| | | | | Welcome. This week, otter moms and bat vaccines. But first, EV deals. |  | | On Tuesday, I revisited a column from April called "Buy an electric vehicle now or wait? Here's how to decide" in this newsletter. Many of you wrote in to say much has changed: Prices are lower, choices are proliferating and, for those willing to search, deals are at hand. Patty in Truth or Consequences, N.M., says her 2022 Nissan Leaf SV Plus cost $34,000 in December 2021. "You seem to have missed the less expensive EVs," she wrote. "Operating costs are next to nothing." Beyond tire rotation and air filter replacement, she said she has incurred no maintenance expense. The cost of a full charge runs from zero to $13. "When I think of all the time and money I used to spend on my gas-powered car, I am very happy I switched to electric, even if the charging infrastructure is still not ideal," she added. Many also raved about the Chevrolet Bolt, "the most affordable EV in America" with plenty of space and range, and prices starting around $26,000. Is the typical EV still expensive? Yes. The average price paid for an electric vehicle in September was $50,683, down from more than $65,000 one year ago, according to Cox Automotive. But that doesn't mean there aren't more affordable, attractive EVs hitting the market. There's just strong demand at the top. The U.S. average for a new vehicle remains near record highs at $47,899. You can expect EV prices to keep falling as supply and incentives ramp up. Last month, EV incentives hit $4,991, or 10 percent of the average vehicle price. So if you're looking to buy an EV now, Consumer Reports has assembled an updated list of which EVs may qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 in 2023 and 2024. In January, the Treasury Department says car dealers can effectively cut the price of EVs by as much as $7,500 when you purchase it rather than waiting to file federal taxes. And it's one of the best times to buy a used EV with tax credits of up to $4,000 for used EVs up $25,000. Have questions for my next column? Write climatecoach@washpost.com. I read all your emails. |  | | Researchers swab a bat's wing to test for disease. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post) | | Using technology similar to that behind the coronavirus vaccines, scientists are inoculating bats to ward off infection by the fungus as they hibernate, when they are weakest. Idaho's Minnetonka Cave is one of 14 vaccine trial sites led by Tonie Rocke, a U.S. Geological Survey epidemiologist, across Idaho, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Once the vaccinated and unvaccinated bats emerge in the spring, Rocke will try to determine how effective the inoculations are. | | Research teams identify, weigh, band and vaccinate bats outside Minnetonka Cave for the trial in Idaho. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post) |  | Learning Curve Scientists are now saying climate change is an all-out "emergency," writes The Washington Post's Shannon Osaka. "Scientists are more willing to speak out," says Bill Ripple, an Oregon State University ecologist. "As a group, we've been pretty hesitant, historically." But, he added, "I feel like scientists have a moral obligation to warn humanity." Climate change wasn't yet at the level of an emergency in the early 2000s when a report called the Copenhagen Diagnosis came out, said Susan Joy Hassol, a science communications expert who has worked with climate researchers for years. The report suggested if governments acted swiftly, the world could cut emissions by a bit over 3 percent per year. "We called that the bunny slope," says Hassol. By waiting until 2020, the needed cuts surged to up to 9 percent per year, what the report called the "double black diamond" slope. Today, scientists' language is matching the moment. As recently as 2015, only 32 papers in the Web of Science research database included the term "climate emergency." In 2022, 862 papers contained the phrase. |  |  |  | | Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get The Climate Coach in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. See you next Tuesday, Michael Coren, Climate Coach | | | | | | | | |
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