Congress

 

Senate

 

Op-Ed: Advocating For Idaho - Support For Western Natural Resource Policies That Enhance Our Environment And Economy — According to Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), “I recently joined fellow members of the Senate Western Caucus, including fellow U.S. Senator for Idaho Jim Risch, in requesting Senate Appropriators support policies that play a vital role in maintaining the economic and environmental well-being of our region. The Senate Western Caucus is made up of Senators from western and rural states unified behind a western approach to solving America’s problems. In the letter, we advocated for the following priorities: Block the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Conservation and Landscape Health Rule: We stressed that rewriting the multiple-use mandate of our federal lands goes against both congressional intent and the will of those who work, recreate, or live near federal lands. We expressed our strong opposition to this rule and urged the prohibition of its implementation. … Continue Prohibition on Greater Sage-Grouse Listing: We stressed that enabling state and local communities to make informed decisions on the ground remains the most effective approach for conserving the greater sage-grouse and sustaining rural western communities and urged the continuation of the prohibition against listing the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act.” [Post Register, 9/6/23 (-)]

 

 

Department of Transportation (DOT)

 

Federal Highway Admin. (FHWA)

 

VMT Pilot Coming Soon — “The establishment of a national pilot program for a vehicle-miles-traveled fee, which is a year and a half overdue, will get underway this month, FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt told lawmakers on Wednesday. The news came in Bhatt’s response to a July letter to Bhatt from Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.) and House Transportation Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) asking for an update. The first step in the process is to establish an advisory board to set guidelines for the pilot program for a mileage-based fee that could one day replace the gas tax. DOT has not yet filed a charter to establish the advisory board, but Bhatt told Carper and Graves that by the end of this month, the charter will be filed and a Federal Register notice soliciting members for the board will be posted. FHWA will then make recommendations to Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who will appoint members.” [Politico, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

 

Vehicle Manufacturers

 

BMW Group

 

Mini Cooper Five-Door EV Hatch Is In The Works, Says Company Chief — “Mini, the BMW-owned British brand, is working on a five-door version of its latest Cooper hatchback, according to the company’s chief, Stefanie Wurst, who spoke with Autocar during the 2023 IAA Mobility Munich. The upcoming hatchback will live alongside the recently revealed three-door Cooper and five-door Countryman crossover, as well as the upcoming Aceman, which will debut next year as a five-door urban crossover that’s smaller than the Countryman but slightly larger than the Cooper. Wurst said that an all-new convertible is also in the works, plus sporty John Cooper Works versions for all the nameplates in the new, ‘simple’ line-up of core models.” [Inside EVs, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Fisker Inc.

 

Fisker Expects To Ramp Up Vehicle Production In Fourth Quarter — “Electric vehicle startup Fisker (FSR.N) said on Thursday it expects to increase the production of its all-electric SUV Fisker Ocean in Q4 to approximately 300 units per day from around 180 units currently.” [Reuters, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

US: Ford Sold Almost 7,000 BEVs In August 2023 — “In August, the total sales of Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the United States increased by two percent year-over-year to 161,300. After the first eight months of the year, the total result amounted to 1,342,507 (up 8.5 percent year-over-year). Results last month and year-to-date: Ford sales: 154,711 (up 2.0%) and 1,290,199 (up 9.2%) Lincoln sales: 6,589 (up 3.1%) and 52,308 (down 7.0%) Total sales: 161,300 (up 2.0%) and 1,342,507 (up 8.5%) Meanwhile, all-electric vehicle sales rebounded and reached one of the highest levels ever, indicating that things are finally improving. In August, Ford battery electric vehicles (BEV) sales amounted to 6,940 units, which is 18 percent more than a year ago and about 4.5 percent of the brand’s total volume (a year ago, it was 3.9 percent). BEV sales have increased consistently every month since April, so if nothing changes, we might see new all-time records later this year.” [Inside EVs, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Unveiled: Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Goes Off-Road — “The Ford Mustang Dark Horse will tear up the track. The Mustang Mach-E Rally wants to get dirty. Taking advantage of the Mach-E’s higher ride height and all-wheel-drive, Ford on Thursday announced an off-road version of its first electric Mustang SUV. The result is the Mach-E Rally. The off-road beast shares similar performance specs to the twin-motor Mach-E GT with 480 horsepower and a muscular 650 pound-feet of torque (Ford estimates the Rally will get to 60 mph a little quicker than the GT’s 3.8 marker). Expect a similar starting price for the Mexico-assembled Rally at $65,000 when it goes on sale early in 2024. But what makes the Rally unique are upgrades to the suspension and chassis. The electric ‘Stang is raised nearly an inch for better ground clearance, its twin motors shielded from off-road debris, and offers available mud flaps — though the Rally does not come with the skid plates found on more extreme, ladder-frame-based, Ford off-road vehicles like the Bronco and F-150 Raptor.” [The Detroit News, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Slings Gravel With 480 HP, More Sidewall, And Magneride — “I’ve always thought electric cars with dual-motor all-wheel drive would be great for kicking up rooster tails, and it looks like Ford agrees. That’s why it went ahead and built the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally. It takes the best bits of the Mach-E GT Performance Edition and combines them with lifted suspension, skid plates, and a spoiler influenced by the Focus RS to become a rowdy EV with at least 480 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Those power numbers aren’t finalized just yet, but it’s safe to bet that Ford will hit its targets. What’s more, the Mach-E Rally will apparently be able to sustain peak power for longer thanks to key software improvements. Ford has even conjured up a RallySport drive mode that allows for more yaw in big corners and creates a linear throttle map so there aren’t any surprises.” [The Drive, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Debuts With Raised Suspension, White Wheels — “The Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally has been officially revealed by the Michigan-based automaker with a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup, rally-inspired 19-inch white alloy wheels, a raised suspension, and a rear spoiler as standard equipment, among other goodies. The all-electric crossover that previously made its dynamic debut as a prototype at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed rides on a tweaked suspension that offers 0.78 inch (20 millimeters) of extra ground clearance compared to a Mach-E GT and features specially tuned MagneRide shocks. Two electric motors – one at the front and one at the rear – offer a combined targeted output of at least 480 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, while the targeted 0 to 60 miles per hour sprint time is 3.5 seconds.” [Inside EVs, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

