Department of the Treasury (USDT)

 

Treasury Lays Out Rules For Instant EV Rebate — “The Treasury Department laid out how car dealers can give customers immediate access to federal tax credits for electric vehicles, a move the Biden administration hopes will persuade more people to buy the battery-based cars. The new guidance lays out how dealers can effectively reduce the price for an electric vehicle for consumers by as much as $7,500 at the time of the purchase, rather than requiring the buyers to wait until they file their annual federal taxes to claim the credit. The administration hopes the immediate refund will help dealers sell more electric cars and meet President Joe Biden’s goal of lifting EVs to 50 percent of new car sales by 2030. But the Treasury Department had to structure the program to avoid placing too much burden on car dealers to front the cost of the incentive. The proposed rule is aimed at ‘expanding consumer choices and helping car dealers expand their businesses,’ Laurel Blatchford, Treasury’s chief implementation officer for the Inflation Reduction Act, said in a statement. ‘President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is focused on lowering transportation costs for consumers and giving American car companies the tools to lead the market,’ Blatchford said.” [Politico, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

AP | Eligible Electric And Plug-In Vehicle Buyers Will Get US Tax Credits Immediately In 2024 — “Starting next year, people who want to buy a new or used electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle will be able to get U.S. government income tax credits at the time of purchase. Eligible buyers, including those that bought an EV or hybrid this year, have had to wait until they filed their federal income tax returns to actually get the benefits. The Treasury Department says the near-instant credits of $7,500 for an eligible new vehicle and $4,000 for a qualifying used vehicle should lower purchasing costs for consumers and help car dealers by boosting EV sales. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the credits, buyers can transfer the credits to dealers, which can apply them at the point of sale starting Jan. 1. Plus, the government says people can get the full credits from dealers regardless of how much they owe in federal taxes.” [ABC News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Dealers To Be Reimbursed For EV Credit Transfers Within 3 Days, Treasury Says — “U.S. car dealers applying federal tax credits to eligible new and used electric vehicle purchases at the point of sale next year can expect to be reimbursed within 72 hours, the U.S. Treasury Department said Friday.” [Automotive News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

EV Credit Transfer Process Detailed In New Treasury Guidance — “The Treasury Department on Friday released guidance specifying how eligible clean vehicle buyers can transfer the full value of the credits starting next year, regardless of individual tax liability. Electric vehicle buyers can transfer their clean vehicle credits to registered dealers under the Inflation Reduction Act from Jan 1, 2024. The tax credits are up to $7,500 for new EV purchases and up to $4,000 for pre-owned clean vehicle purchases. The transfers let buyers realize the savings at the point of sale, instead of waiting until filing tax returns the following year.” [Bloomberg Law, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Car Buyers Can Get Their EV Tax Credits Up Front At The Dealership Starting In January — “People shopping for electric vehicles starting next year will be able to get a $7,500 federal tax credit off the sticker price while at the dealership, rather than having to wait months to receive their tax returns. The changes to how car buyers can get the federal tax break on EVs — part of the Inflation Reduction Act — were announced by the Biden administration on Friday, and are being rolled out to car dealerships before they take effect starting January 1. Under the new guidance, those purchasing a new electric vehicle or plug-in electric vehicle that qualifies under the Treasury Department’s guidelines can either take $7,500 off the sticker price of a new EV or $4,000 off the cost of a used EV. ‘For the first time, the Inflation Reduction Act allows consumers to reduce the up-front cost of a clean vehicle, expanding consumer choices and helping car dealers expand their businesses,’ said Laurel Blatchford, Treasury’s chief implementation officer for the Inflation Reduction Act, in a statement. ‘The IRS has focused on streamlining this process for car dealers as part of its commitment to improving service and helping taxpayers claim the credits they are eligible for.’” [CNN, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

Treasury Releases Guidance For New EV Tax Credits — “The U.S. Treasury Department released proposed guidance Friday for point-of-sale discounts many consumers will be able to get on electric vehicles beginning Jan. 1, 2024. The consumer discount is one of the significant changes to electric vehicle tax credits implemented under the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats’ climate and clean energy bill that passed last year. The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV is among the vehicles that qualify for the revised electric vehicle tax credit. Under the new law, new vehicle buyers can get up to $7,500 off certain plug-in electric vehicles or fuel cell vehicles if they make less than $150,000 (or $225,00 for heads of households and $300,000 for married couples). Consumers can also get $4,000 off a used EV or fuel cell vehicle priced less than $25,000 if they make less than $75,000 for individuals, $112,500 for heads of households and $150,000 for married couples.” [The Detroit News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

EV Tax Credit Changes Mean Low-Income Buyers Can Soon Get Full $7,500 — “The IRS released new guidance on the EV tax credit today, and the changes mean that starting next year, low- and middle-income buyers will be able to get the full $7,500 credit even if they don’t have enough tax liability. The Inflation Reduction Act included big changes to the EV tax credit, and those changes were set to roll out over the course of the months and years after it passed. One of those changes has to do with making the tax credit available upfront at the point of sale. This means that, instead of having to file for the credit on your taxes the year after you purchase an EV, you just get a cheaper car upfront. One other issue with the tax credit was that it wasn’t available to customers who didn’t have enough tax liability to claim it. The credit is not ‘refundable’ and can’t be rolled forward, so if you don’t make more than about $66,000 (absent other credits), you won’t have enough tax liability to reduce and therefore you leave some of the $7,500 on the table.” [Electrek, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

Here's How The EV Tax Credits Get Much Better In January 2024 — “America’s electric vehicle tax credits are changing yet again, and this time they’re going to be more accessible than ever. If you’ve been waiting to buy an EV, now might be the moment you’ve been holding out for. Last year, the Inflation Reduction Act introduced a new set of modernized tax credits for new and used electric and plug-in hybrid cars. But starting January 2024, they’ll be less like breaks you can claim on your annual tax refund and more like discounts you can apply to a car right when you buy or lease it. Buyers of new and used ‘clean vehicles’ will soon be able to transfer the credit amount to the point of sale, meaning they can theoretically drive out of a dealership or retail location with an EV for significantly less money than before—no waiting for their money back in April or later. Effectively, a dealership will take the credit amount off the vehicle’s price, and then the IRS will repay the dealership within 72 hours of a completed transaction.” [Inside EVs, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

U.S. Treasury Details EV Tax Credit Rebate Rules — “The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday issued new guidance on how a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit can be used as a point-of-sale rebate starting in January. Currently, consumers can only take advantage of the $7,500 new EV credit or $4,000 used EV credit when they file their tax returns the following year. Starting Jan. 1, consumers can transfer the credits to a car dealer, effectively lowering the vehicle’s purchase price, a change that may help boost EV sales. Under the guidance issued Friday, consumers will need to attest they meet income limits to qualify for the tax credit or they will need to repay the government when filing their taxes. For new vehicles, the adjusted gross income limit is $300,000 for married couples and $150,000 for individuals. Congress approved a sweeping reform of the EV tax credits in August 2022 as part of the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).” [Reuters, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Vehicle Manufacturers

 

