Honey, I Shrunk Tuesday’s Headlines

It's actually EV batteries that need shrinking due to the environmental damage caused by lithium mining, according to the CEO of Stellantis.

By Blake Aued

12:52 AM EDT on April 9, 2024

A lithium mine in Chile. Credit: Reinhard John

The CEO of automaker Stellantis said at a recent mobility forum that the size of electric vehicles' lithium batteries needs to be cut in half to have a meaningful environmental impact (Autoblog). Others at the forum argued for shifting to biofuels or public transit instead of focusing on EVs. (Transport Topics)
Transit agencies are slowly adjusting to the post-COVID reality of fewer rush-hour commuters and more spread-out demand, but not fast enough to avoid a fiscal cliff when emergency federal funding runs out. (Railway Tracks & Structures)
A U.S. DOT audit found that state transportation projects need more federal oversight. (Smart Cities Dive)
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he supports high-speed rail between Houston and Dallas. Amtrak took over the project last year after private investors backed out. (NBC DFW)
Frustrated with delays and cost overruns, Minnesota legislators want the state DOT to take over building major Twin Cities transit projects, but the DOT says it doesn't have the resources to take on more work. (Star Tribune)
Seattle's Sound Transit has ordered 10 new rail cars in anticipation of shortages when the Federal Way light rail line opens in 2026. (The Urbanist)
Denver held a community bike ride to celebrate the opening of a protected bike lane on Broadway. (Gazette)
The Utah Transit Authority wants to extend its Frontrunner commuter rail line southward from Provo to Payson. (KSL)
El Paso's climate chief says that less driving and constraining sprawl are the keys to addressing climate change. (El Paso Matters)
Due to the carbon footprint, Germany's postal service will no longer deliver domestic letters by air. (Euronews)
Montreal will spend $30 million this year to expand its bike network by about 20 miles. (Momentum Mag)