Congress

 

House

 

Transportation Hearing To Focus On Infrastructure Law — “The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will have a hearing next week focused on the implementation of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. ‘Oversight of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Modal Perspectives’ is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Robin Hutcheson, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is expected to be one of the witnesses. In 2021, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package aimed at investing in communities and growing the economy. The plan ‘will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice and invest in communities that have too often been left behind,’ the White House said in 2021.” [Land Line, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

 

Department of Transportation (DOT)

 

Federal Highway Admin. (FHWA)

 

First Biden-Funded Electric Car Charging Station Opens — “More than two years after President Biden signed legislation allocating $5 billion for a nationwide network of taxpayer-funded electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, the first one finally opened last Friday in Ohio. Why it matters: Having convenient, reliable fast chargers along major highways is an important confidence-booster for people considering an electric car. … Reality check: Ohio is an exception. Many other states are just getting started, if they’re moving at all. Between the lines: Bureaucratic challenges have slowed the charger rollout. The federal government, for example, first had to staff the new Joint Office to support the effort. It took more than a year for that office to finalize standards ensuring consistent plug types, charging speeds and payment systems with easy access for all. (Automakers’ surprise decision to adopt Tesla’s plug style complicated matters.) Another problem: State transportation officials, who are used to overseeing federal road and bridge projects, lack the resources and expertise to plan and manage charging infrastructure, says Loren McDonald, CEO of industry analytics firm EVAdoption.com.” [Axios, 12/11/23 (+)]

 

Ohio Activates First NEVI-Funded Electric Vehicle Charger — “What You Need To Know Ohio has become the first state to activate a charger through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday The charging station, according to the release, is at a Pilot Travel Center on I-70 at U.S. Route 42 located in Madison County Construction will start soon on two dozen other such facilities, also funded by NEVI $140 million in NEVI funding will — over the next five years — go to Ohio for the installation of these stations, according to the release” [Spectrum News 1, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Ohio Becomes First State To Open Federally-Funded Chargers For Electric Cars — “Ohio is the first state in the U.S. to take a major step in an infrastructure program encouraging electric vehicles. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Friday that Ohio’s first electric vehicle (EV) charger, funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, is now online. This makes Ohio the first state in the nation to activate a NEVI charger. NEVI, from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, is a program intended to provide funding to states to strategically deploy EV charging stations and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. The newly-active NEVI charging station is located at the Pilot Travel Center along Interstate 70 at U.S. Route 42 in Madison County. The station comes with fast chargers installed by EVGo, capable of providing up to 350 kW when charging a single vehicle.” [WCMH-TV, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

Biden's $7.5 Billion For EV Charging Stations Results In Zero Built In Two Years Despite Spending — “President Joe Biden has spent his entire term pushing electric vehicles as a way to end our reliance on fossil fuels with billions of tax dollars spent to achieve the Democrat’s dream. However, a new report finds that thus far one of his programs has failed to live up to its promises despite its multibillion-dollar budget. In 2021, the Biden administration pushed a $7.5 billion investment in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure and aimed to build thousands of charging stations to allow Americans to use EVs more easily for their daily transportation. Congress quickly followed through, and the measure was added to Biden’s infrastructure bill. The funding was supposed to consist of $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program and another $2.5 billion for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant program, according to The Epoch Times.” [The Western Journal, 12/11/23 (-)]

 

Biden Administration Has Built Zero EV Chargers Since 2021 Despite Getting $7.5 Billion From Congress To Do So — “The Biden administration has yet to power on a single electric vehicle charger despite receiving $7.5 billion in 2021 from Congress to build the stations across the country. A 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package included the massive sum to be spent directly on electric vehicle chargers, with a stated goal of 500,000 chargers in the United States by 2030. According to Politico, approximately $2 billion has already been sent to different states, but less than half have started taking bids from contractors, meaning construction is still in the distant future. Simply put, not a single charger has come online as a result of the gigantic government spending bill.” [The Blaze, 12/11/23 (-)]

 

 

U.S. Postal Service (USPS)

 