BMW Group

 

BMW Says EU Subsidy Probe Into China-Made EVs Could Do More Harm Than Good — “The European Union’s investigation into subsidies for China-made electric vehicles (EV) exported to Europe could do more harm than good, BMW’s (BMWG.DE) chief financial officer said on Friday, warning of a potentially big backlash from Beijing. Walter Mertl said he did not endorse punitive tariffs and the investigation would shield those who do not have significant sales in China but would impact every carmaker doing business there. ‘The backlash, like a boomerang, can be bigger than what one imagined,’ he said, referring to potential retaliation by China on European carmakers. China is the biggest market for Germany’s three top carmakers. BMW exports the iX3 from China to Europe and will export the Mini from next year, leaving it vulnerable to possible EU tariffs on imports from China as well as any backlash from China on its sales in the country.” [Reuters, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

BMW Lends EV Batteries To Weird New Diesel-Killing Electric Vehicle — “Electric vehicles are, at heart, mobile energy storage devices, and the US company Dannar is taking full advantage. Dannar has come up with a series of wheeled electric workhorses aimed at knocking out diesel generators and other off-road equipment. They may look weird, but they sport packs of powerful EV batteries from BMW, and they are featured in a high-impact Department of Defense showcase for new extended duration energy storage technologies. BMW EV Batteries For A Diesel-Killing Mobile Energy Storage Unit Dannar and BMW began co-developing i3 EV batteries for off-road use around 2015, in a vehicle described as a ‘first-of-its-kind electric heavy-duty vehicle for infrastructure maintenance and disaster response.’ By 2017 they were ready to roll, and Dannar announced that its new Mobile Power Station® off-road work vehicles would deploy BMW i3 EV batteries. ‘The MPS can carry multiple BMW i3 battery packs on-board its steel ladder frame and 40,000 lb. rated axles,’ Dannar explained back in 2017.” [CleanTechnica, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Faraday Future Inc.

 

Electric Vehicle Co. Faraday Inks $7.5m Shareholder Deal — “Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. agreed to pay investors $7.5 million to settle allegations in California federal court that its leaders misled shareholders about the true value of the luxury electric car business before merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, according to a motion for approval filed on Thursday. Faraday denies all allegations but has agreed to issue a $7.5 million cash payment in exchange for investors’ dropping all claims against the company and its leaders. The investors noted in the motion that the deal avoids costly and lengthy litigation. ‘Even if lead plaintiffs prevailed on liability and the settlement class was awarded damages, defendants likely would appeal the verdict and award,’ the motion stated. ‘The appeals process would have likely spanned several years including an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, and, potentially, an en banc review from the Ninth Circuit or a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court, or both.’” [Law360, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

Ford Mustang Mach-E Arrives In Australia — “After all the announcements during 2023, it was great to see that the Ford Mustang Mach-E had finally arrived in Brisbane, Queensland. A few demonstrator models have been sprinkled around the different Ford dealerships and we had to be quick to get a test drive. From the website, it looked like only 4 had arrived and they were only available at each spot for a few days. So, I booked it early and we drove around the block from the dealership this afternoon. The Ford website lists New South Wales, Victori,a and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) as ‘coming soon.’ No dealerships outside the population centres of Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast are listed, adding to my belief that there are only a few cars available in the country.” [CleanTechnica, 10/8/23 (=)]

 

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

 

US: Nissan BEV Sales Hit 9-Year High In Q3 2023 — “Nissan sales in the United States significantly rebounded during the third quarter of 2023 and amounted to 200,334 vehicles, which is 40 percent more than a year ago. So far this year, the Japanese brand sold almost 648,219 vehicles (up 28 percent year-over-year). Meanwhile, Nissans all-electric car sales surged by 376 percent year-over-year to 6,074, which is the highest quarterly result since Q4 2014. This result is not the highest among BEV manufacturers, but it might be a sign that Nissan is finally turning around its EV sales after a very long time of lackluster results in the EV space. The share of all-electric cars out of the brand’s total volume amounted to three percent, revealing a lot of space for further improvement, The all-new Nissan Ariya model is currently the best-selling plug-in model from Nissan (4,504 units in Q3), as the Nissan Leaf fades (1,570 sales during the period, and only a slight increase from a very weak result of 1,276 units a year ago). Nissan BEV sales in Q3’2023 (YOY change): Nissan Ariya: 4,504 (new) Nissan Leaf: 1,570 (up 23%) Total: 6,074 (up 376%) and 3% share” [Inside EVs, 10/8/23 (+)]

 

US: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Sales Hit Another Record In Q3 2023 — “Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) reports that its vehicle sales in the United States during the third quarter of 2023 improved by over 32 percent year-over-year to 22,196. So far this year, the company sold 67,736 vehicles (up 4.1 percent year-over-year). An interesting thing is that Mitsubishi’s sole plug-in model - the upgraded Outlander PHEV - is selling better and better, reaching another quarterly record. In Q3, Mitsubishi sold 1,887 Outlander PHEV (compared to just six units of the previous generation of the model a year ago). That’s 8.5 percent of the brand’s total volume. For reference, the internal-combustion engine Mitsubishi Outlander noted 9,340, so the ICE still outsells the PHEV by 5:1. Mitsubishi plug-in car sales in Q3’2023 (YOY change): Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: 1,887 (up from six) and 8.5% share” [Inside EVs, 10/8/23 (+)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Analysis: Why The SEC Might Win Its Latest Battle With Elon Musk — “The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken Elon Musk to court again, and this time it may win. The agency on Thursday asked a federal court to force Musk to testify for its investigation into his $44 billion takeover of social media giant Twitter, the third time the SEC has taken Musk to court. It sued him in 2018 and again in 2019 in relation to a tweet Musk sent saying that he had funding secured to take his electric carmaker Tesla (TSLA.O) private. The 2018 lawsuit was quickly settled on the condition that lawyers vet Musk’s future tweets. The 2019 lawsuit by the SEC trying to enforce that deal did not go their way. In this case, the SEC is on solid ground as the law enforcing the requirements of investigative demands, or subpoenas, is clear cut, said several former SEC officials. While the stakes are lower this time, the new case again shines a spotlight on the extraordinary feud between the world’s richest man and most powerful securities regulator, which has for years struggled to bring Musk to heel.” [Reuters, 10/9/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Cuts US Prices Of Model 3, Y In Push To Meet Delivery Goal — “Tesla (TSLA.O) has cut U.S. prices of its Model 3 compact sedan and the Model Y SUV, ratcheting up its price war just days after the third-quarter deliveries of the world’s most valuable automaker missed market expectations. The latest cuts come as the company strives hard to deliver a record 476,000 vehicles in the last three months of 2023 to meet the annual target of handing over 1.8 million vehicles. The price cuts by Tesla - now by about 2.7% to 4.2% - started in January to support sales in an uncertain economy and fend off competition from U.S. automakers such as Ford and China’s BYD. Tesla shares fell 2.1% amid broader market weakness and on fears that the cuts will further dent the company’s industry-leading margins, which plumbed a near four-year low in the April-June quarter. The standard Model 3 sedan is now $1,250 cheaper at $38,990, while the Model Y long-range variant costs $2,000 less at $48,490, the automaker’s website showed.” [Reuters, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Cuts Model 3, Y Price Again: Is An EV Price War Here Yet? — “Tesla late Thursday introduced yet another price cut for its Model 3 and Model Y, as represented on its consumer website, bringing the price of these new EVs down to their lowest ever. The move, cutting up to $2,250 off these models, depending on the version, directly follows news earlier this week that, globally, third-quarter Tesla deliveries came up short of what had been expected. Viewed as a single quarter, they might not be on track for the company’s 1.8-million-vehicle guidance for 2023. Tesla also recently introduced a base rear-wheel-drive version of the Model Y—so altogether, the entry cost of the Model Y is much lower than a couple weeks ago. It now starts at $45,380, including destination. If you can claim the $7,500 EV tax credit its effective price is just $37,880. And prior to the credit, the Long Range now slots below $50,000.” [Green Car Reports, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Tesla's China-Made EV Sales Volume Falls 10.9% Year-On-Year In September — “U.S. automaker Tesla (TSLA.O) sold 74,073 China-made electric vehicles (EVs) in September, a 10.9% decrease from a year earlier, showed data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on Sunday. Sales of China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars were down 12.0% from a month earlier. Chinese rival BYD (002594.SZ), with its Dynasty and Ocean series of EVs and petrol-electric hybrid models, saw passenger vehicle deliveries grow 42.8% to 286,903 last month, from 200,973 in September last year. Tesla, along with its China challengers, is bracing for a revival in consumer sentiment, buoyed by deeper discounts and tax breaks for green vehicles amid signs of the economy stabilising. The company missed market estimates for third-quarter global deliveries on Oct. 2 as planned upgrades at its factories to roll out a newer version of the Model 3 mass-market sedan forced production halts.” [Reuters, 10/8/23 (=)]

