EV News: Smart Features, Legislation, and More!

Many companies are beginning to release new technologies in hopes of reducing range anxiety and charging concerns that cause hesitation for consumers. Polestar recently teamed up with StoreDot to develop a battery that will charge their EVs 100 miles in 5 minutes! A utility group in Seattle has started to accept applications for free level 2 charging around the city as well while Vermont has revealed a variety of incentive programs for their residents, like $3000 off when you lease a BEV or PHEV. Plus more below!  Let us know your thoughts @REACHStrategies and we hope you are staying safe.  

Smart Features and Hardware

• Polestar and StoreDot have entered into a partnership together to research and develop “extreme fast charging” which can be implemented in 2026. This would grant Polestar EVs 100 miles of range in five minutes of charging, reducing charging and range anxiety fears. 
• Qualcomm Technologies has announced the production of their own smart-charging stations that will allow vehicles to be connected to the grid while charging, and allow users to choose the most optimal times for when their EV begins and ends charging. 
• Green Watt Power has unveiled a new DC converter product that is designed for EVs that will allow them to act as mini-generator and give them the ability to power various lights, electronic instruments, and other accessories while ensuring there would be no overheating or short circuiting in the vehicle or items being powered. 
• GM has announced their upcoming EVs will be manufactured with their new patented heat pump that actively recovers “waste heat” from the EV and will collect humidity that is inside and outside the vehicle and transition it to energy, actively lowering energy demands of the battery for more longevity and power.

Legislation/Reports

• Seattle City Light, a utility group in Seattle, WA, will install and operate various level 2 chargers through the city, and any property or resident can request to get a curbside charger installed at no cost once approved on a first come first served basis.  
• The state of Vermont is teaming up with the Center for Sustainable Energy to implement a variety of incentive programs for the residents of the state, including up to $3,000 to transition your current vehicle more than 10 years old and replace it with an EV entitled the “Replace Your Ride” program. 
• United Mine Workers for America signed a labor-management agreement with battery maker Sparkz that is one of the largest climate-tech union workforce partnerships and will employ up to 3,000 workers in West Virginia.  This is the beginning of new clean energy partnerships being reintegrated into the new clean energy industry. 

EV for Business

• The American Trucking Association stated that while clean fuel for long haul trucks are still years out from becoming the norm, the time to plan for the transition is now.  
• Bank of America and Electrify America have announced they will double their EV charging stations at BoA locations with Electrify America stating it will increase to 10,000 stations over 1800 locations.