Congress

 

House Republicans Expand Probe Of Ford EV Deal — “House Republicans are launching another investigation into the electric vehicle battery deal that Ford Motor Co. reached with a Chinese company earlier this year. Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and more than two dozen of her colleagues asked Ford CEO James Farley in a letter Tuesday to share a copy of the agreement that the automaker inked with China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., or CATL, to build a $3.5 billion EV plant in Marshall, Mich. The lawmakers expressed concern that ‘Ford’s partnership with a Chinese company could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains and jeopardize national security by furthering dependence on China.’ Melissa Miller, a spokesperson for Ford, said the company will respond once it receives the congressional letter to ‘again correct rampant misinformation’ about the project. Miller said Ford alone is building the plant and will own and run the facility.” [E&E News, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

House Republicans Question Ford About Planned EV Battery Plant — “House Republicans write Ford CEO James D. Farley with concerns that company’s partnership with Chinese EV battery-producer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. ‘could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains.’ ‘We seek to learn more about whether this partnership, and others like it, will potentially exacerbate our reliance on China,’ write lawmakers including Cathy McMorris Rogers, Bill Johnson and Jeff Duncan” [Bloomberg Tax, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Dozens Of Republicans Probe US Automaker For Partnership With CCP-Linked EV Company — “FIRST ON FOX: A group of 26 Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are probing billion-dollar U.S. automaker Ford Motor Company over its partnership with Chinese battery firm Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL). The GOP lawmakers — led by Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Energy and Commerce Oversight Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith, R-Va. — expressed concern in a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley on Friday that the company’s recent deal with CATL may pose a national security risk. ‘While Ford has labeled this project a ‘commitment to American manufacturing’ and asserts it will create 2,500 new American jobs, we are concerned that Ford’s partnership with a Chinese company could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains and jeopardize national security by furthering dependence on China,’ the Republicans stated in their letter. ‘We seek to learn more about whether this partnership, and others like it, will potentially exacerbate our reliance on China. Should China gain control of domestic electric vehicle production, the United States would be exposed to serious national security risks at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions,’ they added.” [Fox News, 9/5/23 (-)]

 

House GOP Expands Probe Into Ford For Teaming Up With Chinese EV Battery Supplier — “House Republicans intensified Tuesday their investigation into Ford over its deal with a Chinese company to open a new $3.5 billion facility in Michigan for electric vehicle batteries. The House Energy and Commerce Committee requested a slew of information in a letter to Ford about the agreement with Chinese battery supplier Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, or CATL, adding to a previous probe opened this summer by House Republicans on two other committees. Republicans cited national security concerns about the agreement, set to expire in 2038, in light of the Biden administration’s green energy transition and China’s dominance over critical minerals required in EV batteries. ‘While Ford has labeled this project a ‘commitment to American manufacturing’ and asserts it will create 2,500 new American jobs, we are concerned that Ford’s partnership with a Chinese company could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains and jeopardize national security by furthering dependence on China,’ stated the letter. The correspondence was led by Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington Republican, and signed by 25 of her GOP colleagues on the panel.” [The Washington Times, 9/5/23 (-)]

 

5 Issues To Watch As Congress Wrestles With The NDAA [Pentagon Climate Action] — “Perhaps the most contentious environmental provision in the House NDAA is an amendment from Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy that would bar the Defense Department from implementing the Biden administration’s executive orders on climate change. Republicans muscled the provision into the bill on a tight 217-216 vote. It would target seven administration initiatives, including ones that compel agencies to uphold environmental justice, reduce carbon emissions, stimulate clean energy deployment and mitigate climate-related financial risk. The Defense Department is the world’s largest institutional consumer of fossil fuels and generates more carbon emissions than many countries. Speaking on the House floor, Roy argued that climate spending is a distraction for the military and that it undermines American energy security by increasing reliance on China’s clean energy supply chains. He also downplayed the impacts that certain climate actions — such as transitioning the Defense Department’s fleet of more than 160,000 nontactical vehicles to electric ones — could have on planet-warming emissions. ‘We’re gagging on a gnat to have some battery-powered frickin’ military vehicles. Are you out of your mind? None of that is going to make this planet better,’ Roy said in a brief interview.” [E&E News, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

5 Issues To Watch As Congress Wrestles With The NDAA [Electric Vehicles] — “Electric vehicles are perhaps the most prominent battleground in Capitol Hill discussions around Defense Department climate actions, and the NDAA is no exception. The Biden administration is counting on widespread EV adoption to drive down transportation-sector emissions, and it has ordered government agencies, including the Pentagon, to purchase only zero-emission nontactical vehicles by 2035. Many Republicans see that transition as a national security risk and hope to use the defense bill to stymie the Pentagon’s shift away from gasoline cars. Asked about the prospect of anti-EV riders making it into a final NDAA, Roy, the policy chair for the House Freedom Caucus, said it will depend ‘on whether Republicans are going to actually be conservative, or whether we’re going to pretend to be conservative.’ Republicans proposed a host of amendments that would make it more difficult for the Defense Department to acquire EVs, expressing concerns about reliability, high costs and accidentally increasing dependence on Chinese battery supply chains while domestic EV production gradually ramps up.” [E&E News, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

