Tag: Electric Vehicles

Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD surpasses expectations with 408-mile run

Header image courtesy of @dkrasniy on X (formerly Twitter)

A Tesla Model 3 has reportedly defied the odds by going 408 miles on a single charge, almost 50 miles more than its EPA-approved 363 miles driving range.

Electric vehicle owners are used to real-world driving ranges significantly less than advertised, especially during colder weather. However, a Tesla Model 3 has defied the odds by going almost 50 miles above its rated driving range.

The Model 3, a Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) version, belongs to Tesla owner David, who goes by @dkrasniy on X (formerly Twitter). According to David’s post, the electric sedan lasted 408 miles on a single charge, translating to an average energy consumption of 184 Wh/mile. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the car for a 363-mile driving range.

There is little doubt that David adjusted his driving habits to reach the goal; in other words, he hypermiled. Hypermiling is a common concept among EV enthusiasts. It involves driving in such a manner to max out the driving range. Hypermilers usually avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking and turn on regenerative braking to recoup energy otherwise lost. The more hardcore drivers plan their routes to avoid stops and traffic as much as possible to maintain a consistent speed.

However, David’s feat is no less impressive. The Model 3 RWD is Tesla’s least expensive EV, but it is also one of the company’s most efficient. This means the automaker is willing to offer its best tech at the lowest price point.

It goes without saying that most Tesla Model 3 owners will not drive up to 400 miles without stopping for a charge. However, it is reassuring to know that they can eke more miles out of the battery when absolutely necessary, e.g., to get home or to the next public charger.

UK’s electric vehicle registration grew 17.8% in 2023

Header image courtesy of Tesla

In a win for sustainable mobility, the number of BEVs registered in the UK grew in 2023 by 17.8 percent, despite a dip in sales in December, according to figures from the SMMT.

Car buyers registered almost 315,000 electric vehicles in the UK last year, out of a total registration of 1.9 million units, a growth of 17.8 percent compared to 2022. This means one in six UK car buyers went electric. The jump is noteworthy because EV sales in December 2023 dropped 34.2 percent to 27,841 from 42,285 in December 2022.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the surge in EV sales was driven primarily by professional fleets and businesses choosing zero-emission mobility, as only one out of eleven private buyers opted for a BEV.

The number of private EV buyers is expected to rise, however, even though EV subsidies in the UK have ended. This is because carmakers now have to ensure a certain percentage of their sales is purely electric. The percentage will increase from 22 percent this year to 80 percent in 2030 for cars and from 10 percent to 70 percent for vans. The percentage jumps to 100 percent five years later.

Breaking down the UK’s EV sales in 2023, the Tesla Model Y was the fifth best-selling car, with nearly 5,000 sold in December alone and 35,899 for the year. The second-best EV was the MG4 with 21,715 units for the year, followed by the Audi q4 e-tron with 16,757 units sold.

EV maker Rivian and partners converting Kentucky coal mine into $1 billion, 800 MW solar farm

Header image: Starfire Solar Farm courtesy of BrightNight

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has struck a partnership with BrightNight and The Nature Conservancy to convert one of the biggest coal mines in the US into the largest solar plant in Kentucky, as reported by Electrek.

The mine, known as Starfire Mine, will now host “a clean energy project that would accelerate an equitable, science-based clean energy transition that maximizes positive impacts on climate, conservation, and communities.” The site, to be renamed BrightNight Starfire Renewable Energy Center, was selected by Rivian and The Nature Conservancy before BrightNight was brought in as the developer.

The $1 billion solar installation will generate 800 MW, enough to power 170,000 homes per year. In addition, the project will construct a 20-mile-long transmission line that will pave the way for an additional 1 GW of renewable energy in the future.

Phase 1 out of the four phases will commence in 2025, with Rivian purchasing 100 MW via a power purchase agreement from BrightNight, the equivalent of 450 million miles of clean energy driving every year.

The Nature Conservancy has also committed to buying 2.5 MW as a supplement to its own onsite solar farm. Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe commented on the proposed solar farm, “Shifting our energy system to carbon neutrality goes beyond electrifying the roughly 1.5 billion vehicles in the global fleet. We must also support the decarbonization of our grid and responsible deployment of renewable energy.”

UAE pledges to triple renewable energy production ahead of COP28

Header image courtesy of C40 Cities

COP28 will be held in UAE, and the host is already making sustainability pledges. The oil-rich nation has announced it will triple renewable energy production, in addition to other environmental initiatives, as reported by France24.

While the UAE did not reveal many details about the new policies, which are coming about five months before COP28 in Dubai, the updated national energy strategy will triple the contribution of renewable energy over the next seven years.

The UAE is one of the world’s biggest exporters of crude oil but has now put in place strategies for hydrogen and electric cars. It aims to “consolidate the country’s position as a producer and exporter of low-emission hydrogen over the next eight years” by strengthening supply chains and infrastructure and establishing a research and development center. Also in the works is a national network of charging stations for electric vehicles.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum revealed that up to 200 billion dirhams (US$54 billion) will be invested to meet growing electricity demand.

COP28 will come up in November, with about 200 nations discussing tackling global warming and its impacts.