It seems like a lot of folks have a bone to pick with Rep. Joe Manchin [D-WV] who has just this week single-handedly “torpedoed” the Build Back Better bill. The BBB could have been the “the most significant climate legislation in US history,” Megan Mahajan, the manager of energy policy design at the think tank Energy Innovation, told PopSci in October. The plan would put billions of money into developing low-carbon energy technologies and building a national network for electric vehicles.
When this bill dies, so do the chances for the country to reach its lofty and aggressive climate change goals. “There’s still a yawning gap between where we are today and where we need to be to hit President Biden’s climate targets,” Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems engineer at Princeton University who has led an effort to model the effects of the bill on US-wide emissions, told the New York Times. “Without either this bill or a climate bill that’s similar in scope, it’s really hard to see how those goals will be met.”
Unsurprisingly, left-leaning members of the Democratic party and the president himself have voiced frustration with Manchin’s choice. But a more surprising group is speaking out against Manchin’s decision, too—coal miners, including some he represents.
The BBB, along with all of its proposed clean energy benefits, provides a significant boost to coal workers by extending fees paid by coal companies to fund treatments and benefits of workers suffering pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung, which affects thousands of miners across the country. According to the statement, without BBB, that fee will be chopped in half and put the burden of healthcare payments back on individuals and taxpayers. Further, the bill provides tax incentives for companies to build new business on coalfields to employ out-of-work miners.
Additionally, the BBB provides language that would help workers unionize. “This language is critical to any long-term ability to restore the right to organize in America in the face of ramped-up union-busting by employers,” Cecil Roberts, the union’s president, said in a statement. “But now there is no path forward for millions of workers to exercise their rights at work.”
UMWA already released a plan for the energy transition earlier this year stating that “change is coming, whether we seek it or not.” The coal industry saw employment losses of around 50 percent between 2011 and 2020, which will likely continue as the country moves toward a cleaner energy mix. Proposals that include supporting miners and their families by incentivizing alternative jobs in coal country are crucial in protecting these already vulnerable communities.
“We’re likely to lose coal jobs whether or not this bill passes,” Phil Smith, the chief lobbyist for UMWA, told the Washington Post. “If that’s the case, let’s figure out a way to provide as many jobs as possible for those who are going to lose.”
This story originally featured onNexus Media News, a nonprofit climate change news service.
On a sweltering morning in July of 2021, thousands of dead fish washed onto the northeastern shores of Pokegama Lake, 60 miles north of Minneapolis.
Deb Vermeersch, an official with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, was called in to investigate.
When she arrived, she saw a quarter-mile stretch of sand covered with the rotting carcass of walleye and Northern pike, which thrive in deep, cool waters, as well as crappies, sunfish and suckers—all warm water dwellers. “They were already pretty decomposed because of the warm water,” Vermeersch recalls.
Because so many different types of fish had died, Vermeersch and her colleagues knew it wasn’t a species-specific parasite, a common cause of fish kills. They zeroed in on the culprit: dangerously low oxygen levels.
Oxygen is disappearing in freshwater lakes at a rate nine times that of oceans due to a combination of pollution and warming waters, according to a study published in Nature earlier this year. Lakes like Pokegama are warming earlier in the spring and staying warm into autumn, fueling algae blooms, which thrive in warm waters, and threaten native fish.
Minnesota, with its 14,380 lakes and temperatures that have risen faster than the national average, is a unique laboratory for studying how climate change is affecting temperate-zone lakes around the world. The state sits at the intersection of four biomes––two distinct prairie ecosystems and two ecologically different forest systems. This means scientists here are able to study how lakes in different ecosystems fare on a warming planet, and look for ways to stave off the worst effects of climate change.
“If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species.“
“What’s going on at the surface is that warmer water holds less oxygen than cool water,” says Lesley Knoll, a University of Minnesota limnologist and one of the authors of the Nature report. She says that longer, hotter summers are interfering with two key processes that have historically kept lakes’ oxygen levels in check: mixing and stratification. In temperate climates, water at the surface of lakes mixes with deep waters in the spring and the fall, when both layers are similar in temperature. As the surface water warms during the summer, the water forms distinct layers based on temperature––cool water at the bottom, warm at the top. This is known as stratification. In the fall, when the surface waters cool again, the water mixes for a second time, replenishing oxygen in deeper waters. But as climate change makes surface water warmer, and keeps it warmer for longer, that mixing doesn’t happen when it should.
“As you have that stronger stratification, the water in the deep part of the lake is cut off from the oxygen at the top part of the lake. If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species,” says Kevin Rose, a biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and a coauthor of the Nature study.
Knoll, Rose and a team of 43 other researchers studied 400 temperate lakes from around the world. They found that, on average, surface waters warmed by 7 degrees Fahrenheit and have lost roughly 5 percent of oxygen since 1980; deep waters, which haven’t warmed much, have still lost an average of almost 20 percent of their oxygen. (Thanks to the state’s long-held lake monitoring programs, almost a quarter the lakes in the study were in Minnesota.)
Warming lakes emit methane
Fish kills aren’t the only reason scientists are concerned about lakes losing oxygen. In extreme cases, when deep waters go completely void of oxygen, something else happens: Methane-emitting bacteria begin to thrive.
“As lakes warm, they will produce more methane and most of that has to do with stratification,” says James Cotner, a limnologist at the University of Minnesota.
Lakes normally emit carbon dioxide as a natural part of breaking down the trees, plants and animals that decay in them, but plants in and around fresh water also absorb it, making healthy lakes carbon sinks.
Lakes have historically emitted methane, too––about 10 to 20 percent of the world’s emissions––but the prospect of them releasing more of the greenhouse gas has Cotner and his colleagues alarmed. Methane is about 25 times more potent than CO2 when it comes to trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
Cotner is leading a team of researchers who are studying what conditions allow methane-emitting bacteria to prosper in lakes and how conservationists can respond.
“The key questions are understanding how much and when carbon dioxide and methane are emitted from lakes, and what are the key variables that can tell how much will be emitted. Certainly, oxygen is a big part of that, but stratification and warming also plays a role,” says Cotner.
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Pollution plays a big role
It’s not just longer, hotter summers that are causing lakes to lose their oxygen. Polluted agricultural runoff (pesticides and fertilizers) and logging have long plagued Minnesota’s lakes. It’s a problem that’s getting worse worldwide as climate change pushes agriculture further away from the equator and into new territory, says Heather Baird, an official with Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.
