White House

 

Harris Visit To Minn. Highlights EVs' Mining Complexities — “Vice President Kamala Harris’s trip to Minnesota on Thursday to tout the economic and climate benefits of electric vehicles is also highlighting concerns about a contentious nickel project in that state that’s poised to receive financial support from the Biden administration. Harris, who’s traveling this week to promote the administration’s climate and energy work following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech, is slated to appear in St. Cloud to talk about investments in EVs and union jobs (Greenwire, Feb. 8). Harris will visit New Flyer, a bus manufacturer that is working on electric buses for transit systems in New York and Minneapolis, the Star-Tribune newspaper reported. In an effort to draw national attention, the nonprofit environmental organization Honor the Earth on Wednesday sent out a public notice and invitation for Harris to also visit Indigenous communities near the proposed Tamarack nickel mine. The release quoted a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and showed a photo of a member of the Sandy Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa. ‘Community members including Anishinaabe residents just 100 miles north of where the VP is scheduled to speak — are inviting her to also visit their homelands in the impact zone of the proposed Talon Metals, Inc. Tamarack Nickel Mine. Talon proposes to supply metals, primarily nickel, for EV batteries,’ the press release stated.” [E&E News, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Trump Vows 'Team Of Warrior Lawyers' To Destroy Energy Regs — “Former President Donald Trump on Thursday promised to torpedo the Biden administration’s energy and climate policies if he’s reelected in 2024. ‘When I’m back in the White House, I will bring back a pro-American energy policy at long last,’ the former president said in a video released Thursday outlining his energy campaign platform. Trump slammed President Joe Biden’s policies, which he called an ‘anti-American energy crusade,’ and vowed to bring back initiatives from his first term in office. ‘I will deploy a team of warrior lawyers to hunt down every unnecessary regulation in the federal registry that hampers domestic production, and we will wipe them off the books,’ Trump said. … ‘We will rapidly issue approvals for all worthy energy infrastructure projects with a focus on maximum speed to bring prices down rapidly,’ Trump said. Trump’s energy video, posted on his 2024 campaign website, was released as Biden and his top officials are appearing around the country to tout their administration’s climate and clean energy policies (Greenwire, Feb, 8). … Biden hasn’t yet formally declared that he’ll seek reelection, but he has said he intends to run again in 2024, potentially setting up a Biden-Trump rematch.” [E&E News, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

 

Federal Agencies

 

Department of Energy (DOE)

 

Biden Backs EV Battery Recycling With $2B Loan — “The Energy Department unveiled a conditional $2 billion loan guarantee Thursday for a project in Nevada slated to produce electric vehicle battery components, part of the Biden administration’s larger vision of shoring up vulnerable supply chains in this country. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced the loan guarantee for Nevada-based battery recycling company Redwood Materials Inc. at an event in Reno. She noted that the region is flush with new projects — including mining, battery manufacturing and recycling — that are part of a growing battery supply chain. Granholm, one of many top energy and climate officials crisscrossing the country to highlight the Biden administration’s work following the State of the Union address, attributed the expanding sector to investments from the recent Inflation Reduction Act and 2021’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The secretary also emphasized that the financial support is part of a vision President Joe Biden laid out to cement a ‘clean energy economy,’ noting that China has dominated every step of the supply chain in making batteries, the ‘gust of the electric vehicle,’ including producing and processing critical minerals like lithium and cobalt. ‘The U.S. does virtually zip,’ said Granholm. ‘But that is changing.’” [E&E News, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Nevada Battery Recycler Wins $2B Loan From Energy Department — “A Nevada company that recycles batteries for electric vehicles has won a $2 billion green energy loan from the Biden administration. Redwood Materials, a recycling venture founded by the former chief technology officer at Tesla Inc., secured the conditional loan from the Energy Department’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, which helped Tesla more than a decade ago. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced the grant Thursday at Redwood’s facility in Nevada with Gov. Joe Lombardo, where they spoke from a stage to dozens of employees. ‘This region is leading the way to a broader story of what is happening in the country,’ Granholm said, pointing to a map of 80 battery manufacturing or supply chain companies that are expanding or opening in the U.S. Most have been announced in response to the infrastructure law President Joe Biden signed in 2021 and the climate law he signed last year, she said.” [Associated Press, 2/10/23 (=)]

 

