailgate. It’s practical, but arguably not as cool as the Camp Kitchen, which slides out of the R1T’s Gear Tunnel pass-through, that the automaker showed at the truck’s media launch but never put into production.
Rivian has also made a point of showing off rooftop tents at various media events for its vehicles, perhaps also whetting appetites for this latest, brand-official version. It’s the perfect accessory for electric vehicles focused on off-road adventures, complete with a charging network built with that in mind.
Rivian x iKamper Skycamp Mini rooftop tent
Called the Adventure Network, that charging network is being upgraded with more powerful DC fast-chargers and amenity-filled sites that will be open to all EVs. Rivian also operates Level 2 AC chargers, called Waypoints by the automaker, some of which let owners enjoy tent-based glamping with Under Canvas, which offers a more upscale alternative to traditional camping at popular recreation sites.
More options for off-grid travel are arriving soon—like the Airstream Basecamp 20Xe electric travel trailer that uses a 10.3-kwh battery pack and 3,000-watt inverter to power appliances and electronic devices for those that don’t want to disconnect completely.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Rivian #gear #shop #adds #rooftop #tent #good #R1T #R1S
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla hate going biblical, BYD coming out swinging with new record charging time, the new Renault 5 Turbo 3E, and more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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Source link by Electrek
Author Fred Lambert
#Podcast #Tesla #hate #biblical #BYD #swinging #Renault #Turbo
“Everything is built out to serve a couple days of peak energy each year,” said Vickash Mohanka, director of the Massachusetts chapter of the Sierra Club. “Everybody’s bills are paying for those peaks, and I think we need to see a lot more progress in flattening that consumption.”
Energy efficiency and renewable energy progress can also mean cheaper power supply. Electricity supply in New England is so expensive in large part because of the region’s dependence on power plants that run on natural gas, a fuel that is prone to price volatility and which is forecast to get more expensive in coming years. Energy efficiency improvements lower electricity demand, reducing the impact these price fluctuations have on consumers. And replacing this power with renewable energy that gets free fuel from the sun and wind can also reduce and stabilize electric bills.
Cutting support for renewables and efficiency may seem to save money, but the costs just crop up again elsewhere, said Greg Cunningham, vice president of clean energy and climate change for the Conservation Law Foundation.
“It feels like and it looks like we’re eliminating a cost or reducing it, but it’s like Whac-A-Mole,” he said.
How to lower energy bills in the Northeast
Containing costs for supply, distribution, and transmission is challenging but doable and necessary, advocates say.
Though Massachusetts’ cuts to energy efficiency programming disappointed consumer and environmental groups, many praised a plan Gov. Maura Healey announced this month to save residents $5.8 billion in energy costs in coming years. Her proposal includes new discount rates, tighter regulations on competitive electric suppliers, and reviews of every additional fee on utility bills to root out those that are no longer needed.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu this week announced plans to tackle the city’s high energy costs by installing 5,000 heat pumps and weatherizing 10,000 buildings over the next three years in partnership with Mass Save, the state’s energy efficiency administrator. The initiative is expected to use $150 million in incentives and create $300 million in savings for Boston residents.
Connecticut legislators are considering proposals to make appliance energy standards more stringent and to allow cities and towns to aggregate their energy demand, negotiate for lower supply prices, and potentially use the savings to develop their own renewable power projects.
Advocates have also suggested that states adopt a performance-based ratemaking structure, in which utilities make money not just for building and repairing infrastructure but for reaching specific goals, such as equity, emissions reductions, or cost control. Several noted that states could also lower the rate of return utilities are allowed to earn on their infrastructure investments.
Clean energy advocates accept that some programs might need to change. Massachusetts, for example, could reconsider the value of some years-old initiatives paid for by ratepayers, Chretien said. In Maine, it makes more sense to review the solar-incentive program known as net energy billing for possible cost-saving tweaks than to completely repeal it, Cunningham said.
What’s important, advocates say, is that policymakers avoid scapegoating energy efficiency and renewable energy, and start the hard work of solving the real problems.
“It feels to me like every year there is a public outcry, there’s a media outcry, and there’s a reaction,” Cunningham said. “What there is much less of is longer-term planning. We need to do something about this.”
Owners of Audi’s latest electric vehicles can now get one year of free DC fast-charging at Electrify America locations.
