15,000 Uber Tesla Drivers Log 5 Million Trips and 40 Million Electric Miles to Date

Uber indicates 15,000 drivers now renting Teslas, with 5 mn trips and 40 mn miles to date; NIO is to start installing 500 kW fast-charging stations in China & Europe this year. W/over 1000 battery swapping stations, NIO is opening 2 new stations in China each day; VW breaks ground on 40 GWh Gigafactory in Salzgitter, Germany, the 1st of 6 for the continent; ChargeWest - 8-state collaborative in the American West - plans to install EV chargers in rural areas; Maine regulators approve DER/battery investment instead of new transmission infrastructure; CT Dept of Energy & Env’l Protection OKs $708 mn, 3-yr efficiency plan; ISO-NE sees electrification of heating and transportation end-uses more than doubling required capacity over next two decades; NYISO warns that accelerating retirement of nuclear and fossil-based dispatchable resources are shrinking reserve margins.

1) Uber announces drivers in over 30 U.S. cities - including LA, Houston, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami - can now rent Teslas. To date, 15,000 drivers have taken over 5 mn Tesla trips, logging over 40 mn e-miles. 

2) NIO planning to start installing 500 kW fast-charging stations in China and Europe this year. W/over 1000 battery swapping stations, NIO is opening 2 new stations in China each day. 

3) VW begins building 40 GWh battery gigafactory in Salzgitter, Germany (“SalzGiga”), to support 50,000 EVs/yr. 240 GWH planned for Europe, w/additional plants in N. America.

4) ChargeWest, an 8-state collaborative in the American West (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) to create large EV charging corridor w/focus on rural areas.

5) Maine regulators OK Central Maine Power plan to shore up T&D system w/investments in DERs and other non-wires alternatives, including utility-scale batteries. This will reduce/address peak loads that only occur during a limited number of hours. 

6) CT Dept. of Energy & Env’l Protection approves $708 mn, 3-yr energy efficiency plan, projected to generate $1.7 billion in benefits. Plan will focus on electric and gas customers, w/biggest overdue balances or frequent shutoffs. 

7) ISO-NE projects electrification of heating and transportation will more than double required capacity of grid over next 20 years. Indicates some “balancing resources” will remain necessary for reliability. 

8) NYISO warns accelerating retirement nuclear and fossil generators in past 3 yrs, causing reserve margins to shrink, getting "Close to minimum reliability requirements" as state targets 70% renewables by 2030, and 100% carbon-free grid by 2040.