Cars Clips: June 30, 2023

Federal Government

Department of Energy (DOE)

Granholm On Clean Energy Costs, EVs And 'Tectonic Plates' — “Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm touted federal efforts to drive down clean energy costs as a key piece of the Biden administration’s equity agenda Thursday in Memphis, Tenn. Granholm, speaking at the National Civil Rights Museum, championed a broad set of administration priorities on clean energy — from renewables and electric vehicle charging stations to transmission lines and mineral recycling. She also urged those in attendance to apply for nearly $9 billion in home energy rebates due for release at the end of this year or early next year. Low- and moderate-income Americans get extra perks through the rebate program, which passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act last year. The museum where Granholm spoke is located at the site of the Lorraine Motel, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. She appeared as part of a town hall, capping a four-day electric vehicle tour through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Together, those states represent an emerging EV and battery manufacturing powerhouse. ‘There’s been a huge amount of announcements here about employers who are coming to expand and higher people in clean energy all across the South,’ Granholm said. ‘So it’s very exciting to be able to use clean energy as an economic opportunity, as an energy security opportunity, as a way to reduce costs, and of course as a way to combat climate change.’” [E&E News, 6/30/23 (=)]

USA To Subsidise Electric Vehicle Manufacturers — “The US government wants to invest two billion US dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate domestic production of electric and hybrid vehicles. Projects that help to preserve endangered jobs are to be prioritised. As announced by the US Department of Energy, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants programme will provide grants for the production of efficient electric vehicles, specifically full hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell vehicles. Preference will be given to projects that either rehabilitate or convert production facilities or plants that have recently ceased operations or are expected to cease operations in the near future, whereby the government aims to preserve existing jobs. Further details on the programme have not yet been revealed. According to the Ministry of Energy, the announcement made by the US Department of Energy is a ‘Notice of Intent’. The funds are expected to be available ‘in the coming months’. Those interested in the funding can register with the Department to receive more information soon.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

DOE Issues Notice Of Intent To Award $2B To Accelerate Domestic Manufacturing Of EVs; Retooling And Refurbishing — “The US Department of Energy (DOE) released a notice of intent (DE-FOA-0003113: Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants) to invest $2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate domestic manufacturing of electrified vehicles. These investments are expected to be made available in the coming months. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) combines incentives for consumers and businesses to purchase clean vehicles with programs to expand manufacturing and sourcing of vehicle components and critical minerals in the United States. With $2 billion in funding from the IRA, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for electrified vehicles program will provide cost-shared grants for domestic production of efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, plug-in electric drive, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.” [Green Car Congress, 6/29/23 (+)]

Energy Department To Release $2B In EV Manufacturing Grants — “Dive Brief: The Department of Energy on Wednesday shared plans to invest $2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to expedite domestic EV manufacturing. The act, which contains clean vehicle tax credits for qualifying manufacturers, will now fund cost-shared grants for the domestic production of hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, fully electric and fuel cell EVs, according to the department. The program will prioritize projects to refurbish or retool manufacturing facilities that have recently ceased operations or are expected to close soon.” [Manufacturing Dive, 6/30/23 (=)]

Biden Administration Aims $2 Billion In Grants At US Electric Vehicle Transition — “President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday said it intends to invest $2 billion from last year’s Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles and resuscitate plants that are struggling. Speeding grants and other subsidies to fund the conversion of existing auto plants to build electric vehicles could help the White House blunt criticism from automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union over proposed environmental rules aimed to help usher in the EV era. The Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for EVs program will provide cost-shared grants for making efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, fully electric, and fuel cell vehicles. The Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office said the program will prioritize projects that refurbish or retool manufacturing plants that have recently stopped operations or were expected to close soon. The goal is to preserve existing jobs, including union jobs and wages, and ‘work opportunities in communities that have been powering our automotive economy for decades,’ it said.” [Mining.com, 6/29/23 (=)]

Department of Transportation (DOT)

What Will A National EV Charging System Look Like? — “We are more than a year and a half into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in November 2021. Under the IIJA, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (known as the NEVI Program) was established to distribute $5 billion in funding over five years to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. Individual state departments of transportation have developed plans to administer funding at the state level. With so many states and various stakeholders, how will the NEVI program help the Biden Administration achieve its goal of building a national network of 500,000 EV chargers along 75,000 miles of U.S. highways, and how far along are we? The first step in the process has been holding meetings with state agencies and stakeholders, including technology and fuel providers and environmental groups to determine the best plan to ensure reliable, accessible charging along key travel corridors while ensuring disadvantaged communities receive equitable access to charging solutions.” [FleetOwner, 6/29/23 (=)]

Manufacturers, Fleets, & OEMs

Ford Motor Co.

2025 Ford Bronco Plug-In Hybrid: The Best Bronco Is Yet To Come — “After Jeep’s success with its Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid, it’s no surprise Ford is ready to jump on the PHEV wagon with the company’s increasingly popular Bronco. Given Ford’s average four-year cadence for refreshing vehicles, we could see the sixth-generation Bronco get a face-lift and enhanced drivetrain options as soon as 2024.” [MotorTrend, 6/29/23 (=)]

