Congress

 

Senate

 

Tesla, GM Among Car Makers Facing Senate Inquiry Into Possible Links To Uyghur Forced Labor. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The Senate Finance Committee has opened an inquiry into whether auto makers including Tesla Inc. and General Motors Co. are using parts and materials made with forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region. In a letter sent Thursday, the committee asked the chief executives of eight car manufacturers to provide detailed information on their supply chains to help determine any links to Xinjiang, where the U.S. government has alleged the use of forced labor involving the Uyghur ethnic minority and others. The U.S. bans most imports from the region under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The letter to car companies cited a recent report from the U.K.’s Sheffield Hallam University that found evidence that global auto makers were using metals, batteries, wiring and wheels made in Xinjiang, or sourcing from companies that used Uyghur workers elsewhere in China. According to that report, some car manufacturers ‘are unwittingly sourcing metals from the Uyghur region.’ It said some of the greatest exposure comes from steel and aluminum parts as metals producers shift work to Xinjiang to take advantage of Chinese government subsidies and other incentives. The U.S. ban on products linked to Xinjiang has already caused disruptions in the import of solar panels made there.” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Senate Panel Probes Carmakers’ Ties To Forced Labor In China. According to Bloomberg, “The Senate Finance Committee is launching an investigation into whether major automakers such as Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Tesla Inc. are using parts made with forced labor from the Xinjiang region of China. ‘Unless due diligence confirms that components are not linked to forced labor, automakers cannot and should not sell cars in the United States that include components mined or produced in Xinjiang,’ Senator Ron Wyden, the committee’s chair, wrote in letters sent Thursday. ‘The United States considers the Chinese government’s brutal oppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang an ‘ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity.’ The letters, which were also sent to about half a dozen automakers including GM, Ford and Stellantis NV, follows a report from the UK’s Sheffield Hallam University that found links between Chinese companies operating in Xinjiang and the import of parts from automakers that include batteries, wiring and wheels, Wyden’s office said. Representatives from GM, Ford and Stellantis, which sells cars under the Jeep and Ram brands, had no immediate reply to a request for comment. The committee’s investigation comes amid increasing scrutiny about companies’ ties to China’s Xinjiang region where the US has accused China of requiring hundreds of thousands of detainees -– mostly Uyghur Muslims or other minorities –- to work against their will. Beijing has denied those allegations.” [Bloomberg, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Democrats Take Climate Victory Lap As Congress Leaves Town. According to E&E News, “The 117th Congress was hugely consequential for energy and climate policy. Final passage of the fiscal 2023 federal spending bill Friday will cap off a two-year run that could bring a sea change for the energy sector and put the United States close to meeting President Joe Biden’s climate change goals. It will drive much of what happens to the nation’s power mix in the coming years. It will also shape future debates on the campaign trail and on Capitol Hill about the energy transition. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said it was ‘one of the most productive Congresses that we’ve had in a very long time.’ ‘Put it this way: These two years in the Senate and House, in the Congress, was either the most productive in 50 years [since the] Great Society, or the most productive in 100 years since the New Deal,’ Schumer told reporters Thursday. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed along party lines after a year of debate, is the biggest single investment in climate policy Congress has ever made. It sends an enormous suite of subsidies to wind, solar, nuclear, carbon capture and electric vehicle technologies over the next decade.” [E&E News, 12/23/22 (+)]

 

U.S. Senate Committee Asks Carmakers About Chinese Supply Chain. According to Reuters, “The U.S. Senate Finance Committee has asked eight major automakers, including General Motors (GM.N), Tesla (TSLA.O) and Ford Motor (F.N), to disclose whether any of their components are linked to alleged forced labor use in China, according to letters made public on Thursday. In June, a U.S. law took effect banning the import of forced-labor goods from Xinjiang, in a pushback against Beijing’s treatment of China’s Uyghur Muslim minority, which Washington has labeled genocide. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden wrote the chief executives of major automakers inquiring about Chinese supply chain issues, saying ‘it is vital that automakers scrutinize their relationships with all suppliers linked to Xinjiang.’ Beijing denies abuses in Xinjiang, but says it had established ‘vocational training centers’ to curb terrorism, separatism and religious radicalism. The letters, which were also sent to Toyota Motor (7203.T), Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), Chrysler-parent Stellantis (STLA.MI) and Mercedes-Benz , said ‘unless due diligence confirms that components are not linked to forced labor, automakers cannot and should not sell cars in the United States that include components mined or produced in Xinjiang.’” [Reuters, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