Electrify America confirmed Thursday that the 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron crossover SUV just reaching dealerships now comes with this free-charging perk, and so will the 2025 Audi A6 E-Tron sedan when it arrives at showrooms this summer.
2025 Audi A6 E-Tron test drive review, Tenerife
In both cases, the free-charging clock starts at the date of purchase, but doesn’t come with any restrictions on the time or number of individual charging sessions, an Electrify America spokesperson confirmed to Green Car Reports. To gain this benefit, owners must enroll via the MyAudi app.
The Q6 E-Tron and A6 E-Tron also feature Plug & Charge, allowing drivers to initiate charging simply by plugging in at a public station, with automatic billing to a preset payment method. An initial login is also required to set this up, in this case with an Electrify America user profile.
2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron
The Premium Platform Electric (PPE) both models share with the electric Porsche Macan also incorporates an 800-volt electrical architecture for faster charging, and the flexibility to enable 400-volt charging by splitting current between the two halves of the pack to get most out DC fast-charging equipment limited to less than 800 volts. The Q6 E-Tron to complete a 10%-80% charge in around 35 minutes in that lower-power configuration.
These PPE models join the Audi Q4 E-Tron, which shares the MEB platform with the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.Buzz, and the E-Tron GT that’s a mechanical twin of the Porsche Taycan. They comprise the entirety of Audi’s EV lineup following the end of Q8 E-Tron production in February. That model, in its original E-Tron form, ushered in Audi’s electric era.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Audi #ETron #ETron #year #free #fastcharging #Electrify #America
During a strange publicly livestreamed “all-hands” meeting, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said once again that he’s working on a “Master Plan Part 4” for the company, which is currently on part 3 of its master plan. But the problem is, even part 2 is not yet complete.
Tesla’s “master plans” have guided the company for years, showing a general outline of what direction it plans to go.
The blog post was a tongue in cheek list of Tesla’s priorities for the future, with four steps laid out:
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Build sports car.
Use that money to build an affordable car.
Use that money to build an even more affordable car.
While doing above, also provide zero-emission electric power generation options.
Tesla managed to finish all of those steps, by releasing the Roadster, Model S, and Model 3. It also purchased SolarCity and sells solar panel installations today, so, job completed. And completed quite well, considering Tesla was nothing in 2006 and hadn’t sold a single car, and is now a global powerhouse changing the entire auto industry.
Ten years after that original blog post, the “plan” was updated in 2016 with “Master Plan, Part Deux” (which has also since been deleted from the website). That plan was summarized as:
Create stunning solar roofs with seamlessly integrated battery storage
Expand the electric vehicle product line to address all major segments
Develop a self-driving capability that is 10X safer than manual via massive fleet learning
Enable your car to make money for you when you aren’t using it
This plan has not been quite as successful as the original secret master plan.
A progress check on master plan part 2
First, Tesla’s “solar roof” business has turned more into the company providing solar panel systems to independent installers. These are integrated well through software with Tesla’s Powerwall system (and additional features like Virtual Power Plants, Storm Watch, and so on). But Tesla’s solar roof project didn’t quite turn out as planned – it’s a single design instead of the four designs originally promised, and deployment of that design was… rocky, to say the least.
Second, Tesla has expanded its product line to cover two (or three) more segments: mid-size SUVs, with the Model Y; something kinda sorta approximating a truck, with the Cybertruck; and heavy trucking, with the Tesla Semi.
These are the “major” segments it said it would address in the blog post, so they get partial credit there – except that the Semi is still yet to reach any significant volume numbers, and Tesla has not released a promised “high passenger-density urban transport” (the closest thing there is the recently-announced Robovan, which is absolutely nowhere near production).
Third, Tesla has not successfully deployed self-driving capability that is 10X safer, even by its own numbers. Tesla’s Autopilot Safety Report, which the company only occasionally releases, says that Autopilot is a bit more than 5X safer than a human – but this comes with the caveat that the system will typically spend more time activated in situations where it’s more capable, and drivers will choose to take over when they think the system isn’t going to be able to do something.
Tesla doesn’t publicize data on how much safer FSD is than human drivers, rather referring to “miles between critical disengagement” and other moving goalposts.