In northern Minnesota, potatoes now grow where pine forests have thrived for years. Phosphorus, a common fertilizer, now runs off from the soil into the region’s lakes, Baird says. Though small amounts of phosphorus occur naturally in lake ecosystems, too much of it feeds harmful algae blooms.
Those blooms, which thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water, set off a chain of events that remove oxygen from deep lake waters.
“When phosphorus builds in lakes and creates algae blooms, those blooms eventually die. As they do, they sink. Deeper down, bacteria break down the algae, using up the remaining oxygen at those lower depths,” said Baird.
A quarter of Minnesota lakes now have phosphorus levels that are so high that the state advises against swimming, fishing or boating in them. Fueled by these nutrients, algae blooms take over, covering the lake in sometimes toxic residue that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water, as was the case in Pokegama Lake earlier this year. The protists choke out aquatic life, especially fish that thrive in cold, deep waters. This is all exacerbated by warming air temperatures.
The 75 percent rule
Researchers and conservationists in Minnesota are now studying the best ways to protect temperate-climate lakes from the worst effects of climate change. They have found that preserving 75 percent of deep-water lakes’ watersheds appear to keep fish stocks healthy.
“Having a forested watershed helps keep better water quality by filtering out nutrients, which in turn can buffer against the impacts of climate change, to a point,” Knoll said. However, she added, as temperatures continue to rise, “that 75 percent may not be high enough anymore.”
Knoll and state conservationists are focusing their research and efforts on deep, cool lakes that have a better chance of staying oxygenated than warmer, shallower lakes, like Pokegama.
Vermeersch, the Minnesota fisheries supervisor, said it’s unclear what this will mean for the future of lakes like Pokegama. “Hopefully it’s not going to be a linear thing,” she said, adding that fish kills are “probably going to happen more often,” depending on a combination of factors. “When you get lakes like Pokegama that are shallow and already impaired, I think we are going to see more and more conditions like this.”
Correction (December 23, 2021): The story previously identified the wrong Pokegama Lake in Minnesota. The one that experienced the fish kill in July is 60 miles away from Minneapolis, not 140 miles away.
Say you’re trying to cool a house in the summer or in a hot climate, where the sun is beating down overhead. You might cover your roof with a material that reflects or absorbs sunlight, keeping it from getting inside. But if you are in a place where summer turns to winter, those roof coatings that keep heat out have trouble also keeping heat in—driving up heating costs and contributing to the fact that building operations, in one way or another, are responsible for an estimated 28 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.
A solution, then, might be found in an adaptive smart material that does both: a substance that keeps heat out in the summer and keeps heat from getting out in the winter. Thanks to a material that can switch between two phases—a material that was tested atop a professor’s house—researchers in California have developed such a roof coating. They published their work in the journal Science on December 17.
“The whole point of our work is that our roof works not only in hot weather, but also in cold weather,” says Junqiao Wu, a materials scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and one of the researchers behind the project.
The key material in the roofing is vanadium oxide, a compound that’s previously been tested as a window coating. Unlike most metals, vanadium oxide is a poor conductor of heat, which makes it ideal as an insulator.
The sun’s Earth-warming infrared rays can pass through vanadium oxide, when the material is at room temperature. But when the compound heats up to 153°F (67°C), its properties alter—it changes phase. It starts to block those infrared rays, effectively shadowing what lies underneath. In other words, it lets in the sun when it’s cool, and keeps the sun out when it’s warm.
Unless you’re building condos on Mercury, 153°F is a high temperature for a roof. But Wu and his colleagues had previously found that by adding a dash of tungsten—in materials science terms, “doping” the vanadium oxide with tungsten—they could drop the compound’s phase-switch point down to a much more salubrious 77°F (25°C).
The researchers believed they had pinpointed the right material. But they needed a place to test it. “You cannot just do it in the lab,” says Wu, “because in the lab, you don’t get sunlight, you don’t get wind, you don’t face the sky.”
Their lab’s roof was inaccessible—and, by then, the COVID-19 pandemic had shuttered much of the lab anyway. They couldn’t leave the roof coating sample in an open area like a playground or a parking lot; they needed somewhere where they could run a laptop, unsupervised, for days on end.
There was another option: Wu’s house.
The more they thought about it, the more they liked the idea. The house, on a hill in the San Francisco Bay Area, wasn’t blocked by trees, allowing uninterrupted sunlight to touch it. It had optimal weather for testing, too; the surrounding temperature swings drastically between day and night.
“I have power, I have WiFi,” says Wu. “I have me living in the house. I can maintain the equipment for multiple days. So that’s how we did the experiment.”
The researchers mounted blocks of vanadium oxide atop a transparent layer of barium fluoride, a compound often used to study infrared rays, and a bottom layer of reflective silver, fashioning them into an adhesive-tape-like material.
Wu and a then-postdoc, Kechao Tang, installed that tape on the rooftop of Wu’s house and set up a wireless measurement system on Wu’s balcony to monitor how it responded to changes in sunlight and air temperature. Comparing it to two different existing roof coating methods—one colored white and the other black—they found that, while the white coating performed better in direct sun, their material fared better in most other conditions.
But the Bay Area hardly represents every climate in the world—its weather can drastically change by wandering just a few miles in one direction—and the researchers only tested the material on one summer day.
So, with the help of Finnegan Reichertz, a local high school student who was remotely interning in Wu’s lab, the researchers used the data from the roof experiment to conduct computer simulations of how the coating would fare, year-round, in 15 different climates across North America—-ranging from the desert of New Mexico to the harsh winters of Chicago to the rains of the Pacific Northwest.
The coating works especially well for climates where temperatures swing between hot summers and cold winters, according to the simulations. “For Florida, it’s going to not work very well,” says Wu. “For Hawaii, no. For Alaska, it’s too cold—also, no. But for all the middle, temperate climate zones, it’s going to work well.” The material saved more energy than existing roof coatings in 12 of the 15 climes they simulated.
Now, says Wu, they’re planning to patent the material in 2022 and find ways to make lots of it efficiently—or a similar material with the same properties. “We are looking into improving the performance, while making it scalable,” he says.
These smart coatings, if Wu is right, are good for more than just roofs. Wu imagines they could be used in space exploration to keep the insides of vehicles at a comfortable temperature, even in extreme environments outside Earth’s atmosphere. Closer to ground, the coating might be used in consumer electronics or in textiles. You might, for instance, one day wear a jacket or camp under a tent coated with phase-shifting vanadium oxide–kept cool one minute, then warm the next.
