By ALEXA ST. JOHN and TAMMY WEBBER Associated Press
Oil and gasoline prices are rising as the war in Iran intensifies and other global conflicts affect supply. That means pain at the pump for drivers filling up with gas. But electric vehicle drivers are largely unaffected by spikes in oil prices. Electricity prices — even as different grids have different power mixes — are more regulated. Experts say prolonged high gas prices may drive some EV interest and sales. Car-buying resource Edmunds says it has seen an uptick in people researching EVs and hybrids. But the experts also say just how far that will go is unclear. And in the U.S., significant incentives to buy EVs have gone away.
Fossil fuels are still a large source of electricity, but California has made progress with renewables while keeping the lights on. The state recently hit a milestone: 100 days this year with 100% carbon-free, renewable electricity for at least a part of each day. The state notched the milestone while avoiding blackouts and emergency power reductions this year, even with the hottest July on record. That's according to Stanford University engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson. Energy experts say the progress is largely due to the substantial public and private investments in renewable energy. But California still has a long way to go to stop burning fossil fuels. Natural gas remains its single largest source of electricity.