 

Early Tesla Cybertruck Goes For $400,000 At Auction — “An early Tesla Cybertruck has sold for $400,000 at auction by the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. While we still don’t know when Tesla plans to start deliveries of the Cybertruck, the automaker’s highly anticipated first electric pickup truck, it’s expected to be soon. That didn’t stop the Petersen Museum, a famous car museum in Los Angeles, from selling one at auction. For their gala this year, the museum, which has a close relationship with Tesla, as it hosted the public debut of the Cybertruck in 2020 and has held a Tesla exposition since then, decided to raise funds by auctioning a ‘low-VIN Cybertruck.’” [Electrek, 10/9/23 (=)]

 

Six Tesla Model Ys Engulf In Flames On A Trailer In Turkey — “A trailer carrying several Tesla Model Ys became engulfed in flames today at around 02:30 AM in Turkey (11:30 PM GMT), reported Turkish news agency IHA. The fire broke out in one of six Teslas and spread to all the cars that were being transported out of Istanbul. However, the root cause of the flames is unknown, and an investigation is ongoing. The driver alerted the police and the fire department promptly, as per the local publication. One witness said that there was an explosion, and the rearmost vehicle caught fire first. A video of the incident shared by an X user reveals the charred ruins of the six Model Ys, and several firefighters scrambling to douse the flames. In one clip, a firefighter is seen rushing to extinguish the flame, but it continues to rage on, showcasing the challenges first responders face due to thermal runaway – a phenomenon where lithium-ion battery cells enter an uncontrollable, self-heating and oxygen-creating state, and the pack continues to reignite until there’s nothing left to burn.” [Inside EVs, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Toyota Motor Corp.

 

US: Toyota Plug-In Car Sales More Than Doubled In Q3 2023 — “Toyota Motor North America (Toyota and Lexus brands) reports that its vehicle sales in the United States during the third quarter of 2023 amounted to 590,296 units. That’s a 12 percent increase year-over-year. Results in Q3’2023 and year-to-date: Toyota sales: 515,400 (up 12%) and 1,404,508 (up 2%) Lexus sales: 74,896 (up 11%) and 224,308 (up 13%) Total sales: 590,296 (up 12%) and 1,628,816 (up 4%) In terms of electrified vehicles - xEVs (HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV) - the number of models increased to 26 (from 24 a quarter ago), while sales increased by 65 percent year-over-year to 184,666 in Q3 (31 percent of the total volume). So far this year, the Japanese group sold 455,142 xEVs (up 20 percent year-over-year), which is 28 percent of the total volume.” [Inside EVs, 10/8/23 (+)]

 

US: Subaru Solterra Sales Hit New Record In September 2023 — “Subaru of America reports 56,335 vehicle sales in September (up 23 percent year-over-year), which marks 14 consecutive months of year-over-year growth. So far this year, the company sold 467,223 cars in the United States, which is 16.5 percent more than a year ago. Sales of all-electric Subaru cars also appear to be gradually improving and just reached a new monthly record. In September, Subaru Solterra sales amounted to 1,118 units, the first four-digit result ever, which is also 2.0 percent of the brand’s total volume. We know that it’s not a high result in the BEV segment, but it’s always positive to see growth. An interesting thing is that the Subaru Solterra sells in similar numbers to its direct cousin, the Toyota bZ4X, which noted 1,182 units (the Lexus RZ 450e noted 443 sales). Subaru BEV sales last month (YOY change): Solterra: 1,118 (new) and 2.0% share” [Inside EVs, 10/8/23 (+)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

Audi Is Offering Up To $20K Off Its Sporty E-Tron GT To Rival Tesla’s Model S — “Can the RS e-tron GT keep up with Tesla’s Model S Plaid? Audi is hoping so. The automaker is offering up to $20,000 off its high-performance e-tron GT as it looks to stay in the race. Next to the Porsche Taycan Turbo, Audi was one of the first automakers to take on Tesla’s Model S in performance with the RS e-tron GT. With up to 637 hp, e-torque vectoring, Quattro AWD, and launch control for 0-60 in 3.1 seconds, the RS e-tron GT is nothing short of an exhilarating ride (see our review here). The 93 kWh lithium-ion battery provides up to 249 miles of range and can fast charge (5% to 80%) in 22.5 minutes. The interior includes the typical premium performance feel offered in Audi vehicles. Audi’s virtual cockpit plus, a customizable 12.3″ digital instrument, is featured, providing accessible info. The driver and passenger sit in a low, sporty position, separated by a wide center tunnel. Also included standard on the RS models is a flat-bottomed steering wheel with multifunction buttons.” [Electrek, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

 

United Auto Workers (UAW)

 