Biden Administration Grants $2 Billion Loan For Electric Vehicle Battery Materials — “The Energy Department on Thursday tentatively awarded a $2 billion loan to battery recycling company Redwood Materials, which the company says will allow it to produce enough battery materials to enable the production of more than a million electric vehicles a year. The Nevada-based company said it plans to ultimately ramp up to producing 100 gigawatt-hours annually of ultra-thin battery-grade materials from both new and recycled sources in the United States for the first time. Redwood founder CEO JB Straubel, who previously worked at Tesla, said at an event announcing the loan that he had a ‘front row seat’ while at the Elon Musk-helmed electric vehicle maker to ‘some of the bigger challenges the the entire industry would face as it scales,’ particularly around the battery materials supply chain. ‘It was somewhat clear even way back then, eight years ago, that this would be a really big bottleneck for the entire industry as it scaled,’ Straubel said.” [Politico, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Energy Dept. Will Lend $2 Billion To A Battery Component Maker — “The Energy Department on Thursday announced a $2 billion loan to help a Nevada company step up production of critical components of electric vehicle batteries. The company, Redwood Materials, plans to use the loan to expand a manufacturing campus near Reno, Nev., where it makes some of the components from new and recycled sources. The company was founded by J.B. Straubel, a former top Tesla executive, and has partnerships with Panasonic, Ford Motor, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. After construction is complete, Redwood aims to produce enough battery materials at the Nevada campus to support production of more than one million electric vehicles a year. The loan will help to create about 3,400 construction jobs, Redwood and the Energy Department said. The company said it expected about 1,600 full-time employees to work at the campus when it was finished.” [The New York Times, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Co-Founder's EV Battery Firm Gets $2 Billion Federal Loan — “Redwood Materials Inc., created by Tesla co-founder J.B. Straubel, said on Thursday that it received a $2 billion loan commitment from the Biden administration to build enough critical battery components to produce a million electric vehicles a year. The loan is the fourth commitment in six months from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan program — the same fund that helped Tesla Inc. develop its flagship Model S electric sedan in 2010. Biden resuscitated the program last July, after a 12-year hiatus, and Democrats nearly quadrupled its lending authority to $55 billion with their signature climate law passed in August. It’s a big day for Redwood, which also announced it has begun production of a key product: thin copper foil used for battery anode. Redwood now operates the first major production line for the delicate foils in the US, Straubel said. Redwood will expand into complex cathode materials later this year.” [Bloomberg, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

So Hot Right Now: The Battery Metals Race — “Let’s check in on the latest moves in the intensifying corporate and geopolitical competition over EV battery supply chains, Ben writes. Driving the news: The Energy Department’s loan program announced a conditional $2 billion commitment for Redwood Materials to construct and expand its Nevada operations. U.S. officials want to build up domestic sources for key components where China currently dominates production. Why it matters: DOE says it will be the first domestic plant that will ‘support production of anode copper foil and cathode active materials in a fully closed-loop lithium-ion battery manufacturing process.’ Redwood will use both new and recycled materials. Axios’ Joann Muller has more on yesterday’s announcement. The intrigue: Elsewhere, Bloomberg reports that General Motors is eyeing fresh moves to strengthen ties to mining companies. GM is competing to buy a stake in Brazilian mining giant Vale’s metals unit as GM seeks to lock down more nickel and copper, they report. The two companies announced a nickel supply deal last year. Last month GM announced a $650 million equity investment in Lithium Americas, which hopes to develop a major lithium project in Nevada.” [Axios, 2/10/23 (+)]

 

Biden Administration Announces $2B Loan For Electric Vehicle Battery Manufacturing — “Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington. The Biden administration on Thursday announced that it would issue a $2 billion loan to a battery manufacturing facility as it looks to bolster the country’s supply chain for electric vehicles. ‘The Department of Energy is proud to announce a conditional commitment for a $2 billion loan to Redwood Materials,’ Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday during a press conference. ‘If finalized, this $2 billion loan is going to help Redwood to complete this project to produce critical components for EV batteries.’ She did not elaborate on what the conditions of the commitment are. The Hill has reached out to the Energy Department for clarification. The loan would go to Redwood Materials for the expansion of a battery materials facility in McCarren, Nevada.” [The Hill, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Redwood Materials Wins $2B DOE Loan To Recycle EV Batteries — “The U.S. will need millions of tons of metals and materials to build the batteries going into electric vehicles. The Biden administration wants as much of that material as possible to be produced domestically — and as much as possible to come from recycling old batteries instead of being mined from the earth. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office announced a conditional loan commitment of $2 billion for Redwood Materials, the battery materials and recycling startup led by Tesla co-founder and former CTO JB Straubel, aimed at boosting that domestic recycled battery materials supply. The loan will help Redwood Materials build its $3.5 billion McCarren, Nevada factory, which is expected to eventually be the first ’fully closed-loop lithium-ion battery manufacturing process’ in the country, according to Thursday’s statement. The $2 billion will become available in tranches to support the factory’s expansion; it will be subject to final approval and milestones being met by the company.” [Canary Media, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Redwood Starts Manufacturing Anode Copper Foil — “The recycling company Redwood Materials, founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, has started producing anode copper foils. In addition, Redwood has received a conditional commitment from the US Department of Energy for a $2 billion loan for battery materials.” [Electrive, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

 

Manufacturers, Fleets, & OEMs

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

Ford Drops Nearly All Of Their Rivian Shares — “Ford has sold off a large part of its Rivian shares. According to a notification from Rivian to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ford’s stake in Rivian is now only 1.15 per cent. The sale comes a week after Ford reported a US$7.3 billion write-down on its Rivian investment in 2022. Since February 2022, Rivian’s stock has plunged nearly 70 per cent.” [Electrive, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

