How Texas is on the road to becoming a prime state for EVs, according to this expert

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Texas is positioned to be a great state for the EV industry. Photo via Getty Images

As Texans adopt electric vehicles, significant strides must be made to ensure public charging meets demand. Steps are being made under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program to address such needs. With new developments promising to bolster the state's infrastructure, it’s only a matter of time until all EV owners will have access to reliable and fast charging options.

NEVI Funding in Texas

Texans will benefit from NEVI funding. This federal initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance EV adoption by providing drivers with a robust and reliable network of fast chargers, particularly along corridors, i.e., highways between Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, etc. To date, Texas has been busy installing 66 fast-charging ports along those key corridors with much more to come (Electrify News Site). There are multiple phases associated with NEVI, and the first 50 sites outlined by the Texas Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan have been completed.

Enhanced Accessibility and Convenience

One of the key aspects of the NEVI-funded stations is their strategic placement in areas previously underserved by existing charging networks. This focus not only addresses range anxiety but also ensures a minimum of four chargers per site with a reliability standard of 97 percent uptime. Such strategic deployment is crucial for supporting the widespread use of electric vehicles, especially in a state as vast as Texas (Electrify News Site).

NACS Compatibility and Adapters: Bridging the Gap

To further support all EV drivers, Tesla has opened their previously closed charging network. This network’s charging system is known as the North American Charging Standard, or NACS. This will allow for other brands to leverage the largest and most reliable charging network in Texas and beyond. Now, just about every manufacturer has opted in to the NACS charging ecosystem. This standard will undoubtedly result in more coverage for all EV drivers and a true standard for the industry. You can see the list of manufacturers that have adopted NACS thus far here.

If you already drive a non-Tesla EV, don’t worry. Many manufacturers have embarked upon developing an adapter for you such as Ford. If you drive a Tesla, your options will remain more or less the same. You’ll not need an adapter with future fast charging stations.

At the end of 2023, there were roughly 19,000 Tesla Superchargers and 15,000 from the entirety of the charging community. Tesla aims to add another 7,500 by the end of 2024 in addition to $7.5B from the federal government to support all other charging initiatives.

This move is particularly beneficial for Texas, where the distances between charging stations can be vast. By enabling access to Tesla's superchargers, drivers can embark on long road trips with the assurance that a fast and reliable charging option is never far away. This increased accessibility will likely spur greater EV adoption, as drivers gain confidence in the state's charging infrastructure.

Charging at Home

The concept of fueling and charging EVs at home offers an exciting paradigm shift. Drivers often have to wait for their cars to approach Empty “E” on their dashboard. Some take it all the way down to the red line (or below) while others begin searching for gas stations once they’ve reached a quarter tank.

With EVs however, the average Houstonian who drives ~30 miles a day now has the potential to begin their day with a full charge. Those who have access to home charging can plug their cars in when they get home from work and typically make up for their daily driving/commute with a standard power outlet which offers a customer anywhere from 30-40 miles of charger over a 12 hour period.

But let’s say you’re a super commuter - someone who drives 75 miles a day or more! Starting off with a full charge every day is almost a necessity, and a standard power outlet may not cut it. Luckily, Level 2 chargers exist and serve as an incredible time and money saver. Like the average commuter, a super commuter can simply plug in a level 2 charger, and the EV will be back to full by the time they wake the next morning (offering anywhere from 20-30 miles of charge per hour). Even those who drive 150+ miles a day can confidently use their EVs as a daily driver if they have a Level 2 charger at home.

Embracing the Future

As we look to the future of transport and energy, the synergy between NEVI and Tesla’s network should create a compelling narrative for those thinking about leasing an EV. Combine that with exciting new battery tech and potential range improvements, fueled by West Texas wind and solar, Texas is positioned to be a great state for the EV industry.

———

Chris George is the United States co-lead at Octopus Electric Vehicles.

This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

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Houston cell therapy company launches second-phase clinical trial

fighting cancer

A Houston cell therapy company has dosed its first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial. March Biosciences is testing the efficacy of MB-105, a CD5-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory CD5-positive T-cell lymphoma.

Last year, InnovationMap reported that March Biosciences had closed its series A with a $28.4 million raise. Now, the company, co-founded by Sarah Hein, Max Mamonkin and Malcolm Brenner, is ready to enroll a total of 46 patients in its study of people with difficult-to-treat cancer.

The trial will be conducted at cancer centers around the United States, but the first dose took place locally, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Swaminathan P. Iyer, a professor in the department of lymphoma/myeloma at MD Anderson, is leading the trial.

“This represents a significant milestone in advancing MB-105 as a potential treatment option for patients with T-cell lymphoma who currently face extremely limited therapeutic choices,” Hein, who serves as CEO, says. “CAR-T therapies have revolutionized the treatment of B-cell lymphomas and leukemias but have not successfully addressed the rarer T-cell lymphomas and leukemias. We are optimistic that this larger trial will further validate MB-105's potential to address the critical unmet needs of these patients and look forward to reporting our first clinical readouts.”

The Phase 1 trial showed promise for MB-105 in terms of both safety and efficacy. That means that potentially concerning side effects, including neurological events and cytokine release above grade 3, were not observed. Those results were published last year, noting lasting remissions.

