The EC Tech Desk is a monthly resource compiled by the EC’s technical services team that aims to curate transportation electrification’s most relevant news, tools, and resources in a brief, readable format.
Vehicle News
Photo Credit: General Motors
- General Motors unveiled that it is beginning to lease its home energy management systems, allowing EV owners to use their cars’ batteries to back up home power.
- Ford announced earlier this month that its $30,000 light-duty pickup truck is alive and well with a fresh redesign to keep it affordable. No model name is available yet, but it will be the first of Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle platform, with sales set to begin in 2027.
- Kia is expected to reveal its PV5 electric van to the U.S. market in the near future. With a range of 183 miles and two battery size options (51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh), this will be a great addition for any family or fleet.
- Subaru debuts its effort to build EVs in-house, starting with the Trailseeker, priced at $39,995 for the baseline trim. With a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port and 74.7 kWh battery, the electric SUV can recharge 80 percent in as little as 28 minutes.
- Toyota and Lexus partnered with Treehouse, a well-known EV charger installer, to ease the installation of chargers for EV and PHEV drivers. The dual voltage 120V/240V home charger can charge a vehicle from 10 percent to full overnight. This comes at a good time as Toyota released the Highlander EV and is set to introduce a full lineup of electric SUVs in the near future.
- Xos publicized a new Class 6 medium-duty electric van with a $99,000 starting price, which is approaching cost parity with its diesel equivalent. This opens doors for many fleets, particularly given this vehicle class’s diverse use cases.
V2G & Utility News
- Rivian revealed a partnership with EnergyHub to enable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) opportunities across the U.S. Managed charging can improve system hosting capacity by as much as three times, according to a recent Brattle Group report; this feature in a growing number of EVs allows for smart future planning.
- Potomac Edison, an electric utility in Maryland, unveiled a $11.1 million pilot program to help local school systems transition to zero-emission school buses, covering up to $250,000 of the cost difference between a fossil-fuel bus and an electric one.
Charging Infrastructure News
- ChargerHelp, an EV charging station reliability platform, announced its Partner Program, which builds on its over 40 EVSE provider partnerships to ensure proactive charging load management and further improve reliability.
- ChargePoint reports that its network data shows charging demand is outpacing infrastructure deployment by nearly 20 percent, despite the increasing number of stations coming online in the past several years.
- it’s electric developed a pilot project in Washington, DC, with 16 curbside EV charging stations. The neighborhood curbside EV charging station pilot will feature Level 2 chargers that operate with a bring-your-own-cable approach to reduce vandalism and street clutter, with the company providing free cables for EVs and e-bikes.
- Uber plans to offer incentives for companies that operate chargers to install them in regions where Uber drivers live and work.
In The Weeds
- EVs over PHEVs: Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute found that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use three times as much fuel as their manufacturers claim. In addition to failing to meet European Union emission standards, the claim could also be seen as misleading for drivers looking to spend less on fuel.
- EV Batteries: London-based Generational released a report analysing over 8,000 battery tests across 36 automakers and found that the State of Health (SoH) of the average EV battery is 95.15 percent of its original capacity. This means that batteries are lasting longer than previously expected. Some additional findings can be found below:
- EVs that are 4-5 years old: median of 93.53 percent SoH
- EVs that are 7-8 years old: median of 85 percent SoH
- High-mileage EVs (i.e., over 100,00+): 88 to 95 percent SoH
Cool Tool Pool
- Freight: The Electric Freight Dashboard, built in collaboration between the EC and long-time partner Atlas Public Policy, tracks state-by-state freight electrification data and investments in the EV market and charging hubs. To learn more about this helpful tool for public and private entities, contact the EC’s Freight team at freight@electrificationcoalition.org.
- Fleet Electrification: The EC and Atlas Public Policy released the latest quarterly update for the Dashboard for Rapid Vehicle Electrification (DRVE) Tool. It features updated fuel prices and vehicles available through 2025, along with an updated User Guide. If you are a public entity, reach out to drve@electrificationcoalition.org for a free cursory analysis!
If you come across any tools or resources you think should be added to the next edition of the Tech Desk, please reach out to Senior Program Associate Steph Wagner at steph@electrification.org