5 Issues To Watch As Congress Wrestles With The NDAA [China Competition] — “Nowhere has bipartisanship been more apparent in this Congress than in lawmakers’ hostility to China. The House and Senate NDAAs are chock-full of provisions that target China’s clean energy supply chains — one of the clearest examples of how lawmakers are using energy policy to try to counter the East Asian powerhouse. Those provisions are all but certain to stay intact in the final defense bill. The House bill features a Republican provision to prohibit the Defense Department from purchasing batteries from China. Another would require the agency to study China’s influence on EV supply chains and their impact on national security. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) touted the strides that his chamber’s bill would make in standing up to China, saying the Senate bill includes ‘the beginnings of’ a broader China competition bill that lawmakers are hoping to put together later this year. The Senate passed a provision from Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) that would require the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to issue a report on efforts to ensure that the United States can outcompete China on mineral acquisition.” [E&E News, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Department of Energy (DOE)

 

Amid Union Worries, DOE Floats Billions To Retool Plants To Make EVs — “The Biden administration is floating significant financial assistance for auto manufacturers to retool their facilities to produce electric vehicles (EVs) -- prioritizing projects that retain existing jobs -- in an apparent push to ease labor groups’ concerns about a shift to EVs and remove a potential hurdle to its broader climate agenda. The Energy Department (DOE) on Aug. 31 announced a total of $12 billion -- including $2 billion in grants funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and up to $10 billion in loans -- to support retooling of existing factories for EVs. Those funds come alongside another forthcoming $3.5 billion for domestic battery manufacturing for EVs and other applications. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters Aug. 31 that the variety of funding types ‘shows DOE is flexible, and we actually have the full spectrum of capital available to help companies transition.’ Granholm added that the U.S. will need the ‘will and skill’ of existing automakers to ‘dominate the global EV market,’ adding that the administration will prioritize projects that retain current high-quality jobs, including those most likely to keep existing workers on payroll and advance collective bargaining agreements.” [Inside EVs, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

 

EPA Can't Justify Renewable-Fuel Standards, DC Circ. Told — “Biofuel producers and supporters are both telling the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has failed to justify challenged aspects of its latest renewable-fuel standards, with the companies saying the standards should be scrapped. Biofuel interests including Waste Management Inc. and Iogen Corp. said the EPA was trying to insert words into a statute to justify a flawed decision to exclude carryover credits called renewable identification numbers from a calculation of how much cellulosic biofuel would be available to refiners. Cellulosic biofuels are derived from wood, grass and plant waste and have been promoted as a better alternative to corn- and soybean-derived ethanol typically mixed into fuel products. The EPA should have included those credits in its ‘projected volume available,’ but did not due to misplaced concerns over compliance flexibility, according to the companies. ‘By its plain meaning, ‘the projected volume available during that calendar year’ means all cellulosic biofuel obligated parties may use for compliance in that year. Importantly, the volume available for compliance in a given year is not limited to what was produced in that year,’ the companies told the D.C. Circuit in a reply brief on Friday.” [Law360, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

Vehicle Manufacturers

 

BMW Group

 

BMW CEO Calls On China To Expand Hydrogen Network — “BMW (BMWG.DE) Chief Executive Oliver Zipse, in a speech on Wednesday, called on China to expand its hydrogen network in urban areas and clarify public charging standards to encourage customer uptake of electric cars. ‘The same policy incentives for electromobility are needed for hydrogen to achieve a breakthrough,’ he said, speaking at China’s World New Energy Vehicle Congress taking place in Munich.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Protesters Scale BMWs As Germany’s Scholz Opens Munich Car Show — “Greenpeace activists climbed onto the roofs of some BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG display vehicles, as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz officially opened the Munich car show. The protesters joined earlier groups that had abseiled from a bridge over a major transport artery in the Bavarian capital, as well as a bicycle demonstration snaking through the town center on Tuesday. Activists are demanding additional investment in public transportation and green initiatives, while carmakers are showcasing a range of electric vehicles at the biennial show.” [Bloomberg, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

BYD Co.