 

Firefighters Battle Electric Car Fire For Hours At Nissan HQ, Used 45K Gallons Of Water — “Firefighters were busy battling an electric car fire in Franklin for hours on Tuesday at Nissan Headquarters, according to the city. Fire crews responded to Nissan HQ at about 4:42 p.m. to find a Nissan Leaf that had caught fire. Fire Marshal Andy King said the EV had been charging on a level three charger (fastest charging device) when its lithium-ion battery cell overheated, went into a thermal runaway condition and caught fire. ‘Firefighters applied water to cool the battery cell for several hours. No damage occurred to the charger or other vehicles,’ King added. Franklin fire crews are accustomed to responding to conventional vehicle fires, King explained, which are typically extinguished with one fire engine and about 500-1,000 gallons of water. However, this EV fire required an estimated 45,000 gallons of water, and multiple units, including an engine, tower, battalion chief, rescue, hazmat and an air response vehicle. ‘All fire departments are struggling with lithium-ion battery fires because EVs often cannot be extinguished until the battery cell has released its energy. If you think you’re having a problem with your electric vehicle, don’t continue to charge it. Move it outside to a safe place away from buildings and other vehicles. If it’s heating up or off-gassing – call the fire department immediately and if safe, try to move it to a safe area,’ King said.” [WSMV-TV, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Stellantis NV

 

Stellantis: First All-Electric Car Plant Opens In Ellesmere Port — “Stellantis has started production at its first all-electric vehicle plant. Located in Ellesmere Port near Liverpool, UK, and manufactures the group’s first electric van, the Combo Electric, for Opel/Vauxhall. The Peugeot e-Partner, Citroën ë-Berlingo and Fiat E-Doblò will also come off the production line there, as well as as well as passenger car models such as the Opel/Vauxhall Combo Life Electric, Peugeot e-Rifter and Citroën ë-Berlingo from 2024. The conversion of the British plant was announced in July 2021, when there was talk of an investment of 100 million pounds (around 117 million euros). The examples of the aforementioned model series that have already been delivered so far still come from the plant in Vigo, Spain. There was a mixed production with models like the Citroën C4 Picasso/Grand Picasso and the Peugeot 2008/e-2008. From now on, the electric panel vans have their own factory.” [Electrive, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

