The Build Back Better agenda has a goal of 50% of new car sales to be electric vehicles (battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles) by 2030.
It seems like a lofty goal as electric vehicle sales made up just about 6% (800,000) of the total 13.7 million sales in 2022. But if the goal is realized, the impact on the gasoline and ethanol industry would be felt in the not too distant future.
It stands to reason that some groups are investing time and resources not fighting the move to electric vehicles; rather they are looking at how they can continue to play an important role towards a common goal of emission reduction.
Take for instance the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, which supported University of Minnesota research that would use ethanol to power a range extender .
It takes into consideration that electric vehicles have their environmental and economic benefits but have their disadvantages when it comes to long-range trips. The United States Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy promotes that the median driving range was 250 miles for electric vehicles in 2020 . But a secondary ethanol-powered engine on board an EV can be used to charge the battery — on the move — in case charging stations are few and far between or you just don’t feel like stopping.
Source: agweek.com
Photo Credit: shutterstock-dickgage
Categories: South Dakota, Energy