1000-Plus-HP Ford F-150 Lightning Concept Previewed By CEO — “Ford will likely build a high-output F-150 Lighting concept based on a recent teaser, as first reported by Motor Authority. Part of a larger infographic, the specific teaser showed a pickup truck silhouette with ‘coming soon’ in the middle. The mystery truck was surrounded by 1000-plus-hp EV concepts like the seven-motor Mach-E 1400 and the SuperVan 4.” [Car and Driver, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Geely

 

Volvo In Advanced Talks On Possible Lithium Mining — “Volvo Car … AB is in advanced talks with some of the biggest mining companies, including over potential stakes in lithium mining or processing operations, Chief Executive Jim Rowan said, joining the auto-industry-wide race to secure the minerals and metals needed to power electric vehicles. ‘Right now, we already have advanced conversations with some of the big miners, as well as the processing factories that process lithium,’ Mr. Rowan said, adding that Volvo would decide in the coming months whether to engage in ‘long-term deals and long-term price negotiations for supply, or whether you want to make an equity investment.’ Volvo is the latest car maker to consider taking direct equity stakes in suppliers of lithium, a central ingredient for making the batteries that power electric cars. The demand for raw materials such as lithium and cobalt as auto makers shift to electric vehicles is rising fast, and has led to higher prices. Shares of the Swedish car maker, which is majority owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, rose 1.37% in Stockholm trading Thursday.” [The Wall Street Journal, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Volvo Says It Won’t Lower Its EV Prices To Follow Tesla — “Volvo won’t follow Tesla in cutting the prices of its all-electric vehicles, citing strong demand and a solid backlog of orders on the EV front. The statement belongs to the Swedish company’s CEO, Jim Rowan, who spoke with Reuters, saying that they have no intention to reduce pricing. ‘We don’t see (price cuts) at this point in time. Demand for our (battery electric vehicles) is the highest we’ve ever seen, the backlog for that as well,’ he added. Volvo’s stand comes after Tesla slashed the prices on its models by up to 20 percent, starting what some say is an all-out EV price war, with Ford following suit and cutting the price of its all-electric Mustang Mach-E by up to $5,900, Lucid offering massive discounts, and VinFast planning promotions for its yet-to-be-delivered Vietnamese-made EVs.” [Inside EVs, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

General Motor Corp.

 

GM Inks Deal With GlobalFoundries To Secure U.S.-Made Chips — “General Motors Co (GM.N) and chipmaker GlobalFoundries Inc (GFS.O) on Thursday announced a long-term deal for the automaker to secure U.S.-made processors that will enable it to avoid the factory-halting chip shortages that kept millions of cars from being manufactured during the pandemic. GlobalFoundries said the agreement for at least three years was the first of its kind and establishes a dedicated capacity exclusively for GM’s key chip suppliers at their upstate New York fabrication facility. The announcement comes two days after President Joe Biden in his State of the Union address praised the passing of the $52 billion Chips and Science Act that aims to bring back chip manufacturing to the United States and points to a new approach by automakers to securing semiconductors. It also highlights a new way that chip manufacturers can finance U.S. expansion, using a combination of funding from customers that want dedicated capacity for semiconductors and funding from the federal government.” [Reuters, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

General Motors Reaches Deal To Ensure Its Chip Supply — “General Motors has reached an agreement with a large computer chip maker to help ensure it has a steady supply of semiconductors as it ramps up production of electric vehicles and complex components that require increases in computing power. Under the agreement, the chip maker, GlobalFoundries, agreed to set aside a portion of its manufacturing capacity exclusively to make chips for G.M. The automaker plans to introduce more than two dozen electric vehicles around the world over the next two years. Large numbers of chips are used in internal-combustion vehicles as well. General Motors is increasing the number of vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems that use cameras, radar and other sensors to allow hands-free driving under certain conditions.” [The New York Times, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

New GM Partnership Gives Automaker Long-Term Supply Of Semiconductor Chips — “After nearly two years of a global shortage of semiconductor chips that crippled new-car production across the industry, General Motors has locked in exclusive production of a significant portion of the chips it will need for future cars. GM and GlobalFoundries, a global manufacturer of semiconductor chips, on Thursday announced a long-term agreement where GF will make the key components in chips, including the semiconductor wafer. That wafer will be sent to a semiconductor chip supplier, who will complete the finished chip. That chip goes to a parts supplier, such as brake-maker Bosch, which puts it in an electronic braking system that is then sent to GM for its vehicles.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Does GM Stand A Chance In Europe’s Emerging EV Market? — “Speculation is rife about General Motors’ (GM) strategy after the company announced a wider return to Europe following a six-year hiatus. GM sold its Vauxhall and Opal brands to PSA Groupe, now a part of Stellantis, for US$2.2bn in 2017. GM’s return was confirmed in November 2022 with the appointment of Jaclyn McQuaid as President and Managing Director of GM Europe in Zurich, Switzerland. A GM statement says McQuaid is tasked with implementing ‘a nimble, non-traditional mobility start-up, with an all-electric vehicle portfolio at its core.’” [Automotive World, 2/10/23 (=)]

 

Hyundai Motor Co.

