A new California law going into effect in 2020 will encourage low-income motorists to buy an affordable used EV. On Jan. 1, qualifying solo drivers who buy a used electric car can gain access to carpool lanes. The stickers granting access were previously only available for those who bought more expensive new electric vehicles. The change is designed to address concerns that only wealthier people buying high-priced EVs can drive solo in the fast-moving high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane.

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Tesla’s sales are surging in the Netherlands with over 11,000 Model 3 deliveries this month. The market is closing the year strong for electric car sales due to the end of an EV incentive.
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Tesla appears to be ramping up its Model Y test program as yet another prototype, this time a Model Y Performance, was spotted during a road test on the highway.
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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• The Vauxhall Corsa E goes on sale in the UK in early 2020, and its latest ad is full of surprises.
• Kansas emissions are at their lowest in four decades. Here’s why.
• A school district in British Columbia has reduced its emissions by 25% over the last five years.
• Must-read: ProPublica‘s investigative work about how oil companies avoid accountability.

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The WideWheel Pro electric scooter is the latest update to what was likely the most popular electric scooter of 2019. And fortunately for American riders, the WideWheel Pro was just unveiled in the US.

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Tesla executives have confirmed that Gigafactory 3 has already achieved its goal of producing “more than 1,000” Model 3 vehicles per week.
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Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week unveiled a couple of all-electric vehicle prototypes that will launch TOGG, a new state-supported automotive enterprise. The first vehicle, a compact SUV, is expected by 2022. An investment of $3.7 billion will enable output of about 175,000 EVs a year. The all-electric SUV unveiled last week used rehashed 2017 designs from Italy’s Pininfarina.

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A Tesla Model 3 driver filmed himself crashing on Autopilot and it serves as a good reminder that Tesla drivers need to keep their hands on the wheel on Autopilot at all times.
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The experiment to offer battery-electric vehicles by the day or hour is mostly done. Companies such as BlueIndy, Maven, and ShareNow pulled the plug in 2019. These companies, launched with enthusiasm just a couple of years ago, were based on the idea that urban consumers would be eager to access (rather than own) a zero-emissions vehicle for local travel. But the operational costs and complicated logistics outweighed the interest in fledgling services. Maybe people want a private EV after all.

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Tesla is delaying some deliveries to next year in the US as part of their end-of-year rush to deliver all inventory, and it’s going to cost buyers $1,875.
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Revel, the largest electric moped sharing company in the US, has just added Miami to its growing list of cities.

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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB), as the year comes to a close, here are your top 5 favorite EGEB stories of 2019. We start with the most popular.

• Solar that can deliver electricity at night
• Solar cell breakthrough
• Exxon scientist: “They knew” that fossil fuels would cause CO2 to rise
• “Treelon” Musk
• Caffeinated solar

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Nobody expects Bentley to be a major player for electric cars. But it’s fascinating to consider what the Volkswagen group’s ultra-luxe brand is thinking about its EV strategy.

First, a future electric Bentley will use the group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture. Even more intriguing, Bentley’s leadership is talking about how energy-dense, solid-state battery technology could help the brand redefine future vehicle design.

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Ford confirmed that it has sold out its Mustang Mach-E First Edition reservations and the automaker revealed some of the most popular options.
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US utility companies are borrowing big because interest rates are so low. Investors are keen to buy utility bonds because they offer safe and strong returns.

So the bond cash — a record $90 billion in 2019 — is resulting in utility companies making more green energy investments.

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GivePower has deployed a new water desalination plant in Africa using Tesla batteries and solar power that is now providing clean water to thousands of people.
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Just as we predicted at the beginning of the year, 2019 turned out to be a huge year for electric motorcycles. Below you’ll find our top 9 picks for the coolest and most interesting electric motorcycles that debuted this year.

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Panasonic has had difficulties ramping up production of battery cells at Gigafactory 1 to support Tesla, but the company now says that it would be able to ramp up battery production to 54 GWh.
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Tesla has officially started made-in-China Model 3 deliveries and delivered the first 15 units — opening the floodgates.
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The first sales of the all-electric 2020 Mazda MX-30 crossover are expected in early 2020. It’s part of a wave of new EVs for Europe with a battery size considered behind the times in the US. But Mazda (and others) introducing electric cars in Europe believe that about 35.5 kilowatt-hours ­— enough for about 150 miles of range — is enough for customers and is better for the environment.

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In an email obtained by Electrek, CEO Elon Musk tells Tesla employees to “ignore stock price” as it soars to new highs in a market rally.
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2019 was a big year for Tesla, with a significant increase in production and several new product launches. In 2020, Tesla is bringing to market some of those products and more.

Here we look at 5 things Tesla is bringing to market in 2020:
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