Geely

Polestar To Adopt Tesla's Supercharger Network In The US, Canada — “Swedish electric vehicle (EV) maker Polestar said on Thursday it has signed an agreement with Tesla (TSLA.O) to adopt the EV maker’s Supercharger network in the United States and Canada. Starting 2025, new Polestar vehicles sold in North America will be equipped with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port by default, the company said. The deal comes days after Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars (VOLCARb.ST) said all its electric vehicles (EVs) will have access to Tesla’s Supercharger network in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Earlier this month, General Motors (GM.N) and California-based EV maker Rivian Automotive Inc (RIVN.O) also said they would embrace Tesla’s NACS, shunning earlier efforts by the Biden administration to make the Combined Charging System (CCS) the dominant charging standard in the U.S. ‘To maintain compatibility with existing CCS public fast charging infrastructure in North America, future NACS-equipped Polestar vehicles will come with a CCS adapter,’ Polestar said.” [Reuters, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Is Latest To Adopt Tesla NACS Port And Gain Supercharger Access — “Volvo made its announcement to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port on Tuesday this week, so it’s no surprise to see Polestar make an identical announcement today. The agreement is the same as what we’ve seen from other companies like Volvo, Ford and GM. Polestar says its EVs in the U.S. and Canada will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network in mid-2024 via adapters that Polestar will supply. Then, starting in 2025, new Polestar vehicles will ship with the NACS port by default.” [Autoblog, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Joins Peers In Adopting Tesla Standard For EV Charger Access — “Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc plans to use Tesla Inc.’s charging port in its future electric vehicles, making it the fifth automaker to embrace what could become the new standard in the US. Embracing Tesla’s North American Charging Standard will get Polestar drivers access to Tesla’s Superchargers in the US and Canada under the deal announced Thursday. The carmaker founded by Volvo Car AB and its Chinese parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. will equip models sold in the region with the NACS port from 2025. The agreement bolsters Tesla’s efforts to make NACS the dominant plug and port in the US after Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Rivian Automotive Inc. and Volvo Car announced agreements with the Elon Musk-led company in recent weeks. Tesla’s charging network is widely seen as being more reliable than others that have used the Combined Charging System, or CCS.” [Bloomberg, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Joins Volvo With Agreement To Adopt Tesla's Charge Port — “Polestar joins Volvo in agreeing to adopt Tesla’s proprietary charing port, which will provide access to the U.S. company’s extensive Supercharger network of fast-chargers. Called the North American Charging Standard, Polestar and Volvo EVs will have a NACS port starting in 2025; an adapter for earlier models is coming next year. Polestar and Volvo are the two latest—and first foreign automakers—to announce switching to the NACS port, with Ford, GM, and Rivian already making the move.” [Car and Driver, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Is The Latest EV Maker To Announce A Move To Tesla’s North American Charging Standard — “KEY POINTS Polestar has signed a deal with Tesla giving its owners access to Tesla’s Superchargers in North America. New Polestar vehicles sold in North America will have the Tesla-designed NACS plug standard starting in 2025. Polestar joins Ford, GM, Rivian and corporate sibling Volvo Cars in the move to the NACS standard.” [CNBC, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar (PSNY) Is The Latest EV Maker To Adopt Tesla’s NACS — “Polestar drivers are gaining access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. Swedish EV maker Polestar (PSNY) announced Thursday it’s officially adopting Tesla’s NACS connector. Polestar EVs to be equipped with Tesla’s NACS from 2025 Starting in 2025, new Polestar vehicles sold in North America will feature Tesla’s NACS charging port as standard. Meanwhile, adapters are expected to roll out in mid-2024 to help existing Polestar drivers access the network. Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar, commented on the new agreement with Tesla, explaining: This is a great win for our North American customers! We salute the pioneering work Tesla has done to speed up the adoption and increase the popularity of electric vehicles, and it’s great to see the Supercharger network being made available in this way. With 12,000 charging points today, a number that will only keep growing, this move will greatly increase the rate of EV adoption in a key automotive region.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Latest To Adopt Tesla’s Charging Standards Amid Growing EV Competition—Here Are The Others — “TOPLINE Swedish electric automaker Polestar became the latest in a growing list of automakers to adopt electric vehicle maker Tesla’s charging standard on Thursday, giving its drivers access to Tesla’s expanding U.S. ‘supercharger’ network, following Tesla’s recent partnerships with Ford, General Motors and Volvo as automakers increasingly turn to EVs.” [Forbes, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar EVs Get Tesla Charge Port In 2025, Supercharger Access In 2024 — “The electric vehicle brand Polestar announced on Thursday that it plans to adopt the Tesla charge port. The change will go into effect in 2025, with all new Polestar vehicles sold in North America from that time forward getting the Tesla port, called North American Charging Standard (NACS). In mid-2024, Polestar drivers will also gain access—via a CCS adapter—to the Tesla Supercharger network for DC fast-charging. That will allow Polestar to boost the number of charge points well beyond the 12,000 it offers today.” [Green Car Reports, 6/29/23 (=)]

Polestar Announces Switch To NACS In North America From 2025 — “Polestar is the latest automaker to reach an agreement with Tesla to adopt the new North American Charging Standard (NACS) for its electric vehicles. In a short press release, the EV maker said the switch to NACS will enable access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network for all Polestar drivers in the United States and Canada. From 2025, new Polestar vehicles sold in North America will be equipped with the NACS charging port by default, but the company will also provide adapters from mid-2024 to help allow existing Polestar drivers to access the network.” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

EV Maker Polestar Partners With Tesla To Adopt Its Charging Connector — “Electric car maker Polestar said Thursday that it would partner with Tesla and adopt its technology for the charging of electric vehicles. Starting in 2025, all new Polestar vehicles that are sold in North America will adopt Tesla’s connector, known as the North American Charging Standard, over the current Combines Charging System standard, the company said. ‘We salute the pioneering work Tesla has done to speed up the adoption and increase the popularity of electric vehicles, and it’s great to see the Supercharger network being made available in this way,’ CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in a statement. ‘With 12,000 charging points today, a number that will only keep growing, this move will greatly increase the rate of EV adoption in a key automotive region.’” [UPI, 6/29/23 (=)]

China’s EV Invasion Of Europe Continues As ZEEKR Opens Pre-Orders In First Two Countries — “Nearly six months to the day after revealing ambitious plans to enter new markets in Europe this year, ZEEKR has launched pre-orders for two of its three current EV models. The Chinese EV automaker will launch in two EU countries to begin as it shares a timeline to expand to even more of Western Europe. ZEEKR is a EV-centric, wholly-owned sub-brand of parent company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (Geely). In the two-plus years the young automaker has been in existence, it has already produced 100,000 EVs in China.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

General Motor Corp.

GM, Drivers Spar Over State Claims' Viability In Emissions Suit — “General Motors and proposed classes of drivers on Wednesday exchanged filings trying to persuade a Michigan federal judge of their interpretation of a Sixth Circuit ruling in a nearly identical case against Ford that found consumer protection claims over duped emissions standards are preempted by federal law. In two separate but very similar cases, proposed classes of drivers of Chevy Cruze and of drivers of Duramax engine trucks told the Michigan district court their state claims are not preempted because the claims do not directly depend on proof of noncompliance with federal standards, ‘meaning the EPA’s findings are not directly relevant.’ General Motors said the state law claims should be dismissed because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has never taken an enforcement action against the vehicles. Robert Bosch LLC, a defendant in both class actions, said in its own filings Wednesday that it concurred with GM in its response in both cases. In a June 1 order, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington had ordered both sides in the cases to show cause for why the state law claims should not be dismissed in light of the Sixth Circuit’s ruling in April dismissing substantially similar claims about Ford vehicles as being preempted by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.” [Law360, 6/29/23 (=)]

GM Unveils Hummer EV-Based Military Vehicle – Going Full Circle — “General Motors’ GM Defense division has unveiled a new military electric vehicle based on the GMC Hummer EV. The vehicle has now gone full circle from military Humvee to Hummer to Hummer EV to military Humvee electric. When you think about making vehicles electric, the Hummer is not the first one that comes to most people’s minds. Yet, the Hummer EV was the first next-generation electric vehicle using GM’s new Ultium electric platform. It’s a very low-volume EV program that wasn’t believed to have a major impact on electrification, but it is starting to have a significant indirect impact, with GM using what it has learned from the Hummer to produce the new Silverado Electric. Now the Hummer EV is also spawning new vehicle programs, like this new ‘Electric Military Concept Vehicle’ (eMCV), via Breaking Defense:” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

GM Details Hardware For Using EVs As Home Power Backup — “General Motors on Wednesday detailed its first bidirectional vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging hardware, allowing EVs to serve as a home backup power source. The Ultium Home V2H Bundle includes an AC home charger, dubbed the PowerShfit Charger, that allows vehicles to discharge power from their battery packs, along with an Enablement Kit that adds an inverter and ‘dark start’ battery. The charger itself is rated for 19.2 kw, but discharge power peaks at 9.6 kw. The charger and V2H hardware can be paired with a PowerBank battery energy-storage unit for greater backup power capacity, and use with solar power. GM plans to offer 10.6-kwh and 17.7-kwh options, plus an inverter for solar integration. GM will refer customers to SunPower, already the automaker’s preferred EV charging installer, for installation of Ultium Home V2H hardware. The automaker did not discuss pricing or a timeline for availability, however. It’s also unclear which GM models will be compatible with these packages.” [Green Car Reports, 6/29/23 (=)]

At Wentzville Plant, Officials Talk Of GM’s Electric Future — “The trucks produced by GM’s auto plant here will ‘remain significant’ even as the company moves toward its pledge to sell only electric passenger vehicles by 2035, a GM company official told a gathering of business leaders Wednesday. But he didn’t say if the plant would one day shift to electric vehicles, too. The plant’s rise in the electric economy would be a boon to the St. Louis region, and its loss, a blow. Local civic leaders are betting on advanced manufacturing as a driver of growth for the area, identifying it as a top priority in regional workforce plans, with ambitions for an innovation center for the industry in north St. Louis. The trucks made at GM’s Wentzville plant, which opened in 1983 and now employs more than 4,000 people, just wrapped up a $1.5 billion upgrade to ready the factory to make the latest models of the company’s midsize trucks. The investment was included in the labor contract the company reached with the United Auto Workers after GM workers nationwide went on strike in 2019.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/28/23 (=)]

Hyundai Motor Co.