A Deadly Delivery Highlights ‘Falsified’ Heat Records At USPS — “Eugene Gates’ body temperature was as hot as the Texas heat wave, more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, when he collapsed in a Dallas front yard while delivering mail. Gates, 66, had carried his iconic U.S. Mail bag through the same wealthy neighborhood for much of his 35-year career, until he died of heat stroke on a stifling day in June. A homeowner who rushed to perform CPR could not revive him. Gates’ death is part of a storm of allegations that the U.S. Postal Service ignored its own heat safety programs and manipulated official records to hide those actions ahead of an unrelenting summer of extreme heat that killed scores of people across the U.S. Under its own policy, the agency is required to train letter carriers each spring to recognize the symptoms of heat illness and what to do if they feel sick. But Gates didn’t receive training, and his managers ‘falsified’ official records before his death to hide it, according to his widow, Carla, and leaders of the National Association of Letter Carriers union who are involved in the grievance. And he’s not the only one.” [Politico, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

 

Vehicle Manufacturers

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

Ford And Resideo Partner To Show How EVs And Homes Can Work Together — “Ford and Resideo Technologies recently unveiled their collaborative project, the ‘EV-Home Power Partnership.’ This joint simulation initiative will look at vehicle-to-home (V2H) energy management. Specifically, the companies will be exploring the potential of electric vehicle batteries to help home energy usage. By pairing bi-directional EV charging with a Resideo smart thermostat, it’s possible to get savings on monthly electric bills, reduce strain on the U.S. electric grid, and better harness cleaner energy sources. More importantly, the companies want to show the world that getting these benefits doesn’t need to come at the expense of comfort at home. This collaboration is part of a larger ecosystem of partnerships. Ford introduced a groundbreaking full-size electric truck (the Lightning) that was capable of bi-directional charging in North American homes. In partnership with Resideo, a global provider of home comfort solutions, First Alert security, and many other leading residential load management programs for utilities, other aspects of charging, V2X, and other benefits are all being explored.” [CleanTechnica, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

See How Ford Builds Its F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup  — “Ford’s F-150 Lightning is the top-selling electric truck in the US through November. As production at its Rouge EV plant ramps up, a new video gives us an inside look at how Ford builds its Lightning in the US. Ford has been building trucks for over 100 years. Since introducing the Model T in 1917, Ford’s trucks have come a long way. And along the way, Ford has learned a thing or two about how to build them. The American automaker is known for innovations like the moving assembly line. The production method, introduced in 1913, enabled Ford to lower prices significantly, making its vehicles more competitive. Ford introduced the Lightning in May 2021 as its ‘smartest, most innovative truck yet.’ With over 100 years of building pickups, that’s a big feat.” [Electrek, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Geely

 

ZEEKR To Hold ‘Power Day 2023’ Event This Month, Showcasing Battery Tech Developed In-House — “Before Chinese EV automaker ZEEKR begins selling the 007 – its first mass-market electric sedan- it will introduce new battery technology developed in-house that will debut in the EV. ZEEKR promised to share more details of its battery developments later this month during a ‘Power Day 2023’ event. Here’s what we know so far. It has been a successful year for Geely-owned EV sub-brand ZEEKR, which entered 2023 with lofty goals for expansion, new models, and new technologies. To date, the automaker has made good on all those promises. As most wind down this year, ZEEKR has kept its foot on the accelerator following announcing a new model called the 007 in early November. Since then, we’ve seen the company file for a US IPO, debut the 007 during the Guangzhou Auto Show, which has garnered 25,000 pre-orders already, and even reported on somewhat clandestine plans for a new mass market SUV to compete with the Tesla Model Y.” [Electrek, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

General Motor Corp.