'Massive' New Tesla Project Debuts In Arizona — “Electric vehicle owners seem to like their energy-efficient machines just fine. It’s charging those EVs that vex drivers. Exhibit ‘A’ is a recent J.D. Power study noting EV owners are dissatisfied with both charging station availability and performance, with the numbers falling in alarming fashion. DON’T MISS: One promising Tesla rival partners with Amazon ‘The declining customer satisfaction scores for public charging should be concerning to automakers and, more broadly, to public charging stakeholders,’ said J.D. Power executive director Brent Gruber. ‘The availability of public charging stations is still a critical obstacle, EV owners are increasingly dissatisfied with the amount of time it takes to charge their vehicles as satisfaction with tier-2 charging stations decreased by 36 points year-over-year to 455 (out of a 1,000-point ranking system). ‘EV owners using DC fast chargers don’t fare much better as satisfaction with the speed of charging declines 30 points to 588,’ the Power study noted.” [TheStreet, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Pushes US Appeals Court To Uphold Ban On Workers' Union T-Shirts — “A U.S. appeals court panel on Wednesday seemed open to reversing a labor board’s ruling that Tesla Inc violated the rights of factory workers by barring them from wearing t-shirts supporting a union campaign. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans repeatedly questioned lawyers for Tesla, the National Labor Relations Board and the United Auto Workers union (UAW) about whether the fact that Tesla still allowed workers to wear union stickers was enough to uphold its uniform policy. The NLRB last year said the policy requiring workers at factories in California and Nevada to wear black shirts with Tesla logos was illegal because there were no ‘special circumstances’ warranting restrictions on union attire. Tesla adopted the policy in 2017 amid a campaign by the UAW to organize production workers. The union has accused Tesla of various unlawful tactics to stifle organizing, which the company has denied.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Sued Over Data Breach Affecting 75k Workers — “A former Tesla worker affected by a data breach hit the electric-car maker with a proposed class action on Tuesday in California federal court, saying the personally identifiable information of more than 75,000 current and former employees is at risk of being sold on the dark web because of the company’s inadequate safeguards. Former production associate Benson Pai alleged that the data breach directly resulted from Tesla’s failure to implement necessary cybersecurity procedures to protect its employees’ sensitive information. The proposed class action comes after a German newspaper notified Tesla about the breach in May, leading to the carmaker blaming two former employees in a suit shortly after. Pai is instead holding Tesla directly responsible for the breach, accusing the company of negligence, invasion of privacy, breach of implied contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of confidence, violation of California’s unfair competition law, Customer Records Act and Consumer Privacy Act. ‘As a result of defendant’s failures, plaintiff and the class members’ sensitive information was accessed and viewed by unknown and unauthorized third parties and is, or likely will be, for sale on the dark web,’ according to the complaint.” [Law360, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Announces Production Of 2 Millionth EV At Giga Shanghai — “Tesla has announced that Gigafactory Shanghai has produced its 2 millionth electric vehicle – making it the most productive EV factory. Gigafactory Shanghai is a significant success story for Tesla. In 2021, CEO Elon Musk disclosed that Gigafactory Shanghai has now surpassed Fremont Factory in production capacity, and Tesla has made the Chinese factory its new main export hub. That’s despite the factory being quite new. The factory went from beginning construction in December 2018 to starting production in December 2019. Within just two years of starting production, it became the biggest/most productive electric vehicle factory in the world by a wide margin. In August of last year, Tesla announced that the factory produced its 1 millionth vehicle.” [Electrek, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Produced Its Two Millionth Electric Car In Shanghai — “Tesla celebrates the production of the two millionth electric car at the Giga Shanghai plant (also known as Gigafactory 3) in China, which produces the Model 3 and Model Y. Tesla Giga Shanghai went into operation in late 2019, after an unprecedentedly quick construction, which started on January 7, 2019. Initially, the production concerned only the Model 3, but in late 2020/early 2021 the Model Y entered production and sales. The factory produced the first million electric cars in August 2022, within 33 months, according to the company. The second million units were achieved in just 13 months. For reference, Tesla’s cumulative production (all plants) is currently at about five million units, which means that Shanghai is already responsible for two-fifths of all Teslas (potentially more than half this year).” [Inside EVs, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Suppliers Say Carmaker Expects 2026 Or 2027 Mexico Production Start, Reforma Reports — “Tesla (TSLA.O) is eyeing 2026 or 2027 to potentially begin production at a major new factory planned for Mexico, according to a report published in Mexican daily Reforma on Wednesday. The report cited an anonymous Chinese supplier saying that they and several other Chinese companies may delay plans to launch operations near the still un-built Tesla factory, set for the northern state of Nuevo Leon, after learning of Tesla’s slower-than-expected plans. ‘Two or three months ago there was a lot of rush, lots of pressure to look for a location. But one month later, they told us to wait,’ the source told Reforma. Several sources previously told Reuters that Tesla planned to begin production in Mexico in 2025. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Tesla announced its plans for Mexico in March, but has not publicly revealed a start date for construction or production.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Bloomberg | Tesla Unlikely To Pursue Indonesia Plant Soon, Government Official 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 reported earlier this year that Tesla was closing in on a preliminary deal to set up a factory in Indonesia.” [E&E News, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