 

Hyundai Introduces Vehicle Subscription In The USA — “Hyundai Motor America announced its new Evolve+ electric vehicle subscription service, providing flexibility to consumers who want to drive Hyundai’s newest EVs without committing to a purchase or longer-term lease. The Evolve+ subscription service operates on a month-to-month basis, covering 1,000 miles, insurance, maintenance, registration, and road-side assistance at a starting price of $699 per month for a Kona Electric and $899 per month for the Ioniq 5. Hyundai has rolled out the Evolve+ at select dealerships in seven cities over six states so far, but has mentioned plans to expand before the year is out.” [Electrive, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Stellantis

 

Ram CEO Names Production Electric Truck, Announces Mexico Investment — “The Ram 1500 REV will be the name of Stellantis NV’s all-electric production pickup launching next year — and viewers might get a look at it during the Super Bowl on Sunday, the brand’s CEO teased on Thursday at the Chicago Auto Show. ‘I would suggest you have some good chicken wings ready to go for this weekend,’ Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. quipped. The brand has a 60-second spot airing during the fourth quarter during the Fox broadcast of the NFL’s championship game. Ram’s production all-electric pickup truck, dubbed the Ram 1500 REV, will feature differentiated badging. The REV that will feature new color-differentiated badging is a ‘descendant’ of the tech-infused, configurable Revolution concept truck Ram revealed last month at the CES consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, Koval said. The electric model of Stellantis’ most-sold vehicle in the United States will be the hallmark of the Ram brand in its zero-emission portfolio. ‘We’re not abandoning our base or our core or our ICE propulsion systems,’ Koval told The Detroit News in a phone interview from a heavy-duty Limited on the show floor. ‘We’re just introducing the electrified side of the family. We’re going to go to market in parallel. From a showroom perspective, I think we’ll have a very nice delineation between our lineup and our EV lineup. You’ll see some distinctive characteristics.’” [The Detroit News, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Ram Confirms 1500 REV Name For Electric Pickup, Production Starts In 2024 — “Ram had a few words to say about its new battery-electric pickup at the Chicago Auto Show. First, the automaker confirmed the name as the Ram 1500 REV. That makes the obvious allusion to the ‘revolution’ Ram has been promising in the space for a while and, frankly, did a good job of delivering on with its three-row hauler. Ram said production starts next year, in 2024, and that we’d get more information about it on Sunday, February 12. Football fans will know that’s the same date as the Super Bowl, and everyone who’s more interested in the ads than the game knows the place to announce new vehicle information is during a commercial. So, yes, expect to see the 1500 REV in a spot. The truck’s public reveal will happen ‘in the coming months,’ Ram boss Mike Koval saying, ‘We are confident the Ram 1500 REV will push past the competition, offering what will be the leading combination of attributes customers care about the most: range, payload, towing and charge time.’” [Autoblog, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Ram 1500 REV Confirmed As The Name Of The Brand’s EV Pickup — “Stellantis, which is Ram’s parent company, confirmed in an official press release that the Ram Revolution Concept revealed at the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas will be called Ram 1500 REV when it reaches customers as a production all-electric full-size pickup truck. We previously reported that Ram filed for a trademark application regarding Land vehicles, namely, passenger trucks, with the name RAM 1500 REV. Now, the American carmaker confirms what we said back in December 2022. Stellantis doesn’t offer too many details, but it does say that its first-ever all-electric pickup truck will go into production in 2024, with a formal reveal coming in the following months. It also says that more information will be available on February 12, which is when the Super Bowl happens this year, so expect an ad of some sort during the big game.” [Inside EVs, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Ram 1500 Rev Is The Name Of The Brand's First Electric Pickup — “Ram has significantly shortened the official name of its first electric pickup, which is slated to start production next year. While the concept version was originally called the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV, the brand has condensed it down to the Ram 1500 Rev. Other than what we already know about the concept, today’s news is only notable because of the name. Thankfully, the world won’t have to wait too long to learn more details, as Ram says it plans to release more information this Sunday, Feb. 12. Could it be a surprise addition to the slew of Super Bowl commercials? Stay tuned.” [Car and Driver, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Ram Confirms Production Name For Its Electric Pickup Truck — “The Ram 1500 Revolution electric pickup concept, which was unveiled in early January in conjunction with CES, is getting a new name when it reaches production: Ram 1500 REV. The announcement is confirmation of news we broke when the truck debuted. It’s not the most thrilling choice—we’d have gone with Ram Charger—and isn’t nearly as cool as Lightning or Cybertruck, but at least Ram didn’t just add ‘EV’ or ‘Electric’ to 1500 and call it a day. To attract consumers, the REV will trade on much more than its name, however. Ram hopes to set its truck apart with sleeker, sportier styling, as well as a number of innovative and unusual features not normally seen in pickup trucks.” [MotorTrend, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Production Ram 1500 REV Electric Truck Teased In First Photos — “At the Chicago Auto Show, Ram has released a first look at the production version of its upcoming fully electric pickup truck, to be called Ram 1500 REV. The very limited preview, for now, comes in the form of two photos that show badges and front-end styling. More details are set to come on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 12, Ram said.” [Green Car Reports, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Tesla, After Recent Cuts, Raises Starting Price Of Model Y In China — “Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has increased the starting price of its Model Y crossovers by 0.8% to 261,900 yuan ($38,577.11) in China, after the company’s aggressive price cuts at the beginning of the year ignited demand. Tesla raised the price for the rear-wheel drive version of Model Y by 2,000 yuan from 259,900 yuan previously, according to the price information listed on the company’s Chinese website on Friday. The U.S. automaker planned to step up output at its Shanghai plant over the next two months to meet demand stoked by aggressive price cuts on its best-selling models, Reuters reported previously. Its market share in China’s battery electric car sector rose to 12.5% in January from 9% in December, according to a Reuters calculation based on industry data. Tesla kept the prices for other versions of Model Y and the Model 3 cars unchanged.” [Reuters, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