 

Manufacturers, Fleets, & OEMs

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

How An F-150 Lightning Kept The Lights On At A CA Dealership After A Major Earthquake. According to Electrek, “After a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Northern California, thousands were left without power. One dealership in North Eureka found a unique solution by plugging in two of its electric vehicles – a Ford F-150 Lightning and a Kia Niro – to stay open. Electric vehicles keep CA dealership open after earthquake Residents in Northern California’s Eureka area woke up early Tuesday morning after a severe earthquake shook the region, damaging homes and leaving tens of thousands of residents without electricity. Humbolt County sheriff’s office posted on Twitter, saying, ‘Magnitude 6.4 #earthquake 14 miles from Fortuna. Power is out across the county,’ as most homes and businesses were without electricity. One local dealership in North Eureka, Harper Motors, had just the solution. The dealership stocks new (and used) Ford and Kia vehicles, including popular electric vehicles like the: F-150 Lightning pickup truck Mustang Mach-E E-Transit van EV6 Niro EV Harper utilized the powerful EV batteries as a backup energy source to keep the business running after the earthquake. The dealership posted on their Facebook a photo of Harper ‘tapping into’ a Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia Niro EV for power, saying, ‘we are open for sales and parts if you need us.’” [Electrek, 12/22/22 (+)]

 

Lucid Group

 

Lucid Begins Deliveries In Europe Of Record 883km-Range Lucid Air. According to CleanTechnica, “Lucid has begun deliveries to customers in Europe this week, starting in Germany and the Netherlands, two of the largest EV markets in Europe. Lucid’s European headquarters is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Lucid currently has studios in Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. ‘Lucid currently accepts reservations from European customers for all trim level of Lucid Air. By placing a fully refundable reservation starting at €300 EUR, customers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK can secure their place in line for Lucid Air Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring models when deliveries begin in their respective countries,’ the company adds. The Lucid Air also got its official WLTP range this week (opening the door for deliveries), and that range is a record 883 kilometers (549 miles) on a full charge. That’s a seriously long way you can drive without needing to charge. My Tesla Model 3 has ~200 miles of range and I normally go 2–3 days between charging.” [CleanTechnica, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Rivian Automotive Inc.

 

2023 Rivian R1t EPA-Certified As Longest-Range EV Pickup: 328 Miles. According to Inside EVs, “The range updates announced by Rivian last week for the 2023 R1T and R1S EVs have gone official on EPA’s website. The new EPA-estimated range rating for the R1T makes it the longest-range electric pickup truck on sale in the US right now. More specifically, the 2023 Rivian R1T in Quad-Motor configuration with the Large battery pack now offers a maximum EPA-estimated range of 328 miles (527 kilometers). That’s a 14-mile (22-kilometer) increase over the 2022 Rivian R1T in the same configuration, which had an EPA-estimated range of 314 miles (505 kilometers). The revised rating is for the 2023 R1T with 21-inch wheels; the same model equipped with 22-inch wheels gets an EPA-estimated range of 303 miles (487 kilometers), while 20-inch wheels lower the rating to 289 miles (465 kilometers). The range improvements come after an over-the-air software update that also brought a slight range increase for the 2023 Rivian R1S SUV to 321 miles (516 kilometers) of range, up by 5 miles (8 kilometers). Looking at the EPA website, there are also improvements when it comes to efficiency, with the MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) combined rating now being 73 MPGe, up from 70 MPGe before.” [Inside EVs, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Stellantis

 

