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Electric Vehicle Series

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An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration. They are also around three times as efficient as cars with an internal combustion engine. The first electric cars were produced in the 1880s. Since 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing has occurred due to advances in batteries and energy management, concerns about increasing oil prices, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several national and local governments have established tax credits, subsidies, and other incentives to promote the introduction and adoption in the mass market of new electric vehicles depending on battery size and their all-electric range. Electric cars are significantly quieter than conventional internal combustion engine automobiles. They do not emit tailpipe pollutants, giving a large reduction of local air pollution, and, can give a significant reduction in total greenhouse gas and other emissions (dependent on the method used for electricity generation). As of September 2015, there are over 30 models of highway legal all-electric passenger cars and utility vans available for retail sales, mainly in the United States, China, Japan, Western European countries. By mid-September 2015, about 620,000 light-duty electric vehicles have been sold worldwide out of total global sales of one million plug-in electric cars sold since 2008. The world's top selling highway-capable electric car is the Nissan Leaf, released in December 2010 and sold in 46 countries. Global Leaf sales passed the 200,000 unit milestone in December 2015, and the Tesla Model S, released in June 2012, ranks second with over 107,000 units sold worldwide. In this series, we cover stories covering the development of electric vehicles around the world.

Electric Vehicle Series

Self-driving cars are poorly prepared for high-risk road situations – here’s how AI can improve them

Feb 17, 2026 13:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Self-driving cars have made impressive progress. They can follow lanes, keep their distance, and navigate familiar routes with ease. However, despite years of development, they still struggle with one critical problem: the...

Electric Vehicle Series

Electric vehicle fires: How worried should we really be?

Dec 02, 2024 05:39 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

Electric vehicles (EVs) bring not just environmental promise, but also raise critical safety questions chief among them, the fire risks posed by their lithium-ion batteries. While indispensable for powering EVs, these...

Electric Vehicle Series

You will soon be able to power your house with your electric car. Here’s how

Nov 13, 2024 08:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

This year, dozens of new models of electric vehicles have hit the Australian market and more are coming. New models of battery electric and plug-in hybrids come with bigger batteries. The average battery electric now has...

Electric Vehicle Series

Electric vehicles in Africa: what’s needed to grow the sector

Nov 09, 2024 06:20 am UTC| Business Insights & Views

In sub-Saharan Africa, high levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution from vehicle tailpipe emissions cause poor health, developmental stunting, and even death. Vehicle emissions also contribute to global...

Electric Vehicle Series

Electric vehicles are usually safer for their occupants – but not necessarily for everyone else

May 01, 2024 03:43 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

The future of automobiles is electric, but many people worry about the safety of todays electric vehicles. Public opinion about EV crash safety often hinges on a few high-profile fire incidents. Those safety concerns...

Electric Vehicle Series

Why surging sales of large electric vehicles raises environmental red flags

Nov 07, 2023 09:00 am UTC| Business

Electric cars are getting bigger and heavier. In 2019, 30% of the electric vehicle (EV) models available worldwide were sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Fast forward to 2022 and that figure stood at 40% equivalent to...

Electric Vehicle Series

Will drivers who paid Victoria's electric vehicle tax be able to get their money back?

Oct 25, 2023 05:32 am UTC| Business

Electric vehicle owners in Victoria couldnt be blamed for wondering if they might get their money back after the High Court found the states zero and low-emission vehicle road-user charge to be unconstitutional. The...

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Economy

Bessent Presses Japan on Fiscal Policy as Yen Struggles

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has pushed Japan to tighten fiscal policy and support higher interest rates as Washington and Tokyo work to stabilize the yen and limit risks in global bond markets. Japanese Finance...

Yen Slides After BOJ Rate Hike as Dollar Holds Near Seven-Week High

Asian currencies traded mixed on Friday, with the Japanese yen weakening despite a Bank of Japan interest rate hike, while a hawkish Federal Reserve outlook kept the U.S. dollar supported near a seven-week high. The U.S....

Asian Gold Stocks Rise as Bullion Rebounds on Softer Dollar

Asian gold stocks advanced on Friday as bullion extended its recovery from a nearly six-week low, supported by falling oil prices, lower Treasury yields and a weaker U.S. dollar. However, expectations for additional...

Venezuela Nears Deal to Move $4 Billion in Gold to New York Fed

Venezuelas government and opposition are nearing an agreement to transfer roughly $4 billion worth of the countrys gold reserves from the Bank of England to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, potentially ending a...

Yen Sinks as BOJ Rate Hike Fails to Impress Markets

The Japanese yen weakened sharply against major currencies on Friday after the Bank of Japans widely expected interest rate hike failed to impress currency markets. The yen fell as much as 0.8% to 157.145 per U.S. dollar,...

Politics

South Korea’s Lee Rules Out Military Role in Middle East War

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that Seoul will not deploy military forces to the Middle East in any capacity that could pull the country into war, while confirming that officials are considering a greater...

Najib Razak Granted House Arrest Until 2028

Malaysias pardons board has agreed to allow jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, according to a statement from the prime ministers legal department on...

Houthis Seize Bab el-Mandeb as Military Power Grows

Yemens Houthi movement has strengthened its position as a major regional military force after a rapid offensive gave it control of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical passage connecting the Red Sea...

Pentagon Restarts Testosterone Testing for US Troops

The Pentagon is reinstating mandatory testosterone deficiency screening for U.S. service members aged 30 and older, reviving a controversial military health policy that has drawn concerns from medical professionals over...

Kim Yo Jong Warns of Stronger Response to US-Led Military Drills

North Koreas Kim Yo Jong has blamed US-led military exercises for escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, warning that Pyongyang will continue strengthening its nuclear deterrent and could take more forceful...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Apple Pay Set for India Launch With Axis Bank

Apple is preparing to launch Apple Pay in India next month, initially partnering with Axis Bank to support the lenders credit cards, according to three people familiar with the plans. The rollout would bring Apples digital...

Hyundai CEO Warns Chinese Automakers Could Disrupt US Market

Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz warned that Chinese automakers could eventually reshape the US auto market as they have in Europe unless Washington maintains tariffs and other market-access protections. Speaking in San Jose,...

US Federal Register Drops Alibaba Qwen AI Search Tool

A U.S. government website used an artificial intelligence model developed by Chinas Alibaba to help users search federal regulatory information, despite recent U.S. concerns about Chinese AI companies and their use of...

France Urges Faster AI Push Despite Safety Risks

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure has pushed back against calls to slow artificial intelligence development, arguing that such proposals could benefit U.S. technology leaders while making it harder for France and...

Guterres Urges Stronger Global AI Safeguards Ahead of UN Assembly

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders on Wednesday that the rapid development of artificial intelligence carries significant risks that governments cannot afford to overlook, highlighting a...