The new Mitsubishi Outlander already has proven to be one of the most important products the long-struggling automaker has launched in its bid to become relevant to U.S. motorists again. Now, Mitsubishi is hoping to gain even more traction with the upcoming launch of a plug-in hybrid version.
The gas-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander made its debut in February.
The Japanese automaker claims it will yield more range than the old Outlander PHEV, at an estimated 87 km, or nearly 55 miles, per charge — though that’s using the global WLTP test cycle and will likely come down once the American version is tested by the EPA.
“With low (carbon dioxide) emissions and environmental impact from manufacturing and use,” said Takao Kato, MMC’s president and CEO, “the all-new Outlander PHEV model can be considered the best solution for carbon neutrality today.”
Updated, upgraded drivetrain
The Outlander was first introduced in 2001 and, with the fourth generation, it has become a core part of the brand, accounting for about 20% of its global volume. The first plug-in hybrid version was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It produced a combined 197 horsepower by pairing a 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine with twin 60-kilowatt electric motors drawing power from a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
The new Outlander PHEV gets numerous powertrain upgrades, though the automaker isn’t releasing hard specs yet. In a statement announcing the new vehicle it said the plug-in gets “an increase of around 40% in the output of the front and rear motors and drive battery.” The lithium-ion pack, it did note, jumps to 20 kWh. The gas engine, added a spokesman, is a “slightly updated” version of the old PHEV’s 2.4-liter package.
The new Outlander plug-in hybrid will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2022.
Mitsubishi also revealed, “The power drive unit for the front motor is newly equipped with a booster function which bolsters driving force by raising the supply of voltage to the front motor while simultaneously improving electricity consumption by raising the efficiency of the generator.”
Third row added
The automaker also took steps to downsize some of the hardware, notably the rear motor and control unit. As a result, the new plug-in will gain room for a third row yielding space for seven occupants.
The drive system now will allow One-Pedal Driving, as well, a feature that effectively allows motorists to minimize the need to jump from throttle to brake when driving in light to moderate traffic. That feature was found to be extremely popular with EV owners, according to the recent J.D. Power Technology Experience Index.
With only modest tweaks, the plug-in adopts the same exterior and interior design as the gas-powered Outlander. The overall strategy is based on a concept dubbed “I-Fu-Do-Do,” which means “authentic” and “majestic” in Japanese.
New design
The new Outlander PHEV is expected to travel more than 55 miles in electric-only mode.
The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander adopted a new styling language called “Dynamic Shield.” Up front, it features a more upright nose with a pinched, dual-level grille and stacked headlamps. From the side, the SUV features a more deeply sculpted silhouette with a bit of a floating roof element.
The automaker clearly wanted to give the new Outlander a more solid and robust look, with such touches as 20-inch wheels and tires and what it calls the Hexagon Guard rear end.
The new SUV grew larger in virtually all dimensions, the width expanding by 2 inches. That means the cabin of the new Outlander is both wider and more spacious than the outgoing model, Mitsubishi adopting more upscale materials and features like tri-zone climate controls, real aluminum panels and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
The gas-powered Outlander is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 that bumped up power by 8.9 percent. At the same time, it reduced fuel consumption by 2.6 percent.
Pricing TBD
Many of the features from the current model are expected to carry over into the PHEV, though Mitsubishi hasn’t provided specific details. The gas model offers Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist. A Multiview camera system helps drivers see what’s around the vehicle, whether on-road or off. Other features for the new Mitsubishi Outlander include a power-operated panoramic roof and an electrically operated tailgate that can be opened with a kick of the foot under the rear bumper.
Pricing for the gas model starts at $25,795 — plus $1,195 in delivery fees. Pricing for the PHEV is expected to run higher, though the numbers won’t be released until closer to sales launch. That holds for a variety of other specs, including U.S. range, power and performance.
“Sales will commence in Japan on Dec. 16, followed by Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2022 and North America in the second half of 2022,” Mitsubishi said in a statement. While it did not offer specifics, that would suggest that the Outlander PHEV will be marketed as a 2023 model in the U.S.
Rental car giant Hertz inked deals with Uber and Carvana designed to expand the renter pool for its expanding fleet of EVs and make it easier to divest vehicles it no longer needs.
Hertz plans to buy 100,000 Teslas for its rental fleet in 2022.
Hertz and Uber fashioned an agreement allowing Uber drivers to rent Teslas starting Nov. 1. The rental car company plans to make 50,000 of the 100,000 Teslas it’s planning to purchase next year, available to Uber drivers by 2023.
Drivers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Washington, D.C. will get first crack at the program, which is expected to available nationwide sometime next year. One of the complaints about Uber and ride-hailing services in general is they are a drain on the environment — this should help change that, officials believe.
“Climate change is an urgent global challenge we must all tackle together, and now is the time to drive a green recovery from the pandemic,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a release. “This combines the power of Tesla, Hertz and Uber to help accelerate the transition to zero-emissions mobility. We look forward to seeing more EVs on the road right away.”
In with the new
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the deal with Hertz is a win-win for all involved, including drivers.
Earlier this week, Hertz announced plans to buy 100,000 new Teslas next year to expand its EV rental program. By 2023, half of those could be in use by Tesla drivers across the country. Research shows that when rideshare drivers go electric, they realize 3 to 4 times greater emissions savings than average car owners.
“Today’s partnership with Uber is another major step forward in Hertz becoming an essential component of the modern mobility ecosystem and executing on our commitment to being an environmentally forward company,” said Mark Fields, Hertz interim CEO. “We are creating the new Hertz and charting a dynamic, new course for the future of travel, mobility and the auto industry.”
Uber called the deal “a win-win for drivers who rent.” Through the rental program they can increase their earnings and cut the impact on the environment at the same time. Drivers save on gas and have a chance at higher earnings potential due to Uber’s Green Future Program, which provides incentives — such as $1 more per trip up to $4,000 annually — for drivers to transition from gas-powered vehicles to EVs. They’ll also have access to the Tesla Supercharger network and to Uber’s exclusive EVgo discounts.
Hertz is working with Carvana to make divesting older vehicles more efficient.
According to Uber, Tesla rentals will start out at $334 a week and fall to $299 or lower as the program expands. This includes insurance and maintenance and is the best deal available in the market today for drivers looking to rent a Tesla. For the initial launch period, Hertz requires that drivers have at least a 4.7-star rating and have completed at least 150 trips to be eligible.
Out with the old
Meanwhile, Hertz and Carvana just completed a pilot program where the rental car company used Carvana’s network to sell vehicles no longer needed for its rental fleet.