Jeep Plant Shutdown Imperils Illinois Town And 1,350 Workers. According to The New York Times, “The Jeep Cherokee was a strong seller just a few years ago. In 2019, a plant in Belvidere, Ill., produced about 190,000 of the sport utility vehicles, employing close to 5,000 people and operating three shifts a day. Since then, sales have fallen. The factory laid off the third shift, and then the second. This year it is on track to make fewer than 20,000 vehicles. Even so, it was a shock when the manufacturer, Stellantis, announced this month that the 57-year-old plant would shut down indefinitely at the end of February, putting 1,350 people out of work. And there is fear across the area, an hour’s drive west of Chicago, that ‘indefinitely’ could mean forever. Shane Mathison, a line operator who has worked at the Belvidere plant since 2006, said the news hit hard at home, especially for his wife. ‘She’s freaking out,’ he said. ‘She’s scared to death. But I told her, we’ll make ends meet. If I have to wash dishes at two different places, I will. I have to do what I have to do for the family.’ … ‘Our industry has been adversely affected by a multitude of factors like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the global microchip shortage, but the most impactful challenge is the increasing cost related to the electrification of the automotive market,’ Stellantis said in a statement.” [The New York Times, 12/23/22 (=)]

 

Stellantis To Buy Stake In Symbio To Boost Hydrogen Van Offering. According to Bloomberg, “Stellantis NV plans to buy a stake in hydrogen company owned by tire-maker Michelin and car-parts supplier Faurecia SE as the automaker tries to bolster its low-emissions offerings. The maker of Fiat and Jeep vehicles will take a ‘substantial’ stake in the Symbio business, with closing of the transaction expected for the first half of 2023, Stellantis said Friday. The company didn’t disclose terms. ‘This move will foster the speed of development to bring low-emission products to our customers, beyond traditional electric vehicles,’ Stellantis Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares said in a statement. Symbio, which has around 600 employees and specializes in fuel cell systems, is already a Stellantis partner to deploy light commercial vehicles running on hydrogen. The carmaker plans to offer larger hydrogen vans as early as 2024 in Europe and the following year in the US, and also explore hydrogen opportunities for heavy-duty trucks.” [Bloomberg, 12/23/22 (=)]

 