VW Golf Will Be EV-Only From 2028 — “The next-generation VW Golf looks set to be an all-electric model and could be the first VW to use the new SSP architecture when it launches in 2028. However, the Audi A3, which shares the same combustion engine platform, will likely go a different way. Autocar reports this with reference to brand boss Thomas Schäfer. According to the British portal, the electric Golf will be positioned between the upcoming ID.2 and the ID.3. That means it will probably have an exterior length of around 4.15 metres – because the ID.2all study is 4.05 metres long, the ID.3 comes in at 4.26 metres. However, the body’s main distinguishing feature is not the length of the new electric Golf – it will be the height. Schäfer had already explained in April that the electric Golf would need the SSP – because of the ‘Golf genes.’ For example, the model will have ‘a flatter roof compared to the ID.3,’ which is not possible with the MEB or the further developed MEB+. ‘Simply calling any vehicle that is not possible,’ Schäfer said at the time.” [Electrive, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Next-Gen Volkswagen Golf To Arrive In 2028 As EV-Only Model Based On SSP — “The ninth-generation Volkswagen Golf will be the first-ever model to wear the iconic nameplate that will be available with an all-electric powertrain only when it debuts in 2028 on VW Group’s Scalable Systems Platform electric architecture, according to the British publication Autocar, which quotes VW boss Thomas Schafer. Until then, the current-gen Golf 8 will get another refresh to keep it attractive for the next couple of years and help it meet the stricter Euro 7 emissions regulations that are set to go into effect in July 2025 in the European Union. After the ICE Golf’s demise, the all-new electric Golf will share the brand’s portfolio with both the upcoming ID.2 and the current ID.3, both of which sit on the current MEB platform. However, riding on the group’s new SSP architecture, the ninth-gen hatchback will benefit from extras like an 800-volt electrical architecture, which will allow it to charge at speeds well above the 175 kilowatts maximum rate of the Volkswagen Group’s current lineup of battery-powered cars.” [Inside EVs, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Gives ID.4 And ID.5 A Technology Update — “On the sidelines of the IAA Mobility in Munich, VW presented some changes to its electric SUV series ID.4 and the SUV coupé ID.5. Among other things, it introduced the new and more efficient electric motor found in the ID.7 – but there are also changes to the battery and the interior. But first, let’s look at the powertrain: the electric motor in the rear with 150 kW and 310 Nm, which was previously installed in most versions, has been replaced by the new APP550. As reported, it offers 210 kW of power and 545 Nm of maximum torque. At the same time, the motor – still a permanent magnet synchronous motor – is supposed to be significantly more efficient and thus enable a better range. ‘According to initial forecasts, the range of these ID.4 and ID.5 models will be improved further with the same battery size,’ VW writes, but does not yet give any figures. Only the base model ID.4 Pure remains unchanged and keeps the 125 kW engine.” [Electrive, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

XPeng Motors

 

China's Xpeng Says German Carmakers Ready To Tackle Crisis In EV Race — “German carmakers are determined to tackle the problems they face in producing competitive electric vehicles, an executive at Chinese EV maker Xpeng said on Wednesday, as China’s carmakers put pressure on European rivals in the race to electrify. German carmakers have shown their ‘strongest determination ever to change’ to try and catch up and address their challenges, Xpeng (9868.HK) president Brian Gu said in an interview on the sidelines of Munich’s IAA car show. Gu was echoing an earlier speech by Hildegard Mueller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). Mueller separately told Reuters on Monday that Germany was ‘losing its competitiveness’ and was now in ‘an acute situation in which investments have to be made’. The message from Mueller’s comments is ‘they are feeling a very strong sense of crisis,’ Gu said. ‘I think they also showed the biggest commitment to catch up after they reflected on a bitter experience.’” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Battery & Charging Companies

 

Ascend Elements

 

Another US EV-Battery Recycler Just Raised A Massive Funding Round — “Ascend Elements has raised $542 million to take its plans to recycle lithium-ion batteries to the next level. The investment round announced Wednesday will support building a factory in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where Ascend will process the ’black mass’ derived from slicing and sorting old lithium-ion batteries into precursor cathode active materials (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM). Ascend plans to spend about $1 billion to build the Kentucky facility. Last year it won $480 million in grant funding from the Department of Energy to go toward its construction. ’This $542 million we announced today will be coupled with, and really unlock, the DOE grants,’ CEO Mike O’Kronley said in a Wednesday interview. Ascend already processes black mass into lithium carbonate, a key mineral for lithium-ion batteries, at its Covington, Georgia facility that opened in March. The pCAM and CAM it will make from black mass at its Kentucky facility, by contrast, will be precisely engineered at the molecular level to serve as a direct input into lithium-ion battery manufacturing. When it’s up and running, the factory will have enough capacity to provide materials for batteries for up to 750,000 electric vehicles per year.” [Canary Media, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Ascend Elements Raises $542 Million To Accelerate Production Of US -Engineered Lithium-Ion Battery Materials — “Ascend Elements Raises $542 million to accelerate production of US -engineered Lithium-Ion Battery Materials. Ascend Elements, a U.S.-based manufacturer of sustainable, engineered battery materials for electric vehicles, announced it has raised $542 million in new equity investments, including $460 million in Series D investments and $82 million of additional investments from earlier this year. Ascend Elements’ Series D round was led by Decarbonization Partners, Singapore-based investment firm Temasek, and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Other investors include Tenaska, Alliance Resource Partners, PULSE – CMA CGM Energy Fund, BHP Ventures, Fifth Wall, Hitachi Ventures, Mirae Asset, At One Ventures, Agave Partners, Alumni Ventures and other leading global investors. The $542 million equity financing is one of the largest cleantech equity private placements in the United States of 2023 to date, and one of the top 10 equity private placements in the United States this year.” [Batteries News, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Westborough Clean Energy Company Hits 'Unicorn' Status With $460M — “Ascend Elements Inc. is the third tech company based in Massachusetts to pass a $1 billion valuation this year, and the second in the clean energy space.” [Boston Business Journal, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Local Climate Tech Companies Score Big Funding Rounds — “In one of the biggest funding deals of the year, Westborough-based Ascend Elements, a pioneer in lithium-ion battery recycling, has received $542 million in new venture investment to hasten construction of a massive factory in Kentucky. Meanwhile, another cleantech innovator, Woburn-based Boston Metal, scored $262 million in new funding for its efforts to produce ‘clean’ steel by using electricity rather than coal. The two deals, announced Wednesday, suggest the VC financing market for established climate tech startups is still strong, particularly locally.” [The Boston Globe, 9/6/23 (+)]