UAW Skips Strike Expansion, Paves Way For EV Plant Unionization — “The United Auto Workers won a landmark concession from General Motors Co. to bring battery plant workers into the union’s fold, a move that will pressure Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis NV to follow suit and secure labor’s role in the transition to electric vehicles. The offer from GM, made shortly before UAW President Shawn Fain spared all three automakers from more walkouts, may shape Detroit carmakers’ labor relations for decades to come as EVs become a bigger slice of production and sales. It also looms as a competitiveness issue: The three companies are vying with Tesla Inc. and other nonunion rivals for EV market share. ‘GM has agreed to lay the foundation for a just transition’ to the age of electric vehicles, Fain said in a livestreamed briefing. There’s still much left to be negotiated on how GM plans to include battery manufacturing into its master agreement with the UAW, especially for joint venture plants still under construction that haven’t hired any workers. It’s not guaranteed those future workers will earn the same wages and benefits as UAW-represented workers at auto assembly plants.” [Bloomberg Law, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Will Not Expand Strikes At Detroit Automakers After Last-Minute GM Proposal — “KEY POINTS The UAW will not expand its strikes for the first week since work stoppages began, after the sides failed to reach tentative agreements by Sept 14. The union had been gradually increasing its strikes against the Detroit automakers but said it’s making progress in negotiations. Only 25,200 workers, or roughly 17% of UAW members covered by the expired contracts with the Detroit automakers, are currently on strike.” [CNBC, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

VIDEO: UAW Pauses Strike Expansion After GM Agrees To Bring Battery Plants Under Contract — “The United Auto Workers paused the expansion of their strike for the first week since it began nearly a month ago after General Motors agreed to bring battery plants into the main union contract, NBC’s Jesse Kirsch reports on Meet the Press NOW.” [NBC News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

U.A.W. Cites Progress In Talks And Holds Off Expanding Strikes — “The United Automobile Workers union said on Friday that it had made progress in its negotiations with Ford Motor, General Motors and Stellantis, the parent of Chrysler, and would not expand the strikes against the companies that began three weeks ago. In an online video, the president of the union, Shawn Fain, said all three companies had significantly improved their offers to the union, including providing bigger raises and offering cost-of-living increases. In what he described as a major breakthrough, Mr. Fain said G.M. was now willing to include workers at its battery factories in the company’s national contract with the U.A.W. G.M. had previously said that it could not include those workers because they are employed by joint ventures between G.M. and battery suppliers. ‘Here’s the bottom line: We are winning,’ said Mr. Fain, wearing a T-shirt that read, ‘Eat the Rich.’ ‘We are making progress, and we are headed in the right direction.’” [The New York Times, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Holds Off On Widening Strike Citing 'Significant Progress' In Talks — “The United Auto Workers will not expand its strike against the Big Three auto manufacturers for the time being, union President Shawn Fain said Friday, since contract talks have made ‘significant progress’ in recent days. Fain said the union was poised to strike some of General Motors’ most-profitable product lines, but that the company made a major concession on bringing electric vehicle production under its master agreement with the UAW. ‘We were about to shut down GM’s biggest moneymaker in Arlington, Texas,’ Fain said in an afternoon livestream, referring to an assembly plant that makes popular SUVs. ‘GM has now agreed in writing to place their electric battery manufacturing under our master agreement. We were told for months this was impossible.’ Securing some guarantees amid the ongoing transformation from internal combustion engines to electric ones has been a top priority for the UAW in its negotiations with GM, Stellantis and Ford, and the concession will likely add pressure on the other two to follow suit. It also is likely to be welcome news at the White House, which has been fending off union criticism of the EV transition President Joe Biden has been promoting.” [Politico, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Says Its 'Strike Is Working,' Holds Off On More Walkouts — “The United Auto Workers held off on additional strikes against Detroit Three auto plants on Friday, citing General Motors’ (GM.N) unexpected willingness to allow workers at joint-venture battery plants to be covered by union contracts. GM’s concession could be critical if rivals Ford Motor (F.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI) follow suit, potentially clearing the way for final agreements that would shore up the union’s position as the industry switches to making electric vehicles. ‘Our strike is working, but we’re not there yet,’ UAW President Shawn Fain said in a livestreamed update on negotiations with the three automakers. Automakers have more than doubled initial wage hike offers, agreed to raise wages along with inflation, and improved pay for temps, but the union wants higher wages still, the abolishment of a two-tier wage system and the expansion of unions to battery shops at all three companies.” [Reuters, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

VIDEO: No Fourth Round Of UAW Strikes, Fain Says, Following Developments With GM — “The United Auto Workers went on strike at Jeep’s Toledo Assembly Complex more than three weeks ago and the union has steadily expanded the strike since then.” [WTOL-TV, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW President Shawn Fain Lambasts Auto Execs While Wearing 'EAT THE RICH' T-Shirt — “UAW President Shawn Fain, wearing an ‘EAT THE RICH’ T-shirt, passionately denounced auto executives for looking down on working-class auto workers in a speech on Facebook Live on Friday. But first, Fain touted a major win: He said that GM had agreed to cover battery workers in the same contract as assembly line workers. That’s a significant breakthrough in talks, one car companies had previously said would be a non-starter. The progress meant Fain did not announce an expansion of the strike as he has in each of the previous two weeks. But the news that negotiations are moving along did not come with any relaxation of the intense, combative rhetoric that has become a trademark of Fain’s UAW presidency.” [NPR, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Talks Turn To Key Battleground: Jobs At Future Battery Plants — “One of the biggest issues in the United Auto Workers’ contract negotiations with Detroit’s three automakers is over jobs that don’t exist yet. Wages and retirement benefits have been central issues in talks over new four-year contracts between the union and General Motors GM 1.95%increase; green up pointing triangle, Ford Motor F 0.84%increase; green up pointing triangle and Stellantis. Yet pivotal to the companies’ and the union’s futures are nearly a dozen U.S. battery factories that the carmakers have in the works, many still only a collection of steel beams and piles of dirt. On Friday, the UAW opted to forgo additional walkouts at the three automakers, with union leader Shawn Fain citing progress in negotiations. The UAW still has about 25,000 workers on strike at five assembly plants and dozens of parts-distribution centers, as the labor action enters its fourth week. At GM specifically, Fain said the car company agreed to include battery production work in the UAW’s national bargaining agreement. That suggests workers at the companies’ U.S. battery facilities could be covered by the union’s main contract with GM, although it is unclear if they would be under a separate wage structure from employees at assembly plants and other facilities.” [The Wall Street Journal, 10/7/23 (=)]

 

UAW President Shawn Fain, Mayor Brandon Johnson Join Striking Auto Workers At Chicago Rally — “It was a sea of red on Saturday as hundreds of union workers came out to continue their fight. They held a rally before marching down to the Ford assembly plant, where they were joined by the UAW president on the picket line. Hundreds of United Auto Workers are preparing to enter week four of their ongoing strike against the big three automakers: General Motors, Stellantis and Ford. That includes union workers across the Chicago area, including in Bolingbrook, Naperville and at the Ford plant on Chicago’s Southeast Side. Many joined the nationwide fight in 21 states, so far, for the return of pensions, the end of pay tiers and cost of living increases. ‘The corporate people, they’re making all the big money, but they don’t want to give us any. Why? Why not? They’re working on our backs,’ said Xina Phillips, who has been a UAW member at Chicago’s Ford plant for 28 years.” [WLS-TV, 10/7/23 (=)]

 