Presenting Car And Driver's 2023 EV Of The Year — “Here we are again. After gathering the year’s new EV offerings for a week of intense back-to-back scrutiny, rigorous driving, and long hours of charging, a Hyundai has come out on top. Following last year’s win by the Ioniq 5, that model’s new sedan sibling, the Ioniq 6, motors away with the top prize this year. Add strong showings by the Genesis Electrified GV70 and the Kia EV6 GT, and a picture starts to form: When it comes to EVs playing in the broad main swath of the market, the Hyundai-Kia-Genesis group is clearly out in front. That the Ioniq 6 shares much with the Ioniq 5 is to its benefit, but the new entry does more than just put a three-box hat on the same platform and up the model name by one. ‘Just look at it,’ we said of the Ioniq 5 when it won, and we could do the same for the Ioniq 6.” [CleanTechnica, 6/29/23 (=)]

Best Electric Car Of The Year: Hyundai Ioniq 6 – According To Car & Driver — “Hyundai has long been considered by EV fans and followers to be one of leading EV developers. It has produced some of the most efficient, most attractive, and most desired electric cars on the global market — popular in the US, Europe, and elsewhere. One downside is that the company has not worked to produced and push out a lot of them, but that should be changing. Everyone wants to be an EV leader now and every automaker knows the brightness of their future depends on the brightness of their electric future. But as much as Hyundai’s previous electric vehicles were cool, or at least decent and practical, the Hyundai IONIQ 6 is a stunner. It doesn’t look like a Hyundai — it looks too cool. It seems Car and Driver agrees, and agrees the car doesn’t just look great, but is great. As you can see in the headline, the IONIQ 6 won Car and Driver’s ‘2023 EV of the Year’ award. It beat out 13 contenders for the title.” [CleanTechnica, 6/28/23 (=)]

2023 Car And Driver EV Of The Year: The Contenders — “This is only our third EV of the Year contest, and we’re already getting a bit jaded. Oh, your car offers 300 miles of range? Okay, but that’s no longer a big deal. Ditto with sub-five-second 60-mph times and crazy-fast DC charging speeds. While internal-combustion engines continue to evolve gradually after more than a century of incremental improvement, EVs make technological leaps annually—in battery chemistry, motor design, and charging capabilities. The tech is changing so fast that what’s groundbreaking one year is normal the next and outdated two years later.” [CleanTechnica, 6/28/23 (=)]

Hyundai Eyes Second North American EV Assembly Plant – Why Canada Could Be A Fit — “The Hyundai Motor Group is already eyeing its second North American EV assembly while its first is still under construction in Bryan County, Georgia. According to Hyundai Auto Canada’s CEO, Don Romano, ‘Canada’s going to be part of that conversation.’ Hyundai initially revealed plans for its first dedicated EV facility in North America last May. The South Korean automaker agreed to invest $5.5 billion to build a new EV assembly and battery plant in the state of Georgia. Although initial plans included beginning construction in early 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in August, prompted the automaker to break ground on October 25, 2022. The 3,000-acre project is the largest in the state’s history, forecasted to produce around 300,000 electric vehicles annually.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Lordstown Motors

Lordstown Seeks Buyer For Endurance Pickup After Lawsuit And Bankruptcy — “Cue popcorn and American EV startup tears as the drama continues for the maker of the Lordstown Endurance all-electric truck. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for Ohio-based Lordstown Motors, it has. A worst-case scenario has come to fruition. The company has filed a lawsuit against its main investor, Foxconn, and subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (a.k.a. a ‘restructuring process’ to ‘maximize the value of its assets’).” [MotorTrend, 6/29/23 (=)]

Stellantis

Stellantis Signs Deal With Kuniko For Supply Of Battery Materials — “Stellantis (STLAM.MI) has signed an offtake and equity investment agreement with Australia-listed Kuniko (KNI.AX), the latest of a string of deals aiming to give the carmaker stable supply of key materials for vehicle batteries. Based on the binding agreement, the Franco-Italian automaker will get 35% of future production of battery-grade nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate from Kuniko’s exploration projects in Norway, for nine years, the two companies said on Friday in a joint statement. Stellantis also agreed to buy new shares in Kuniko worth 5 million euros ($5.4 million), giving it a 19.99% stake in the company and the power to appoint one board member, they added. The funds provided by Stellantis will help support Kuniko’s brownfield and greenfield battery metals exploration projects in Norway, which include nickel, cobalt and copper. Stellantis’ Chief Purchasing and Supply Chain Officer Maxime Picat said the world’s third largest carmaker by sales was on an ‘aggressive path’ to securing raw materials needed to meet its electrification targets.” [Reuters, 6/29/23 (=)]

Tesla Inc.

Tesla Set To Report Record Quarterly Vehicle Deliveries, Fueled By Incentives — “Tesla (TSLA.O) is set to report record vehicle deliveries, after the top electric vehicle maker increased discounts and other incentives to boost sales in the face of economic uncertainty and rising competition. Tesla is expected as early as this weekend to report global deliveries of 445,000 vehicles in April to June, according to the average estimates of nine analysts by Refinitiv. That would be an increase of 5% from 422,875 the preceding quarter. Tesla has cut prices aggressively since January, eroding its first-quarter margins. It has avoided major price cuts in the past couple of months but has increased discounts, another form of sales incentive. It raised discounts in the second quarter for vehicles in its inventory to a $1,600-to-$7,500 range, and made all of its Model 3s eligible for full federal credits of $7,500 starting in June in the United States.” [Reuters, 6/30/23 (=)]

Tesla Explores StoreDot Tech, Mexico Gigafactory Start Date Said To Slide — “A report by USA Today claims that Tesla is taking a look at StoreDot XFC battery technology. While there is no suggestion of a merger, acquisition, joint venture, or collaboration between the two companies, Tesla is always interested in new technologies that may enhance the performance of its electric vehicles or how to manufacture them more competitively. That sort of curiosity led to it purchasing Maxwell Technologies in 2009. StoreDot has gained recognition for its revolutionary battery architecture, which leverages nanomaterials and organic compounds to enable rapid charging without compromising overall battery capacity. The examination of StoreDot’s XFC batteries by Tesla underscores the company’s dedication to improving charging experiences and reducing charging times for its customers.” [CleanTechnica, 6/29/23 (=)]

Tesla Plant In Mexico Later And Larger Than Expected — “Tesla is reportedly planning to start up its new factory in Mexico in the first quarter of 2025, later and larger than previously announced. According to a Chinese media report, Tesla has given this date to several Chinese suppliers. As the news website LatePost reports, Tesla’s Mexican plant will be larger than previously announced – Giga Mexico will have an annual production capacity of two million vehicles and create around 7,000 jobs. The total investment amounts to ten billion US dollars (currently 9.2 billion euros). Several Chinese suppliers were cited in the report, saying that Tesla has told them that if they fail to get local production up and running in Mexico by 2025, it will not only be difficult to get a Giga Mexico order in the future but orders for other Tesla plants could also be lost. According to one supplier, the production costs for the same component in Mexico are about 15 per cent higher than in China. This means that the purchase price for Tesla would be around 18 to 20 per cent higher.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