 

BYD, China’s Tesla, Is Coming For The World — “China’s electric-vehicle champion BYD has sped ahead in its home market despite a bruising price war. Now it will try to export its way to even greater success. The Warren Buffett-backed Chinese automaker sold 1.8 million new-energy vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, in the first eight months of the year—an 83% rise from a year earlier. The surging adoption of EVs in the country has helped BYD overtake Volkswagen as China’s bestselling car brand this year. Around one in three cars sold in China this year was an EV. The company reported last week that its revenue in the first half of 2023 grew 73% from a year earlier. More impressively, it managed to expand its gross margin to 18.5% from 13.5% a year ago. That is against a background in which automakers were slashing prices in China to compete for market share. BYD’s scale and better product mix—together with proximity to China’s EV supply chain—helped. Its vertically integrated model, with BYD making its own batteries, has helped keep its costs low.” [The Wall Street Journal, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

BYD Showcases Six Electric Vehicles At The IAA 2023 — “BYD presented its complete range of European electric cars at the IAA Mobility and revealed the full technical specifications of the Seal and Dolphin models. The Denza brand also made its official European debut in Munich. Staying with BYD, the booth hosts the full range of previously introduced models like the Atto 3, Tang and Han. Relatively new to the European line-up but announced previously are the 800-volt Seal and Dolphin vehicles. BYD released Dolphin prices in Europe in June, targeting markups between 29,990 and 37,740 euros. Entirely new yet expected to make its IAA debut is the Seal U (SUV), on the show as a preview ahead of its forthcoming release in Europe. Like the original Seal, the new SUV is positioned in the D-segment and thus one class above the C-segment SUV Atto 3. The Seal U will be launched in Europe in the first half of 2024; BYD has not yet disclosed prices. If the Seal U is counted as a stand-alone model, the BYD range will comprise six electric models in future, including the Han EV, Tang EV, Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal and Seal U.” [Electrive, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

BYD Calls For More Cooperation With German Automakers — “BYD (002593.SZ) chairman and president Wang Chuanfu told German auto executives at a conference in Munich on Wednesday there was room for more cooperation in the electric vehicle transition, echoing a series of Chinese EV startups calling for partnerships. ‘We believe there is more space to cooperate and work together with German counterparts ... we want to invite partners from Germany to join BYD to promote green transport,’ Wang Chuanfu said, speaking at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

Ford's Sales Post Slight Gain In August — “Ford Motor Co.’s sales ticked up 2% year-over-year in August, according to numbers released Tuesday. The Dearborn automaker sold 161,300 new vehicles in the United States last month, up from 158,088 in August 2022. Sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, which make up the bulk of Ford’s sales, were essentially flat compared to a year ago. The automaker sold 6,940 battery-electric vehicles in August, up 17.7% from a year ago. And hybrid-vehicle sales of 10,945 were up nearly 32%. Ford has opted for a vehicle portfolio that includes ICE, hybrid and electric vehicles, in contrast to some competitors that are skipping hybrids in favor of focusing entirely on all-electric vehicles. ‘It’s a good start, but there is still more upside to be had,’ Erich Merkle, head of U.S. sales analysis for Ford, said of August’s hybrid sales results. ‘F-150 hybrid is America’s best-selling hybrid truck followed by Maverick Hybrid as America’s second best-selling hybrid truck.’” [The Detroit News, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Ford Mustang Mach-E Sales Bounce Back, Becoming 2nd Best-Selling EV SUV Behind Tesla’s Model Y — “Sales of Ford’s Mustang Mach-E bounced back in August, rising 61% from last year. The Mach-E became the second-best-selling electric SUV in the US, behind Tesla’s Model Y. Although Mach-E sales fell over 20% in the first half of the year as Ford retooled its plant in Mexico, where the electric SUV is built, they are on the rise again. Ford announced the plant upgrades last year, revealing it would result in downtime. Andrew Frick, VP of sales distribution, said in June, ‘Improved Mustang Mach E inventory flow began to hit at the end of Q2 following the retooling of our plant earlier this year.’ Frick also announced that the changes ‘helped Mustang Mach-E sales climb 110% in June’ despite a slow start to the year. Production has picked up all year with 0 Mach-E’s being built in January, 300 in February, 7,381 in March, 11,858 in April, 13,639 in May, and another 13,000 in June.” [Electrek, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Geely

 

Volvo Plug-In Car Sales In August 2023 Increased By 78% — “Volvo Cars reported 51,636 global car sales in August, which is 18 percent more than a year ago. During the first eight months of 2023, the company sold 447,492 cars (up 18 percent year-over-year). Meanwhile, Volvo plug-in electric car sales increased by 78 percent year-over-year to 17,005, which is 32.9 percent of the total volume (compared to 21.9 percent a year ago). August was a relatively slow month, but the growth remains strong. In the case of all-electric cars, sales increased by 167 percent year-over-year to 6,660 units. Plug-in hybrid car sales also increased, by 46 percent year-over-year to 10,345. Considering the previous trends, now we should see better sales through the end of the year, potentially including some new records. Volvo Recharge sales results last month: BEVs: 6,660 (up 167%) and 12.9% share PHEVs: 10,345 (up 46%) and 20.0% share Total: 17,005 (up 78%) and 32.9% share” [Inside EVs, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Volvo & Evergo Team Up To Expand Charging In Mexico — “With all of the EV news coming out of the United States, Canada, China, and Europe, sometimes it’s easy to forget about some of our neighbors to the south. But that’s a mistake. Many upcoming EVs for the U.S. market are being built in Mexico, and they need the benefits of electric drive down there just as much as we do. But, for my family down there, it’s probably going to be a long time before I see them come visit in an EV, both because they’re difficult to afford and because charging is hard to come by. The same would be true if I wanted to take my Bolt to to visit the little town where my grandmother grew up. Safety issues aside, making the 400-mile round trip isn’t really feasible, because the whole area is a giant charging dead zone. This is a real shame, because it’s just a 3–4 hour trip into a neighboring state, and it wouldn’t be a problem if the states were both on this side of the border. Seeing yet another barrier grow between us all isn’t great.” [CleanTechnica, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