 

GM Announces Generous Returns To Shareholders Despite Recent Labor Negotiations — “In a surprising turn of events, General Motors (GM) has announced a significant cash windfall for its shareholders, just weeks after it claimed financial constraints in meeting the demands of its labor union. The company, determined to boost its stock price, unveiled plans for a $10 billion share buyback and a substantial 33% increase in dividends. This move is aimed at appeasing investors who were left unsettled by the extensive United Auto Workers (UAW) strike that occurred earlier this fall. Following the announcement, GM’s stock surged by nearly 10%, demonstrating the positive impact of the news on the company’s financial outlook. However, this development comes on the heels of GM executives asserting their inability to meet the union’s demands for higher wages and benefits. GM President Mark Reuss went as far as deeming the union’s contract demands as ‘untenable,’ citing concerns that meeting these demands would hinder the company’s ability to invest in its competitiveness relative to nonunionized automakers.” [South County Mail, 12/9/23 (=)]

 

General Motors Is Installing 500 Charging Stations With Its Partners — “Like all EV manufacturers, General Motors Inc. (GM) is keenly aware that the ability to access charging stations is essential for successful consumer EV adoption. Because growing US public fast charging infrastructure can’t take place soon enough for current and upcoming EV drivers, as part of a larger corporate mission, GM partnered with Pilot Travel Centers and EVgo to install up to 500 charging stations at Pilot Flying J rest stops. The project builds on Pilot Company’s recently announced ‘New Horizons’ initiative to invest $1 billion to fully upgrade its travel centers. Targeting the installation of charging stalls at 50-mile intervals across the US, last year’s stated collaborative goal has been to accelerate the widespread adoption of EVs, increase access to charging, and help enable long-distance electric travel of people and vehicles across the US.” [CleanTechnica, 12/7/23 (=)]

 

Pilot Stops In Knoxville, White Pine Among First On National EV Charging Network — “Pilot and General Motors announced this week that the first locations of their national electric vehicle charging network are now open, including two stops right here in East Tennessee. In partnership with the EV fast-charging company EVgo, the first 17 locations of the national fast-charging network officially went online this week across 13 states. The Flying J Travel Center at 800 Watt Road in Knoxville and the Pilot Travel Center at 3624 Roy Messer Highway in White Pine are among the first group of fast-charging stations.” [WATE-TV, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

2025 Reintroduced Chevy Bolt Will Be Strictly The EUV — “News of the end of the Chevy Bolt in April caused much consternation among its diehard fans. The affordable EV, with its familiar dashboard and just enough technology, was GM’s best selling EV in North America, by far. But the Chevy Bolt did not align with GM’s long term EV technology strategy, which is to focus on the Ultium platform to replace the now obsolete BEV2 platform that had been the basis of the Bolt and Bolt EUV. Hardly any time passed before GM chair and CEO Mary Barra quickly changed course, announcing that the Bolt would return — using GM’s Ultium tech. ‘Our prior portfolio plans included several newly designed vehicles in the entry-level segments and a capital commitment of $5 billion over the next several years. However, by leveraging the best attributes of today’s Bolt EUV, as well as our Ultium platform, our software, and NACS, we will deliver an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience with a vehicle we know customers love.’” [CleanTechnica, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Only The Chevy Bolt EUV Will Return On Ultium Platform – Report — “The Chevy Bolt EV has had ups and downs recently, but it’s still GM’s best-selling electric model. That made the automaker’s decision to cut the car after 2023 a shocker, but CEO Mary Barra quickly changed course, announcing that the Bolt would return using GM’s Ultium tech. We’re now learning about another twist in the story, as the company’s recent comments suggest that only the larger Bolt EUV will return, leaving the more popular Bolt EV out of the Ultium plans. Barra has already hinted that the EUV would be the vehicle of choice when the Bolt returns. ‘Our prior portfolio plans included several newly designed vehicles in the entry-level segments and a capital commitment of $5 billion over the next several years. However, by leveraging the best attributes of today’s Bolt EUV, as well as our Ultium platform, our software, and NACS, we will deliver an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience with a vehicle we know customers love.’ It sounds a lot like GM’s planning one Bolt model, and it will likely be the larger EUV.” [Autoblog, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