Tesla Said To Explore StoreDot's Extreme Fast Charging Battery Tech — “Tesla is reportedly examining Israeli startup StoreDot’s extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology. According to a report from USA Today, which doesn’t cite any sources, the examination is not a formal partnership or collaboration, though it highlights Tesla’s ongoing commitment to exploring advancements in battery tech. Tesla is said to be looking for ways to shorten EV charging times on the batteries it uses, as that would obviously make its EVs more convenient for more customers by easing ‘range anxiety.’” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

Tesla Rumored To Pause Model Y Production In Austin In Early July — “Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas will reportedly pause its Model Y assembly line to implement upgrades at the beginning of July. According to Joe Tegtmeyer, a drone pilot who has been constantly scanning the facility ever since the start of construction, the downtime is expected to last about five days. Citing his own observations of the Giga Texas complex and information reportedly gathered from some of his sources, Tegtmeyer noted in a post on Twitter (via Teslarati) that Giga Texas is switching away from swing shifts, instead going to day and night shifts only. He said the new shifts are expected to go into effect after the production upgrades are completed. As it always happens after a production line upgrade, the Model Y production rate is expected to take an initial hit as employees get trained and become familiar with the revised production lines, equipment, and layouts.” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

Tesla Model 3 Range To Increase With CATL M3P Battery — “The Tesla Model 3 Project Highland edition might significantly increase in range thanks to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited’s (CATL) M3P lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Rumors in China have circulated that Tesla plans to use CATL’s M3P batteries for revamped Model 3 RWD under Project Highland. Local Chinese media reported that CATL’s M3P battery has an upgraded capacity of 66 kWh. As of this writing, the Model 3 RWD in the United States has an EPA-estimated range of 272 miles. In China, the Model 3 RWD has an estimated range of 556 kilometers (345 miles) based on the CLTC standard. The Tesla Model 3’s sold in China have a battery pack with a 60 kWh capacity.” [Teslarati, 6/30/23 (=)]

Toyota Motor Corp.

Bloomberg | Toyota's Output Hits Monthly Record For May After 35% Jump — “Toyota said its global output last month soared 35% from a year earlier to a May record of 947,874 vehicles as pandemic-related supply disruptions continued to ease, while sales rose 11%. Output of Toyota-branded cars and Lexus models reached 847,000 units, according to a statement Thursday, broadly in line with the company’s forecast. Including brands Daihatsu and Hino, Toyota sold 906,715 vehicles globally last month. An engineer installs components on the production line at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic. ‘To respond to the robust demand, we have been increasing domestic as well as global output, leading to the highest output in May,’ the world’s biggest automaker said. Toyota sold 9,923 battery electric vehicles in May, up from about 8,500 in April, with the vast majority going to buyers outside of Japan. The automaker has set a target to produce 1.5 million battery EVs a year by 2026.” [The Detroit News, 6/30/23 (=)]

Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen In Talks With Tesla To Adopt Its Charging Standard — “Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is in talks with Tesla (TSLA.O) to adopt its North American Charging Standard (NACS) technology, while the German automaker’s charging network unit Electrify America has already agreed to use the system. The announcement comes as a slew of automakers and charging equipment makers choose Tesla’s charging design on concerns of losing out on customers if they offer only the Combined Charging System (CCS) design, which is backed by automakers like Volkswagen and Hyundai Motor (005380.KS). Ford (F.N), General Motors (GM.N) and ChargePoint (CHPT.N) are among the companies that have signed up for Tesla’s charging design in the past few weeks. ‘Volkswagen Group and its brands are currently evaluating the implementation of the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) for its North American customers,’ Volkswagen said. Electrify America, Volkswagen’s EV charging network unit, has more than 850 charging stations with about 4,000 chargers in the United States and Canada. During the NACS transition, Electrify America will continue to offer the widely used CCS connector.” [Reuters, 6/29/23 (=)]

USA: Volkswagen Group And Polestar Opt For Tesla Charging Connector And Plug — “The Volkswagen Group also opens up to Tesla’s fast charging system in North America. Charging infrastructure subsidiary Electrify America announces that it will integrate the NACS connection into its fast charging stations in the USA and Canada. And that might not be all. Tesla’s North American Charging standard – or NACS – connectors will be available at all new and existing stations from 2025 – alongside CCS connectors. The VW company will do so to ‘also support automakers adding NACS charging ports,’ as several carmakers announced in recent weeks that they would offer their EVs with the Tesa charging technology in the future.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

Volkswagen Is In Talks With Tesla To Adopt NACS Connector — “Volkswagen confirmed that it is in talks with Tesla to adopt the NACS connector for its electric vehicles in North America. The news comes after Electrify America, which was founded by Volkswagen, announced the adoption of NACS. Over the last month, Tesla managed to convince virtually all major American automakers to switch to its newly opened connector standard: NACS. Ford was first to jump on board, with GM and Rivian following shortly after. Volvo and Polestar, which are owned by China’s Geely, have also followed suit this week. But the European (more specifically German) and Asian automakers have yet to jump on the NACS. Earlier today, Electrify America, a charging station operator founded by Volkswagen as part of its settlement over the Dieselgate scandal, confirmed it would produce stations with NACS connectors.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Volkswagen Confirms Talks With Tesla Over NACS Charging Standard — “The Volkswagen Group might be another electric vehicle manufacturer that will sign-up for Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector. According to Reuters, the company is in talks with Tesla to adopt NACS in its electric cars, which are sold under several brands (Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and Scout in the future) in North America. ‘Volkswagen Group and its brands are currently evaluating the implementation of the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) for its North American customers,’ Earlier today, we reported also about the Volkswagen Group’s Electrify America fast charging network, which announced the addition of NACS connectors at its stations by 2025.” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

The 2026 Volkswagen ID Beetle Takes The Bug Into The New World — “Volkswagen hasn’t officially announced it will add a new Beetle to its electric vehicle lineup, but we’ve heard more than a little ‘unofficial’ talk of it. With the ID Buzz getting closer to its U.S. arrival, we’d welcome a Beetle EV, too.” [MotorTrend, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electrify America Backs Tesla’s EV Charging Standard — “Electrify America, the country’s largest fast-charging network for non-Teslas, said Thursday that it will incorporate Tesla Inc.’s charging standard into its stations, adding to the automaker’s dominance in driving the technology agenda for electric vehicles around the country. Adopting Tesla’s North American charging standard, or NACS, is part of the company’s ‘commitment to broaden charging solutions’ for consumers, according to an Electrify America news release. Electrify America’s move matters because it adds more momentum away from the charging standard that the industry had thought it had settled on as recently as a couple of months ago. Today’s Electrify America stations use the combined charging system, or CCS, a connector that is required under the federal government’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that Congress approved two years ago. With the bulk of charging providers now backing Tesla’s standard, it’s unclear how the new consensus will affect the billions of dollars allocated for charging infrastructure in the law. The Biden administration is for now holding to the CCS standard, while conceding that a government-funded station can have NACS-enabled charging points alongside the approved CCS ones.” [E&E News, 6/30/23 (=)]

VW’s Electrify America To Add Tesla Chargers To Vast Network — “Electrify America plans to add Tesla Inc.’s connectors to its large network of electric-vehicle charging stations across North America as the industry coalesces around the automaker’s plug design. The charging company majority-owned by Volkswagen AG said it will offer Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connectors across the US and Canada by 2025. Electrify America will continue to offer the main competing standard, known as Combined Charging System, according to a statement Thursday. The decision is significant because Electrify America is the closest competitor to Tesla’s Supercharger network. The company started by Volkswagen as part of the German automaker’s penance for its diesel-emissions scandal operated 3,473 ultra-fast connectors in the US last year, second to Tesla’s 13,878, according to BloombergNEF. EVgo Inc. was a distant third with just 926 connectors.” [Bloomberg, 6/30/23 (=)]

