Seven reasons that U.S. Consumers should drive electric. Shannon Janeczek 10 Sep 2026 Charging Reliability Table of Contents Seven reasons that U.S. consumers should drive electric In the U.S., driving electric is becoming more practical and appealing. Here are seven reasons some buyers are switching from gas-powered vehicles. 1. Better range and battery performance Improvements have been made in energy density and cold-weather performance, so modern EVs now average 300-340 miles (480-547 km) of range and offer over-the-air software updates to improve efficiency and safety over time. 2. Lower operating costs Depending on regional rates, electricity is often cheaper than gasoline, so if you own a hybrid or electric car, annual fuel costs can drop anywhere from about $1,500 to as low as $500. If you install a home charger with a Level 2 station (equipment and installation are around $1,000), that makes daily driving even more economical. When consumers want to spend less on fuel but retain their transportation flexibility - without utilizing public transit - electric vehicles are the first option. 3. Lower maintenance costs Another big plus for EVs is that they have fewer moving parts, no oil changes, less brake wear, and fewer mechanical repairs over time. EVs look more and more attractive to those who are environmentally conscious without doing car repairs. 4. Environmental and policy drivers Long-term U.S. forecasts project a 15-25% EV market share by 2030, a number that is contingent on both the number of affordable models and whether or not the charging network will grow to accommodate the need. The $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired in the US in September 2025, but a $10,000 annual auto loan interest deduction for U.S.-assembled vehicles is replacing it. 5. New battery technologies Battery costs have fallen, and new battery tech like sodium-ion could be a great option for the future. QuantumScape and Toyota are developing solid-state battery prototypes which are expected to bring even higher energy density and safety improvements. 6. Charging infrastructure growth While home charging currently is the most convenient and cost-effective option, more public charging stations are coming online every week. More than 250,000 public charging ports now operate nationwide, and the North American Charging Standard (NACS) is expanding its interoperability. 7. Market shifts Price used to be the stopper for many buyers looking at EVs, but now that EV pricing is closer to gas-equivalent models, they are more accessible than ever. It's now more common to find used EVs for sale as well. Automakers are launching a wider variety of affordable models, and consumer interest remains strong - nearly 60% of new-car shoppers plan to investigate electric options in 2026. So why think about an EV the next time you are car shopping? EVs are improving in range, cost, and convenience. For people who want fewer maintenance hassles, and have predictable daily mileage and home charging, driving electric is a financially and environmentally sound choice. Sources for data and quotes: * Electric Vehicles 2026 Trends What's Next for EVs and Electric Cars | MOTORWATT * https://motorreview.com/should-i-buy-electric-car-2026/ * Future of Electric Vehicles in the U.S.: 2026-2030 Outlook * What's next for EV batteries in 2026 | MIT Technology Review * I've Seen More Improvement In Two Years Of Reviewing EVs Than I Did In A Decade Testing Gas Cars (opinion piece). Shannon Janeczek. Senior/lead marketing & communications

2026 Central Texas ORBIE Awards recognize top technology executives in Central Texas. Leading CIOs honored for leadership, innovation, and business impact at the Central Texas ORBIE Awards on August 28, 2026, at the JW Marriott Austin. AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - The 2026 Central Texas ORBIE Awards honored leading chief information officers (CIOs) from for their exceptional leadership. Hosted by CentralTexasCIO, one of over 50 Inspire Leadership Network chapters, the prestigious award honors CIOs who drive business transformation and industry impact. View finalists, partners, and more on the Digital ORBIE Feature. This exclusive event brought together top executives and industry leaders from Central Texas. The morning honored excellence in technology leadership across six award categories at the JW Marriott Austin. "Behind every technology innovation is a CIO leading the vision and shaping the strategy," said Kevin Harwood, CentralTexasCIO Chair. "The ORBIE Awards are the ultimate recognition program for the leaders behind the work." Meet the 2026 Central Texas ORBIE Award Winners: * Ehren Powell, Chief Digital Officer, Marathon Petroleum, received the Leadership ORBIE. * Cynthia Carbrey, CIO Global, Kautex Textron, received the Global ORBIE for organizations over $2.5 billion annual revenue and multi-national operations. * Linda Albornoz, Senior EVP and CIO, Frost Bank, received the Large Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $2 billion annual revenue. * Vivek Sagi, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Bumble Inc., received the Enterprise ORBIE for organizations over $800 million annual revenue. * Kevin Harwood, CTO, Tecovas, received the Large Corporate ORBIE for organizations over $350 million annual revenue. * GS Jha, Global CIO and CISO, QuantumScape Inc., received the Corporate ORBIE for organizations up to $350 million annual revenue. About the ORBIE: The ORBIE is the preeminent executive recognition for C-suite leaders. Since 1998, the ORBIE Awards have recognized leadership excellence, building relationships between executives and trusted business partners, and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Finalists and winners are selected through an independent peer-adjudicated process led by prior ORBIE recipients based on the following criteria: * Leadership and management effectiveness * Business value created by technology innovation * Engagement in industry and community endeavors Central Texas ORBIE Keynote & Attendance: The keynote address for the Central Texas ORBIE Awards was delivered by Ehren Powell, Chief Digital Officer, Marathon Petroleum, who was interviewed by Lou Senko, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Q2. Over 250 guests attended, representing leading Central Texas organizations and their technology partners. The following partners made the 2026 Central Texas ORBIE Awards possible: * Underwriters: Rimini Street and SBase Technologies * Gold Partners: Comcast Business, Sutherland Global, and Velocity * Silver Partners: Adastra, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, Myriad360, EPAM NEORIS, SHI International, Spectrum Business/Ring Central, and Waterloo Data * Bronze Partners: Between Pixels, Coforge, Darwinbox, Everforth Quinnox, HotelKey, Sonata Software, and Tech Mahindra * Media Partner: Austin Business Journal * Nonprofit Partner: Year Up United About CentralTexaxCIO: CentralTexasCIO is the preeminent peer leadership network of chief information officers (CIOs) in Central Texas. As one of over 50 chapters of the Inspire Leadership Network, CentralTexasCIO belongs to a national membership organization exclusively comprised of C-suite leaders from public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare, and nonprofit institutions. CentralTexasCIO is led by a CIO Advisory Board, with support from an executive director and staff. Underwriter executives support the chapter and ensure the programs remain member-led and exclusive to qualified CIOs and members. About Inspire Leadership Network: Inspire Leadership Network is the preeminent peer leadership network of C-suite executives. With over 2,000 members across over 50 chapters, Inspire members serve public and private businesses, government, education, healthcare, and non-profit institutions. Inspire exists to help leaders thrive in today's most challenging executive roles. Media Contact Nicole Lammes [email protected]

QuantumScape's CFO Kevin Hettrich sold 31,095 shares of Class A Common Stock on 18 August, according to an SEC filing. The transaction was a non-discretionary sale-to-cover, conducted automatically to satisfy tax withholding requirements upon vesting of equity awards, and does not reflect a discretionary change in investment position. Following the sale, Hettrich continues to hold 1.8 million shares directly, plus derivative securities in restricted and performance restricted stock units. The San Jose-based company develops solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. QuantumScape reported a trailing twelve-month net loss of $405 million as of the transaction date. Shares were priced at $5.74 at the time of the transaction, reflecting a one-year return of -30%.