Stellantis In Talks To Buy 'Substantial' Stake In Hydrogen Mobility Company Symbio. According to Reuters, “Stellantis (STLA.MI) has entered exclusive talks with France’s Faurecia (EPED.PA) and Michelin (MICP.PA) to buy a ‘substantial’ stake in their Symbio joint venture, a fuel cell system maker for hydrogen mobility, the three companies said on Friday. Stellantis, the world third-largest carmaker, launched hydrogen-powered mid-size vans late last year and aims to expand its hydrogen offer to large vans in Europe in 2024 and in the U.S. in 2025, ‘while further exploring opportunities for heavy-duty trucks’. Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said Symbio’s technical roadmap ‘perfectly’ matched with Stellantis hydrogen roll-out plans in Europe and in the U.S. ‘This move will foster the speed of development to bring low emission products to our customers, beyond traditional electric vehicles’ he said in the statement. Stellantis entry ‘will accelerate and globalize Symbio’s growth,’ Faurecia’s CEO Patrick Koller said.” [Reuters, 12/23/22 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Tesla Shares Tumble, On Track For Worst Month Ever. According to Reuters, “Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) shares are on track for their worst month ever as a sell-off deepened on Thursday over worries about softening demand for electric cars and Chief Executive Elon Musk’s distraction with Twitter. The stock dropped almost 10% on Thursday to their lowest level since September 2020 after the automaker’s website showed it was offering $7,500 discounts on Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles delivered in the United States this month. Tesla’s stock has tumbled 36% so far in December, putting it on track for its worst ever monthly performance. By comparison, Tesla’s shares dropped 22% in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic tipped financial markets into a tailspin. Musk’s $44 billion takeover of Twitter in October has been marked by chaos and controversy, with some investors questioning whether the billionaire is too distracted to properly run Tesla. Musk has also sold almost $40 billion worth of his Tesla shares this year, adding to pressure on the stock as investors worry he could sell more to keep Twitter afloat.” [Reuters, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Musk Says Again Tesla Share Sales Will Stop After Stock Tanks. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Elon Musk said again that he’ll stop selling Tesla Inc. shares, after disposing almost $40 billion of his holdings contributed to the stock plummeting to a two-year low. ‘I won’t sell stock until — I don’t know — probably two years from now, definitely not next year under any circumstances, and probably not the year thereafter,’ Musk said during a Twitter Spaces live-audio conversation late Thursday. Tesla shares were little changed in premarket trading as of 4:30 a.m. New York time Friday. Musk’s Tesla Stock Sales Since the Twitter Deal | The CEO keeps saying he’s done, then sells some more Musk made similar proclamations in April and August, only to then keep selling more shares to help fund his purchase of Twitter Inc. While his response to a question from longtime investor Ross Gerber may have reassured investors about one element of what’s been hurting Tesla’s stock, he offered a downbeat outlook for the economy next year. ‘I think we are in a recession, and I think 2023 is going to be quite a serious recession,’ Tesla’s chief executive officer said. ‘It’s going to be, in my opinion, comparable to 2009. I don’t know if it’s going to be a little worse or a little better, but I think it’s, in my view, likely to be comparable. That means demand for any kind of optional, discretionary item, especially if it’s a big-ticket item, will be lower.’” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Elon Musk Says He Will Not Sell More Tesla Stock For About Two Years. According to Reuters, “Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Thursday he will not sell any more Tesla stock for about two years. While speaking in a Twitter Spaces audio chat, Musk said he foresees the economy will be in a ‘serious recession’ in 2023 and demand for big-ticket items will be lower. His comments came after a Tesla stock sell-off deepened on Thursday over worries about softening demand for electric cars and Musk’s distraction with Twitter and his stock sales. ‘I won’t sell stock until I don’t know probably two years from now. Definitely not next year under any circumstances and probably not the year thereafter,’ Musk said. Shares of Tesla rose 3% to $129.23 in after-hours trading on Thursday following an 8.9% drop in regular trading hours. Musk has previously made promises about not selling Tesla stock before subsequently selling it. Last week, Musk disclosed another $3.6 billion in stock sales, taking his total near $40 billion since late last year and frustrating investors as the company’s shares wallow at over two-year lows.” [Reuters, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Tesla Expanding Its Own Battery Cell Development In Fremont. According to Inside EVs, “We’ve brought your attention to a few relatively recent filings related to Tesla’s original factory in Fremont, California. It has been clear that the automaker is upgrading and expanding on the factory grounds, and the filings pointed to battery equipment and the potential for a new battery line at the location. Now, additional filings make details more clear. According to the filings discovered by Teslarati, Tesla is expanding its work on in-house battery cells. The company has been making its proprietary 4680 battery cells on a small pilot line at a facility on Kato Road, not far from the main automotive factory. Tesla has also been producing batteries with one of its partners, Panasonic, for many years now at its original Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada, near Reno. Teslarati notes that much like the Kato Road facility, Tesla has other nearby locations that are part of the Fremont factory operations, though they’re not physically connected. The site mentioned in the filings is located at 901 Page Avenue and has been in Tesla’s possession since 2015.” [Inside EVs, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Tesla Adds Third-Party Fast Chargers To Its Navigation In Europe. According to Inside EVs, “Soon, Tesla drivers in Europe and Israel might see thousands of third-party fast charging stations in the navigation system, on top of the company’s Supercharging network. Tesla has just announced a new program, which will automatically add third-party fast chargers if they meet the company’s performance and reliability standards to Tesla’s navigation as Qualified Third-Party Chargers. The initiative is expected to improve access to third-party fast chargers. Initially, it will be rolled out across Europe and Israel. In terms of requirements for Qualified Third-Party Chargers, the company intends to add only chargers with compatible connectors (that’s obvious), high-reliability rate (success rate of at least 90%) and those that already popular among Tesla drivers. ‘For a charging station to be included in Tesla’s navigation system, it must meet these conditions over a 60-day period: At least one compatible charging connector Frequently used by Tesla drivers at least once every four days Average charge success rate is 90% or higher’” [Inside EVs, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Climate Misinformation Spreads On Musk's Twitter. According to E&E News, “At Tesla, Elon Musk helped kick-start an electric vehicle revolution that will meaningfully cut greenhouse gas emissions. Now, as Twitter’s CEO, he’s overseeing one of the world’s most popular social media platforms that’s rife with climate change misinformation. And it appears to be getting worse. Since Musk’s purchase of Twitter two months ago, some prominent climate deniers have returned to the platform after being banned for pushing misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic. There also are signs that scientists have left Twitter after their posts depicting global warming research were swarmed by critics. Among the changes potentially driven by Musk’s effort to tear down barriers that once prohibited figures like former President Donald Trump from spreading election lies are a rise in the popularity of tweets that claim climate change is a scam. Some recent posts have earned 40,000 likes. Marc Morano, who runs a blog that routinely attacks climate science, said that since Musk bought Twitter the appearance of his name in climate search results ‘appear to be juiced by the new algorithms.’ ‘My Twitter account and many others opposing the ‘consensus’ climate view have all increased visibility dramatically since Musk took over Twitter,’ he said in an interview. ‘Whatever Musk is altering, I hope he keeps it up.’” [E&E News, 12/23/22 (+)]