2nd Largest US Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Network To Add Tesla Connectors — “The second-largest electric vehicle fast-charging network in the U.S. says it will add Tesla’s connector to its charging stations, another step toward adopting Tesla’s plug as the industry standard. Electrify America, with 800 direct-current fast-charging stations and more than 3,600 plugs nationwide, said Thursday it will work to add Tesla’s connector to existing and future chargers by 2025. The Volkswagen subsidiary, formed as part of the settlement to the company’s diesel emissions-cheating scandal, is second only to Tesla in number of fast-charging plugs in the U.S. ‘We look forward to continuing to support industrywide standards that increase vehicle interoperability and streamline public charging,’ Electrify America CEO Robert Barrosa said in a statement. The company also will keep the Combined Charging System, or CCS, connector at its stations. At present most electric vehicle models in the U.S. use the CCS connector.” [CBS News, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electrify America & Polestar Climb Onboard Tesla Supercharger Bandwagon — “The Tesla Supercharger bandwagon rolls on. When Tesla basically just gave its Supercharger charging system a name change to the ‘North American Charging Standard (NACS),’ many saw it as a simple marketing attempt aimed at getting more federal subsidies. Would it make any difference? Would it matter? It may not have mattered much, but Ford CEO Jim Farley decided that Ford electric vehicle drivers would benefit from access to the Tesla Supercharger network and opened the floodgates — and the new name, North American Charging Standard, started to live up to its billing. Several automakers and some charging networks, most notably ChargePoint, have followed Ford’s lead and said they’re including NACS charging options with their cars and charging stations. Today, we’ve got two more such announcements to share.” [CleanTechnica, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electrify America, Blink To Add Tesla’s NACS Connector To Their EV Chargers — “Electrify America and Blink are the latest EV charging station companies to announce that they’ll add NACS connectors to their EV chargers. Electrify America and Blink adopt NACS NACS – or the North American Charging Standard, previously known as the Tesla charging connector – is an EV charging connector system that Tesla developed and owned. So what today’s announcement means is that Tesla drivers and EVs that feature NACS will be able to charge at Blink and Electrify America chargers without having to use an adapter. Both Electrify America and Blink say their chargers will continue to feature existing CCS-1 connectors; they’re just adding NACS charging ports as well.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electrify America Will Add NACS Connectors To Its Chargers — “Electrify America, one of the largest EV fast-charging networks in North America, announced today that it will add the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors at its stations in the United States and Canada (Electrify Canada). The company, established by Volkswagen Group, outlined a plan to add NACS plugs at its existing and future charging stations by 2025, as more and more EV manufacturers (Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo and Polestar) announced a switch from the Combined Charging System (CCS1) to NACS in the region. The Tesla-developed NACS connector will become an SAE standard. At the same time, Electrify America ‘will continue to provide the Combined Charging System (CCS-1) connector throughout its network as it transitions to also support automakers adding NACS charging ports.’” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

Joining The Party — “Electric vehicle charging company Electrify America, which is owned by Volkswagen and operates the second-fastest chargers outside of Tesla in the U.S., announced Thursday it will add Tesla’s charging connectors to its existing and future stations. The company joins the flood of automakers and charging operators rushing to adopt Tesla’s plugs since Ford and GM made the switch in recent weeks. The move is significant because Electrify America’s parent company still produces cars that use the rival charging standard, CCS. Electrify America said it would continue to offer CCS connectors on its stations as well.” [Politico, 6/30/23 (=)]

VW Subsidiary Electrify America To Add Tesla Connectors To EV Charging Network — “Electrify America has become the latest company to align itself with Tesla’s EV charging standard. The company, which was created as part of a settlement of the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal, said Thursday it will add Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector to Electrify America and Electrify Canada’s fast charging networks by 2025. Electrify America said it will also continue to provide the Combined Charging System (CCS-1) connector throughout its network. ‘Since our founding, we have focused on building an inclusive and open hyper-fast charging network to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles,’ Electrify America CEO and president Robert Barrosa said in a statement. ‘We look forward to continuing to support industry-wide standards that increase vehicle interoperability and streamline public charging.’” [TechCrunch, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electrify America Is The Next Big Charging Network To Adopt Tesla’s ‘Standard’ EV Plug — “Electrify America is adding support for Tesla’s NACS electric vehicle charging plug, which the company has dubbed the North American Charging Standard. On Thursday, the company said it will work toward bringing the NACS connector to ‘existing and future’ charging stations by 2025. This doesn’t mean Electrify America is getting rid of the Combined Charging System (CCS), a standard that’s used by EVs from automakers like General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, and others. The company says the CCS plug will still be available alongside the NACS connector. It doesn’t mention the aging CHAdeMO connector that it also offers at its stations, however, which is used by the Nissan Leaf.” [The Verge, 6/29/23 (=)]

New Audi CEO’s Big Task Is Cleaning Up Years Of Mistakes — “Audi’s new boss faces a number of pressing issues to fix the premium brand, after years of missteps left Volkswagen AG’s cash cow with a stale model lineup and behind in the shift to electric cars. Gernot Döllner, a 54-year-old VW veteran who wrote his dissertation on speeding up product development, has little time to waste to ensure the timely arrival of key new battery-powered vehicles when he takes over in September. The stakes are high: Tesla Inc. outsold Audi in the first quarter and market share in China is shrinking. Audi had been closing in on Mercedes-Benz AG and BMW AG when a series of missteps derailed its expansion. A fierce dispute with Chinese dealers six years ago eroded sales in Audi’s and VW’s biggest market. The brand struggled to emerge from the diesel-emissions scandal, with internal wrangling leading to the departure of several engineering chiefs, disrupting vehicle development. More recently, problems building software put off Chinese customers and delayed a key new model. ‘For years, Audi’s product portfolio was focused on diesel,’ said Matthias Schmidt, an automotive analyst based near Hamburg. ‘The current models are from a different generation and simply not appropriate anymore for a world that’s transitioning to electric mobility.’” [Bloomberg, 6/30/23 (=)]

Volkswagen Replaces Audi Chief Amid Pressure To Electrify — “Volkswagen is replacing the chief executive at its luxury brand Audi, naming Gernot Döllner to take over from Markus Duesmann, as the company seeks to accelerate its transition to electric vehicles. Mr. Döllner, who has served as Volkswagen’s leading strategist, will start his new role on Sept. 1, Audi said in a statement on Thursday. Audi, although profitable, is struggling to convert to battery power and compete with the growing threat from Chinese carmakers. Herbert Diess, Volkswagen’s chief executive before Oliver Blume took over in September, brought Mr. Duesmann to Audi from BMW three years ago, with the hope that he could help the brand innovate and strengthen sales of its electric models.” [The New York Times, 6/29/23 (=)]

Audi To Replace CEO Markus Duesmann With Gernot Döllner — “VW Group and Audi supervisory boards have reportedly decided to replace Audi CEO Markus Duesmann in their meeting on Thursday. Duesmann is set to step down on 1 September, making way for his successor, Gernot Döllner, who is said to be close to Oliver Blume. German magazine Der Spiegel broke the news this afternoon. Audi has now confirmed the leadership change. Audi does not give a reason for the short-term dismissal of Duesmann after about three years in Ingolstadt – possibly Chairman of Audi’s Supervisory Board, Manfred Döss’ statement about the future CEO is an indication: ‘Gernot Döllner is now the right person to further sharpen the product strategy and the positioning in the important markets for Audi’. Markus Duesmann took on the role at Audi as the successor to the recently convicted Rupert Stadler. He was tasked with resolving the diesel scandal and strengthening the technical development at Audi. His predecessors had lagged behind in the shift to e-mobility, and in the announcement, Audi thanked Duesmann for the efforts towards electrification.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