The deal permits Hertz to use Carvana’s “online transaction technology and logistics network to expand vehicle disposition channels” to sell its vehicles. Previously, the company used auctions, partnerships with dealers and its own Hertz Car Sales locations to move these vehicles on to their next owners.
While it has 68 of its own sales locations, using Carvana will expedite the process of selling the vehicles, making the process more efficient.
“Our new partnership with Carvana will help Hertz provide a tech-enabled and scalable channel through the lifecycle of our fleet,” Fields said. “This is another step toward the new Hertz – combining our brand strength and global fleet expertise with new technology and innovations to chart a dynamic, new course for the future of travel, mobility and the auto industry.”
The deals come just two days after the tie-up with Tesla. Since emerging from bankruptcy in July, the company’s made several big announcements including the addition of former Ford CEO Fields signed on earlier this month.
Mazda’s debuted its first battery-electric model, the 2022 MX-30 crossover. There are many more EVs coming in the next year.
If you’re looking to buy a battery-electric vehicle today, your options are quite limited. But that won’t be the case for long. By the end of next year, automakers plan to add more than three dozen new BEVs – and that doesn’t include variants of existing models, like the single motor versions of the Volkswagen ID.4 and Polestar 2 soon being added.
In Part I we looked at everything from the Audi A6 e-tron to the Lucid Air. Now, let’s look at what’s coming from the back half of the Alphabet.
Mercedes-Benz EQA
Mazda MX-30. The little Japanese automaker has been slow to embrace electrification, hoping that its SkyActiv technology would let it meet increasingly rigid emissions standards. That all changes with the launch of the Mazda MX-30, its first pure battery-electric vehicle. How well is will fare in a market seeking longer and longer range is uncertain, the little SUV only fitted with a 32 kWh battery pack that can barely deliver 100 miles range. But, after waffling a bit, Mazda now expects to offer an optional rotary engine range extender to give the MX-30, with its 143-hp motor, more utility.
Mercedes-Benz EQB
Mercedes-Benz EQA. The German luxury brand might have been slow to embrace battery power but it has truly plugged in, showing off nearly a half-dozen concepts and production models at the recent Munich Motor Show. The family soon will include the EQA. That will become the smallest, all-electric Mercedes SUV when it comes to market next year. Final details for the American model haven’t been released but look for around 250 miles of range from its all-wheel-drive system. Mercedes claims it had more than 20,000 advance orders in hand by the time EQA debuted last February.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Mercedes-Benz EQB. One of the Munich launches, it will roughly match the existing Mercedes GLB crossover in size. By moving batteries and motors below the load floor, the CUV will have a bit more room for up to seven passengers. Two all-wheel-drive versions will be available at launch early next year, with the EQB 4Matic promising up to 416 km, or 262 miles of range, as well as a sporty 288 horsepower. The EQB 300 4Matic will make about 225 horsepower and yield roughly the same range from its 66.5 kWh battery pack. Those are European numbers, so U.S. range will likely be less.
Mercedes-Benz EQG
Mercedes-Benz EQE. The 2023 EQE will become the second model line to use the automaker’s new EVA2 electric vehicle architecture, following the launch of the flagship EQS model. And like the bigger sedan, the EQE will adopt a distinctive “one-bow” design language meant to set it apart from traditional Mercedes sedans. The all-electric answer to the classic E-Class will, in typical Mercedes fashion, offer two variants at launch, the EQE 350 with 288 hp, as well as “another model” that wasn’t identified during the sedan’s Munich debut.
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes-Benz EQG. What we saw in Munich was labeled a “concept” vehicle. But that’s only for the time being. We can expect to see a production version of the battery-powered SUV to start rolling out in production form by late next year. Like the classic G-Class, the show SUV got an independent suspension on the front axle, but retained a rigid torsion beam axle in back. This will be no soft-roader. Expect the production model to retain all the capabilities of the “Gelandewagen.” By using four motors, one for each wheel, the automaker promises “unique driving characteristics both on- and off-road.”
Nissan Ariya
Mercedes-Benz EQS. For Americans, the all-electric alternative to the S-Class becomes Mercedes’ first long-range BEV this year. The sedan features a new “one-bow” design language that will be one of the auto world’s most aerodynamic designs. Inside, it gets an equally radical design anchored by the new pillar-to-pillar Hyperscreen. Add great performance and projected range of 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge, and the EQS takes dead aim at the Tesla Model S. The Munich show, meanwhile, saw the debut of two variants, the ultra-exclusive EQS Maybach and the high performance EQS AMG.
Porsche Macan EV
Nissan Ariya. The Japanese automaker was the first to launch a mainstream battery-electric vehicle a decade ago — the Leaf — but it has dragged its feet adding more to the line-up. And sales of the Ariya SUV now have been delayed due to the semiconductor shortage. But it should reach showrooms by early in 2022. Ariya rides on a flexible new architecture, and it gets major upgrades to the drivetrain in the latest-generation Leaf. Several variants will be offered, up to a 380-hp AWD model, and range should top 300 miles with an optional pack. The semi-autonomous Pro Pilot 2.0 system also will be available.
Rivian R1S
Porsche Macan EV. Porsche might once have seemed like the last brand to go electric but it has given a bear hug to battery power, starting with the Taycan, and with an assortment of other BEVs to follow. That next will include a version of the Macan SUV which, in gas form, is about to get a complete makeover. As with sibling brand Audi, Porsche will offer both ICE and BEV versions of key models. But the Macan EV actually will ride on its own, skateboard architecture, the Premium Platform Electric, or PPE. (Which it will share with Audi.) Expect Porsche-like performance and extremely fast charging.
Rivian R1T
Rivian R1S. This startup is seen as one of the most likely to carve out a solid niche in the automotive market, thanks to some hefty funding an extensive orders for all-electric delivery vans from customers like Amazon Prime. Rivian’s first entry into the retail market will come with a pair of electric trucks, including the R1S sport-utility vehicle. It will offer seating for up to seven, range of anywhere from 230 to 400 miles, depending on the optional battery pack, the ability to tow 7,700 pounds, and sports car like speed. The debut price is expected to be around $73,000.
Subaru Solterra
Rivian R1T. The nascent EV maker’s pickup will be first to market, the R1T Launch Edition debuting this month. That will be a premium trim package, with more mainstream versions to follow by early in 2022. As is the norm in the full-size pickup segment, Rivian will offer a broad range of configurations. That includes battery packs of anywhere from 105 to 180 kWh, as well as various motor layouts. Models with the biggest pack, Rivian claims, will hit 60 in just 3 seconds. The R1T will best the Rivian SUV in towing, as it’s rated at up to 11,000 pounds. It also plans to offer a semi-autonomous alternative to Tesla’s Autopilot.