So those are three steps which haven’t really gotten finished, but, we can perhaps give some credit for movement in the direction of each of them.
The fourth step, however, has simply not happened. This referred to an idea which at the time was called “Tesla Network,” which was supposed to be a ride-hailing app that Tesla owners could send their cars out to make money with – and the source of Musk’s “appreciating asset” comments.
Not only has that not happened, but even autonomy has not happened. Tesla FSD is still level 2, and while it claims it will have level 4 capable vehicles this year in Austin, we’ve yet to see that.
So, partial credit for master plan part 2, but we’re still in progress.
Part 3 goes in another direction, is huge in scope
After that, Tesla released Master Plan Part 3 in 2023, an entirely different sort of document than the last two. Instead of just being a snarky blog post, this was a 40-page white paper with calculations showing that the world could transition to renewable energy and solve climate change with the resources and technology available to us today.
It’s an interesting read, and despite the weird analogues to Musk’s personal beliefs about population growth, the calculations, while optimistic and self-serving for an EV/sustainable tech company, do make sense. It lays out the case about how to transition the entire world to sustainability, and I think it does so pretty persuasively. I’ve recommended it to many as a way to lay out the potential green transition.
…But, clearly, that has not happened yet either.
Musk drops hints at Tesla Master Plan 4
Then, with two plans still in progress, and only a bit more than a year after unveiling the third part, Musk announced last June that he is “working on Tesla Master Plan 4.”
Nine months later, we’ve yet to hear more details about that idea, but today during his presentation, he did refer back to it again.
Today, he was asked a question by one of the… uh… employees? assembled for his… uh… all-hands meeting/stock pumping livestream?, and the question went thusly (the question was hard to hear, so here’s the meat of it):
“What phase of the plan are we in and how long will it go?”
To which Musk responded:
“We’re at phase 3 of the master plan, since master plan 1 and 2 have been completed. Now, master plan part 3 is a very long master plan, because it’s basically making all energy on earth sustainable. And I actually need to supplement it with the, sort of, ‘abundance for all.’ Maybe thats master plan 4. I’ve kinda described master plan 4 essentially. Which is autonomous cars, autonomous humanoid robots, combine that with solar and battery storage, and I think the future’s gonna be incredible.”
So, we now have an idea of what Musk thinks master plan part 4 will be, at least, which is similar to what Electrek’s Fred Lambert predicted it would be back in June: robots and self-driving.
Electrek’s Take
But what about them? We know this is what Musk has been talking about recently, and a lot of those ideas haven’t really turned out – at least not yet.
First of all, we already know about the solar and battery storage, and the autonomous cars. Those were in previous parts of the master plan, and Musk has been promising them next year for ten years, so there’s nothing new there.
In particular, the autonomous car reaches all the way back to part 2, initiated in 2016, and is still incomplete – despite Musk’s incorrect statement today saying that it has been completed. This either suggests he doesn’t know what is going on with his company, or he’s lying. Neither is a great option.
And robots, the only new portion of the proposed master plan part 4, are definitely not quite what they’re cracked up to be – yet, at least. But that’s the point of a master plan, to start heading in that direction, not to already be there – so, fair enough.
But are Musk’s predictions about robotics realistic?
Musk has also stated that humanoid robots will be worth $20-30 trillion to Tesla’s market cap, because everyone in the world will have two personal robots. This seems unlikely on its face, but especially so when Musk says that AGI – Artificial General Intelligence, where a single computer is capable of accomplishing all the same tasks as a human – is coming this year.
Beyond AGI, Musk has claimed that Tesla will change the world in several other ways this year, but thats quite a packed release schedule given Tesla’s recent history (and its leadership’s current distractions and anti-sustainability actions). Musk is known for overpromising, and this feels like another example of such.
The idea that Tesla, a car company, will somehow be the first in the world to accomplish AGI, scaling humanoid robots to the point where everyone in the world can have two, alongside everything else, and on such a short timeline, seems unlikely.
It seems perhaps a little more likely that this meeting, and a potential part 4 of the plan, are both an attempt to reframe the current conversation about Tesla, which is quite negative as sales drop drastically amid Musk’s meddling in anti-sustainability and white supremacist politics.