Xpeng

XPeng Motors Launches $29k G6 Coupe SUV In China, Giving The Tesla Model Y A Run For Its Money — “Less than a month after rolling its first new coupe SUVs off its assembly lines in China, XPeng Motors has officially launched its latest model – the G6. Priced below $30,000, XPeng sees the G6 as a serious competitor to the Tesla Model Y and plenty of other EVs in China. The automaker has a lot riding on this one as it looks to bolster less-than-stellar sales in its native country as of late. The rise of the G6 begins at the core of the new SUV with XPeng Motors’ SEPA 2.0 modular EV architecture. The next-generation, 800 V Silicon Carbide (SiC) platform is the blueprint for XPeng’s lineup of EVs for the foreseeable future – adaptable to operate within wheelbases ranging from 1,800 mm (70.9 inches) to 3,200 mm (126 inches) and scalable to support nearly any vehicle type, whether its a coupe, sedan, hatchback, wagon, SUV, multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), or even a pickup.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Xpeng Launches G6 SUV At Even Lower Prices In China — “The Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng has officially launched its G6 Ultra Smart Coupe SUV in China. It is expected to rival the Tesla Model Y in China – and possibly abroad. The electric SUV starts at 209,000 yuan, the equivalent of around €26,600. That means the base price for the coupé-like SUV with 800-volt technology is approximately 15,000 yuan lower than announced at the pre-sales start. At the beginning of the month, Xpeng announced that the EV would sell for 225,000 yuan (approximately €29,000). That would already have been 38,900 yuan (about €5,000) lower than that of the main competitor Tesla Model Y. Deliveries of the G6 will begin in July.” [Electrive, 6/30/23 (=)]

EV Charging Cos. & Parts Mfrs.

Blink Charging

Blink Charging Goes NACS Across The Board — “Blink Charging will integrate the so-called North America Charging Standard (NACS) by Tesla into its entire product range in addition to the Combined Charging System (CCS). Blink announced the first NACS products recently but now takes the integration further. As the company explained today, all charging products would be NACS compatible with production to start this October. Blink Charging also plans to integrate NACS plugs in its AC chargers (Level 2). ‘At the EVS36 Symposium earlier this month, we announced the integration of NACS connectors into our new 240kW DC Fast Charger,’ recalls Brendan Jones, President and CEO at Blink Charging. The executive added that since then, the company had ‘diligently advanced’ the integration of NACS connectors across the entire charger product line.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

CATL

CATL Plans Recycling Sites In Europe And North America — “CATL is planning several recycling sites for its electric car batteries in Europe and North America. As CATL Chief Manufacturing Officer Ni Jun Ni Jun explained, the company is already negotiating with a concrete partner for this in Europe. However, he did not reveal the name yet. ‘We are finding global partners. For example, in the recycling business, we are talking to a European partner,’ Ni Jun is quoted as saying in Chinese media. ‘I cannot reveal who, but we are looking at setting up recycling sites, not just one, but (many) sites in Europe.’ CATL is also looking for recycling partners in North America. At an event in Tianjin, CATL’s Chief Manufacturing Officer stated that the circular economy must be implemented locally – therefore, recycling is not planned centrally in China but on several continents. However, Ni did not indicate the time frame or scope of the battery giant’s recycling plans – or the media did not pick it up.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

CATL In Talks To Establish Multiple Battery Recycling Sites In Europe With Eyes On North America Next — “CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, looks to continue its dominance in its given market by expanding its existing battery recycling program to new continents outside of China. The company is in talks with a specific partner to erect multiple battery recycling facilities across Europe and may soon be doing the same in North America. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., better known as CATL, is without a doubt the global leader in EV battery manufacturing. Its current reign was further solidified this past February, when it emerged as the largest battery market share holder on the planet for a sixth straight year.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (=)]

Electric Vehicles

Charging Infrastructure

Tesla Is The New Standard In EV Charging — “Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar and likely Stellantis and Hyundai are set to support Tesla’s charging plug, also known as the North American Charging Standard, in the coming years. Public charging station operators have responded in kind, as everyone from ChargePoint to EVgo to Blink and now, today, Volkswagen’s Electrify America have all signed on to add NACS in addition to CCS, the current standard for non-Tesla vehicles. It’s arguable that in just a few short weeks, Tesla’s has already become the de facto U.S. standard.” [Jalopnik, 6/29/23 (=)]

CharIN NACS Task Force List Includes Over 50 Companies... But Not Tesla — “The switch from the Combined Charging System (CCS1) to the North American Charging Standard (NACS) EV charging connector in North America appears to gain momentum every week. As we know, even the Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) association, which stands behind the CCS (CCS1 and CCS2) as well as MCS charging standards, announced on June 12 that it could help with making the NACS a proper standard. The organization, which has more than 320 members, has created an open task force to align requirements with the goal of submitting NACS to the standardization process. According to a blog post from about a week ago, the open group included 51 companies within about 10 days (currently the number might be higher). The list included several EV manufacturers - BMW Group, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai-Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Proterra (buses), Stellantis, Toyota, VinFast, and Volvo Cars.” [Inside EVs, 6/29/23 (=)]

5 Scenic E.V. Road Trips — “A record 43.2 million travelers are expected to hit the road this weekend for the Fourth of July holiday, according to the automobile owners group AAA, an increase of 1.7 million or 4 percent over 2019. But compared to the pre-pandemic times, more road trips now have the potential to veer green, thanks to the steady uptick of electric car interest and availability, as well as an expanding number of routes with the necessary infrastructure. States like Indiana and Michigan have joined Colorado and others in building more charging stations on scenic routes and byways, while car rental companies are enlarging their electric car fleets. Hertz Rental Cars (also the parent company of Dollar and Thrifty) recently announced plans to dedicate a quarter of its fleet to E.V.s by the end of 2024, and competitors, including Enterprise and Avis, already lease Teslas, Chevrolet Bolts, Nissan Leafs and other electric vehicles. And UFODRIVE, an European company that exclusively rents electric vehicles through an app, has expanded into a few select U.S. cities this past year.” [The New York Times, 6/29/23 (+)]

Radisson Has PowerGo Equip Hotels With EV Charging Stations — “The Radisson Hotel Group has commissioned Dutch PowerGo to equip 300 European hotels with charging infrastructure. The roll-out is part of Radisson’s ‘Green Mobility Mindset’ initiative and is already underway. PowerGo is installing the first eight charging stations under this partnership at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Oslo and expects the works to be completed by mid-July. The chargers can be used by guests and visitors of the hotel. Details on the charging technology have not been disclosed, nor have PowerGo or Radisson named the following hotels to benefit from EV charging. Instead, ‘for each location, we determine whether AC chargers, fast chargers, or a combination of both is most suitable so that we can meet the needs for each specific hotel’s charging infrastructure,’ said Ivo van Dam, Chief Technology Officer at PowerGo.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