 

VinGroup JSC

 

Vinfast Celebrates Delivery Of 999 Vehicles To The USA. According to Electrive, “The first batch of 999 VinFast vehicles has arrived in the US, after 26 days at sea from Vietnam. The models are the VF 8 City Edition, a limited edition exclusively on offer for the US market. VinFast explains that the special launch edition has ‘all the features of the standard VF 8, the VF 8 City Edition is a platform that connects all aspect of life through modern technology features such as Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Smart Services’. VinFast will also be relying on over-the-air updates to improve vehicle functionality and customer experience. The ship had left in late November, and at the time, it was said that VF 9 deliveries will begin soon after the arrival of the VF 8 batch, with customer handovers planned for the first quarter of 2023. In their home market, Vietnam, the first vehicle deliveries had taken place in September, meaning the startup is well on track with their delivery ramp-up.” [Electrive, 12/23/22 (+)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

How Volkswagen Transformed From A Climate Cheater To An EV Leader. According to CleanTechnica, “Most of our readers are probably familiar with what we call the Dirty Diesel Debacle. In 2015, the US EPA charged Volkswagen with installing software in its diesel cars that allowed it to cheat on emissions tests. Investigations from European regulators followed, the company (naturally) tried to cover up the scandal, executive heads rolled, and the Volkswagen Group was eventually forced to pay some $30 billion in fines and damages. It was a shocking example of deliberate corporate lawbreaking, and VW’s brand seemed irreparably damaged. But it wasn’t. Just a few years later, the company is considered a clean vehicle leader. New EVs from VW, Audi, and Porsche are selling well, and Electrify America, the infrastructure company that was established as part of VW’s settlement with the authorities, has rolled out an extensive and rapidly growing charging network across the US. It was one of the most impressive rehabilitations in corporate history, but VW didn’t achieve it alone. In 2016, the company formed a Sustainability Council consisting of nine experts from a wide variety of fields to help it transform itself from a polluting pariah into a pioneer of petrol-free propulsion.” [CleanTechnica, 12/22/22 (+)]

 

 

Electric Vehicles

 

Plug-In Hybrids Use More Gas Than Estimated, Dieselgate Whistleblower Says. According to Electrek, “Plug-in hybrids use far more gasoline in the real world than regulatory agencies account for, according to a new analysis of data by the International Council on Clean Transportation, the research group that broke the Volkswagen dieselgate scandal. The ICCT analyzed data both from Fuelly, an app which helps drivers track their fuel efficiency, and from the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). It then compared this data to regulatory agency estimates and found that PHEVs are not driving on electric power nearly as often as the EPA had assumed they are. This could have significant implications for the way plug-in hybrid cars are regulated since they seem to produce more emissions and use more gasoline in practice than previously thought. The data showed that PHEVs spend 26-56% less time in all-electric drive mode (this is called the ‘utility factor’), and therefore consume 42-67% more fuel than EPA labeling suggests. Further, the unbiased data from BAR looked worse than the self-reporting data from Fuelly: Researchers think this is because self-reported MPG data will skew towards drivers who pay more attention to efficiency, and thus are more likely to drive in a more efficient manner and remember to plug in their cars. But the data from BAR doesn’t include this bias, so in reality, PHEV shortcomings probably skew on the high end of these percentage estimates.” [Electrek, 12/22/22 (-)]

 