 

Ascend Elements Closes Funding Round With Over $500 Million — “The US-based company Ascend Elements, which specialises in the production of new battery materials derived from recycling, has generated a further $542 million in capital from investors. Last year, Ascend Elements had already raised $300 million and secured two grants from the US Department of Energy totalling $480 million. With the fresh capital from the now completed D-financing round, the company will press ahead with the construction of its factory in Hopkinsville in the US state of Kentucky. In June, Ascend Elements announced a major order worth up to 5 billion US dollars. Ascend further states that is has ‘achieved several significant milestones’ over the last twelve months,’ including signing its first commercial-scale pCAM contract, starting construction of its Apex 1 facility, and securing two US Department of Energy (DOE) grants.’” [Electrive, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

Ascend Elements Raises $542 Million To Expand Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling — “Ascend Elements, a company focused on recycling lithium-ion batteries, has secured $542 million in funding for its expansion plans. The investment round will enable the construction of a new factory in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where Ascend will process the ‘black mass’ derived from old lithium-ion batteries into precursor cathode active materials (pCAM) and cathode active materials (CAM). This funding, combined with a $480 million grant from the Department of Energy, will support Ascend’s goal of building a $1 billion facility in Kentucky. Currently, Ascend processes black mass into lithium carbonate at its facility in Covington, Georgia. However, the pCAM and CAM produced at the Kentucky facility will be engineered at the molecular level to serve as input materials directly used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing. Once operational, the factory will have the capacity to provide materials for up to 750,000 electric vehicle batteries per year.” [EnergyPortal.eu, 9/7/23 (=)]

 

BlackRock And Temasek Lead $460 Million Funding Round For Ascend Elements — “BlackRock Inc. and Singapore-based Temasek have jointly led a Series D funding round worth $460 million for electric vehicle battery manufacturer Ascend Elements Inc. The funding was spearheaded by Decarbonization Partners, a collaboration between BlackRock and Temasek. With this latest funding, Ascend Elements has successfully raised a total of $542 million in 2023, enabling the company to further expand its business as a lithium-ion battery recycler. Ascend Elements, headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, plans to utilize the funding to establish a new manufacturing facility in Kentucky. The construction of this plant is expected to create 400 permanent jobs over a period of ten years. The launch of this new facility aligns with Ascend Elements’ growth strategy, which aims to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future by recycling lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.” [EnergyPortal.eu, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Westborough Firm Raises More Than $1B In Financing And Grants To Build Kentucky Factory — “Ascend Elements, a Westborough-based manufacturer of battery materials, raised more than $1 billion in financing and grants in the past year to build a one-million square-foot factory in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Of the funding, $542 million comes from equity investments. Ascend Elements’ Series D round of funding was led by Singapore-based, government-owned investment firm Temasek, Decarbonization Partners, a joint venture between asset-management giant BlackRock and Temasek, and Qatar Investment Authority. The U.S. Department of Energy granted Ascend Elements two grants worth $480 million as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in October 2022.” [Worcester Business Journal, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Big Oil & Utilities

 