EV Sales & Transition

On EV Policy, States Are Making ‘Incremental Progress, Not Transformational’: ACEEE — “Dive Brief: California leads the nation when it comes to state policies encouraging electric vehicle adoption, and no other state comes close, according to a new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. ACEEE’s 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard awarded the Golden State 88 out of 100 possible points. California wants to electrify all light-duty vehicles; it’s investing in the power grid; and it has made equity a key consideration in its efforts. New York ranked second, with 62 points. States must move ‘far more aggressively’ to encourage adoption of EVs and enable the electric grid to reliably charge them, Peter Huether, senior research associate at ACEEE and lead author of the report, said in a statement.” [Utility Dive, 6/30/23 (=)]

Why America’s Biggest EV Projects Are In Southern States — “The first major EV assembly and battery plant projects are taking shape, and many of the new jobs reside in the US south, according to a recent report from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The EV transition reflects a larger trend—the south is becoming a crucial hub for North American automotive production, shifting away from the midwest, where many large car manufacturers, including Ford and General Motors, are headquartered. The midwest continues to maintain the majority of automotive jobs, but the south is gaining ground. In 1992, about 500,000 people in the US automotive industry were employed in the midwest; in 2022, that number dropped to over 250,000 people. Meanwhile, auto employment in the south jumped by 80% between 1992 and 2022.” [Quartz, 6/30/23 (+)]

For The Love Of All Things Good, America Needs Smaller Electric Trucks — “If you saw a good friend of yours, someone that you loved, backsliding again into their destructive habits, you’d say something, right? I would. And I have to do it now. America, you’re my friend. And we need to talk about all of these massive electric trucks. It’s no secret that America has a love affair with massive vehicles, namely trucks and SUVs. But what is a bit less well known is exactly why. As you can probably guess though, it has to do with money, namely profits for manufacturers. There was a time when the ‘big family car’ in the US was a station wagon. It fit a seven-person family and the dog, plus everyone’s luggage, and became the iconic family road trip vehicle for decades. It was a simpler time, when cars weighed less, held more, and had better visibility.” [Electrek, 6/29/23 (+)]

Should Your Next Car Be An EV? — “It looks like we’re reaching a tipping point for electric-vehicle sales. Early adopters purchased more than a quarter-million EVs in the first quarter of 2023, according to Kelly Blue Book—though exact numbers are difficult to pin down in part owing to a lack of precise Tesla sales figures. EVs have improved to the point that they’re now practical for a large swath of U.S. buyers, and thousands of new public charging stations are being added across the U.S. every month. If that has you wondering whether this is the right year for you to buy your first EV, you’re in the right place. Peruse this list of pros and cons to see if now’s the time for you to make the leap to driving on battery power.” [Car and Driver, 6/29/23 (=)]

Op-Ed: Gas-Powered Cars Are An Environmental Catastrophe. I’ll Miss Them Anyway. — According to Farhad Manjoo, “But let’s not put gas-powered cars out to pasture without a proper farewell. Gasoline cars are among the last remnants in our daily lives of the pistoning industrial age — machines powered not by quietly streaming electrons but by noisy, fiery explosion, by sequential gears and timing belts, by the primal growl of thermal expansion. America’s overreliance on cars has been ruinous, but as we celebrate another national birthday, let’s remember, too, how the gas-powered car helped realize a quintessentially American idea of liberty: the freedom to roam just about anywhere you please. Yes, I’m romanticizing the automobile, and yes, the poetic way the automotive industry wants us to think about cars is rarely reflected in the misery that is daily urban commuting. But as critical as I’ve been of cars, I can’t deny loving driving and loving it in a primal way — loving the thrum of a revving engine, loving slaloming in and out of turns on a windy country road, loving simply going very far, very fast, conveyed by fire. And here’s another confession: I’ve never felt anything approaching this sort of exhilaration in an electric car. Electric cars are quieter, more efficient, less polluting and easier to maintain and generally even accelerate more quickly than their gas counterparts.” [The New York Times, 6/30/23 (~)]

States & Local

Colorado

Xcel Energy’s $145 Million Bid To Build Electric Vehicle Chargers Sparks Opposition From Private Sector — “Supporters of speeding up the move to electric vehicles see investment by utilities as essential, but business groups say it will be hard for them to compete with utilities on providing charging stations for the public. In its second plan on electric vehicles filed with regulators, Xcel Energy proposes spending $145 million to build a public charging network over the next three years in addition to offering rebates and other programs. Charge Ahead Partnership, a national coalition that includes retailers that want to build EV charging stations, opposes proposals by Xcel and other utilities to install and operate chargers. Coalition spokesman Ryan McKinnon said regulated utilities like Xcel Energy would have an unfair advantage in the emerging market because they can use ratepayers’ money to invest in the infrastructure and they get a certain rate of return on their investments. ‘We’re advocating for policies that will make it more of a level playing field for private business retailers, basically just letting the free market come in and be able to provide this service without having to compete with a monopoly,’ McKinnon said. The coalition also objects to utilities owning and operating chargers because the money will come from ratepayers, including low-income customers and people who don’t have EVs.” [The Denver Post, 6/28/23 (=)]

Florida

Florida’s Vehicle Fleet Won’t Go Electric After Gov. DeSantis Axes Bill — “It’s DeSantis’ sixth veto this year. Florida government vehicles will remain hooked to the filling station, not the charging station. Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill (SB 284) on Wednesday that sought to smooth the way for state agencies to incorporate electric vehicles into their fleets. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Sanford Republican, and received only one nay vote, from Rep. Yvonne Hinson, a Gainesville Democrat. It would’ve required state agencies to buy vehicles that use ethanol and biodiesel blended fuels, as well as natural gas fuel, when possible. Those who purchase vehicles for state agencies also would’ve been required to consider the entire lifetime cost of the vehicle, not just the purchase price, when evaluating bids. Agencies are currently required to consider fuel efficiency when buying vehicles, but in an Orlando Sentinel op-ed piece last month Brodeur called that criterion ‘an outdated and ineffective way of evaluating vehicle performance and financial benefits.’ Brodeur pitched the bill as one that would save the state millions of dollars over the next decade while not imposing any concrete mandates on the state or consumers.” [Florida Politics, 6/28/23 (=)]

Georgia

Ossoff Says Kemp ‘Tantrum’ Over New Factories Is ‘Just Politics’ — “There’s a brewing drama over which of the state’s top leaders should get the credit for the flood of new electric vehicle, battery and solar manufacturing companies to Georgia: Democrats in Washington, who passed an infrastructure bill with billions in direct incentives for the Georgia-bound companies or GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who wooed individual companies with millions in state tax breaks and incentives. On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff pushed back hard on Kemp’s assertion earlier this week that the state should get sole credit, and blaming President Joe Biden for taking ‘false credit’ for the factories heading to Georgia. ‘ ‘Economic development should be a team sport. So the tantrum yesterday and all the drama is just politics,’ Ossoff said of the governor from a stop in Metter, where the senator announced $1.3 billion from the infrastructure bill for Georgia to expand rural broadband. ‘It’s a collaboration, and I don’t see why there’s political drama about this,’ Ossoff said. ‘The federal infrastructure and manufacturing policies that (Democrats) passed are benefiting Georgia, more than just about any state in the country. We should celebrate that together.’ Ossoff added that the federal incentives are securing billions of dollars of additional private capital heading to the state. ‘It is a great thing for the state of Georgia and rather than politicizing it we should be celebrating it together and working together.’” [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/30/23 (=)]