Tesla Cybertruck
Subaru Solterra. The little Japanese brand has long teased the idea of going electric with various concept vehicles. It’s finally getting there, having finally revealed the production Solterra last month. Subaru still hasn’t offered much in the way of drivetrain details, however. But, like its design, it’s expected the underlying technology will stray little from what Toyota has coming next year in the form of its first long-range BEV, the bZ4X. The two automakers have shown how well they can work together with the latest-generation Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ sports car.
Toyota bZ4X
Tesla Cybertruck. As has been the unfortunate norm for the California upstart, Tesla has repeatedly delayed the launch of its first pickup until at least early next year. That means it will follow behind both GMC’s Hummer, Rivian’s R1T, and possibly even the Ford F-150 Lightning and Bollinger B1. That and its radical styling led to Elon Musk suggesting the Cybertruck could be a failure. But that seems unlikely considering Tesla took deposits from more than 200,000 potential customers within days of Cybertruck’s debut — and some observers believe the figure now stands at more than 1 million.
Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Toyota bZ4X. Officially, the electric SUV Toyota revealed in June was just a prototype — but company officials are doing little to hide the fact that a production version of the new bZ4X Concept is heading to U.S. showrooms, possibly by next year. Details are sparse, but it shares underpinnings and drive tech with the Subaru Solterra. Range is promised at more than 250 miles, performance as “sporty.” For Toyota, the bZ4X will serve as just the entry point. It says there will be seven all-electric bZ, or “Beyond Zero,” models, along with eight other BEVs.
Volkswagen ID.Space Vizzion
Volkswagen ID.Buzz. For many years, VW has attempted to come up with a replacement for its iconic Microbus. It finally has the right product — albeit one drawing power from a battery pack. While the ID.Buzz has repeatedly been delayed, it is widely expected to land in U.S. showrooms either next year or in 2023. Designed as an eight seater, it will share the same MEB platform and drivetrain system as the ID.4 electric SUV. While the final name could change, VW expects to assemble the battery-powered Microbus in Mexico.
Volvo C40 Recharge
Volkswagen ID.Space Vizzion. VW has launched what is arguably the world’s most expansive — and expensive — battery-car program, investing $86 billion through the end of the decade. It already has the ID.4 on sale in the U.S. and CEO Herbert Diess recently announced that VW will introduce more BEVs in the U.S. than originally planned. That could include both the ID.Life concept introduced at the Munch Motor Show, as well as the ID.Space Vizzion revealed in concept form at the LA Auto Show in 2019. More wagon than crossover, it is widely expected to reach market next year. Look for 300 miles of range.
Volvo C40 Recharge. Volvo brought out its first long-range electric in the form of the XC40 crossover. It’s now preparing to add a second variant in the form of the C40. In a break with its normal nomenclature, the BEV will opt for a sportback, rather than coupe body style. Don’t expect major powertrain changes, the C40 Recharge expected to be powered by a 402-hp, twin motor drive system. In the XC40, it runs for up to 208 miles per charge using a 75-kWh battery pack.
Volvo XC90 Replacement. You can be all but certain this won’t be the electric model’s actual name. While it’s set to replace the Swedish brand’s SUV flagship, Volvo’s CEO recently confided that future models will switch away from their alphanumeric format. “Calling that just a new XC90 would be wrong because this is the really a first of its kind,” explained CEO Håkan Samuelsson. Whatever it’s called, look for its to use a new and larger platform than the C40 Recharge, one specifically designed for Volvo’s largest products. Also expect it to get more range than the current battery models.
Even as the first new Mercedes EQS begins rolling into showrooms, the German automaker is rolling out two more variants of the flagship sedan at the first-ever Munich Motor Show. And the new AMG EQS highlights the sort of performance Mercedes’ muscle car brand plans to deliver as it shifts to all-electric propulsion.
The new EQS is, like so many other Mercedes models, getting the AMG treatment.
The initial version of the EQS certainly isn’t a slouch, delivering anywhere from 329 to 526 horsepower. But the AMG edition takes that to a new level, the big sedan punching out as much as 751 hp when its boost function is triggered. That’s nearly 25% more than the gas-powered AMG S 63.
“The AMG EQS is the first all-electric ambassador in the performance segment (and) will undoubtedly appeal to and win over a new clientele for Mercedes-AMG,” Philipp Schiemer, chairman of the performance brand’s board. “It is tailor-made for car enthusiasts who are looking for a combination of innovative electric mobility in a luxurious ambience, coupled with sportiness and agile driving dynamics.”
Taking on Tesla
The decision to deliver an electrified version of the EQS should come as no surprise. The rival Tesla Model S has been stealing buyers from not only the mainstream Mercedes S-Class, but also AMG models like the S 63 with the addition of its Model S Performance and Plaid editions.
The Mercedes-AMG EQS is expected to race from 0-62 mph in 3.4 seconds.
AMG aims to tap into the performance benefits offered by electric motors — which deliver maximum, off-the-line torque the moment they start spinning. That will permit the AMG EQS to launch from 0 to 100 kmh, or 0 to 62 mph, in an estimated 3.4 seconds on models equipped with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
Like the initial version of the EQS, the AMG edition will be powered by a 107.8 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, though it will use modified wiring to increase the amount of power that can be sent to the big sedan’s wheels. That will allow a normal output of up to 649 hp, briefly jumping to 751 hp when in boost mode. That also will bump up torque from 700 to 752 pound-feet.
The system uses twin motors, with the primary one mounted on the rear axle. Along with the increase in wiring capacity, the AMG EQS takes several steps to keep the motors cool under aggressive driving. That includes a “water lance” in the rotor shafts, as well as a transmission oil cooler.
The new AMG EQS features Mercedes’ new Hyperscreen technology.
Range and charging
The automaker isn’t yet quoting range but the AMG model is expected to deliver less than the more mainstream EQS which is rated at 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge using the European WLTP test cycle.
The 400-volt drive system can be charged at up to 200 kW at quick-charging stations, yielding an additional 300 km, or 186 miles, in just 19 minutes.
The AMG EQS rides on a modified version of Mercedes’ new EVA2 architecture, a skateboard-like platform that mounts most of its powertrain components below the load floor. That eliminates the driveshaft tunnel normally required on vehicles with AMG 4Matic all-wheel drive, and allows for more interior space than the conventional S-Class.