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Source link by Electrek
Author Jameson Dow
#Elon #Musk #teases #Tesla #Master #Plan #Part #part #incomplete
Avery Dennison Performance Tapes has introduced a new EV Battery Venting Materials Portfolio to help counter the risk of thermal runaway and increase safety in EV batteries. These venting solutions include single- and double-coated anisotropic filmic tapes with proprietary fire-barrier coatings and pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) for bonding.
EV battery manufacturers implement venting strategies at the cell, module and pack levels. The Avery Dennison battery venting tape solutions, when applied to module- or pack-level venting holes, provide quick burn-through to facilitate venting via a channel. The opposite side provides extended flame resistance to prevent the migration of flames and hot gases into adjacent cells. The outer side of the film will last less than 4 seconds under flame. The adhesive side will last longer than 15 seconds. The combined flame retardancy is designed to counter the risk of thermal runaway.
“Our new venting solutions are engineered to provide differential performance to flame exposure, which can lead to very elegant emergency venting strategies,” said Max Van Raaphorst, Business Development Manager, eMobility, Automotive & Energy Storage, Avery Dennison Performance Tapes North America. “These unique tapes can be combined with a wide range of other thermal runaway mitigation materials to lead to efficient, space saving designs. As always, our goal is to help make EV battery packs more safe, efficient and easier to assemble.”
Over a year after it went on sale, the Tesla Cybertruck is still presenting issues that require recalls.
A recall of 46,096 electric pickup trucks announced Tuesday deals with their stainless steel exteriors. The cant rail, one of the exterior trim pieces, can fall off, according to the NHTSA. That can pose a hazard to other road users.
The stainless steel cant rail trim piece is attached to an electrocoated steel stamping with structural adhesive, according to recall documents. That adhesive apparently wasn’t up to the job, allowing the stainless steel piece to separate under certain conditions. If that happens, drivers may notice an unusual noise, or even see the part working its way out of position, according to the NHTSA.
2025 Tesla Cybertruck – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
Tesla told the NHTSA that it is unaware of any collisions, fatalities, or injuries caused by these detaching trim pieces. The automaker said it first became aware of the problem via a field report, confirmed by service records and social media posts describing loose or separated cant rail panels.
Tesla service centers will reinstall the cant rail assembly with a different structural adhesive, reinforced with a stud welded to the stainless steel panel with a nut clamping that panel to the vehicle’s structure. This work will be performed free of charge.
2025 Tesla Cybertruck – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
Owner notification letters are due to be mailed May 19. Owners can also call Tesla’s customer service department at 1-877-798-3752 for more information. Tesla’s reference number for this recall is SB-25-10-001.
The Cybertruck is proving to be a problem child, with eight recalls to date. Some of these recalls have also included other Tesla electric vehicles, but the Cybertruck has also been recalled for unique problems like trapped accelerator pedals and an inverter fault. This isn’t even the first trim-related recall; Tesla also recalled 11,383 trucks last year because the panel on the bed frame rail on the top sides of the truck could loosen and separate from the vehicle.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Tesla #Cybertruck #recalled #eighth #time #exterior #body #panels #fall
Tesla has been working on its dry cathode technology for years, even running into development issues.
Now, those development efforts appear to be materializing. The Cybertruck equipped with dry cathodes is just a few months away, according to a new report.
There’s a lot happening at Tesla this year: Robotaxi launch, the potential reveal of the affordable EV, upgrades to the Model S and X and now, the introduction of new battery types.
When Tesla launched the Cybertruck in late 2023, its $100,000 starting price was a big departure from CEO Elon Musk’s long-promised $40,000 target. Prices have since dropped by around $20,000 for the AWD and Cyberbeast trims, with the former also qualifying for the federal tax credit. Now, Tesla is reportedly gearing up to swap in a new Cybertruck battery that could slash costs. Whether those savings will reach buyers remains unclear.
The automaker will equip the Cybertruck with dry cathodes later this year, Bonne Eggleston, the senior director of Tesla’s 4680 cells, told The Information.
Dry cathodes are made without liquid solvents, which are typically used in conventional lithium-ion batteries. Instead, the cathode material is applied in a dry powder form, which in theory reduces complexity and manufacturing costs while being eco-friendly. This is not to be confused with dry electrolytes used in solid-state batteries—dry electrode batteries still use liquid electrolytes to shuttle electrons between charge and discharge cycles. But studies suggest it’s a step towards making solid-state batteries.