How Utilities Are Partnering With GM, BMW, Lyft And Others In The Auto Sector To Accelerate EV Adoption — “EVs could drive a 38% rise in U.S. electricity consumption by 2050, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates. The demand will provide utilities with new revenues, but it will also require distribution system upgrades and load management strategies to ensure charging vehicles help maintain grid reliability rather than overload local electricity systems, experts say. To understand where to make grid upgrades, when to purchase more renewable energy and how to ensure customer satisfaction doesn’t suffer, utilities increasingly are working with a variety of participants in the automotive sector, including vehicle manufacturers, car dealerships and ride-hailing services. ‘Because we don’t make the cars, and we don’t sell the cars, we know partnerships are absolutely critical,’ said Nadia El Mallakh, Xcel Energy’s vice president of clean transportation and strategic partnerships. ‘These are two groups of people that never had to interact before the dawn of EVs,’ said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America. Automakers and utilities ‘are now partners until the end of time, whether they like it or not,’ he said. Decisions made by automakers ‘have a huge impact on utilities, and vice versa.’” [Utility Dive, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

BP plc

 

BP Launches Britain's Largest EV Charging Hub Near Birmingham — “BP (BP.L) launched on Thursday Britain’s largest electric vehicle charging hub near Birmingham, capable of serving up to 180 cars. The hub, located on the intersection of three motorways in central England, includes 30 ultra-fast 300 kilowatt charging stations, which can add 100 miles (160.93 km)of driving range in 15 minutes, as well as 150 7kw slow-charging points. It is part of a plan to invest 1 billion pounds ($1.25 billion) this decade to build hundreds of EV charging hubs in the country, Akira Kirton, CEO of BP Pulse, the company’s UK EV charging arm, told Reuters. BP Pulse uses 100% renewable power at its charging stations, Kirton said. EV charging is a central pillar in BP CEO Bernard Looney’s energy transition plan, targeting returns of 15%.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Advocacy

 

United Auto Workers (UAW)

 

Detroit UAW Workers Strike Threat Tests Biden's Plan To Win Union Votes — “U.S. President Joe Biden’s strategy of backing politically crucial unions while avoiding strikes that cripple the economy has hit a bump in Detroit. During a summer of labor unrest, Biden has touted his pro-labor policies by speaking out for unions, while his administration behind the scenes tries to smooth the way for deals with employers to avoid costly walkouts, union leaders and administration officials said. But in a reminder of how hard it is to appease energized workers while tamping down on price hikes that cause inflation, Biden and auto workers union UAW - the only major union not to endorse his 2024 presidential run - are at loggerheads. Biden’s Labor Day prediction that the union would not strike against Detroit’s automakers ahead of a Sept. 14 contract deadline was soundly rejected by UAW President Shawn Fain.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

As UAW Nears Strike Deadline, Detroit 3 Brace For Losses: Predictions, Potential Impact — “A UAW strike against one or all of the Detroit Three automakers seems more than likely at the moment and the costs to the car companies would be big and swift, industry observers said this week. While the UAW is not likely to get the 40% hourly wage increase across the life of the contract it seeks, it could get its much-desired cost-of-living adjustment, an analyst said. A simultaneous strike by the UAW and its Canadian counterpart, Unifor, for even a month would produce inventory losses that automakers would likely not be able to replace this year, Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions, stated in a newsletter. ‘A simple one day strike across the U.S. and Canada would remove 25,000 units of production,’ Fiorani wrote. ‘A strike by Unifor could remove as many as 50,000 vehicles from production in just one month while a similar length strike by the UAW could eliminate the output of as many as 500,000 vehicles. With tight production schedules and the current level of overtime, recovery of those lost vehicles, especially in this calendar year, is all but impossible.’” [Detroit Free Press, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Makes Contract Counteroffer To Ford; Stellantis To Make Offer — “The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Wednesday made a labor contract counterproposal on economic issues to Ford Motor (F.N), while Chrysler parent company Stellantis (STLAM.MI) planned its counteroffer this week. Talks are heating up ahead of the expiration on Sept. 14 of the current four-year labor agreements covering 146,000 workers at the Detroit Three automakers. The UAW has said 97% of members voted in favor of authorizing a strike if agreement is not reached. ‘They chose to follow the same path they have in the past, which is delay, delay,’ UAW President Shawn Fain told CNBC Wednesday night. ‘They waited now until the last eight days to want to start talking -- so we’ve got a lot of work to do.’ Last week, Ford said it had offered a 9% wage increase through 2027, much less than the 46% wage hike being sought by the union. The UAW expects to receive a proposal from General Motors (GM.N) on Thursday, a source told Reuters, who spoke on condition of anonymity. GM confirmed it will meet with the UAW Thursday but declined to provide any details.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

As The Clock Ticks, The NLRB Starts Investigating UAW Charges Against GM And Stellantis — “The outcome of an investigation by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board into the UAW’s unfair labor practice charges against General Motors and Stellantis could influence whether or not there is a strike, some experts believe. On Tuesday, the NLRB confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that it will look into the union’s charges against the carmakers. ‘The Regional Office will investigate the charges,’ Kayla Blado, director and press secretary for the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs for the National Labor Relations Board, wrote in an email. She did not provide a specific timeline for the investigation, but directed the Free Press to the NLRB website, which says: ‘Typically, a decision is made about the merits of a charge within 7 to 14 weeks, although certain cases can take much longer. During this period, the majority of charges are settled by the parties, withdrawn by the charging party, or dismissed by the Regional Director.’” [Detroit Free Press, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Electric Vehicles