The new EQS adopts what might be thought of as a “one-box” or, as Gorden Wagener, Mercedes’ global design director prefers, a “one-bow” design. With only subtle deviation, a single, curved line flows over the top of the vehicle from bumper to bumper.
The AMG EQS rides on a modified version of Mercedes’ new EVA2 architecture, a skateboard-like platform that mounts most of its powertrain components below the load floor.
“It’s all about proportion,” said Wagener, during the launch of the initial EQS last April. “We managed to keep the balance, go to the edge in design and tech, but … not leave anyone behind.”
Unique features
As with other AMG models, the performance version of the EQS features a number of design tweaks. These include:
Front splitter in high-gloss black with chrome trim and also flics and fins on the air intakes, with air curtains on the left and right in high-gloss black with chrome trim
AMG side sill panels in high-gloss black
Rear bumper in the color of the car with aerodynamically optimized diffuser with six longitudinal fins
Larger rear spoiler (compared to AMG Line), to improve driving dynamics: rear lift is reduced without increasing drag
21- or 22-inch AMG aerodynamically optimized alloy wheels
Inside, the EQS gets a modified version of the new Mercedes Hyperscreen which stretches virtually pillar to pillar across the instrument panel. The Hyperscreen is optional on the standard EQS but standard here.
The AMG model is expected to deliver less than the more mainstream EQS which is rated at 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge using the European WLTP test cycle.
Enhancing performance and handling
Other standard features include the AMG Dynamic Plus system which not only improves performance and handling but also adds unique “Soundscapes.” These are, essentially, sound tracks specifically designed to enhance the perception of performance driving, replacing the traditional sound of a gasoline engine.
AMG’s Ride Control+ suspension with adjustable damping also comes standard. So does rear-wheel steering which is optional on the “base” EQS.
At speeds below 37 mph, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels. This makes the AMG EQS highly maneuverable, light-footed and nimble” in urban driving, Mercedes explains. While at speeds above 37 mph, “the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front wheels. As a result, the virtually extended wheelbase offers increased handling stability and driving safety at high speeds, and during fast lane changes or sudden evasive maneuvers.”
High-performance compound brakes capable of regenerating energy while slowing or coasting come standard. Among the options offered on the AMG model, buyers can opt for carbon-ceramic compound brakes.
Pricing will be revealed closer to launch. The base Mercedes EQS will reach U.S. showrooms later this year, the EQS AMG set to follow in early 2022.
NHTSA says the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV’s battery pack, located under the rear seat, can potentially catch fire.
General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are urging owners of previously recalled 2017-19 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles to once again park their cars outside and away from houses after two recalled and repaired cars caught fire.
The company hasn’t said what sparked the fires. NHTSA says the recall involves the high-voltage battery pack underneath the backseat cushion. The packs can potentially smoke and ignite, spreading to the rest of the vehicle.
The company issued the latest advisory “out of an abundance of caution,” instructing Chevrolet Bolt owners to park their vehicles outdoors immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging overnight.
Despite the recommendation, GM says customers should continue to getting their Bolts fixed under the recall while they continue investigating the incidents. The fix limits the battery pack’s charging capacity to 90% until a permanent solution is determined. The batteries were manufactured at LG Chem’s Ochang, South Korea factory.
A continuing problem for Chevrolet
Chevrolet Bolts, shown charging, use LG Chem batteries that are at risk of catching fire.
NHTSA opened an investigation into Chevrolet Bolt fires last October, which was followed by a recall in November. The action affected 69,000 Bolts from the 2017-2019 model years, approximately 51,000 of which were sold in the U.S. The company said at the time that Bolt, resulting in two injuries from smoke inhalation. The fix limits the battery pack’s charging capacity to 90% until a permanent fix is determined. The batteries were manufactured at LG Chem’s Ochang, South Korea factory.
Owners of Chevrolet Bolts, or any GM vehicle can see of their car, truck or SUV is being recalled by visiting a special GM website and entering their vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN.
Lithium Ion batteries trial by fire
Hyundai is recalling about 76,000 Kona EVs built between 2018 and 2020.
But GM isn’t the only automaker facing lithium ion battery fires. Hyundai Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG have faced similar recalls in recent months.
In February, Hyundai recalled 82,000 battery-electric vehicles worldwide for lithium ion batteries that could catch fire. Vehicles affected include approximately 76,000 battery-electric Hyundai Kona EVs built between 2018 and 2020, with the rest consisting of Hyundai Ioniqs and city buses. Hyundai replaced the batteries rather than resolving the issue through software updates. The recall, which cost Hyundai $900 million, comes after at least 15 Konas reportedly caught fire.
LG Chem, which produces the cells, claims the automaker incorrectly applied recommendations about fast battery charging management. Hyundai advised vehicle owners to limit charging to 90% of the battery capacity until the cells can be replaced. Nevertheless, the battery supplier assumed 70% of the recall cost.
The 2021 BMW 330e was recalled in September 2020 for a risk of fire.
BMW issued a recall in September of its plug-in hybrid models after they were found to be at a risk for catching fire. The car’s batteries, made by Samsung, had welding debris left inside the pack that could create a short between modules. The recall covered 4,509 plug-in hybrid BMW or Mini vehicles in the U.S., and 26,900 vehicles worldwide.
Vehicles recalled include: the 2021 BMW X5 xDrive 45e; 2021 BMW 745Le xDrive; 2020-21 BMW 530e, 530e xDrive, 530e iPerformance; 2020-21 Mini Cooper Countryman All4 SE; 2020-21 BMW X3 xDrive30e; 2021 BMW 330e, 330e xDrive; and 2020 BMW i8.
The growing number of fire-related recalls in battery electric vehicles illustrates the challenges involved with managing flammable lithium-ion batteries that have previously caused fires in laptops, tablets and other electric devices.
Long seen as a laggard in the electric vehicle market, Stellantis revealed a $35 billion program to bring at least 55 plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric vehicles to market by mid-decade – a list that will include a BEV Ram pickup and an all-electric muscle car that will be the fastest and most powerful ever produced by the Dodge brand.
The automaker – formed by a merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group early this year – outlined its plans to go electric during a nearly three-hour presentation Thursday morning. During that time, Stellantis executives announced a procession of new plug-ins and BEVs, while also laying out the company’s accelerating shift away from gas and diesel engines. The virtual event was intended to quash concerns that Stellantis was lagging the industry’s race to electrify.