Temp Workers Say They Deserve Better From Detroit 3 As UAW Strike Continues — “Terry Taylor had high expectations three years ago when he hired in with the company that is now Stellantis. His grandfather had worked for Chrysler for 37 years, so he thought he knew what to expect. But Taylor, 46, of Detroit remains, in current company terminology, as a supplemental employee, someone who’s classified as a temporary worker for the automaker that owns the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands. Taylor, who’s based at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, wants a return to the days when he said workers would be rolled over to full-time status after 90 days. ‘We just want full-time,’ he said Sunday afternoon, while holding a ‘UAW: Stand Up End Tiers’ sign at a rally for supplemental workers at a ball field a short distance from Stellantis’ Detroit Assembly Complex – Mack.” [Detroit Free Press, 10/9/23 (=)]

 

Children Picket With Striking UAW Parents As Ford, GM, Stellantis Negotiations Continue — “UAW members on the picket line wore three layers of clothing for warmth against the 52-degree temperature and a strong wind that blew ‘UAW on Strike’ signs across grass outside the National Parts Distribution Center in Marysville on Sunday. The tiniest striker wore white polar bear earmuffs and sat on the curb after walking an hour, and she watched her father walk past to her left and security guards gathered to her right. The picket signs get heavy, because the wind blows against them, explained 7-year-old Esme Theeuwes of Port Huron, outside the Stellantis-owned warehouse. This wasn’t her first walk on the strike line and it won’t be her last, her father told the Detroit Free Press. After visiting her grandmother Sunday morning, the second grader at Garfield Elementary insisted on carrying a sign that is nearly as tall as she is. Maybe afterward she would play on her swing or in her sandbox, Esme said softly.” [Detroit Free Press, 10/9/23 (=)]

 

Enviros Join UAW Picket Lines In Pursuit Of Climate Goals — “A coalition of the nation’s largest climate and environmental groups — emboldened by President Joe Biden’s historic appearance on the picket line — will be joining striking workers this weekend across the country. But their vision goes beyond securing better wages for the workers building electric vehicles. They see the United Auto Workers strike as playing a central role in their push for workers’ rights and curbing pollution in industries that supply the automakers. The goal is not limited to just today’s steel mills and aluminum foundries, but also the future battery plants and mines needed to power the electric future. ‘UAW is a huge start to that because it puts other workers in a better position to say, ‘We want to be at the table’ in determining what this transition to a low-carbon economy means,’ said Matthew Groch, a senior director for heavy industry decarbonization at the advocacy group Mighty Earth. Autoworkers and the green movement have had a rocky relationship in the past, but environmentalists see the labor movement as crucial to fighting climate change.” [E&E News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

GM Agrees To Unionize Battery Plants — “General Motors has agreed to unionize the battery plants for its electric vehicles, in a major concession to its unions three weeks into a strike by the United Auto Workers. GM has agreed in writing that its battery manufacturing plants will be covered by the UAW’s national contract, union President Shawn Fain said in a news conference Friday. The concession came after the union threatened to expand the strike to GM’s assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, which makes the company’s high-profit SUVs. The agreement is important because Big 3 carmakers — GM; Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler; and Ford — are spending billions to ramp up their production of EVs, a key part of the Biden administration’s climate strategy. Automakers had planned to staff at least some of those plants with lower-wage, nonunion workers. Fain called the announcement a step toward a ‘just transition’ and indicated the union won’t broaden its strike immediately. ‘What this will mean for our members cannot be overstated,’ Fain said. ‘The plan was to draw down engine and transmission shops and permanently replace them with lower-paid battery shops.’” [E&E News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

GM Makes Key Concession To Striking UAW Members — “The strike by the UAW against General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis is three weeks old. Until now, little progress has been made toward a resolution, and the union has been relentlessly ratcheting up the pressure on the companies in order to get them to agree to its demands. Shawn Fain, the head of the UAW, doesn’t look like he could win a cage-fighting match with anyone under the age of 70, but his tactics are beginning to bear fruit for the 145,000 United Auto Workers members. At the very heart of the labor dispute is a fear by union members that the transition to electric cars will greatly reduce the number of workers needed to build the cars and trucks of the future. An engine and transmission have up to 10,000 parts whirring around inside. An electric vehicle drivetrain has a dozen or less. It doesn’t take a math whiz to figure out that machines that are less complex might need fewer people to put them together. That may be a flawed analysis, however. Most of those engines and transmissions are put together by robots.” [CleanTechnica, 10/8/23 (+)]

 

UAW Says GM Will Place All EV Battery Plants Under Union Agreement — “United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain announced today that GM has ‘leapfrogged’ other automakers in strike negotiations by agreeing to place all EV battery plant workers under the union’s national master agreement. The UAW has been on a partial strike for three weeks now, contending that workers’ pay has not kept up with auto industry profits and executive pay. The strike has covered all of the Big Three American automakers (GM, Ford and Chrysler (Stellantis)) simultaneously, but the UAW is only striking at some plants, threatening to expand the strike if automakers’ offers are not suitable. Electric vehicles have been in focus during the strike, as EVs have fewer parts, and therefore are likely to require fewer man-hours in assembly, which means the industry could see job losses in the shift to EVs.” [Electrek, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

GM’s Ultium Cells Battery Plants To Be Included In National UAW Labor Agreement — “The United Auto Workers (UAW) has announced that GM’s Ultium Cells battery plants will be included in the national UAW labor agreement, marking a significant victory for the union in contract negotiations with General Motors. The battery facilities are operated by Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution. The concession is expected to provide Ultium workers with higher wages and other benefits. The Ultium Cells battery plant in Ohio. UAW President Shawn Fain announced that workers at GM’s Ultium Cells battery plants will be included in the national UAW labor agreement in a livestream speech made via social media Friday afternoon. ‘Moments before this broadcast, we have had a major breakthrough that’s not only dramatically changed negotiations, but it’s going to change the future of our union and the future of our industry,’ Fain said at the outset of the livestream speech.” [GM Authority, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

GM Agrees To Place EV Battery Manufacturing Under UAW Agreement — “General Motors (GM) has agreed to place battery manufacturing for electric vehicles (EVs) under its main agreement with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, UAW President Shawn Fain announced on Friday. Fain said the union won’t expand its strike against the Big Three automakers following the the last-minute development in negotiations. ‘We’ve been told for months that this is impossible,’ Fain said. ‘We’ve been told the EV future must be a race to the bottom. And now we’ve called their bluff.’ GM’s commitment to use UAW workers for EV battery manufacturing is a massive victory for the union.” [The Hill, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

GM Is Shaping Up To Be The Hardest Hit By The UAW Strike — “The ongoing United Auto Workers strike is taking a multi-million dollar toll on all three Detroit-based automakers, but General Motors might be hit the hardest so far. UAW members have been on strike for more than three weeks against Ford, GM, and Jeep-maker Stellantis, demanding hefty wage increases, an end to the tiered wage system, and more job security in the EV age, among other key issues. The UAW, led by President Shawn Fain, is taking a new approach as the union strikes all three companies at once for the first time. He has announced three targeted work stoppages since the strike began September 15, and GM is the only company that has been targeted all three times. Ford and Stellantis, meanwhile, have only been hit twice each.” [Business Insider, 10/8/23 (=)]