General Motor Corp.

 

GM Exec Says UAW Demands 'Would Threaten...Manufacturing Momentum' — “General Motors’ (GM.N) global head of manufacturing, Gerald Johnson, said in a video statement released on Tuesday the demands received from the United Auto Workers union have ‘significant costs attached that would threaten our ability to maintain our manufacturing momentum.’ Johnson appeared in the video with GM President Mark Reuss. Both executives reiterated they want to reach a ‘fair’ agreement without a strike. The executives did not detail GM’s economic proposals to the UAW.” [Reuters, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Hyundai Motor Co.

 

Hyundai Mobis Sets Sights On Growth In Europe — “Hyundai Mobis, the South Korean automotive supplier belonging to the Hyundai Motor Group, presented its European expansion strategy ‘Mobis Mobility Move 2.0’ at the IAA Mobility. This year, the company wants to grow by 50 per cent in the European market and then by more than 30 per cent each year. Hyundai Mobis says it is confident of being able to expand rapidly in Europe, pointing among other things to the recent contract signed with Volkswagen. ‘We expect orders from the region will more than double compared to last year. By 2030 we are aiming for an annual sales growth of over 30% in the European market,’ expresses Axel Maschka, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Division at Hyundai Mobis. Growth is to be driven by the three areas of electrification (‘battery/power electronics’), chassis (‘X-By-Wire’) and connectivity.” [Electrive, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Lordstown Motors

 

Bankrupt Lordstown Motors Proposes Zero Payment For Foxconn Shares — “Bankrupt electric vehicle manufacturer Lordstown Motors has proposed to pay nothing for Taiwan’s Foxconn’s preferred equity shares, saying it will prioritize other shareholders if an ongoing sales effort generates enough cash to repay other debts. Lordstown Motors, named for the Ohio town where it is based, filed a Chapter 11 plan Friday in Delaware bankruptcy court, outlining how it intends to distribute proceeds from an ongoing effort to sell its assets. Lordstown’s Chapter 11 plan warned that the value of its assets is ‘necessarily speculative’ at this stage in the bankruptcy and ‘could potentially be zero.’ Lordstown has set a Sept. 8 deadline for bids, with a Sept. 19 auction to follow. The company’s shareholders would only be paid after its creditors and Lordstown’s Chapter 11 plan did not include an estimate of how much creditors are owed. Lordstown reported in earlier court filings that it owed about $20 million to 30 trade vendors, and recently agreed to pay $40 million to settle a trade secrets lawsuit filed by rival automaker Karma.” [Reuters, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Lucid Group

 

Lucid Targets $50K EV ‘Right In The Heart Of Tesla Model 3, Model Y Territory’ — “EV maker Lucid Motors plans to take on Tesla’s top-selling Model Y and Model 3 models with an electric vehicle priced around $50,000. CEO Peter Rawlinson recently spoke with ABC News in an interview about accelerating EV adoption and how vehicle efficiency will be key. Lucid’s leader and chief tech officer said cheap electric cars with small, efficient batteries would get Americans to trade in their ICE vehicles for EVs and never look back. He said, ‘The feeling of the road, the feedback through the steering, the instantaneous torque – there is romance with an electric car.’ With Lucid’s least expensive model, the Air Pure, starting at $82,400, Rawlinson was asked about building a vehicle that’s under $60,000.” [Electrek, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Lucid Motors’ Tesla Model 3 Competitor In The Works, $50,000 Price Target — “Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson has shared his plan to launch a more affordable model in the coming years. The California-based start-up currently offers the Air luxury sedan, whose prices range from $82,400, excluding taxes and fees, for the Pure variant, to a whopping $249,000 for the Air Sapphire. In an interview with ABC News, Rawlinson covered several topics concerning the current automotive landscape, sharing his perspective on range anxiety, charging infrastructure, and the brand’s goal of launching a relatively affordable EV. He added that a high-end product at the start was necessary to attract investment. The brand announced in June 2023 that it was raising $3 billion, the majority of which would be sourced from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – the largest stakeholder in Lucid Motors with over 60 percent of its shares. Rawlinson then shared the target price of its future EV, which he indicated would make it competitive.” [Inside EVs, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