“We are already in the race,” declared the automaker’s CEO Carlos Tavares. “We are on a rolling start and we are now accelerating.”
“We are committed”
While the European side of Stellantis has been active in the battery-car market – it was second-largest by sales volume last year – the U.S. side has been reluctant, at best. When the old Fiat Chrysler Automobiles launched its first BEV, the Fiat 500e, in 2013, the late CEO Sergio Marchionne declared he wanted no one to buy it car because each one lost the company about $14,000.
FCA began to shift direction with the launch of its first plug-in, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. And it has scored a runaway hit with the debut this spring of the plug-in Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It has become the best-selling PHEV in the U.S. market, accounting for 20.1% of the compact SUV’s sales over the past several months.
Now, Jeep will have to prove that’s no fluke. The plan announced Thursday will see the brand add 4xe versions of every product in its line-up by 2025, with a version of the next-generation Grand Cherokee coming for the 2022 model-year.
“We are committed to zero emissions,” said Christian Meunier, the Jeep brand’s CEO.
Four new EV platforms
The automaker’s other light truck brand has big electrification plans, as well. Ram is working up an all-electric version of the familiar 1500 full-size pickup which will reach market by 2024, announced brand boss Mike Koval.
That will bring the division into the fast-growing EV pickup segment later than key competitors Ford, Chevrolet and GMC, as well as upstarts like Rivian and Tesla. But Koval defended the late arrival by declaring Ram’s entry will be “the right product at the right time.”
The goal, he added, is to “push past” the competition with a mix of a radical new design and enhanced features. Among other things, the platform the electric Ram will be based on could offer range of as much as 500 miles per charge.
In all, Stellantis is developing four new architectures for its electric vehicles, one each for small, medium and large passenger cars and SUVs, with a fourth using a body-on-frame structure for use with pickups, such as the electric Ram 1500, as well as commercial vehicles. The familiar Ram ProMaster is one of the trucks that will go electric, while Stellantis also plans to launch a hydrogen fuel-cell powered van before the end of this year.
Dodge gets an electric muscle car
The smallest of the new platforms will be used for products like the next-generation Fiat 500e. The Italian automaker will effectively go all electric in the years ahead. Most of its plans target Europe, but some battery models will come to the U.S. And Fiat also will enter the Chinese market with pure BEVs.
2019 Fiat 500e
The new STLA Large platform will find numerous applications within the Stellantis line-up, underpinning bigger SUVs – as well as the first electrified Dodge model.
The upcoming muscle car – which TheDetroitBureau.com first reported on in June – will be faster than any product the muscle car marque has ever before offered, launching from 0 to 100 kmh, or 62 mph, in about 2 seconds. That would put it on a par with the new Tesla Model S Plaid. And it would blow away the previous track star, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Demon.
Dodge brand boss Tim Kuniskis put the emphasis on what matters to Dodge customers during the Thursday web event: Performance. And the reality is that going fully electric is the only way to take the brand’s iconic muscle cars to the next level.
“Our engineers are reaching practical limit of what we can squeeze from an internal combustion engine. We know that electric motors can give us more,” he explained.
Chrysler not forgotten
During the nearly three-hour session, Stellantis officials quickly ran through an assortment of the company’s 14 brands, including Opel/Vauxhall, the long-struggling enterprise acquired from General Motors a few years back. Based in Germany, it is making a hard turn towards electric propulsion. All models will be offered with a PHEV or BEV package by 2024, said brand CEO Michael Lohscheller.
2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid
“By 2028 Opel will be purely electric in Europe” he added, noting that the marque also plans to enter China as an entirely electric brand.
A handful of Stellantis brands were left on the sidelines Thursday, including Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati. But while specific plans for the long-struggling Chrysler were saved for a future announcement, Stellantis took pains to emphasize it will remain part of the family. Ralph Gilles, the head of design for the North American side of the company, was shown riding in and working on an all-electric Chrysler concept.
By mid-decade, Stellantis expects to be chasing its most aggressive competitors, if not leading, in the EV space. By 2025, the company estimates, plug-based products will account for 14% of its sales in Europe and 4% in the United States. By 2030, however, Tavares forecast that will jump to more than 70% in Europe and over 40% in the U.S.
To get there will require major changes at all levels of the company, from software development to marketing to manufacturing, officials stressed.
New battery chemistries
Stellantis is developing two new lithium-ion battery chemistries, including one that eliminates cobalt, a costly metal that also creates environmental issues in its mining and production. Battery packs will be able to hold anywhere from 37 to more than 200 kilowatt-hours of energy. Range will run up to 300 miles with the STL Small architecture up to 500 miles per charge with the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms. Charging times are also expected to drop to as little as 10 minutes for an extra 200 miles range.
By 2026, meanwhile, the automaker hopes to begin shifting to an entirely new type of battery, solid-state technology expected to see substantially reductions in cost even while boosting range, cutting charging times and reducing the risk of battery fires.
Battery technology will prove critical in numerous ways, said Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer, not only delivering competitive range, power and charging, but also in bringing down the cost of electric vehicles. Right now, he acknowledged, Stellantis depends on governmental incentives to help it break even on the sale of its EVs. But the goal is to slash the cost of electric technology by more than a third, making it possible for Stellantis to achieve “double-digit” profit margins by the latter part of the decade.
While the automaker might have taken its time getting off the starting blocks, Tavares insisted it won’t be behind for long. “Stellantis is now in full execution mode,” he declared, “at full speed on its electrification journey.”
This story has been updated. It was originally published on January 11, 2019.
Plastic in the ocean, greenhouse gases in the air, chemicals in the soil—we discuss these types of pollution in dinner table conversations and international media alike. But we often forget about one form of environmental damage: light pollution. Because its effects are more subtle than dirty air and water, we often fail to notice it, but the constant abundance of light can also harm our health, environment, and way of life.
“I think humanity has so far terribly underestimated the significance of manmade light from an environmental perspective,” says John Barentine, director of conservation at the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). “What makes this issue special is that, unlike other forms of environmental pollution, it’s very easy to deal with and very simple to solve.”
By making just a few swaps, you can fight light pollution on three fronts. We can show you how to protect your personal health, darken the environment around you, and petition the nearest city to make changes for the better.
Prevent light from disrupting your sleep
The 24-hour cycle of day and night works in rhythm with our bodies, allowing a glow to signal when it’s time to sleep and when we need to stay alert. However, as we constantly subject ourselves to light, those rhythms are losing their power—and as a result, we’re damaging more than just our sleep cycles.