 

Democratic Rep To Sen. Vance On Ohio Picket Line: ‘First Time Here?’ — “Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) appeared to make a slight dig at her Ohio delegation colleague Sen. J.D. Vance (R) during an interaction on a United Auto Workers (UAW) picket line in their home state. ‘First time here?’ Kaptur asked Vance, according to a video from local station WTVG 13 Action News. ‘First time here, yeah,’ Vance responded. ‘Thank you for coming,’ she then said. The brief conversation followed an awkward interaction during which Kaptur held out a fist as Vance extended an open hand for a shake. Vance then attempted to extend his hand for a fist bump as Kaptur drew her hand back. The two Ohio politicians were on a picket line at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo, Ohio, according to a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter by 13Action News. The plant appears to be aligned with Stellantis, one of the Big Three auto companies UAW workers are striking against.” [The Hill, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Toledo Mayor Talks Cost Of UAW Strike At Jeep Plant, City's 'Rainy Day' Fund — “Over three weeks ago, UAW Local 12 members followed the call of United Auto Workers President Shaun Fain by standing up and striking the Stellantis Toledo North Assembly Plant. Toledo’s Jeep facility was one of three plants across the United States that took to the picket line (the others were in Michigan and Missouri) that Friday, Sept. 15. Now, three weeks into the strike, and for the first time since, WTOL 11 sat down with Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz to discuss the strike’s impact. Kapszukiewicz, a Toledo native now in his sixth year in office, said this strike is not only historical on the national front, but it’s also historic for Toledo as the birthplace of Jeep. ‘We’ve been making it for 83 years,’ Kapszukiewicz said. ‘They’ve never been on strike before, this is the first time in 83 years that anything like this has happened.’” [WTOL-TV, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Joins UAW Picket Line In Flint — “Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent Friday afternoon on the UAW picket line in front of the General Motors Flint Processing Center in Swartz Creek. The Democrat, who finds himself at odds with his own party on several issues, spoke with striking workers who told him they appreciated his visit and wished more politicians and elected officials would see first-hand what it’s like to walk the picket line with working people. ‘I think it’s really important for our country. It’s important for all the workers we met today, and you know, it’s important for this community, but really for our whole country,’ Kennedy said. ‘We need to make sure the workers are taken care of. We need to make sure these industries stay here in Michigan. Everybody in our country is praying for a settlement.’ On Friday, UAW President Shawn Fain announced that significant progress has been made with GM in negotiations. Fain also said GM has agreed to place electric vehicle battery plants under a national contract with the union.” [CBS News, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: Josh Hawley Doesn't Stand With Workers, He Just Poses — According to Glenn Kage, “‘Isn’t it great that Josh Hawley — a Republican — showed up to the picket line?’ That’s a thing I’ve seen a number of people say in the past few days. Now, I need to back up a second. I work as a union electrician and serve as the legislative chair for UAW Local 2250 here in Wentzville, Missouri, where we are entering the third week of our strike against the local General Motors plant. GM, along with the Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis, have been making record profits because our members are busting their humps day in and day out on these conveyors, building the trucks and vans that build this country. If you look at our paychecks today, you’d think we’re still in that recession 14 years ago. These companies have had the record-breaking cash to increase CEO pay by 40% and to hand out billions of dollars in buybacks to shareholders. Those profits haven’t been shared. At all. Workers aren’t getting any of that. In fact, average real hourly earnings for autoworkers have fallen by 19.3% since the 2008 taxpayer-funded auto bailout.” [MSNBC, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

Detroit Automakers Say Biden Administration Rule Change Could Cost Them Billions — “An auto industry trade group wants the Energy Department to back off a regulatory change it says runs counter to the Biden administration’s goal of transitioning to electric vehicles and having them built in the U.S., noting it could cost the Detroit Three automakers billions more in fines compared to other manufacturers. The American Automotive Policy Council, which is based in Washington and represents Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, sent a letter to Energy Department officials last week, saying the proposed change — to drastically scale back the effect of what is known as the petroleum equivalency factor, or PEF — will have significant consequences to the U.S. automakers’ bottom lines at a time when they are investing in new electric vehicles. ‘The D3 (Detroit Three) have announced tens of billions of dollars of combined investments to transition their assembly operation and develop new battery operations in the United States. These investment announcements were made as early as 2019 with a specific understanding (of the current rules remaining in place),’ wrote the policy council’s head, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt.” [Detroit Free Press, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

The Future Of The Auto Industry Will Have An Outsized Impact On Black America — “Three generations of Lynda Jackson’s family have worked in Detroit’s auto plants, and three generations have been union members. Her father moved from Alabama to Detroit in the 1960s to work at Chrysler. Her uncles, stepmother and cousins all worked at Ford, General Motors and Chrysler (now Stellantis) before they retired with retirement benefits, including health care and a pension. Jackson, a 36-year-old Black forklift driver for Stellantis, said she wants the same for her own family, and for her community. ‘The auto industry and these plants are so very important to the Black community,’ Jackson said. Losing jobs ‘would be devastating to the inner city, devastating to the Black community.’” [CNN, 10/7/23 (+)]

 

Impact Of UAW Strike Trickles Into Used-Car Market, As Dealers Secure More Supply — “Dealers, it seems, are shoring up used-car inventories on their lots in case the United Auto Workers strike is prolonged and they’re left empty-handed on the new-car side. According to the latest Intelligence Report from CarGurus, used-vehicle inventory at dealerships in September jumped 2.5% from August, though still down 3.8% year-over-year and 8.4% from pre-COVID levels. ‘Although the UAW strike has yet to generate a significant impact on the new car market with overall pricing and inventory conditions improving for consumers so far, September market data shows rising trends to watch,’ CarGurus director of industry insights and analytics Kevin Roberts said in an analysis. ‘The decrease in inventory for strike impacted mid-size pick-ups is only accelerating and we are now seeing growing declines in selection of off-road SUVs, as well,’ Roberts said. ‘The used market also hasn’t been immune to strike concerns with inventory rising by 2.5% as dealers are likely looking to have more vehicles on hand in case a prolonged strike impacts new vehicle availability.’” [Auto Remarketing, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

UAW Strike Day 24: New Details On Talks Arise As Workers Rally For Temps — “The United Auto Workers’ lead negotiator with Stellantis NV expressed hope that an agreement could be reached this week ‘if we keep on pressing and keep our heads down.’ The Detroit-based union’s unprecedented strike against all three Detroit automakers reached its 24th day on Sunday. There are 25,300 members on strike across the country among 146,000 workers at the Detroit Three. Despite the optimism, gaps between the sides remain, said John Morgan, the union’s lead negotiator at Stellantis, head of the ‘people who work’ subcommittee and shop committeeman at Local 7 that represents employees at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. Some of the union’s highly publicized demands at the automaker have been withdrawn, including for a 32-hour workweek. But other work-life balance initiatives remain under discussion, Morgan said. At Stellantis, intermittent absenteeism primarily under the Family and Medical Leave Act has been the center of many conversations. FMLA requires employers to allow for unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons.” [The Detroit News, 10/8/23 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: What This Year’s Labor Strikes Mean For America’s Working Class — According to Andy Levin, “Now, the UAW is building on this momentum. The CEOs of GM, Ford and Stellantis are trying to create a false choice between treating workers fairly and the type of clean energy future that is necessary for survival of the planet. But the UAW isn’t letting them get away with it. President Shawn Fain is taking his message directly to his members and the American public via Facebook Live and interviews with the press. He’s speaking about issues beyond the details of the contract he’s negotiating, advocating passionately about problems working-class Americans across industries face like ‘poverty wages’ and ‘greedy CEOs.’ And his message is resonating: Poll after poll shows that despite potential disruptions in auto production, Americans are siding with the UAW rank and file.” [The Hill, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