 

Batteries & Charging

 

Calstart Roadmap Would Speed Commercial EV Charging Infrastructure — “Charging infrastructure issues continue to plague the widespread adoption of zero-emission, battery-electric commercial trucks. But a new report issued by Calstart says establishing electric infrastructure in a timely manner to meet those needs is possible. Calstart is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization that works with member companies and agencies to help North America’s transportation industry transform to new technology that cuts air pollution, oil imports and curbs climate change. In the report, ‘Phasing in U.S. Charging Infrastructure,’ Calstart analysts said commercial vehicle infrastructure development can be managed through market-driven, overlapping, and concurrent growth of an integrated transportation-energy system. The report calls for prioritizing development in favorable launch areas first and using innovative deployment strategies that can accommodate capacity constraints during buildout.” [Heavy-Duty Trucking, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

EV Sales & Transition

 

Electric Cars Are Winning Out Because Of Consumers, Not Politicians — “As electric-vehicle adoption rates steadily rise around the world, a growing chorus of car executives are criticizing governments on the grounds that they’ve picked the winning horse. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has been among the most vocal, saying last year: ‘What is clear is that electrification is a technology chosen by politicians, not by industry.’ Just this month, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse chastised Germany and the European Union’s industrial policy, claiming in an interview with Handelsblatt that countries want to rely on a single drive technology, rather than a breadth of options. The logic here is tempting. Governments have indeed rolled out strong support for battery EVs in the form of purchase subsidies, funding for charging infrastructure and other measures. In most cases, though, governments have actually bent over backwards to make their support as technology-neutral as possible.” [Bloomberg, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Transportation Electrification In The US Southeast – 4th Annual Report — “The fourth annual ‘Transportation Electrification in the Southeast’ report, published by Atlas Public Policy in collaboration with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, benchmarks progress on transportation electrification from July 2022 through June 2023 in six states across the Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. While the Southeast lags behind national averages in EV sales, charging station deployment, utility investment, and public funding, the region is a national leader in capturing EV-related investments and jobs, with 40% of manufacturing investments and 35% of all announced manufacturing jobs to date.” [CleanTechnica, 9/6/23 (+)]

 

U.S. Automotive Imports Surge To Record High In July — “U.S. automotive imports hit a record high in July, despite international concerns that protectionist provisions of the Inflation Reduction Actwould stymie imports of electric vehicles, the Commerce Department’s monthly trade report released Wednesday showed. The United States imported $39.4 billion worth of vehicles, parts and engines in July, the department said. The figure was seasonally adjusted to smooth out normal month-to-month variations. Increased imports from Mexico, Japan and Germany helped push the total to a record high. Electric vehicles account for only a small share of current U.S. automotive imports. But the market is expected to grow in coming years as the Biden administration pushes for electric vehicles to make up 50 percent of new car purchases by 2030, compared with about 7 percent now. Imports of electric vehicles increased to $1.7 billion in July, which was more than double the $749 million imported in July 2023, a month before President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. Germany and Mexico each accounted for about one-third of the electric vehicle imports in July, followed by South Korea and Japan, the Commerce Department data showed.” [Politico, 9/5/23 (=)]

 

The Paradox Of EV Car Rentals — “The electric-vehicle revolution is coming to rental-car counters, ready or not. Plenty of travelers fall into the ‘Or not’ category. Some report picking up EVs that aren’t properly charged, lack accessories or come with little to no operating instructions. Charging availability is also an issue on the road and at hotels. The cars have fans who adore their designs and appreciate their energy efficiency. And if you really don’t want an EV, you can usually avoid one, at least for now. Still, some newbies are swearing off them after one rental or passing them over in the rental lot. Anne-Marie Angelo reserved an intermediate car from Budget Rent A Car for a one-way drive from Virginia Beach, Va., to Dulles International Airport with her 79-year-old mother in January. The rental agency didn’t have her car or much else, so it assigned her a ‘specialty’ Kia. The Kia Niro she got is an EV, which no one at the counter mentioned, the history professor says. Despite getting charged overnight, the battery drained quickly. With at least 70 miles to go on the drive, the range flashed 30 miles. She had to hunt for a charging station so it didn’t die on I-95 in cold weather.” [The Wall Street Journal, 9/6/23 (-)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Maryland

 