How To Try A Tesla For A Month Without Committing —“Prospective Tesla buyers have a lot to consider ahead of making a purchase, and even more so if it’s their first time buying an electric vehicle. However, one new service will let users try a Tesla out for just a month, without forcing them to commit after they’re done. Those considering whether or not they should buy a Tesla can now try one out for a month without committing through the use of EV subscription company Autonomy, as PC Mag reports. To do so, users can simply sign up for Autonomy’s month-to-month leases at the minimum term of 31 days, and the company will drop a Tesla Model 3 off at your door. PC Mag’s Emily Dreibelbis rented a Tesla Model 3 from Autonomy to test it out as she considered whether to buy a traditional gas car, a hybrid, or a battery-electric vehicle. The main lessons she took away from the short-term lease revolved mainly around charging and expectations of range, both factors which many consumers may be concerned about prior to making their purchases.” [CleanTechnica, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

VinGroup JSC

 

VinFast Establishing More Partnerships In U.S. & Europe — “Vietnam’s VinFast has big plans to become an electric vehicle production giant, including wedging out its place in the markets of Europe and the United States. For anyone who was skeptical about the effort, a couple of new partnerships indicate that VinFast is indeed entering these markets and focused on attracting customers. (For anyone skeptical about VinFast achieving what Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia did in decades past, well, that’s a much bigger topic and a question that is up for debate until it happens or not.) Over on this side of the Atlantic, VinFast has just partnered with U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank is now VinFast’s ‘preferred provider of retail financing and leasing of VinFast vehicles in the United States.’ So, get ready, you’ll be able to lease or finance a VinFast EV soon! ‘With the goal to make electric vehicles accessible to everyone, VinFast is constantly looking for optimal solutions for customers. Thanks to this agreement, VinFast customers will have access to competitive finance and lease rates and world-class customer service from U.S. Bank,’ said Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup Vice Chair and CEO of VinFast Holdings.” [CleanTechnica, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

VW Says It's Considering A PHEV Or Electric Pickup Truck — “Volkswagen divulged to Autoblog and a small group of media at the Chicago Auto Show today that it is looking into making a pickup truck. This isn’t the first time in recent history VW has threatened to greenlight a pickup — the company was talking a similar tune back in 2019 when it unveiled the Tarok Concept, but nothing ever materialized. Maybe things will be different this time? ‘So, the first thing we wanted to do was make sure we round out the electric vehicle SUV portfolio,’ Hein Scafer, SVP of Product Marketing and Strategy started. ‘And the next request I think charged onto the board is of course we want a pickup truck. Please talk. Let’s get it. Let’s get a pencil into it man.’ VW said it will be making decisions in the second half of the year, so perhaps there could be some more news out later in 2023. What form would this pickup take? It’s still up in the air, but VW’s new CEO of America offered some clarifications. ‘It would not be a combustion,’ Pablo Di Si, VW CEO of America said. ‘Let me define, electrified. It can be electric. It can be a plug-in. It cannot be a combustion engine. That’s for sure.’” [Autoblog, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

VW Is Considering A Plug-In Hybrid Pickup Truck For America — “Volkswagen is considering a pickup truck for the U.S. market that would likely be a plug-in hybrid, the brand’s North American boss said Tuesday in an interview with Motor Authority. President and CEO of VW Group of America Pablo di Si said the possible pickup could have a hybrid of plug-in hybrid powertrain, but that it would definitely be one or the other. ‘It’s not strategically wise to go into multiple directions for hybrids,’ Di Si said. That seemingly contrasts the strategies of other automakers like Toyota and Hyundai/Kia, which currently sell multiple models with both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. VW’s U.S.-market pickup would reportedly leverage current platforms in the automaker’s portfolio, and would likely have unibody construction, likely using the bones of the VW Atlas crossover SUV.” [Green Car Reports, 2/9/23 (+)]