Electric Vehicles

 

Batteries & Charging

 

What Can Be Done To Help EV Owners Who Are Apartment Dwellers? — “Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! Charging at home is absolutely the most convenient option. You plug in at the end of your day, and, by morning, you’re ready to go. But what if your home is an apartment? Only a small number of apartment dwellers have access to a non-home residential charger. Apartment dwelling EV owners are an important segment of the EV driving population. What confluence of factors will smooth their transition to battery electric vehicle (BEV) transportation in smart and equitable ways? Much research into apartment dwellers and EV charging can help to inform us. Let’s look through some of it and see what we conclude afterward. One thing is already clear: Drivers without home charging, including apartment dwellers or others without off-street parking, need to have access to convenient charging infrastructure that they can count on.Is” [CleanTechnica, 10/9/23 (+)]

 

We Want More EV Charging Stations At Convenience Stores! — “For years I thought of convenience stores as places where I could multi-task. I could fill up my car’s gas tank for my nearly hour ride home. I could grab a snack and sugary soda to keep me awake. I could peek at the newspaper headlines as I waited for the cashier. That model of convenience stores still has relevance in today’s fast-paced commuter world. But there’s also room for adaptation and change with the arrival of electric vehicles (EVs). It really is time for convenience stores to start embracing EVs by incorporating well-lit and reliable charging stations into their business models. There’s a whole clientele of EV drivers out there waiting for you, convenience store owners. Convenience stores make an organically good fit as a location for EV chargers. But a larger question looms: even if owners of convenience stores want to make an identity shift to embrace EV drivers, can they afford the costs of providing the electricity?” [CleanTechnica, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

EV Sales & Transition

 

Interested In An Electric Vehicle? Consider Buying Used. — “If you’re in the market for an electric vehicle, the time might be right to consider a used one. The high cost of electric vehicles has long dissuaded many people from buying one. Last year, for example, electric cars and trucks were so popular and supply so limited that waiting lists were common. And some lucky individuals found they could sell their ride for more than they paid for it. But over the past year, prices of used electric vehicles have fallen significantly. In addition, climate legislation passed in 2022 includes a tax credit to encourage more people to buy used electric cars and trucks.” [The New York Times, 10/7/23 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: Car Wars: Coming For Your Car — According to Andrew Stuttaford,  “Not before time, some drivers are beginning to realize that the war against cars is neither an abstraction nor some distant conflict that they can safely avoid — nor something they can avoid by switching to electric vehicles (EVs). As conventional cars are forced off the roads, EVs will be next. In a recent article on ‘degrowth’ for NR, I noted that in Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World, Jason Hickel explained that while ‘we need to switch to electric cars,’ ultimately their numbers would have to be ‘radically’ reduced, too. And, as I mentioned in that article, Hickel is no wild outlier. He is a successful economic anthropologist and writer. Among his other positions, he’s a member of the Roundtable on Macroeconomics and Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities of the National Academy of Sciences.” [National Review, 10/6/23 (-)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Colorado

 

Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Change Will Turbocharge Colorado Sales, Local Officials Say — “The U.S. Treasury’s decision Friday to let electric vehicle buyers take $7,500 in federal tax credits off the price at time of purchase next year will accelerate the EV revolution in Colorado and give more people access to the clean technology, state leaders said. EV buyers currently have to wait until next year’s tax time to receive the big federal incentive created by the Inflation Reduction Act, keeping EV retail prices out of reach for some middle- and lower-income buyers. Previously, officials had also said buyers might not qualify for the full $7,500 in federal incentive unless they owed at least that much in federal taxes by the end of the year. Now, Colorado buyers who qualify under federal income caps can get the full tax credit taken off the price at the dealership, in addition to $5,000 in an instant state credit and possible other incentives.” [Colorado Sun, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Kentucky

 

Kentucky Gov. Beshear Announces $10 Million Funding For Electric Vehicle Charging Stations — “Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has announced the first round of funding for electric vehicle charging stations in the state. Kentucky will receive more than $10 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. The funding will go towards building 16 public charging stations, along with 11 alternative fuel corridor groups. Beshear said it is time for Kentucky to become the electric vehicle capital of the country. ‘With 21 projects in the electric vehicle sector announced during my administration, we have solidified Kentucky as the EV production capital of the United States of America, and we hope that we’ll get a little further and just be the EV capital of the United States of America,’ Beshear said. ‘With so much production going on right now, we have to make sure that Kentuckians can benefit from and use these products.’” [WLWT-TV, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Glendale One Of 21 EV Charging Station Sites For State Project — “The state is moving forward with plans to develop and build a statewide network of EV charging stations, including one across from the BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale. In an announcement Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 21 projects to include at the TA Petro, 554 W. Glendale Hodgenville Road in Glendale at the Interstate 65 exit. ‘With 21 projects in the electric vehicle sector announced so far during my administration, we have solidified Kentucky as the EV battery production capital of the United States,’ Beshear said in the annoucement. ‘With so much EV production happening right here in the commonwealth, we want Kentuckians to be able to reap the benefits. Today, we are taking a major step forward on our mission to have a statewide electric vehicle charging network.’” [The News-Enterprise, 10/5/23 (+)]

 

Louisiana

 

Louisiana Illuminator | Louisiana Awarded $1.2 Billion For Transportation From Biden’s Infrastructure Plan — “Louisiana will receive $1.2 billion in federal transportation funding next year to pay for critical infrastructure projects involving new roads, bridges and electric vehicle chargers, the Biden administration announced Thursday. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will direct the money to Louisiana’s transportation department for the 2024 fiscal year. It marks a slight increase over the $1.15 billion and $1.18 billion the state received in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The money comes from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA), the second branch of President Joe Biden’s ambitious Build Back Better Plan, a three-part legislative agenda he unveiled during the early days of his presidency.” [KALB-TV, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

New Mexico

 