Moore Administration Supports Delaying Initial Emissions Tests For New Cars By 3 Years — “Starting as soon as next month, Marylanders may not have to bring their new cars in for state emissions testing until they are six model years old — instead of three. The matter will come before the state Board of Public Works next Wednesday, as it votes on a contract modification for the company that conducts the emissions checks for Maryland. If the Board of Public Works approves the change, the company likely will need a few weeks to make the adjustments. So, Marylanders could see it take effect in late September or early October, Motor Vehicle Administration Administrator Christine Nizer told The Baltimore Sun. After initially pumping the brakes on the proposal shortly after taking office, Gov. Wes Moore’s administration has decided to move forward with the change first proposed by the administration of then-Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. The delay came after conversations with key stakeholders such as lawmakers, Nizer said. ‘Everything was really on the table,’ Nizer said. ‘But we really did not get feedback to indicate that we needed to go back and modify the regulations.’” [The Baltimore Sun, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

New Jersey

 

NJ Gets $425M Windfall For Transportation Projects. Are Any Of Them In Your Town? — “The irony of Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Wednesday that the state will receive an extra $425 million from the Federal Highway Administration was not lost on him. Despite the fact that the state of New Jersey is currently suing the agency, it decided to extend another nearly half a billion dollars to the Garden State — and even allow the state the flexibility to use the money for transportation projects that wouldn’t normally fall under the agency’s eligibility criteria. ‘We don’t have to agree on everything, but we can agree on most things and still have a good working relationship,’ said Murphy, who heaped praise on the agency at Wednesday’s press conference in Long Branch — an agency whose decision-making the Murphy administration questioned in a 68-page lawsuit in July, saying then that it ‘short-circuited’ by green-lighting an environmental review of a plan for congestion pricing in Manhattan. … The money will be split up, with $315 million going to NJ Transit and $110 million going to the state Department of Transportation. It will fund a ‘range of mass transit projects across the state,’ Murphy said, including retrofitting bus stations for a zero-emissions future, making stations more accessible, expanding bus terminals and improving train stations that are susceptible to flooding.” [NorthJersey.com, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

New York

 

Op-Ed: New York City Just Mandated Electric Ride-Sharing Vehicles. Other Mayors Should Take Notice. — According to Frank Reig, “Big U.S. cities are falling behind in the transition to electric vehicles. In New York, the country’s densest city, EVs still only make up around 1% of registered vehicles, and emission reduction targets are therefore at risk. Fortunately, the administration of Mayor Eric Adams has just made New York the world’s first large city to mandate the electrification of the ride-sharing industry with the release of the Green Rides Initiative. By 2030, the approximately 78,000 ride-sharing vehicles in New York City must be zero-emission EVs (with the exception of wheelchair-accessible vehicles). Mayor Adams is right to make this sector the first mover. While representing under 2% of the cars on the city’s roads, ride-sharing vehicles are responsible for a disproportionate 600,000 tons of carbon emissions every year. In a relatively short amount of time, Mayor Adams’ plan will eliminate the outsized emissions from ride-sharing for the benefit of all New Yorkers. The mandate will also deliver much-needed savings to ride-sharing drivers through reduced fueling and maintenance costs. But perhaps most important, it’s a playbook other mayors nationwide can replicate.” [Smart Cities Dive, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

International

 

Asia

 

China Is Flooding The World With Cars — “At a time when many of China’s exports are faltering and its consumers are spending less at home, the country is flooding the world with cars. Overseas demand for inexpensive vehicles made in China, mostly gasoline-powered models that Chinese consumers now shun in favor of electric cars, is so great that the biggest obstacle to selling more abroad is a lack of specialized ships to carry them. Chinese automakers have leaped to dominance in Russia since war began in Ukraine, transporting cars by train. The companies have also captured large shares of markets in Southeast Asia, Australia, South America and Mexico. With lingering Trump-era tariffs holding back sales to the United States, China’s automakers are preparing a big push into Europe — once they have enough ships. Shipyards along the Yangtze River are building a fleet of car-carrying ships that act as giant floating parking lots, capable of carrying 5,000 or more cars at a time.” [The New York Times, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

Oceania

 

Indonesia Proposes Critical Minerals Trade Deal With US — “Indonesia has asked the United States to begin talks on a trade deal for critical minerals so that exports from the Southeast Asian country can be covered under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, an Indonesian ministry said on Thursday. The request was made when Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on the sidelines of meetings hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta on Wednesday. Under guidelines for the U.S. law issued in March, Washington has required that a certain amount of critical minerals in electric vehicle (EV) batteries be produced or assembled in North America or a free trade partner, for EVs sold in the United States to be eligible for tax credits. Indonesia does not have a free trade agreement with the United States, but the resource-rich country has ambitions to become a major player in the manufacturing of EVs and their batteries, leveraging its vast nickel reserves.” [Reuters, 9/6/23 (=)]

 

 

 

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