 

VW Is Considering An Electric Pickup For The US Market — “Volkswagen is looking into making an all-electric pickup truck in America, for America, signaling the German brand’s first foray into the segment. Speaking with Autoblog at the Chicago Auto Show, VW officials said they first wanted to complete the lineup of electric vehicles and that the next thing the company has in its sight is a pickup truck, according to Hein Scafer, senior vice president of product marketing and strategy at Volkswagen. And while more decisions about this idea will be made sometime in the second half of the year, it looks like VW’s CEO of America, Pablo Di Si, already knows what will power the brand’s possible pickup. ‘It would not be a combustion,’ Di Si said for Autoblog. ‘Let me define – electrified. It can be electric. It can be a plug-in. It cannot be a combustion engine. That’s for sure.’” [Inside EVs, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

 

Electric Vehicles

 

EV Advertising

 

Super Bowl Ads Can Kick Off Customer Interest In EVs — “The whole notion of drivers going electric is becoming mainstream, so much so that GM is spending millions to advertise its recent deal with Netflix to work its electric vehicles into the streaming service’s TV shows and movies. Growing awareness is nice. But what is really needed is greater and better education about EV ownership and why the world is transitioning away from fossil-fuel-powered mobility. Sales of electric vehicles in the U.S. jumped in 2022, increasing by two-thirds while the rest of the auto market contracted. Carmakers sold 807,180 fully electric vehicles in the U.S. this past year, equating to 5.8% of all vehicles sold, and up from 3.2% a year earlier. This jump in EV sales sharply contrasts with the 8% overall decline in total U.S. auto sales from the previous year. … This year’s big game is expected to showcase another round of EV excitement with new vehicles advertised and even broader, more well-rounded EV campaigns that reach across social, broadcast and web. However, if the auto industry truly wants to push that 5.8% mark even higher in 2023, these advertising campaigns must go beyond just the promise of the vehicles and the technology itself. It’s time the industry provides more education in the broader EV experience – in driving, owning, maintaining, and especially, the sales process.” [Wards Auto, 2/9/23 (+)]

 

Super Bowl LVII Car Commercials: What We Know So Far — “At $7 million for a 30-second spot, this year Super Bowl commercials are an expensive proposition. That’s why GM brought in Will Ferrell to introduce the idea that you’re about to see GM EVs all over Netflix shows, but only where it makes sense, so no Bolts in Bridgerton. Kia, Jeep, and Ram will also have commercials in the Big Game, but our first look at them will have to wait until Sunday. We do know that Kia’s has something to do with a pacifier emoji.” [Car and Driver, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Super Bowl Ads — “The Super Bowl is Sunday, and automakers are looking to replicate last year’s success driving search traffic to their EV offerings, when EV page views jumped 80 percent across Cars.com, with searches for Kia going up more than 900 percent. Kia, GM and Stellantis have all confirmed ad buys for Sunday’s game.” [Politico, 2/10/23 (=)]

 

EV Infrastructure

 

Unreliable Charging Networks Plagued 1 In 5 EV Owners Last Year: Study — “It’s no secret that automakers are gravitating toward electric vehicles—after all, nearly every single one has publicized their plans to migrate their fleets, at least partially, toward battery power. Meanwhile, EV skeptics are calling out slow charging times and potential power grid problems as reasons to avoid making the switch. But there’s one’s one very real, very now problem that EV owners are already running into: unreliable chargers. Late last year, the second iteration of JD Power’s Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study was released. The report investigates just how satisfied owners are with public charging, and at the time, owners were fairly happy with charging when it actually worked. JD Power has since updated its study with results from the fourth quarter of 2022, and sadly, things aren’t exactly getting better for owners trying to charge on-the-go.” [The Drive, 2/9/23 (-)]

 

EV Manufacturing

 

Gigapresses - The Giant Die Casts Reshaping Car Manufacturing — “By replacing around 60 welded components with a single module, gigantic aluminium die casting machines made by the likes of Tesla supplier IDRA Group are helping carmakers to simplify manufacturing and cut costs by up to 40% in some areas. Tesla (TSLA.O) has pioneered the use of massive casting machines, also known as gigapresses, to make large single pieces of vehicle underbodies, streamline production and reduce the work of even robots. This has helped it become the most profitable battery electric vehicle (BEV) maker. Critics say the process poses quality and flexibility risks, as a single flaw can compromise a whole module, and make fixing more difficult if something goes wrong. But with the industry struggling to preserve profit margins amid surging raw materials prices, carmakers including Toyota (7203.T), General Motors (GM.N), Hyundai (005380.KS), Volvo Cars and Chinese electric vehicle startup Nio (9866.HK) are turning to companies like IDRA for help. ‘The basic idea was to provide a technology that could simplify the car production process,’ IDRA general manager Riccardo Ferrario told Reuters in an interview at the company’s headquarters in Travagliato, northern Italy. Battery packs currently make up 25%-40% of the total cost of BEVs. ‘You need to make the rest cost less,’ Ferrario said.” [Reuters, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

