Incentives and Tax Credits for Purchasing Electric Vehicles

Sudeep Moniz is a Melville, New York-based financial services professional who works in the energy sector. In addition to staying up to date on the latest developments in alternative energy, Sudeep Moniz has an interest in autonomous driving and electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles represent less than 2 percent of all vehicles in the United States and only 2.2 percent of all vehicles worldwide. Norway, which is one of the biggest markets for electric vehicles with sales comprising around 30 percent of all new vehicles, has an abundance of perks and subsidies to entice consumers to make the switch to a plug-in car. The Canadian government, meanwhile, recently introduced a $5,000 purchasing incentive for vehicles under $45,000 with hydrogen fuel cells or electric batteries.

The new Canadian measure is similar to that of the US, where the Internal Revenue Service offers a tax credit between $2,500 and $7,500 for new electric vehicles, depending on the vehicle's size and battery capacity. However, the tax credit is only offered until a qualified manufacturer has sold at least 200,000 electric vehicles, at which point it begins to be phased out for that particular automaker.

The amount of credit offered for respective vehicles can be found at fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml. For example, the new 2019 Hyundai Kona has a full tax credit of $7,500, whereas its 2019 Ioniq plug-in hybrid carries a tax credit of $4,543.

The Last Three Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Recipients

Sudeep Moniz is a New York-based financial services professional with nearly a decade of experience. A passionate sports fan, Sudeep Moniz enjoys watching college basketball in his free time.

The Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Award recognizes the best player in the NCAA. It was first awarded in 1969 to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and has since been won by well-known players such as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Tim Duncan. Below are the three most recent recipients:

1. Jalen Brunson (2018) - A 22-year-old native of New Brunswick, New Jersey, Brunson became the first Villanova player to win the award in 2018. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game through 40 games and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

2. Frank Mason (2017) - Mason became the second Kansas Jayhawk to win the award since Danny Manning did so in 1988. The Petersburg, Virginia native earned the award after averaging 20.9 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

3. Buddy Hield (2016) - Through 37 games, Hield averaged 25 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2 assists with the University of Oklahoma. He followed Blake Griffin (2009) as only the second Oklahoma player to ever win the award. Hield was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Common Issues with Driver-Assist Vehicles

Sudeep Moniz, who works with NIC Holding Corporation in New York, keeps up with trends in new technology. One of Sudeep Moniz's recent interests is self-driving capabilities for vehicles.

While self-driving technology has steadily improved since the first tests, driver-assist technology cannot yet drive vehicles safely on its own. Most systems still face a variety of issues, some of which are outlined below.

Lane-keeping in unusual circumstances presents challenges for self-driving vehicles. Hills and curves often lead to a vehicle moving over the center line or edge, touching the line, or disengaging the system. The Tesla Model 3 experiences these incidents less frequently than other models, such as the Volvo S90 or BMW 5 series.

Obstructions in front of signage can also presents difficulties for the algorithms that guide these vehicles. Even subtle graffiti or camouflage can cause the miscategorization of signs that would be completely legible to a human.

Other challenges self-driving vehicles face come from the natural world. Seagulls can stop vehicles by standing on the street, and inclement weather can change the vehicle's perception of the road, thereby confusing the system.

Volvo Launches End-To-End Autonomous Vehicle Mine Hauling

Sudeep Moniz is a New York based professional who stays apprised of the latest technological trends. A particular area of interest for Sudeep Moniz is automation and autonomous driving. One recent development in this area involved Volvo's announcement that it was setting in place a fleet of self-driving trucks that would handle all aspects of site-specific limestone hauling.

Unusual for a vehicle manufacturer, which would traditionally sell the vehicles and autonomous driving systems outright, this venture takes the form of a partnership. Centered on the Bronnoy Kalk mine in Norway, it involves transporting limestone three miles to a port facility. The mining company is paying Volvo a certain sum of money for each metric ton delivered, which provides Volvo with a strong interest in the arrangement's outcome.

The autonomous project is described as being valuable to Volvo in allowing the company to fine tune its self-driving vehicles currently under development, with a focus on future international markets. In addition, it hints at a new long term business model, one in which vehicle manufacturers offer end-to-end autonomous system solutions.