 

Renault Introduces Long Kangoo Variant — “With the Grand Kangoo, Renault presented the long version of the Kangoo at the IAA Mobility – as a combustion engine and also as the fully electric Grand Kangoo E-Tech Electric with up to seven seats. Orders are to be possible from the end of 2023 and deliveries are to start in early 2024. The drive of the new Grand Kangoo E-Tech Electric is familiar from the electric Kangoo van and its passenger car variant (Kangoo Rapid E-Tech Electric and Kangoo E-Tech Electric): A separately excited synchronous motor with 90 kW of power and 245 Nm of peak torque is combined with a 45 kWh battery, which is said to provide a WLTP range of up to 265 kilometres in the Grand Kangoo E-Tech Electric. An AC on-board charger with 22 kW output comes as standard, while DC charging is optional with up to 80 kW. AC charging from 15 to 80 per cent battery charge takes 2:40 hours, according to Renault. With DC charging, Renault states that energy for a distance of 80 kilometres can be refuelled in ten minutes and electricity for a distance of 170 kilometres in 27 minutes.” [Electrive, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Tesla Seeks Arbitration For 'Right-To-Repair' Monopoly Claims — “Tesla urged a California federal judge Tuesday to order three Tesla drivers’ claims to arbitration and toss their proposed class action alleging the electric vehicle maker runs an unlawful monopoly on parts for its cars, arguing the claims are within the scope of arbitration provisions included in their signed vehicle contracts. When purchasing or leasing their Tesla vehicles, the plaintiffs agreed to arbitrate any disputes, the company’s lawyer told U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson during Tuesday’s hearing in San Francisco federal court. Further, the three Tesla drivers agreed that arbitrators, not courts, should resolve any issues about the scope or validity of the arbitration provisions in the vehicle agreements, said Nicole Valente of Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP. ‘The only question your honor needs to decide here was whether there was a delegation clause and whether that was agreed,’ Valente told the court. The three plaintiffs — Cary Phillips, Levi Stoffal and Danielle Thys — clearly agreed to the arbitration provisions and there is no evidence in the record that they didn’t, Valente said.” [Law360, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Tesla's Shanghai Factory Hits 2 Mln Car Production Milestone — “Tesla’s (TSLA.O) Shanghai factory achieved on Wednesday the milestone of 2 million cars produced, according to the company’s WeChat account.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Urges Australia To Give Tax Credits For Battery Supply Chain Investment — “Electric-vehicle giant Tesla Inc. says Australia should offer tax incentives to transform the mining nation into a hub for processing the minerals used to manufacture batteries. ‘Australia can be more than a ‘dig and ship’ nation,’ Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm told a conference in Canberra on Tuesday. The Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, a climate bill signed into US law last year that offers tax credits to producers, is a ‘proven mechanism’ for delivering the necessary investment, she said. Australia is among those nations with ambitions to disrupt China’s dominance of the supply chain for the batteries that power electric vehicles. The government in Canberra released a Critical Minerals Strategy in June, which includes a target of luring A$500 million ($320 million) in foreign funding for projects vital to the energy transition.” [Bloomberg, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Unlikely To Pursue Indonesia Plant Soon, Panjaitan Says — “Indonesia doesn’t expect Tesla Inc. to invest in the country anytime soon, after coordinating minister Luhut Panjaitan met with Elon Musk last month. ‘I said fine, we are doing OK, if you cannot invest in Indonesia for a moment, no problem,’ Panjaitan, who is the coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, said about his meeting with Musk in August when they talked about Tesla for more than two hours. Speaking at the Bloomberg CEO Forum in Jakarta on Wednesday, Panjaitan said Musk was concerned about the global economic outlook and oversupply in the electric vehicle industry. Tesla last week rolled out another round of price cuts and unveiled its refreshed Model 3 in an all-out push to boost sales. In the US, Tesla has dropped the starting price of the Model X to $79,990 — a $41,000 reduction from the start of the year.” [Bloomberg, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

Volkswagen’s Elli Now Claims Access To Over Half A Million Charge Points — “Volkswagen’s energy business, Elli, has brought its entire product range to the IAA Mobility in Munich and gives a glimpse into future services. Most notably, the charging network is scaling up. But first, to the booth where Elli’s Flexpole fast charging station is taking centre stage. The column connects to an integrated battery, acting as a buffer so that the installation does not require special transformers or costly constructions; it connects to the low-voltage grid instead and still delivers up to 150 kWh to a charging car. Users may see the Flexpole installed at BP in Düsseldorf and a Shell pit stop in Göttingen. Shell and Volkswagen want to gradually roll out the Flexpoles in Germany and other European countries. There has been no mention of concrete expansion targets and markets. Still, Volkswagen beholds a growing network, for which Elli increasingly relies on ‘premium charge point operators’ forming the ‘Selected Partner Network’. Currently, Ionity Europe, the Audi charging hubs across the DACH region and Ewiva in Italy are part of said network.” [Electrive, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