US-Made Materials Rule May Create New Trade Friction — “Last year’s CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act were crafted to incentivize U.S. manufacturing and boost demand for U.S.-made products, specifically semiconductors and electric vehicles, over foreign competitors. The policies were guaranteed to spark a reaction from U.S. trade partners, Sidley Austin LLP partner Ted Murphy noted in a December newsletter. ‘Other jurisdictions will have to pursue their own domestic production incentive/subsidy programs which will make it harder for companies to sell product produced elsewhere,’ Murphy wrote in an email, explaining that even as the new laws expanded the market for certain U.S. goods at home, they could cause it to shrink elsewhere. For example, some of the closest U.S. allies and largest trading partners, including France, Germany and Japan, have made their opposition known to the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits for electric vehicles assembled in the U.S., going as far as to raise the specter of corollary measures in their home markets. ‘Trade is going to get (even) more complicated in 2023,’ especially in certain industries, Murphy concluded. ‘Simply put, where you produce (and what you produce it with) is increasingly going to matter more than it did in the past.’” [Law360, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

EV Resources & Technology

 

SK Innovation Battery Unit SK On Aims To Raise Up To $2.4 Bln -Sources — “The electric vehicle (EV) battery business of South Korea’s SK Innovation Co Ltd (096770.KS), SK On, has begun a new funding round, targeting 2 trillion to 3 trillion won ($1.6 billion to $2.4 billion), said two people with knowledge of the matter. The fundraising will mainly target international investors, said the people, one of whom said the company aims to finalise the fundraising as early as March-end. SK On’s last funding round was in December when it raised 2 trillion won from SK Innovation and 800 billion won from Korea Investment Private Equity and others. An eventual initial public offering (IPO) was baked into agreements, SK Innovation said. That round valued the business at 22 trillion won, said one of the people, who declined to be identified as the information is confidential. A spokeswoman declined to comment on valuation but said SK On expects up to an extra 500 billion won from private equity funds this year as part of the December fundraising. She said the amount and schedule for the latest fundraising have not been set. SK Innovation was not immediately available for comment.” [Reuters, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: We’re Not Even Close To Running Out Of Green Minerals — “For those betting against the world’s ability to kick its carbon addiction, the commodities boom of the past few years has provided fresh ammunition. Tesla Inc.’s Model 3 contained 4.5 kilograms of cobalt in its power pack in 2018, materials analyst Benchmark Minerals Intelligence estimated at the time. Scale that up to the 7.8 million electric vehicles sold last year — 10% of the global market — and then project forward into a future where that share rises toward 100%, and you can quickly see the world running into a supply problem. Sure enough, prices for lithium-ion batteries rose last year for the first time since at least 2010 as materials pushed up the price, according to BloombergNEF. You would hardly be surprised if things got worse as green investments in the US, European Union and China ramp up over the coming years. The metals demand from the energy transition ‘may top current global supply,’ the International Monetary Fund warned in a 2021 analysis. Difficulty securing materials such as lithium, cobalt, tellurium and copper could hamper the shift to cleaner energy, Imperial College London’s Energy Futures Lab wrote in December.” [Bloomberg, 2/9/23 (+)]

 

 

Advocacy

 

State Officials Seek EPA Vehicle Rules Stronger Than Biden’s EV Goals — “Environmental officials from almost a dozen states are pressing the Biden EPA to write air emissions rules for both light- and heavy-duty vehicles that assume more electrification than the administration’s current targets, arguing that public funding and market trends will likely spur at least that level of electric vehicle (EV) deployment. The call in a recent letter to President Joe Biden lends new weight to recent claims from a clean transportation group that the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) EV tax incentives -- as well as bipartisan infrastructure law charging station funds and increasing sales of zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) -- enable EPA rules far more ambitious than the agency might have otherwise considered. All other things being equal, the more electrification EPA’s rules project or require, the more EVs vehicle manufacturers would have to sell to comply with the standards, though automakers could also comply by wringing additional GHG cuts from conventional vehicles. But state officials’ pitch also reflect concerns that, to the extent electrification from current policies winds up exceeding projections in EPA’s upcoming rules, that could make the rules more of a ‘paper’ compliance exercise rather than a means for prodding greater emissions reductions.” [Inside EPA, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

 

States & Local

 