In January 2025, MB-105 won an orphan drug designation from the FDA. That results in seven years of market exclusivity if the drug is approved, as well as development incentives along the way.

The trial is enrolling its single-arm, two-stage study on ClinicalTrials.gov. For patients with stubborn blood cancers, the drug is providing new hope.

Elon Musk's SpaceX site officially becomes the city of Starbase, Texas

Starbase, Texas

The South Texas home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket company is now an official city with a galactic name: Starbase.

A vote Saturday, May 3, to formally organize Starbase as a city was approved by a lopsided margin among the small group of voters who live there and are mostly Musk’s employees at SpaceX. With all the votes in, the tally was 212 in favor to 6 against, according to results published online by the Cameron County Elections Department.

Musk celebrated in a post on his social platform, X, saying it is “now a real city!”

Starbase is the facility and launch site for the SpaceX rocket program that is under contract with the Department of Defense and NASA that hopes to send astronauts back to the moon and someday to Mars.

Musk first floated the idea of Starbase in 2021 and approval of the new city was all but certain. Of the 283 eligible voters in the area, most are believed to be Starbase workers.

The election victory was personal for Musk. The billionaire’s popularity has diminished since he became the chain-saw-wielding public face of President Donald Trump’s federal job and spending cuts, and profits at his Tesla car company have plummeted.

SpaceX has generally drawn widespread support from local officials for its jobs and investment in the area.

But the creation of an official company town has also drawn critics who worry it will expand Musk’s personal control over the area, with potential authority to close a popular beach and state park for launches.

Companion efforts to the city vote include bills in the state Legislature to shift that authority from the county to the new town’s mayor and city council.

All these measures come as SpaceX is asking federal authorities for permission to increase the number of South Texas launches from five to 25 a year.

The city at the southern tip of Texas near the Mexico border is only about 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers), crisscrossed by a few roads and dappled with airstream trailers and modest midcentury homes.

SpaceX officials have said little about exactly why they want a company town and did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

“We need the ability to grow Starbase as a community,” Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders wrote to local officials in 2024 with the request to get the city issue on the ballot.

The letter said the company already manages roads and utilities, as well as “the provisions of schooling and medical care” for those living on the property.

SpaceX officials have told lawmakers that granting the city authority to close the beach would streamline launch operations. SpaceX rocket launches and engine tests, and even just moving certain equipment around the launch base, requires the closure of a local highway and access to Boca Chica State Park and Boca Chica Beach.

Critics say beach closure authority should stay with the county government, which represents a broader population that uses the beach and park. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr. has said the county has worked well with SpaceX and there is no need for change.

Another proposed bill would make it a Class B misdemeanor with up to 180 days in jail if someone doesn’t comply with an order to evacuate the beach.

The South Texas Environmental Justice Network, which has organized protests against the city vote and the beach access issue, held another demonstration Saturday that attracted dozens of people.

Josette Hinojosa, whose young daughter was building a sandcastle nearby, said she was taking part to try to ensure continued access to a beach her family has enjoyed for generations.

With SpaceX, Hinojosa said, “Some days it’s closed, and some days you get turned away."

Organizer Christopher Basaldú, a member of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas tribe, said his ancestors have long been in the area, where the Rio Grande meets the Gulf.

“It’s not just important,” he said, “it’s sacred.”

Texas-based 'DoorDash for laundry' startup tumbles into Houston market

No Scrubs

Laundry may seem like an endless task that piles up, but a new service offers a solution to overwhelmed Houston families.

NoScrubs, an Austin-based home laundry pickup service has just expanded to Houston. Described by the company as "DoorDash — but for laundry," they wash customer's clothes at local laundromats and return them the same day, folded and ready to be put away.

The service took off like gangbusters in Austin, making an expansion to the state's largest city an obvious choice. It's not universal coverage just yet.

For now, only the following ZIP codes have NoScrubs service available: 77002, 77004, 77005, 77006, 77007, 77008, 77009, 77010, 77018, 77019, 77024, 77025, 77027, 77046, 77056, 77057, 77081, 77098, 77401, 77030, 77003.

A single pickup starts at $40 for 20 pounds of laundry, while the basic monthly subscription is $60 for two pickups. All services use hypoallergenic detergents.

The average American family spends about 240 hours a year on laundry, making it a very time-consuming chore. For people with disabilities, difficult work schedules, and other circumstances, it can be a real help, says co-founder Matt O'Connor.

"Some of our favorite customer stories simply revolve around saving people time when they have something challenging going on," he writes in an email. "For example, one customer reviewed NoScrubs saying 'So happy I could cry! (Partially because I'm pregnant and my emotions are heightened!)...1000% recommend if you have time restrictions or physical restrictions! ' So, whether it’s saving time, the affordability, or the pleasantly surprising turnaround time, NoScrubs has a variety of benefits for any customer."

NoScrubs is also a new opportunity for Houston's gig workers. Because there are no passengers, it can be a safer alternative to driving ride share for women and other people apprehensive about having strangers in their cars. As NoScrubs partners with local laundromats, drivers are also going to centralized locations rather than all over the map, leading to less wear and tear on their cars. The laundromats benefit as well, since NoScrubs loads are ones that would otherwise be done at home.

"Our model makes driving a tiny fraction of the time, so folks who don’t want to wear down their vehicles and spend a ton on gas love working at NoScrubs," added O'Connor.

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