Battery & Charging Companies

 

CATL

 

CATL Is Bringing 700km Range Shenxing LFP Battery Production To Europe, But What Evs Will Use Them? — “Mere weeks after first revealing details of its new fast-charging ShenXing LFP battery technology CATL has shared some insight to where and when production will begin. Soon, CATL intends to move ShenXing battery production to two separate territories in Europe, but is being less candid about what local automakers might soon be adapting the long range batteries into their EVs. CATL remains the undisputed leader in EV battery development, not only in China, where it is headquartered, but around the entire globe (more on that in a bit). It continues to show zero signs of slowing down either as it looks to maintain its crown in 2024 as the largest battery market share holder on the planet – a title it has already held for six straight years. Its not just quantity, either. Sure, that helps for title mentioned above, but CATL is also developing and even producing some of the more advanced battery tech out there. It’s energy dense Qilin batteries have begun rolling out within ZEEKR EVs out of China, and we’ve even seen the company look to the skies by developing cells to support all-electric aviation.” [Electrek, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

Advocacy

 

On Labor Day, Unions See Opportunity In Hyundai’s EV Ambitions In Georgia — “A coalition of union groups have launched an ambitious effort to organize workers at Georgia’s largest economic development project — the Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicle and battery plant near the coast — as the Korean automaker races to open the factory in time to start production in 2025. Hyundai is determined to begin production at its Metaplant as quickly as possible to meet accelerating consumer demand for plug-in vehicles and to take advantage of federal clean energy incentives tied to domestic EV production. The automaker announced an expansion of its onsite battery cell facility on Thursday, committing to 400 more jobs with plans for 8,500 total by 2031. Unions and civic organizations, meanwhile, moved in late August to exploit that sense of urgency, calling on Hyundai to enact community benefits agreements for the Bryan County plant and for the automaker’s existing factories in Georgia and Alabama. The renewed union push comes as state Republican leaders and the Biden administration jockey for credit for a green energy jobs boom that has turned Georgia, a key 2024 battleground state, into an epicenter for EV and battery production.” [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/1/23 (+)]

 

 

Electric Vehicles

 

EV Ownership

 

EV Broken? Finding A Technician To Fix It May Take A While — “A global shortage of technicians and independent repair shops qualified to fix electric vehicles (EV) threatens to increase repair and warranty costs for drivers, potentially undermining upcoming deadlines to cut vehicle carbon emissions. From Milan to Melbourne to Malibu, technician training organizations, warranty providers and repairers say that independent repair shops will be vital for making EVs affordable because they are far cheaper than franchise dealers. Many garage owners balk at training and equipment costs for fixing high-voltage EVs - with 400- and 800-volt systems that could electrocute and kill unwary or untrained technicians in seconds - especially with relatively few EVs on the road. Along with electrocution risks, the risk of EV fires - which are notoriously hard to put out - also has to be taken seriously. Roberto Petrilli, 60, who owns an independent repair shop in Milan, is reluctant to spend 30,000 euros ($32,600) on the needed equipment when EV sales in Italy are still low and the charging network is tiny.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Are EVs Masculine Enough To Attract Traditionalists? — “In the US, a masculine theme of identity and what a car means symbolically to the individual has been a fast equation to males. Across generations, a car has represented masculinity, intelligence, and handicraft, with a bit of knowledge and engineering thrown in as part of the package. The car as an extension of the self necessarily became integral to a mass consumerist society, so that guys who associated with car culture became concerned with speed and aesthetics, all the while reflecting an important cocktail of status and wealth. And so where do electric vehicles (EVs) fit into car culture as a reflection of the dynamic process of identity formation? Do EVs have what it takes to thrive in a masculine world?” [CleanTechnica, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

EV Sales & Transition

 

Here’s Where The $154B Investment And 188k Jobs From Biden’s EV Push Are Going — “In recent years, automakers have announced new EV investments totaling $154 billion and creating 188,000 jobs, largely catalyzed by President Biden’s EV policies. A new map shows where it’s all happening in the US. The new interactive mapping tool was created by BlueGreen Alliance and Atlas Public Policy. It aggregates all the investment in EV-related facilities – battery, automotive and parts manufacturing – throughout the US. Investments in EV facilities have increased rapidly in recent years, peaking in 2022, the year the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed. The IRA extended the US federal EV tax credit for the next decade, but also limited it by requiring that electric vehicles and their components be manufactured in the US in order to qualify (though there are some loopholes, like leasing, that allow you to still take the credit on foreign cars). In addition, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) included similar rules for EV chargers, and billions in funding for EV infrastructure development and battery materials supply.” [Electrek, 9/5/23 (+)]