Kansas

Kansas Trails Other States In Attempted Transition Toward Electric Vehicles — “For Kansas, the move toward greener forms of transportation is hardly electrifying. A scorecard from advocacy group the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks the state 31st, with a score of 16 out of 100, in a report released Wednesday. ‘Kansas can do more to accelerate the transition to EVs,’ said Peter Huether, ACEEE researcher and lead author on the report. ‘The state could start by having a comprehensive EV plan with EV and EV charging infrastructure targets, providing incentives for EVs as well as EV charging infrastructure, and providing school districts support to electrify their buses.’ Electric vehicles have been promoted as an environmentally conscious alternative at a time where carbon emissions are reaching crisis levels. California, New York and Colorado were the top three leaders in EV progress, but only nine states scored more than half the points available, and the study concluded all states needed to step up efforts to improve electric vehicle transition. ‘We are seeing incremental progress, not transformational progress,’ Huether said. ‘States will have to move far more aggressively to do their part to enable the electric vehicle transition that the climate crisis demands.’” [Kansas Reflector, 6/28/23 (=)]

Massachusetts

Report Ranks Massachusetts Fourth In The Country On Electric Vehicle Policies — “Massachusetts moved up one rank, into fourth place nationally, when it comes to EV policy, according to a report by an industry research nonprofit. The state ranked highly on policies providing incentives to buy electric vehicles and install EV chargers. It’s the second year the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its Transportation Electrification Scorecard. The state also scored well for having strong overall transportation emissions reduction goals. And it received high marks for its goals for grid decarbonization, which will play an important part in reducing emissions since EVs currently rely on a grid largely powered by fossil fuels. The report also commended the state for the practice where utilities offering incentives for people who charge their EVs outside of peak electric use hours.” [WBUR-Radio, 6/29/23 (=)]

Minnesota

Minnesota Is The Midwest Leader On Electric Vehicles, Report Says — “Minnesota is the Midwestern leader on policies encouraging the widespread use of electric vehicles, according to a new scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, an advocacy group. But the state still has considerable work to do to catch up to national leaders like California, New York and Colorado, according to the report, which grades states on their EV incentives, charging infrastructure, grid optimization and other categories. ‘Minnesota is the leading state in the Midwest,’ explained Peter Huether, a senior research associate at ACEEE. ‘Minnesota has a significant amount of utility EV infrastructure investment in the pipeline, more than $325 million, making it the state with the third-largest proposed utility investment per customer in the country.’ The state also scored points for prioritizing EV deployment in environmental justice areas, where people of color have experienced disproportionate harm from the effects of environmental degradation. But Minnesota hasn’t kept pace with rulemaking in some other states, most notably California, which will require all new passenger vehicles sold in the state to have zero emissions by 2035.” [Minnesota Reformer, 6/28/23 (=)]

New Hampshire

Electric Vehicle Charging Is An Obstacle For NH Renters And Landlords — “When Kris Schultz and her husband finally decided to replace their 20-year old car, they opted to go green. In searching for a used vehicle that was both UAW-made and electric, one car fit the bill: a 2017 Ford Fusion. ‘I was very excited because the price was right,’ Schultz said. However, Schultz and her husband, like nearly one-third of New Hampshire households, are renters. When she reached out to her landlord to discuss the possibility of installing an electric vehicle charging station, she received an uncertain response. ‘They really didn’t know what to do … even though I offered to cover the whole thing,’ she said. After going back and forth with her landlord and the property management company, she settled on a non-hybrid Fusion so as not to lose out on the price she negotiated with her dealership. Schultz also happens to be a Concord Democrat representing Merrimack District 29, and she decided to sponsor a bill to examine the problem after speaking with other New Hampshire renters with the same issue. Signed by Gov. Chris Sununu last week, House Bill 111 establishes a committee to study electric vehicle charging stations for residential renters.” [New Hampshire Bulletin, 6/30/23 (+)]

New York

New York Earns Stripes For Electric Vehicle Adoption, But There’s Still Work To Do — “New York is being recognized for its leading role in the electric vehicle revolution. The Empire State ranked number two on the recently released American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s electrification scorecard, which evaluates states based on how well their policies encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption. California, which boasts over 550,000 electric vehicle registrations, took first place, scoring 88 out of 100 points compared to New York which scored 62 points. This is the second year in a row that New York has claimed the number two spot. The scorecard applauded New York’s efforts to incentivize the purchase of EVs and EV charging infrastructure, incorporate equity considerations into its planning—the state dedicated 16 percent of utility EV spending to underserved communities— and effectively integrate EV infrastructure into the electrical grid.” [City Limits, 6/29/23 (=)]

International

Europe

Germany To Earmark 900 Million Euros In Subsidies For E-Car Charging Systems — “Germany is to earmark up to 900 million euros ($983 million) in subsidies to expand electric vehicle charging stations for households and companies, the transport ministry said on Thursday. Europe’s biggest economy currently has some 90,000 public charging points and aims to have one million by 2030 in hopes of boosting growth in electromobility as it targets carbon neutrality by 2045. Germany had around 1.2 million fully electric vehicles on its roads by the end of April, well below its goal of 15 million by 2030, data from federal motor authority KBA showed. High prices, limited range and a lack of charging stations, especially in rural areas, are seen as the main reasons for the lag in electric vehicle sales. The transport ministry said it will soon launch two funding programmes to support private households and companies in building charging stations with their own power supply.” [Reuters, 6/29/23 (=)]

Spain Offers Tax Breaks For EVs — “The Spanish government is aiming to boost sales of electric cars with a tax break for private individuals. The Council of Ministers has approved a deduction of 15 per cent of income tax for the purchase of electric vehicles. This tax relief will apply until 31 December 2025. The maximum deduction that can be claimed from the time of the electric car purchase is 20,000 euros. This measure has already been examined and approved by the EU Commission under state aid law. For corporate income tax, a tax incentive is also to be introduced for companies to install charging stations for both private and public use. Further details have not yet been made public. In any case, it is unclear what will happen politically in Spain after Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called early elections for 23 July. The Spanish government recently adjusted its electric mobility subsidy programme Moves III. Spain is also promoting the production of electric vehicles and batteries through its PERTE programme.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

UK Car Output Jumps 27% In May From Year Earlier On Steady EV Demand — “Britain’s car production rose for a fourth straight month in May, driven by higher demand for electric vehicles, according to an industry body. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said on Friday a total of 79,046 cars rolled out of factory gates in the UK last month, an increase of nearly 27% year-over-year. That is still 31.9% lower than the 2019 output levels. While easing supply chain snarls have boosted vehicle production, Britain’s car industry continues to grapple with post-Brexit export rules. Under the trade deal agreed when Britain left the European Union, the origin rule requires a rising proportion of electric vehicles’ parts to be made locally to qualify for trade without tariffs, starting 2024. The rule has drawn criticism from several automakers as it will make these vehicles more expensive and potentially hurt demand. Combined hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle volumes surged 95.4% in May to 27,636 units, and represented 35% of all cars produced during the time, SMMT said.” [Reuters, 6/29/23 (=)]

Hyundai & Toyota Ads Misleading In The UK Says ASA — “The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned two electric car campaigns by Toyota and Hyundai. The manufacturers had advertised their EV models with claims about fast-charging capability, but the ASA says the information given is misleading. Toyota advertised that bZ4X can be charged to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes with a 150-kW fast charger and added the text ‘making electric easy’. The ad went on claiming drivers could ‘easily find rapid-charging points in a number of public locations’, especially in areas where ‘drivers were most likely to need them’, such as main travel points on motorways and large arterial roads. Hyundai claimed the Ioniq 5 could be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 18 minutes with a 350-kW charger. This is what ASA mostly take issue with. While the fast-charging capability of the car may be true, according to the ASA, these claims about charging times are misleading, as they can only be achieved under optimal conditions and is only useful with an adequate number of fast chargers.” [Electrive, 6/29/23 (=)]

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