EV History Part I: The Story of the Electric Vehicle is Nearly 200 Years Old

Craig Farrand, Zondits guest, 9/21/2022 This is the first in a multi-part series on the history of the electric vehicle. In the beginning, there was the hand crank. NOT! Contrary to schoolbook history — and silent movies — some of the earliest iterations of the “horseless carriage” required no such effort: they were electric. And … Read more

“Convince Me” Series: Hope at the Nexus of Climate Action

Nick Brod, DNV, 9/14/2022 Here at DNV, we have a unique understanding of the energy transition, which is of strategic importance to us as well as our customers. It is our fervent belief that the energy industry can and must take the lead in driving the energy transition. We discussed the hurdles with a diverse group … Read more

Sustainable Jet Fuel is No Longer Pie in the Sky

airplane in sky

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 8/25/2022 Revolutionary developments in aviation jet fuel promise an 80-90% reduction in harmful emissions. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is a class of fuels under development that capture CO2 directly from the air and use it in a chemical process to produce non-fossil jet fuel. Private technology companies and the U.S. Air … Read more

The Death of Detroit’s Electric Streetcars

Detroit streetcar

Craig Farrand, Zondits guest, 8/23/2022 Before there were personal electric vehicles (EVs) there were electric streetcars. In Detroit, the first electric streetcars went into service in 1886 — 10 years before Henry Ford took his first trial run in a small, four-wheeled vehicle he called a “Quadricycle,” and long before Detroit became the “Motor City” … Read more

The Inflation Reduction Act Includes Dramatic Investments in Clean Energy

solar panel

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 8/18/2022 After what has often seemed a roller coaster headed off the rails, President Biden has signed the Inflation Reduction Act. Like everything in modern politics, the interpretation of the content, intent, and impacts varies greatly. Zondits has scoured analyses from multiple news outlets, progressive and conservative, to accurately summarize the … Read more

EV Charging Access is Expanding in the Most Unexpected Region: the Midwest

Craig Farrand, Zondits guest, 8/15/2022 It’s well publicized that California leads the nation in electric vehicle ownership, with EVs representing 23.2% of all vehicles on the road. So, who would have suspected that the Midwest would be a region with one of the most aggressive plans to put more EVs on the road — by … Read more

Has Interest in EVs Peaked?

Craig Farrand, Zondits guest, 8/12/2022 With all the current interest in EVs and both private and government investment in charging infrastructure, Zondits was surprised to see this headline from July: “People Suddenly Losing Interest in Electric Cars?” That article, first published by the marketing website “Tell Me Best” references Edmunds.com — a recognized trade site … Read more

Rental Car Industry Invests in the EV Transition 

man in rental car

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 8/1/2022 There is, perhaps, no clearer sign that the transition to EVs is rapidly progressing than the fact that the rental car industry is jumping in with all four wheels. Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise are all making significant fleet purchases of 100% electric vehicles, as well as hybrid cars.  Zondits recognizes … Read more

Do Cool Pavements Lower the Urban Heat Island Effect?

girl near pavement

Frank-Eric Ngamassi, Zondits guest, 7/28/2022 As cities across the world are experiencing escalating temperatures, cool pavement approaches are being considered to reduce what is known as the urban heat island effect. Nearly 40% of American metropolitan towns are covered with pavement,1 most of which are made of impermeable materials that absorb and retain solar heat … Read more