 

Clock Ticking For States To Replace Dwindling Gas Taxes — “This month, electric vehicle drivers in Texas will start paying an additional fee of $200 per year to register their cars. While that may sound like a vindictive measure from a conservative state aimed at extending the primacy of fossil fuels, it’s in fact an increasingly common tool used by states of every stripe, as they face down the question of how to replace dwindling revenue from gas taxes. More than half of U.S. states, including Michigan, Washington, Wyoming and California, have similar fees on the books, according to a recent report from the MIT Mobility Initiative. The fees range widely in scale, but most aren’t high enough to replace the revenue the average driver pays in state gas taxes each year, according to the report. As more drivers switch to electric vehicles, incentivized by provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act and other federal laws, states will see gas tax revenue continue to shrink. While many leaders have embraced the transition to electric vehicles, neither the states nor the federal government have yet figured out a perfect way to replace their gas taxes, which have traditionally been a critical source of funding for transportation infrastructure. The sooner alternatives are put in place, the better, says Jim Aloisi, a lecturer of transportation policy and planning at MIT and former secretary of transportation for Massachusetts.” [Governing, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Minnesota

 

Auto Dealers Urge SCOTUS To Stop Minnesota’s EV Push — “Minnesota auto dealers are asking the nation’s highest bench to stop their state from modeling California’s strict vehicle emissions standards — a key element of Gov. Tim Walz’s climate agenda. In a Supreme Court petition docketed last month, the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association argues that North Star State’s air doesn’t meet the criteria to qualify for the tough pollution standards that California has adopted. ‘Minnesota is not California,’ the petition states. ‘It does not have California’s smog and air pollution problems — so long as Canada keeps its forests from burning down.’ Supreme Court petitions are rarely granted but the Minnesota-based Upper Midwest Law Center — which is representing the auto dealers — writes that the case provides an ‘ideal vehicle’ for the justices to decide whether the Clean Air Act waiver that allows states to adopt California’s standards applies to states that meet federal air pollution standards. ‘As many state legislatures and regulatory bodies steer their states into greater restrictions on motor vehicle emissions, this case presents a question of national importance,’ the petitions says.” [Politico, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

New York

 

Making Electric-Car Chargers Faster (And Making Them Fit In Manhattan) — “The word ‘fast’ seems to suit Moshe Cohen. It’s how he talks, and it’s how he says electric-vehicle chargers should work. When Cohen, a professor turned entrepreneur, decided a year ago that existing chargers did not work fast enough, he started a company to design and manufacture quicker ones and put them in Manhattan parking garages. He says that in five minutes — about as long as it takes for a fill-up at a gas station — one of his chargers can deliver the power to drive an electric vehicle 200 miles. ‘If we’re going to have mass-E.V. adoption,’ he said, ‘it has to be cheaper and more convenient than gas-powered vehicles. That’s the comparison.’ But the charging options available now are compounding car buyers’ ‘range anxiety’ — the fear of running out of juice with nowhere to plug in. That, in turn, is deterring people from going electric, he said.” [The New York Times, 9/6/23 (+)]

 

Wyoming

 

Wyoming Backs Off Tax That Would Have Shut Down Many Ev Charging Stations — “Much to the relief of those who operate Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations, a draft bill backed off of a tax and annual licensing fee that would have put them out of business. Level 2 chargers are a step up from a standard residential plug but are slower to charge than the Level 3 DC fast chargers, such as the Tesla Supercharger stations. After debating the draft last week, the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee amended the legislation so that the new tax would only apply to Level 3 chargers. ‘The original draft that they had was going to be pretty rough,’ Patrick Lawson, CEO of Wild West EV, told Cowboy State Daily.” [Cowboy State Daily, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

International

 

Asia

 

China's 'Father Of EVs' Urges Cooperation On EV Scaleup — “China’s industrial policy adviser and ‘father of EVs’ Wan Gang said efficient batteries, better EV architectures and intelligent driving systems were key to scaling up EVs, calling for international collaboration on research and standards. Speaking at China’s World New Energy Vehicle Congress taking place in Munich, Wan, a former science minister widely regarded as a key promoter of EVs in China, said hybrid and fuel cell vehicles powered by hydrogen were an essential part of the transition to low-carbon mobility. ‘Many of you are very curious about the Chinese viewpoint on fuel cells... hydrogen is an important component of the national energy system,’ he said, adding the technology was particularly promising for reducing emissions from commercial vehicles. ‘We need to promote the whole supply chain of low-carbon development,’ he added.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Europe

 

