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EV Drivers Love Their Cars by Rick Laezman

William Attardi on August 21, 2026

The market for electric vehicles may experience its ups and downs, but owner satisfaction remains unphased. In fact, it couldn’t be much higher. According to the results of the “2026 Annual EV Driver Survey” releasedby the nonprofit Plug In America, “EV drivers love their vehicles. It covered such aspects as loyalty, consumer confidence, charging and the experience of purchasing or leasing. Overall, they point to a group of consumers that are extremely happy with the product they have acquired, with 94.3% of EV drivers saying that they are likely or very likely to acquire another EV for their next vehicle. This is great news for electrical contractors who install EV charging infrastructure. EV Drivers Love Their Cars – Electrical Contractor Magazine  

(My son and I own a Tesla and we agree…)

IEA: Global EV Sales Headed for Another Record Year Despite the Early Stumble by Michelle Lewis

William Attardi on May 23, 2026

According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) new Global EV Outlook, electric car sales are expected to hit 23 million in 2026, making up nearly 30% of all new cars sold worldwide. That comes after EV sales topped 20 million in 2025, up 20% year over year, with 1 in 4 new cars sold globally now electric. The IEA says global EV sales momentum is continuing despite the ongoing energy crisis tied to the war in the Middle East. And in many places, rising fuel prices are actually making EVs look even more attractive to buyers. The IEA said nearly 90 countries posted year-over-year EV sales growth in March, and around 30 countries set monthly records.  The report projects the global EV fleet could grow from nearly 80 million vehicles today to as many as 510 million by 2035. IEA: Global EV sales headed for another record year despite the early stumble | Electrek

Electric Vehicles Catching on in the United States and Around the Globe By Rick Laezman

William Attardi on June 12, 2025

While still a relatively small portion of the total number of vehicles on the road, electric vehicles are catching on, and their numbers are growing. The trend is happening around the globe and in various states in the United States.According to the “Global EV Outlook 2025” report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), global sales of electric cars are climbing. They are on track to surpass 20 million in 2025, which would account for over a quarter of cars sold worldwide. That’s also an increase of 35% from the same time last year.In a country-by-country comparison, China maintains its position as the EV market leader. EVs account for almost half of all Chinese car sales in 2024.In the United States, electric car sales grew by about 10% year-on-year, reaching more than one in 10 cars sold. Electric Vehicles Catching on in the United States and Around the Globe – Electrical Contractor Magazine

It’s Back to School – How Some of Our Most Acknowledged Universities Got Their Name – Who were the true visionaries who would donate half of their estate to sculpting the minds of the future. These stories are monuments to history and culture. Let’s take a stroll through academia’s memory lane and uncover the origins of these storied university names!

  1. Ah, Harvard! The Ivy League giant was once a small college in the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlement called New Towne. But where did “Harvard” come from? Enter John Harvard, a clergyman who, in 1638, decided to bequeath half his estate and his library (a whopping 400 books!) to the fledgling college. Grateful for this generous gift, they promptly named the institution after him.
  2. A gem of New Haven, Connecticut, Yale is another Ivy League powerhouse known for its prestigious law and drama schools. It owes its name to Elihu Yale, a wealthy merchant who, in 1718, donated a modest shipment of goods (including portraits, books, and textiles) to a struggling collegiate school. Those goods were auctioned off, raising a much-needed £562 –a small fortune at the time.
  3. Dartmouth is renowned for its beautiful rural setting, nestled in the picturesque town of Hanover, New Hampshire. It was named after the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, a British nobleman who supported the college’s founding –despite never actually setting foot in America!
  4. Brown, this Rhode Island Ivy University, known for its open curriculum and emphasis on student choice, was founded with a mouthful of a name – the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed in 1704 for Nicholas Brown, Jr., a prominent merchant whose family donated generously to the school.
  5. Perched atop a hill overlooking Ithaca, New York, Cornell is celebrated for its diverse academic programs and its stunning natural surroundings. Founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, this university was unique for its commitment to practical education, allowing students the freedom to choose their own course of study. It was a revolutionary notion at the time, which would guide a curricular reform across the country.
  6. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and its close ties to the tech industry. But this California powerhouse has a touching origin story. Leland Stanford, Jr., the founder’s son, tragically died young from typhoid fever. His father Leland Sr., railroad magnate and former state governor, and his mother Jane, founded the university in his memory, ensuring his legacy lived on through the pursuit of knowledge.
  7. This North Carolina research giant, known for its strong medical and law schools, underwent a bit of a name change in its history. Originally called Trinity College, it was renamed Duke University in 1924 after James Buchanan Duke, a tobacco and electric power industrialist who founded the American Tobacco Company. He established The Duke Endowment, to which he donated throughout his life and left half his estate after his death.
  8. Nestled in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is a renowned research university with a vibrant campus life. It owes its name to “The Commodore,” Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad magnate, who provided the initial gift to establish the university.
  9. Texas businessman William Marsh Rice provided the initial funding for this Houston university, but did not live to see its opening. He was murdered by his valet as he slept, in a plot to forge the man’s will. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Rice University flourished through the years, becoming an institution known for its strong engineering and science programs.
  10. Who was Harvard named after? Origin of university names