When you keep bright room lights shining in the hours before bed, they can suppress melatonin, a natural hormone that, among other things, helps regulate daily wake-sleep cycles. Without it, your body doesn’t get the signal that it’s time to unwind, your brain stays more alert, and you often get less sleep—which increases your risk of depression, diabetes, and heart problems. And that’s not all this hormone does. According to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, melatonin disruption could raise blood pressure and possibly even increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
The worst offenders in our homes are LEDs. More cost-effective and energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs, they also require fewer watts to produce the same amount of light. And compared to the glow from traditional bulbs, the waves LEDs emit fall in a bluer part of the color spectrum. However, research suggests that this type of light makes us more alert and cognitively active. As a result, LED lights may disrupt our circadian rhythms more than incandescent bulbs and their rosier rays.
In fact, any blue-tinged light—including that emanating from digital screens like those of cell phones, computers, and TV—delays the onset of melatonin, reducing our sleep and harming our health. Still, we just can’t quit them: The National Sleep Foundation found that 90 percent of Americans use some sort of electronic device in the hour before bed at least three nights a week. Those who texted or used their computers in that time reported that they were less likely to get a good night’s sleep and more likely to wake up feeling groggy the next day.
Digital screens emit blue light that can affect your sleep and harm your health. Free-Photos / Pixabay
Luckily, indoor blue light is a problem that’s relatively easy to fix. If avoiding screens for an hour or two before bedtime is out of the question, change the color of those screens. Apple devices, for example, offer a Night Shift setting that automatically changes the color temperature of their emitted light when the sun goes down (or at any other time you choose). Androids have a similar option called Night Light. If your device doesn’t have a built-in setting, you can find an app to do it for you.
As for the bulbs that illuminate your evening activities, swap bright white LEDs—in both indoor and outdoor fixtures—for versions with warmer color temperatures. And if you can’t eliminate all the blue light, try on a pair of special glasses that filter out blue light.
Replace your outdoor lighting
As mentioned earlier, you should swap your outdoor LEDs for warmer ones. And there are other ways to reduce the amount of light pollution you spread around. While indoor lighting disrupts our health, outdoor lighting negatively impacts animals, plants… and would-be astronomers.
Studies suggest that human lights disrupt mating and migration patterns in many animal species. For example, they distract migratory birds, drawing them off course. On beaches, they contribute to the declining sea turtle population, disorienting hatchlings and drawing them toward city streets—and nocturnal predators—rather than the ocean. Plant life suffers because moths and other beneficial insects wander toward artificial light and die rather than pollinating the greens that rely on them. Even humans might mourn: As bright lights render the stars invisible, amateur and professional astronomers have lost their view of the cosmos.
By changing your outdoor light setup, you can help wildlife thrive—and earn the thanks of any neighboring star gazers. Start by switching off outdoor lights. If you’re worried about safety, some studies suggest that outdoor lighting may have no effect at deterring crime, and that criminal activity may actually increase in better-lit areas. If that doesn’t convince you, install a motion sensor. That way, lights will only switch on when something moves nearby.
Another easy fix is to buy outdoor lighting fixtures that focus the beams. Lamps that don’t direct light in any way contribute more to light pollution, and they’re also inefficient: In 2015, the International Dark-Sky Association estimated that US residential property owners annually waste at least 117 kWh (that’d cost roughly $22 in New York) per household on misdirected outdoor lighting that does nothing but contribute to sky glow.
Replace those types of fixtures with more focused lighting, which you can find at your local home improvement stores or online. Some options even have a dark sky-friendly seal right on the box. Even without this label, you can still see whether a potential purchase will do the job: Look for directional or shielded fixtures that point light downward, so the bulb is only visible from directly underneath.
Dim your city
Reducing the light pollution that big cities emit is not as easy as swapping your light bulbs. For this, you’ll have to petition local governments to act on your behalf. Still, it can be done: Cities like Tucson, Arizona, where IDA is based, and Flagstaff, Arizona, have implemented citywide changes to protect the night, making the sky darker and the stars brighter for all.
Flagstaff led the charge in 1958, when the city passed a lighting ordinance banning sweeping searchlights. In 1972, Tucson required outdoor lighting to have shielding that directs it downward. Flagstaff did the same in 1973. Then in 1986, Tucson updated their ordinance by banning mercury vapor lights and bottom-mounted billboard floodlights. Next, Flagstaff required all roadways and parking lots to switch to low-pressure sodium lights. In 1998, Coconino County passed the world’s first code to restrict both the type of light permitted in the county and the amount of light per acre. Starting in 2016, Tucson replaced its streetlights with LEDs that emit less blue-spectrum light than most, all of them shielded and most of them with wireless connections that make them remotely dimmable.
The result? Flagstaff has one of the most accessible dark skies in the US—you can see the Milky Way from downtown. Tucson has decreased its overall sky glow by 7 percent and the total amount of light by 70 percent.
How can you bring similar changes to your city? “It’s not a technically difficult problem,” says Christian Luginbuhl, a retired astronomer at the US Naval Observatory in Flagstaff. He’s been leading the charge for that city’s dark sky-friendly ordinances since the 80s. “The reason it doesn’t get solved in so many places is that we need more cultural awareness and initiatives. The technical solutions are just a link in the chain,” he says.
At night, urban areas like New York City light up the sky. Free-Photos / Pixabay
According to Luginbuhl, the key factor is getting people passionate about the value of clear night skies, and how light pollution takes them away. To that end, the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition hosts annual star parties in the fall and year-round events—art exhibits, lectures, and musical performances—that promote cultural connection to the night sky.
You can start the journey to dim your city by creating or joining a dark-sky advocacy organization like IDA (which might already have a local chapter near you). Partner with environmental, astronomy, and outdoor-advocacy groups to spread the word about the importance of maintaining dark skies. IDA even has resources to help you get started.
Once community support and commitment exist, talk to jurisdictional authorities like commissioners, zoning boards and elected officials, explaining what people can gain by reducing light pollution. Then ask these authorities to consider city-wide ordinances and positive changes, similar to the ones Flagstaff and Tucson adopted.
Implement lighting zones, so they can have different levels of brightness in, say, more rural versus more urban areas.
Ban upward-facing billboard floodlights.
Limit the amount of light (lumens) that non-residential properties can use.
Require streetlights and parking lights to have shielded fixtures that point down, focusing the rays away from the sky.
“The only way to address light pollution effectively is that we as a society need to decide it’s something we care about,” Luginbuhl says.
This will take time, but light pollution is a problem with a clear solution. Once we solve it, the results benefit us all.