Op-Ed: For EV Transition, Build Private But Accessible Stations — “To facilitate this conversion, more EV fast charger stations are needed (a fast charger station of 150 kilowatts can provide a full charge in about 20 minutes). Currently, electric vehicles can travel about 300 miles on a full charge. But today, New Mexico has only about two dozen publicly accessible EV fast charger stations, most along interstate highways. Federal funding has been announced to increase the number of EV fast charger stations in the state, but significant gaps remain and should be addressed. First, federal funding is only available for publicly accessible, privately owned EV fast charger stations along interstate highways and specially designated ‘Alternative Fuel Corridors.’ Because of this restriction, many locations in New Mexico, particularly in well-traveled rural areas (e.g., Taos, Abiquiú, Silver City, Ruidoso), are not eligible for federal funds. Second, publicly accessible, privately owned EV fast charger stations in many rural areas of the state are not eligible for currently available federal funding. As a result of these policies, New Mexico has significant gaps in the number, location and reliability of EV fast charger stations.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

Texas

 

West Texas Caravan Highlights Growth Of Electric Vehicles — “A caravan of electric vehicles of various sizes, from a school bus to a Volvo C40 and Ford Mustang Mach E came humming through Midland recently to highlight electric vehicles and stress the need to build out the state’s electric transportation infrastructure. Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation believes in free markets, competition and entrepreneurship, said Matt Welch, state director, during the caravan’s Midland stop at the Electrify America charging station in the Walmart parking lot at 200 Interstate 20. ‘Why we’re here is to let conservatives in West Texas know it’s OK to be for electric vehicles,’ said Welch, as he stood next to a Hummer electric vehicle. He was driving the Volvo C40 along with Jade Gillespie Doss, director of programs for the organization. Conservatives should appreciate the number of jobs created by what he called the electric vehicle revolution and the economic impact of manufacturers coming to Texas.” [Midland Reporter Telegram, 10/6/23 (+)]

 

'We Really Were Surprised': Eanes ISD Creates Police Department; Buys Teslas For Cop Cars — “The Eanes school district took its final steps this week to create an 11-person police department and purchased nine Tesla vehicles for the officers to drive. Despite their fancy name and look, the cars are the most cost-effective option for the district, officials said. The district plans to spend $444,420 on nine Tesla Model Y vehicles and $3,000 for each charging station the district installs, Superintendent Jeff Arnett told the American-Statesman. ‘We really were surprised, in fact, that Tesla emerged as the most qualified bid,’ Arnett said. ‘We didn’t even know they had a fleet division.’ Because of the technology that is preloaded into Teslas, loading up the electric cars with necessary police equipment will cost about $4,000 less than it would for a Chevrolet Tahoe or Ford Expedition, which are typically used for police vehicles, he said. The district is drawing the money from capital expenses.” [Austin American Statesman, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

 

International

 

Asia

 

China's EV Sector Is Hemorrhaging Cash - And It Doesn't Matter — “Losing money on the cars they produce and sell isn’t a radically new concept for automotive manufacturers. But in China, that economic conundrum has risen to something of an art form. A recent report in the New York Times takes a broad look at how builders of electric cars in China are able to stay in business despite losing money. The main reason? Robust government subsidies that allow the manufacturers to not only survive, but thrive. One new development—one that has likely in part prompted the Times’ story—is an investigation by the European Union into the way that electric car manufacturers in China have received such subsidies, a step that could lead Europe to impose tariffs on the EVs that the country exports. Times reporter Keith Bradsher users Chinese company Nio as one focus of his story, explaining that Neo employs 11,000 people in research and development, but sells only 8,000 cars per month. Nio, he writes, ‘lost $835 million from April through June, or $35,000 for each car it sold.’ But Nio soldiers on, thanks to funds injected by government and state-controlled banks.” [Autoblog, 10/8/23 (=)]

 

Europe

 

EU To Loosen New Rules On EV Sales In Attempt To Defuse Row With UK — “The European Union is drawing up a plan to postpone tariffs on electric vehicle sales between the UK and the bloc for a year in an attempt to defuse a row over the new rules, which are due to come into effect in January. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission vice-president, told the Financial Times that Brussels would interpret ‘made in Europe’ rules very loosely in 2024, giving carmakers more time to switch battery sourcing from Asia to Europe. ‘We want to solve it and we are also discussing this with UK partners,’ Šefčovič said, adding that he would be ‘very happy’ if a deal could be struck before the December 31 deadline. The post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) dictates that tariffs of 10 per cent will be imposed on EVs shipped across the Channel if they have batteries substantially made outside Europe or the UK.” [Financial Times, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Labour Vows To Reinstate 2030 New Petrol Car Sales Ban — “Labour would reinstate a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars within months if it wins the next general election to restore ‘certainty’ for the car industry, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said. The party would also impose new binding targets for councils and regional authorities to roll out charging points for electric vehicles to improve the patchy national network, Reynolds said in an interview with the Financial Times. He said the Conservative government had left carmakers in limbo after delaying a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035 while insisting on steep increases of EV sales in the years beforehand. ‘The Tory government has been undermining international investment by chopping and changing . . . the endless stop-start of government policy has left the British automotive industry stalled,’ Reynolds said. ‘Industry themselves want 2030, they’re absolutely clear on that, the SMMT [Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders] has been clear on that, the major vehicle producers in the UK have been clear on that.’” [Financial Times, 10/9/23 (=)]

 

UK Joins Europe’s Growing ‘Greenlash’ With New Pro-Motorist Policies — “KEY POINTS New moves by the U.K. government to ramp up concessions for motorists bring Britain into the fold of countries caught up in a political backlash against Europe’s green agenda. Britain’s Transport Minister Mark Harper last week announced a series of new pro-motorist policies, which he said would protect drivers from ‘over-zealous traffic enforcement.’ Last month, Sunak said he would delay a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars, saying that the move would ease the financial burden on households.” [CNBC, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

Europe: Plug-In Car Share Surged To 30% In August 2023 — “In August, European sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars saw a noticeable increase, reaching their highest market share so far this year. According to EV Volumes data shared by researcher Jose Pontes, 270,356 new plug-in electric cars were registered in Europe two months ago, about 68 percent more than a year ago. That’s about 30 percent of Europe’s total total volume. The fully electric car segment expanded even quicker with a surge of 106 percent year-over-year to almost 200,000 units, taking more than one-fifth of the market (22 percent). That’s about three times more than in the United States. Plug-in car registrations for the month: BEVs: *198,000 (up 106%) and 22% market share PHEVs: *72,000 and 8% market share Total: 270,356 (up 68%) and 30% market share” [Inside EVs, 10/6/23 (=)]

 

 

Research, Analysis & Opinion

 

Op-Ed: Stronger Fuel Economy Standards Are Needed To Clean Up Combustion Vehicles — According to Dave Cook, “Last week, I testified at a public hearing to press the Biden administration on new vehicle standards that have the potential to significantly cut oil use. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has drawn all the attention lately for its spring proposals to cut emissions from new vehicles by electrifying both passenger cars and heavy trucks, the o.g. leader in cleaning up the light duty fleet quietly released its own proposal in August: the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed to improve fuel economy of passenger cars and trucks steadily from 2027 through 2032 and heavy-duty pickups and vans from 2030 to 2035. While it might seem strange to some that two different government agencies are releasing new rules at the same time for the same set of vehicles, below I explain the importance of both programs and why we need NHTSA to do better.” [CleanTechnica, 10/9/23 (+)]

 

 

 

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For any other questions or comments, please contact Mitch Dunn

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