Forget about it.

That’s what the leaders behind ChargeScape, a software platform that connects EVs, automakers, and utilities, wants drivers to be able to do when it comes to charging their vehicle’s battery.

ChargeScape, which launched in September, is a joint venture of four automakers: BMW, Ford, Honda, and Nissan. The company’s mission is to help EVs integrate with the electric grid––for the benefit of EV owners and the grid itself.

Tech Brew recently spoke with Joseph Vellone, who joined ChargeScape as CEO in September. Vellone explained that automakers decided to band together on charging and vehicle-to-grid integration for two reasons.

“Firstly, these automakers are committed to selling EVs, and they want to make the at-home charging experience as easy and low-cost as possible for their customers,” he said.

“The second thing is that automakers are increasingly thinking about their role in our country’s energy transition,” he added, “and that includes leveraging electric vehicles as assets for the power grid.”

Keep reading here.—JG

“In order for us to control our own destiny,” Marshall Pierite said, “we have to create our own destiny.”

Pierite, the chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe based in Marksville, Louisiana, told Tech Brew that part of creating that destiny is becoming energy independent.

That’s why the tribe is partnering with NextNRG, a renewable energy company, to bring a 6 megawatt solar power system to the Tunica-Biloxi reservation, casino, movie theater, and cultural center in Marksville. The solar infrastructure, which will also include 6 megawatts of battery storage, will power some of the tribe’s buildings, reduce energy prices for tribal members by 20%, and create around 20 jobs in the area, according to NextNRG CEO Michael Farkas. Plus, it will provide the tribe—and surrounding rural area—with reliable energy that can better withstand extreme weather, a common occurrence in Louisiana.

The partnership was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes tax credits that reduce the cost of renewable energy infrastructure. Having finalized their partnership, NextNRG and the tribe are currently awaiting funding from the federal government.

Energy independence and job creation are the “dual purpose” for the partnership, Pierite said. And using renewable energy to power tribal functions and boost the area’s economy are in line with Native values.

“We get every fiber of our being from our land, our water,” Pierite told Tech Brew. “Across Indian Country—the solar, wind, hydro, geothermal power—leveraging these natural resources, tribal nations can really generate sustainable energy and create jobs.”

Keep reading here.—TC

One in four: That’s how many new vehicles sold in 2025 could be powered by electricity.

That’s according to Cox Automotive’s 2025 forecast, which is mostly upbeat, despite lots of uncertainty around possible federal policy changes that would have major implications for the auto industry.

“We anticipate further growth in electrification, with one out of four vehicles being electrified and pure battery-electric vehicle sales reaching 10% of market share,” Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Cox’s director of industry insights, said on a December call. “However, 2025 will also be a year of adjustment, with potential changes to incentives, regulatory guidelines, and consumer preferences shaping the EV market landscape.”

By the numbers: Analysts expect 2025 to be the best year for new-vehicle sales since 2019.

Cox forecast 16.3 million new light-vehicle sales for the year, a 3% YoY increase over 2024. Similarly, Edmunds is calling for 16.2 million sales.

Cox analysts cited numerous factors to explain their upbeat outlook, including post-election gains in consumer and business confidence, lower interest rates, projections for solid economic growth this year, expected wage growth, and the labor market’s continued strength. Plus, consumers hoping to avoid tariff-driven price increases could fuel a short-term vehicle-buying spree.

Keep reading here.—JG