New EV fee proposals charge owners 2-3x what gas drivers pay in federal tax

A growing number of states and federal lawmakers are pushing flat annual fees of $200 to $250 on electric vehicles, amounts that charge EV owners two to three times more than what the average gas car driver pays in federal fuel tax. The proposals are being framed as a way to fund road infrastructure, but the math doesn’t add up.

At a time when EVs represent roughly 10% of new car sales in the US and deliver billions in health, environmental, and energy security benefits, these blanket fees are a punitive approach that discourages adoption rather than fairly distributing road costs.

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Toyota locks in power from a massive new Texas solar farm

Avantus and Toyota Tsusho America have completed construction of a 159 MWdc solar project in Texas, adding another large-scale clean energy asset to the state’s fast-growing solar fleet.

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GM–LG shifts a US plant from EV batteries to LFP energy storage

Ultium Cells, the joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, is shifting part of its US battery production from EVs to energy storage systems (ESS).

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Range Rover’s next electric SUV is bringing an entirely new look inside and out

The electric Range Rover Velar will look nothing like the gas-powered SUV on sale today. With its debut nearing, the Velar EV was spotted with a sleek fastback-like design and a bigger infotainment screen on the inside.

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Hyundai’s most affordable EV gets a ‘luxury’ upgrade — Here’s our first look at it [Video]

Hyundai launched the Casper Electric Lounge as the top-tier trim, featuring a “luxurious interior” and a new style. The Casper Electric is Hyundai’s most affordable electric vehicle, sold overseas as the Inster EV.

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Today’s Green Deals include EGO’s 21-inch touch drive mower, Anker 3,840Wh power station bundles, Segway e-scooters, more

Today’s 9to5Toys Green Deals is headlined by EGO’s 21-inch Select Cut cordless electric touch drive mower down at $779 alongside a near low on Anker’s 3,840Wh SOLIX F3800 power station bundles from $1,804. You can also cash in on Segway’s ZT3 Pro e-scooter with Apple Find My for $850 and this 40V Greenworks cordless electric combo kit for $125. Head below for a closer look at the details.

Head below for other Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek‘s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

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Buick launched this luxury electric van in China for $70,000

Yes, that’s a Buick, and it’s 100% electric. GM’s “affordable luxury” brand launched a new high-end seven-seater electric van in China priced around $70,000.

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Tesla says FSD was off before Cybertruck crash — but the video tells a different story

A viral dashcam video shows a Tesla Cybertruck slamming into a concrete overpass barrier on a Houston highway while allegedly using “Full Self-Driving.” Elon Musk responded by saying Tesla’s logs show the driver disengaged the system 4 seconds before impact.

Tesla fans jumped on this as yet another example of the media spreading FUD about the company. But watching the actual video tells a more nuanced — and more concerning — story about the real problem with FSD.

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Dems propose bill to cut energy costs that republicans hiked

As American energy costs spike, 120 House Democrats have introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act to bring back money-saving incentives that were repealed by republicans last year.

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Former Uber CEO says Waymo ‘obviously’ ahead of Tesla in robotaxi race

Travis Kalanick, the former CEO of Uber who helped pioneer the ride-hailing industry, says Waymo is “obviously” ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi race, and that Elon Musk’s company needs a “ChatGPT moment” for its vision-based autonomous driving to catch up.

The comments came during an appearance on the All-In podcast this week, where Kalanick also revealed he’s jumping back into the self-driving game himself with a new robotics venture called Atoms.

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