The Hidden Barrier To V2X: How States And Utilities Can Open The Floodgates For Bidirectional EV Charging. According to Utility Dive, “The energy world is abuzz with solutions to leverage electric vehicles to provide backup power and vehicle-to-grid services, rather than calling on costly emergency resources (including polluting backup generators typically banned from running), urging customers to limit the use of air conditioning, or triggering rolling blackouts. Nearly 3 million EVs have been sold across the U.S., a growing number of which support vehicle-to-everything, or V2X, bidirectional charging capability. The new Ford F-150 Lightning Electric, in partnership with Sunrun, upcoming vehicles from General Motors, in partnership with SunPower, the Nissan LEAF, in partnership with Fermata Energy, and several school bus manufacturers, in collaboration with Nuvve, offer V2X capabilities. With California planning to ban the sale of new gas-powered passenger vehicles, and other states expected to follow suit, the potential for V2X bidirectional charging systems to contribute to grid reliability is surging. The Vehicle-Grid Integration Council, or VGIC, a group representing automakers and EV charging companies, estimates that by the end of 2022, the Nissan LEAF and Ford F-150 Lightning vehicles on California’s roads could represent as much as 500 MW of technical vehicle-to-grid or ‘V2G’ export capability — the equivalent of ten 50 MW gas-fired peaker plants. Nationwide, this capability is likely to reach around 1 GW. These figures will only grow as greater numbers of EVs hit the roads in the coming years.” [Utility Dive, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

Gates-Backed Venture Plans To Build $760 Million Battery Plant. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Form Energy Inc., an energy-storage company backed by Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, is planning a $760 million factory in West Virginia, the latest plant announced in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law. After years of depending on foreign imports for its clean-energy supplies, the US is on the verge of a revival in domestic cleantech manufacturing. A key product: energy storage for the country’s grids and electric vehicles. The support of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin was critical to the passage of the climate law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act. Form Energy is developing storage that’s intended to last far longer than the four-hour batteries that are slowly being added to US electric systems, potentially for days at a time. Such technology could speed the energy transition by making grids less vulnerable to the whims of wind and solar power — thus eliminating an advantage coal and gas have enjoyed over renewables. The company expects to start construction of the Weirton-based factory in 2023 and begin manufacturing in 2024, according to a statement Thursday. It’s forecast to create at least 750 jobs. The Massachusetts-based company has attracted considerable investor interest thanks to its promised innovation in battery technology. To make its cells, the startup plans to use iron, a more readily available material than lithium-ion. ArcelorMittal SA, the steel and mining giant, has invested alongside top-tier climate technology funds.” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Georgia

 

One Of The Largest Economic Development Stories In Georgia History — New EV Battery Factory. According to CleanTechnica, “South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group and SK On have finalized a site in Georgia for another EV battery factory. That may seem like mundane news, but it turns out that this investment alone is expected to be one of the largest economic development stories in the history of Georgia. So say the state of Georgia and Hyundai. The battery factory could create 3,500 jobs in Barstow County. It will entail an investment of $4–5 billion. If you’re not familiar with SK On, that’s because it’s only one year old. It is under the wing of SK Innovation, which has been one of the five or ten biggest producers of lithium-ion batteries for the past several years. The South Korean battery makers made Georgia their US home previously, and 2,000 Georgians are employed by SK On at the moment in the city of Commerce. The aim at the moment is for the Barstow County manufacturing facility to go into operation in 2025. ‘HMG [Hyundai Motor Group] and SK have been pioneering partners for Georgia for decades as one of the major drivers for Georgia’s automotive renaissance and as the first Korean manufacturer to locate in the state, respectively,’ said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. ‘By supporting cooperation and partnerships across our growing EV ecosystem, we’re creating a fully integrated supply chain for automotive OEMs while also connecting battery manufacturers with recyclers to close the loop on battery manufacturing. We’re excited for the jobs of the future this will create for Bartow County and northwest Georgia, and we’re grateful for the support of our community and utility partners!’” [CleanTechnica, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

 

International

 

Indonesia

 

Indonesia Considers $320 Mln In Incentives To Boost EV Sales In 2023. According to Reuters, “Indonesia may allocate 5 trillion rupiah ($320.41 million) from next year’s budget to incentivise electric vehicle (EV) purchases, though details of the scheme were still being finalised, a senior minister said on Wednesday. Last week, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said buyers could get a discount of 80 million rupiah for EVs made by firms with factories in the country, as well as other incentives for hybrid cars and electric motorcycles. The government plans to offer subsidies to sellers to cover the costs. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia’s chief economics minister, said at a news conference on Wednesday that authorities are detailing how much they could provide per sale based on the budget allocation. The government is also considering subsidising electric bus sales, he said. President Joko Widodo told the same news conference: ‘We hope with these incentives, the electric motorcycle and electric car industry will grow’.” [Reuters, 12/22/22 (=)]

 

 

 

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