Germany's Scholz Praises Auto Industry Amid Protests, Announces EV Expansion Law — “German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lauded the German car industry’s efforts at electrification at Munich’s IAA car show and condemned protests as ‘irritating’ as he announced a new law to expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations. Scholz said that the coming weeks will see Germany become ‘the first country in Europe to introduce a law requiring operators of 80% of all service stations to provide fast-charging options with at least 150 kilowatts for e-cars’. The expansion will make range anxiety a thing of the past for EV drivers, he added. Sporting an eye patch after a jogging accident at the weekend, Scholz did not give a time frame for the initiative. Europe’s biggest economy has only 90,000 public charging points but is targeting 1 million by 2030 to boost EV take-up. Germany had about 1.2 million fully electric vehicles on its roads by the end of April, far short of the 15 million it aims to have by 2030, data from the KBA federal motor authority shows.” [Reuters, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

German Automakers In 'Darkest Moment' Speed Up EV Transition - Chinese Executive — “German automakers under heavy pressure from Chinese competition are speeding up their transition to electric vehicles, enabling partnerships with the likes of EV startup Xpeng (9868.HK), its president Brian Gu said in an interview on Wednesday. Of new EVs sold in Europe in 2023, 8% were made by Chinese brands, up from 6% last year and 4% in 2021, according to autos consultancy Inovev. ‘It is perhaps the darkest moment for German automakers but I also feel their strongest determination ever to change at the IAA,’ Gu said on the sidelines of Munich’s IAA car show. Chinese EV startups need to leverage German automakers’ scale, branding and investments to lower costs and survive, said Gu. Xpeng recently struck a deal with Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) to jointly build two new models in China. Others, like LeapMotor (9863.HK) are also seeking partnerships to boost sales globally and help them survive China’s highly competitive and consolidating domestic market.” [Reuters, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

German Suppliers Welcome Chinese EV Makers' European Plans — “While Western carmakers look warily upon the European expansion plans of Chinese electric vehicle makers, major German auto suppliers are eager to expand on existing partnerships in China and provide those rising manufacturers with European-made parts. ‘Chinese manufacturers will adapt vehicles to the European market step by step through user experience and customer orientation,’ Bosch (ROBG.UL) CEO Stefan Hartung told Reuters at Munich’s IAA mobility show. ‘This is a good way to do it and also quite natural for us as a supplier because we all know these manufacturers from our collaboration in China.’ ‘We also believe that ultimately this is positive for competition and the consumer,’ Hartung added. Bosch’s Chinese partnerships include developing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for most of Chinese EV maker BYD’s (002594.SZ) cars, electric motors for luxury EV maker Human Horizons and is a supplier for Nio (9866.HK).” [Reuters, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

Germany To Launch Massive Expansion Of EV Charging Network, Says Scholz — “Germany plans a massive push to expand its network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced at Munich’s IAA mobility show on Tuesday. Scholz said that the coming weeks will see Germany become ‘the first country in Europe to introduce a law requiring operators of 80% of all service stations to provide fast-charging options with at least 150 kilowatts for e-cars’. The expansion will make range anxiety a thing of the past for EV drivers, he added. Sporting an eye patch after a jogging accident at the weekend, Scholz did not give a time frame for the initiative. Europe’s biggest economy has only 90,000 public charging points at present but aims to have 1 million by 2030 in an effort to boost EV take-up as it targets carbon neutrality by 2045.” [WHBL-Radio, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

European Carmakers Bet On A Future With E-Fuel Vehicles — “So-called e-fuels are set to play a key role in the future of the European automotive industry, according to several of the region’s carmakers, as they believe a concession from Brussels over the alternative fuels will allow them to keep selling combustion-engine vehicles into the next decade. Under pressure from Germany and Italy, the European Commission this year said cars that run on fuels made using carbon captured from the atmosphere could be exempt from a planned ban on sales of combustion-engine cars from 2035. Speaking on the sidelines of the biennial Munich motor show, executives from BMW, Renault and Mercedes-Benz said e-fuels, which are not yet commercially viable, were a pragmatic solution in their quest to cut emissions. Mercedes-Benz previously announced an ‘ambition’ to stop selling combustion engines where market conditions allow by the end of this decade.” [Financial Times, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

EVs Take 27.8% Of The UK – Two Top Ten Teslas — “August saw EVs take 27.8% of the UK auto market, up from 20.2% year on year. Full electrics drove most of the EV growth. Overall auto volume was 85,657 units, up 24% YoY, but still slightly down from 2018-2019 seasonal norms. Tesla placed two models in the UK’s overall top 10 best sellers in August. The combined plugin market share of 27.8% comprised 20.1% full battery electrics (BEVs), and 7.7% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These follow from August 2022 figures of 20.2% combined, with 14.5% BEV, and 5.6% PHEV. Looking at volumes, BEVs grew by 72% YoY, to 17,243 units. PHEVs grew by 70%, to 6,601 units. All non-plugin vehicles (combined) grew at a more modest 12.5%, with the diesel segment actually shrinking in volume by 18% to a near-record low of 3,647 units, just 4.3% share.” [CleanTechnica, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

 

 

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