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Many electric vehicles lost eligibility for tax credits of up to $7,500 after new battery sourcing rules took effect on Monday, including the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Cybertruck All-Wheel Drive, some Tesla Model 3s and Chevrolet Blazer EV, the U.S. Treasury said.
The number of EV models qualifying for U.S. EV tax credits fell from 43 to 19. The Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive, BMW X5 xDrive50e, Audi Q5 PHEV 55, Cadillac Lyriq and Ford E-Transit are among the vehicles that fell off the list of vehicles eligible for tax credits.
The new rules allow buyers to claim the tax credit of up to $7,500 at a participating dealership at the point of sale.
via Autoblog
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For years, civil engineers in the United States and elsewhere have been widening traffic lanes under the assumption that more room for vehicles leads to safer cities. However, a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University suggests that narrower lanes may actually be better for city streets.
The study of city lane widths found that contrary to the current thinking, wider lanes in urban areas can lead to a higher number of crashes and ultimately fatalities. When streets become wider, then it gives the drivers this false sense of safety that makes them drive faster.
Additionally, lane-width reduction is the easiest and most cost-effective way to accommodate better sidewalk and bike lanes within the existing roadway infrastructure.
via CarScoops
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The Hertz-Tesla “deal” was a big news a couple of years ago. Hertz isn’t nearly as excited as it once was. Drivers have been having problems, and Hertz said it’s backing out of the deal when execs realized that repair delays, repair costs, resale values, and other issues were eating at the bottom line.
Teslas are getting rented out, of course, but the interest is mostly coming from people who already own an EV themselves, and want to stay electric for road trips and driving out of airports.
via CleanTechnica
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If you want to try an EV out before getting locked into a long-term contract, there’s an option for you. EV micro leases are taking off, giving shoppers added flexibility with new models launching in 2024.
Polestar is making it easier than ever for you to try out an EV before committing to a long-term contract. The Flexible Lease program allows you to end the lease after five months (and five payments) with no early termination penalty (there is a $450 disposition fee).
Polestar isn’t alone, either. AutoNation, which runs around 250 US dealerships, also recently began offering micro leases in 6- or 12-month options. Ivan Mihov, vice president of mobility, said, “The three-year lease doesn’t work for everybody.”
via Electrek
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By Dave Bean, Editor, FMW
When the final December 2023 figures come in, sales of fleet vehicles are predicted to ride the cresting wave of overall new vehicle sales, which have improved markedly from 2022.
This after fleet sales were negatively affected in October and November 2023, chiefly a result of the UAW strike against the Big Three automakers in Detroit.
“With the strike now in the rearview mirror, December is expected to show a return to stronger fleet activity, and these sales could have a big impact on the month’s final tally,” said Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive.
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Many of today’s cars maintain permanent connections to the internet. These enable automakers to provide remote software updates that fix safety problems and add new conveniences. But they also introduce new safety risks.
Cases of technology-enabled stalking involving cars are emerging as automakers add ever-more-sophisticated features, such as location tracking and remote control of functions such as locking doors or honking the horn.
The New York Times reports, “Domestic violence experts say that these convenience features are being weaponized in abusive relationships, and that car makers have not been willing to assist victims.”
via Kelley Blue Book
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By Ted Roberts, President and Chief Content Officer, Fleet Management Weekly
On December 5th, I attended the grand opening of Ranger Design’s new fleet-upfitting and manufacturing facility in Ladson, South Carolina.
The new facility boasts 15,000 sq. ft. of dedicated warehouse space with six continuous production lanes that can average 10-15 units per lane.
The base output was established at an impressive maximum of 24,000 vehicles per year, that is also scalable by adding shifts or moving sub-assembly work offline.
According to Ron Cowie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ranger Design, “Our geographic expansion into the Southeast U.S. and the build-out of our fleet upfit solutions capabilities are a significant part of our overall growth plan. It positions us for new opportunities and enables us to better serve our current customers.”
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