Tesla has indicated that this shift could shave $1 billion off production costs. A person familiar with the timeline said Cybertrucks equipped with the upgraded cells are probably a couple of months away.
Photo by: Tesla
Currently, the Cybertruck is equipped with a 123-kilowatt-hour battery pack with nickel-cobalt-manganese cells. Last year, it said that four new battery types were in the works for its next-generation models, including the Robotaxi, the affordable EV and also the Cybertruck.
However, the dry cathode program hit several roadblocks along the way. This effort dates back more than five years, beginning with Tesla’s 2019 acquisition of San Diego-based Maxwell Technologies for $218 million. The start-up’s dry cathode expertise seemed promising at the time.
The automaker was interested because the process would save factory floor space and eliminate the expensive and labor-intensive ways of building traditional lithium-ion cells. However, the uneven mixture of dry cathode metals was damaging the steel rollers used in battery production. As per the report, Eggleston reiterated a problem Musk had mentioned back in 2021, showing how the cathode powder had dented nearly the entire surface of the rollers.
5
After running into these issues, Tesla largely went silent about its dry cathode program. That was until last year when it announced a milestone.
“In July, we entered validation of vehicle testing for our first prototype Cybertruck produced with in-house dry cathode 4680 cells—a major cost reduction milestone once ramped. Cost reduction across our product lineup remains a top priority,” Tesla said in its Q2 2024 shareholder presentation.
While this will likely be an incremental step rather than a game-changer, it’s a sign that Tesla’s long-promised battery innovations may finally materialize. We might learn more during Tesla’s Q1 2025 earnings call in early April.
Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
Source link by Battery Tech – News and Trends | InsideEVs
Author
#Tesla #Cybertruck #Significant #Battery #Upgrade #Report
Millennials, those born from 1981 to 1996, are amongst the top buyers of electric cars in the world.
If you are one of the members of this cohort interested in an electric vehicle, congratulations! You are taking one step towards sustainability!
Exploring ev insurance singapore plans can help you find coverage tailored to your needs, ensuring protection against accidents, battery-related issues and more. Read on and we’ll share some tips that will help you save money and make a well-informed decision.
Why Is Insurance for Electric Cars More Expensive?
Car insurance is a must-have. It is not only required by the law, but it is also crucial to prevent repairs from being a financial burden. However, if you have an electric vehicle, you should know that insuring it is going to cost more than a regular car.
EVs save on fuel, but insurance is expensive
The national average for electric car insurance cost is $2,280 per year. However, certain factors will come into play, such as your driving history and experience, as well as the specific brand or model of car that you want to insure.
The high cost of electric car insurance can be attributed that the fact that an electric car is often more expensive than its gas-powered counterpart. Their replacement parts are also more expensive. Not to mention, the components may not be easily accessible. Additionally, fewer mechanics specialize in dealing with the state-of-the-art and complicated systems of electric vehicles.
Tips for Millennials Looking for Car Insurance
Knowledge is power if you want to save money on car insurance. Yes, insurance for electric vehicles is more expensive, but that does not mean that it must be a burden. If you know where to look, you can find a policy that works best for your needs. Below are some of the most important tips to keep in mind.
1. Improve Your Credit Score
Bad credit is one thing holding back many millennials. It can affect many aspects of your life, such as employment and loans. In the same way, it can also be a factor in your electric car insurance. Most carriers will use a credit-based insurance score in determining your premiums if you live in a state that allows it. With such, a lower credit score can make you pay more for the insurance.
So, work on improving your credit score. The results are not evident overnight in your credit report, but the earlier you start working on rectifying your credit history, the better. Within a few months, you might see some changes that will put you in a more favorable light and will make electric car insurance more reasonable.
One of the best ways to improve your credit score is to settle your bills on time and pay off your debts. This will show your financial responsibility. Consolidating your debts might also help. More so, you should take the time to review your credit report. At times, there can be errors, which you must rectify immediately before it impacts your insurance rates.
Improving your credit score is beneficial beyond electric car insurance. It will also be an effective strategy to have more affordable premiums for your life insurance. With a more reasonable rate, you can secure the future of your life insurance plan beneficiary while making the monthly repayments easier on your end.
