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August 1, 2022 – Last year, Hertz announced an important effort to electrify its fleet of rental cars, led by a massive purchase of 100,000 Tesla Model 3 vehicles. More recently, the company added Model Y vehicles to the order.
Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr confirmed that it has rented Tesla vehicles for 160,000 days already, and customers renting Tesla vehicles from Hertz are rating them much higher than if they rent other vehicles from them. Scherr said that we should expect them to announce more large purchases of electric vehicles in the near future.
In April, Hertz announced that it is also adding up to 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar to its fleet over the next five years. The rental car company said that it expects to have all 100,000 Tesla vehicles by the end of 2022 – though Tesla didn’t seem to be completely on board with that timeline.
via Electrek
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August 2, 2022 – Law enforcement officials are asking owners of some Hyundai and Kia models to take extra precautions when parking due to a rise in thefts attributed to a recent trend on social media called “Kia Boyz.”
It’s stunningly easy to steal some late-model Hyundai and Kia cars that are not equipped with a push-button ignition. The thieves break into the car, remove the trim under the steering column to access the ignition, and use pliers or a USB charging cord to start the engine.
The affected models are not equipped with an immobilizer, a device which prevents the engine from being started unless the right key is recognized. Kia said that it started installing an immobilizer in all of its cars regardless of trim level during the 2022 model year.
via Autoblog
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August 1, 2022 – Democrats and the Biden administration revived parts of the old Build Back Better agenda, specifically EV tax credits, in the Inflation Reduction Act, dubbed the IRA.
The bill removes the caps on the numbers of vehicles. Companies such as Tesla and General Motors had reached the previously 200,000-unit limit and Ford and Toyota are close to doing so as well. The $7,500 credit for a new EV is only available to individual buyers with an income of less than $150,000 or family income of less than $300,000. Customers with larger incomes would not be eligible for the credit.
Used battery-electric vehicles would be eligible for $4,000 tax credits, helping foster a market for used EVs. The tax credits are limited to individuals with incomes of less than $75,000 or family income of $150,000 for those filing joint returns.
via The Detroit Bureau
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August 1, 2022 – Earlier studies found a direct link between the desire to help the planet and the purchase of a battery-electric vehicle. But that has begun to shift as the technology grows beyond an early niche to start moving into the mainstream.
Other studies have cited a variety of additional reasons why motorists say they’re buying EVs, including design, roomier interiors — and, in some communities, as a way to foster an image of being hip and cool.
“The idea of luxury being defined by what’s ‘under the hood’ has been replaced in the electric era with the prioritization of seamless connectivity, integration into existing digital ecosystems, and good UX design,” said Gregor Hembrough, head of Polestar North America. “People are switching to electric cars for more than just environmental reasons.”
via The Detroit Bureau
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–Kea Wilson, StreetblogUSA
A new bill from three Senate Republicans would repeal a hard-fought law aimed to eliminate all drunk driving — and advocates are pushing for the existing legislation to be implemented quickly.
Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) drew the ire of Vision Zero leaders Thursday when they quietly introduced a new bill to overturn a key provision in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that requires automakers to install passive drunk-driving detection mechanisms on all new cars by 2024.
The senators, none of whom responded to a request for comment from Streetsblog, did not publicly explain why they introduced the bill, which would roll back what some have called the most significant wins for street safety in decades. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has estimated that passive alcohol detection systems could prevent as much as 94 percent of alcohol-related crash fatalities.
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August 1, 2022 – For the past eight weeks, thousands of people in the United Kingdom have tested a four-day schedule – with no cut to their pay – that could help usher in a new era of work. Already, some workers have said they feel happier, healthier and are doing better in their jobs.
The extra day has made space for many workers to take up new hobbies, fulfill longstanding ambitions, or simply invest more time in their relationships. Workers on the trial have taken up cooking classes, piano lessons, volunteering, fishing and roller-skating, their bosses told CNN Business.
Researchers will measure the impact the new working pattern will have on productivity levels, gender equality, the environment as well as worker well-being. At the end of November, companies can decide whether or not to stick with the new schedule.
via CNN Business
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By Bill Bishop, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, FLD Remarketing
Fleet not only learned to survive the constant stream of never-ending challenges, but it also found ways to thrive despite them.
And while the industry appears to be a ways from returning to the carefree days before the pandemic, it appears the worst may very well be behind us. While that’s hardly a promise that things can’t take a step back, several indicators lead us to believe that won’t be the case.
In all likelihood, used wholesale prices will stay flat to slightly higher through the rest of 2022, and that they’ve already fallen as far as they will.
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