With Biden Aid, Nevada Dreams Of A 'Lithium Loop' — “One day, Nevada’s leaders imagine, a chunk of desert rock could be refined into lithium powder, poured into a battery cell and finally inserted into a giant electric truck, all without ever leaving Nevada. It is a vision that could take years to develop, and if past clean-energy dreams are any guide, it might not happen at all. But the prospect became a little more real on Thursday, when the Department of Energy gave the state its latest slice of largesse: a $2 billion loan to Redwood Materials Inc., a company that proposes to recycle throwaway batteries into high-value battery parts on a giant scale (E&E News PM, Feb. 9). Add to that the $817 million in competitive awards and loans that the Biden administration recently has given to the state’s mines, labs and factories, and it’s clear that this swing-state is becoming central to the future of the United States’ clean energy economy. ‘It’s a bigger ecosystem than just EVs [electric vehicles], it’s bigger than storage, it’s bigger than transportation,’ enthused Bob Potts, the deputy director of the governor’s economic development office. News of the loan came a week after General Motors Co. said it would invest $650 million in the contested Thacker Pass mine in order to get first crack at its supply of lithium (Greenwire, Jan. 31).” [E&E News, 2/10/23 (=)]

 

 

International

 

China

 

China’s NEV Sales Drop Over January — “The year is also off to a weak start in China, where around 408,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) were sold in January 2023, almost 50 per cent fewer than in December 2022 and 6.3 per cent fewer than in the same month last year. This is according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). NEVs accounted for 24.7 per cent of all car sales in China in January, down 7.1 percentage points from December’s 31.8 per cent share. For its part, the overall vehicle market recorded a 35 per cent dip with 1.65 million sales across all powertrain types – compared to December 2022 and also compared to the same month last year. As a result, sales of NEV vehicles have halved within one month. From more than 800,000 in December 2022 to just over 400,000 in January 2022. CAAM attributes the subdued demand primarily to the elimination of subsidies as well as significant market price fluctuations. More on this later.” [Electrive, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

India

 

India's Mahindra To Invest $121 Mln To Set Up EV Facility In Telangana State — “Indian automaker Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (MAHM.NS) said on Thursday it will invest 10 billion rupees ($121 million) to set up a manufacturing facility in the southern state of Telangana to make electric three- and four-wheelers. The investment will be made over eight years at the company’s Zaheerabad plant to develop its last mile mobility business, such as cargo and passenger vehicles, Mahindra said in a regulatory filing. The company has signed an agreement with the Telangana government for approvals to expand the plant. Mahindra has stepped up investments to bolster its EV capacity as the Indian government aims to increase the share of electric vehicles by the end of this decade. In December, the company unveiled plans to invest 100 billion rupees to set up an EV manufacturing plant near the western city of Pune, taking on rival Tata Motors Ltd (TAMO.NS) which dominates India’s EV market.” [Reuters, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

Japan

 

Japan Is A Vital Gateway To The Asian EV Battery Market — “More than 40% of the 3.67 million new cars sold in Japan in 2021 were battery electric powered, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association. As such, the nation makes a logical choice for battery manufacturer Factorial, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, to continue its global expansion.” [Automotive World, 2/10/23 (=)]

 

South Korea

 

South Korea Fines German Auto Cos. $33m Over Emissions — “South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission on Thursday said that it was imposing a combined fine of 42.3 billion won ($33.4 million) on German automakers Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW over collusion involving emissions technology in diesel cars. The South Korean antitrust regulator said in a statement that the car companies conspired to implement technology that causes higher nitrogen oxide emissions, limiting competition and preventing the development of new diesel vehicles with better emissions reduction technologies. According to the South Korean agency, Volkswagen was not included in the fine because it did not sell cars with the technology in the country. Mercedes-Benz was fined 20.7 billion won, or $16.4 million, Audi 6 billion won, or $4.7 million, and BMW 15.7 billion won, or $12.4 million, the regulator said. A Mercedes spokesperson told Law360 that the company had cooperated with the South Korean government and will not have to pay a fine, however.” [Law360, 2/9/23 (=)]

 

 

Research & Analysis

 

Plug-In Hybrids Pollute More In The Real World Than Advertised, Study Claims — “Brussels-based Transport & Environment (T&E) collaborated with Graz University of Technology in Austria recently to measure the real-world fuel consumption of three plug-in hybrid vehicles and found that their mileages, well, varied. According to researchers, the plug-in hybrid BMW 3 Series, Peugeot 308, and Renault Megane polluted more than advertised, even when on a full battery. What’s more, the researchers claimed they only managed roughly half of the Peugeot’s claimed all-electric range of 37 miles, and the BMW managed only 75% of its claimed 23-mile electric range. The Megane was the only PHEV to accurately state its electric range. The group also reported that all three polluted more than advertised, noting the BMW 3 Series emitted roughly three times its officially stated emissions in real-world testing. The Megane polluted roughly 67% more than its rated emissions, and the Peugeot polluted about 20% more than claimed. When running on engine power alone, those figures leap to between 4.5 and 9 times their stated emissions ratings. The group also reported that the BMW’s geofencing feature that should disable the engine in congested cities didn’t work and failed to keep the engine from turning on twice.” [The Drive, 2/9/23 (-)]

 

 

 

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