EVs still cost more to insure. Thieves are fat charging cables as a fat paycheck (but they’re not). The oil industry is speaking up against EPA standards—and filing court cases. And we plug in Volvo’s plug-in hybrid sedan and see why it’s pointing to EVs. This and more, here at Green Automotive Reports.
In a review of the Volvo S60 Recharge plug-in hybrid, Green Automotive Reports found this highest-mpg, highest-mileage PHEV from Volvo to be just a little confused about its hybrid identity but more electric when it counts in comparison with previous PHEVs from the brand.
The oil industry challenged EPA vehicle standards this past week—standards that had already been softened for light trucks versus their earlier proposal. Spurred by rules that emphasize plug-in vehicles and mostly ignore ethanol, the American Petroleum Institute says the standards amount to an electrical vehicle mandate (it’s technically not). It hadn’t pushed back as strongly vs. the last round of standards, so its timing in an election 12 months is probably going no mistake.
More data has rolled in from the insurance industry, unfortunately underscoring a trend that makes electric vehicle ownership just a little more complicated: EVs are costlier to insure. Why? In its latest risk report calendar-year 2023, LexisNexis doesn’t point to particulars but says EVs have a 17% higher claim frequency and 34% higher claim severity (by cost) versus “traditional segments.”
And the fat cables on business EV chargers have gotten a magnet for thieves, in response to a recent AP report crime statistics and checking in with charging networks. That’s left EV drivers frustrated and charging firms with big repair bills. It costs about $1,000 to interchange each cable which may ultimately contain $15 of hard-to-extract copper.
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This Article First Appeared At www.greencarreports.com