2. Consider Pay-Per-Mile Insurance
As the name implies, pay-per-mile insurance is auto insurance with premiums based on mileage. Your monthly payments are not fixed. Instead, they are based on how many miles you have driven for a specific period. This is perfect for millennials who work at home or those who do not use their car often. It is also ideal for those who use public transportation to work.
There is a direct relationship between mileage and the likelihood of being in an auto accident. The more frequent you drive, the higher the chance that you will end up in an unfortunate situation, which will make you end up filing an auto insurance claim. Hence, because of the lower risks, the insurance can end up being more affordable.
If you drive a Tesla, then you might want to look at the company’s in-house mileage-based car insurance. No additional device needs to be installed in a car. There is a built-in feature that will calculate your premiums based on mileage. There is also a monthly Safety Score, which will be used for determining your payments. The score assesses your driving behavior based on factors like hard braking and aggressive turning. And if you are keen on this brand, it might make sense to see some statistics and facts about Tesla so you will know how well this company is doing with their sales and other revenue streams.
Aside from Tesla, some major insurance companies also offer this kind of insurance. Most will require the installation of a small device near the steering wheel, which will measure your mileage.
3. Explore Discounts
Do not hesitate to negotiate for a more affordable premium. It would be nice if you can talk to the insurer and ask for potential ways to save money on your premium. Some companies are offering what is known as a green car discount or alternative fuel discount for those who own electric vehicles.
Among others, one of the best ways to have a discount is by bundling your insurance. For instance, if your family has other cars, then you might want to get insurance from the same company and enjoy reduced rates because of having multiple policies. Also, you might want to bundle life and car insurance from the same provider as it can minimize your premium.
Good driving behavior can also make you eligible for discounts. The discounts can vary from one insurer to another. By having a clean driving record, such as having no record of accidents for years, you will be perceived as low risk. The likelihood of filing a claim is minimal, so the insurer might grant you a discount. The same thing is true if you have no violations or tickets.
Taking a defensive driving course is another way to ask for a discount. This is a great way to improve your driving skills and minimize the likelihood of car accidents, resulting in a lower risk for the insurer.
Electric cars need insurance, but check out ways to reduce its cost
4. Look for Incentives
For years, the government has been active in looking for ways to promote sustainability. Depending on where you live, there can be programs that encourage the purchase and use of electric vehicles by extending tax credits and rebates, among other benefits. The money that you save from such perks can go to the insurance premiums of your electric car.
Through the Federal Tax Credit, you can be eligible for up to $7,500. The credit will be awarded as an automatic deduction on your income tax return on the same year your electric car was purchased. The amount that you can enjoy will depend on the taxes that you are paying annually. Another factor that will have an impact is the size of the car battery.
If you live in California, then you are lucky! It is one of the states with extensive rebates to reward electric car owners. With the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, you can get up to $7,000, but take note that this benefit is on a first-come, first-served basis and has a variety of restrictions. Not all EVs are covered.
5. Shop Around
Do not be lazy! Finding the right insurance for your electric car requires time and effort. Look at least three insurers and compare the premiums that they are offering. However, you should not decide based on the price alone. Compare them side-by-side to evaluate the benefits versus the cost of the insurance.
A lot of millennials are tech-savvy, so it is easy to shop around. Gone were the days when you need to physically hop from one office to another and inquire about insurance rates. Instead, you can do so online. You will find several insurance comparison tools. You can also visit the website of the insurer directly, input the required details and, voila, you will see the premium that you will be paying.
When shopping for electric car insurance, many people focus on the big companies. Sure, they have a solid reputation, but this does not mean that you should discount the smaller insurers. There is no harm in getting a quote from less-popular companies, but make sure to read reviews. Learn from the real-life experiences of other people to increase the chances of making a decision you won’t regret.
Conclusion
More and more millennials are deciding to go green and invest in electric cars. If you are one of them, then do not forget your car insurance. It is expensive, but a must-have. Luckily, there are several ways by which you can make the premium more reasonable and save money. For instance, you can improve your credit rating and/or choose a pay-per-mile policy. You should also look for possible discounts and consider rebates or incentives for which you are eligible. Most importantly, shop around and compare your choices thoroughly before you decide.
The post 5 Best Electric Car Insurance Tips for Millennials first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.
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Author Cynthia Garcia
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