There Won’t Be A Small Chevy Bolt EV On GM’s Ultium Platform — “Say goodbye to the Chevy Bolt EV... again. General Motors won’t be bringing over the original hatchback Bolt to the automaker’s Ultium platform, just the larger Bolt EUV, GM confirmed after InsideEVs first reported the news. That comes after GM said it was discontinuing Bolt production but later confirmed that it would resurrect the EV as an Ultium vehicle for 2025. The original Bolt EV was built on GM’s older and soon-to-be-obsolete BEV2 platform. The automaker has since shifted to the Ultium battery architecture for its next-generation EVs, including the Cadillac Lyriq, Hummer EV, and GMC Sierra EV. Chevy is building a trio of Ultium-built EVs, including the Silverado EV, Blazer EV, and Equinox EV. ‘We are glad to see the enthusiasm surrounding the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt’ ‘We are glad to see the enthusiasm surrounding the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt,’ Cody Williams, senior manager for communications at Chevy, said in a statement. ‘We will share details as we get closer to its launch date. As we’ve said before, the new Bolt will build on the formula that has made it a success today.’” [The Verge, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Hyundai Motor Co.

 

Hyundai Is Being Investigated For Child Labor Violations In Alabama, Georgia — “Hyundai (HYMTF) is facing backlash from unions in Georgia and Alabama because the automaker is violating child labor laws. Yahoo Finance Autos reporter Pras Subramanian breaks down these developments while also explaining the latest demands in the United Auto Workers (UAW) union’s negotiations with big three automakers Ford (F), General Motors (GM) and Stellantis (STLA).” [Georgia Law News, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Kia EV9 To Get Limited Free Charging From Electrify America — “Electrify America and Kia America recently announced a special deal for the buyers of Kia’s new EV9 SUV, offering a generous 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of complimentary charging. This isn’t new ground for the companies. Expanding on a longstanding partnership with Kia America that covered other vehicles, this 1,000 kWh deal is redeemable at any Electrify America charging station nationwide through Electrify America’s app. This is the third Kia vehicle to offer this kind of a charging benefit. ‘Our agreement with Kia America highlights our commitment to a more accessible future for electric vehicle (EV) transportation,’ said Robert Barrosa, president and CEO of Electrify America. ‘We’re excited to provide DC fast charging on our coast-to-coast network for the 2024 Kia EV9 and driving the switch to zero-emission vehicles forward.’” [CleanTechnica, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

 

Renault Aims To Slash EV Production Costs In Half  — “Renault SA is deploying artificial intelligence technology to help slash the cost of producing electric vehicles in half by 2027 as the race to make affordable mass-market cars intensifies. The carmaker also wants to reduce vehicle development times to two years from three years, it said Thursday in a statement laying out a plan to make its manufacturing base more competitive. The measures should cut costs to make internal combustion-engine cars by 30% over the same period. The steps are part of a major transformation at Renault, which this year reshaped its decades-long alliance with Nissan Motor Corp. The French manufacturer plans to list its EV unit Ampere next year, targeting a valuation of as much as €10 billion ($10.8 billion), with both Nissan and Mitsubishi confirming significant investments. Renault already uses more than 300 AI applications to trace car parts and bolster quality control, and now aims to increase that number to 3,000 by mid-decade. The company has built an industrial metaverse that saved the group €270 million this year, mainly through predictive maintenance on installations.” [Bloomberg, 12/7/23 (=)]

 

Rivian Automotive Inc.

 

Rivian Focusing On Cheaper Batteries, Lays Off 20 Members Of Battery Team — “Rivian is currently at around 50,000 vehicle sales a year. That’s more or less the total number of sales the Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X were each getting before the Model 3 went into production. That’s fine. For now. But really, Rivian needs to reach higher volumes. How do you reach higher volumes? With lower prices. Now that the Tesla Cybertruck has been officially launched and deliveries have begun, we’ve gotten to see its pricing and specs. It turns out the pricing is much higher than initially projected and the range is much lower. It also turns out that the Cybertruck is super powerful and has some nifty features, like drive by wire and a 48V low-voltage battery. Rivian may struggle to compete on specs alone, but there’s much more of an opening on the lower end of the truck market, or by buffing up its range.” [CleanTechnica, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

Stellantis NV

 

Stellantis Temporarily Cutting Shift At Detroit Jeep Plant — “Stellantis said it plans to temporarily cut a shift at one of its Jeep plants in Detroit and make other changes at a Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, that the automaker says will lead to job losses. The automaker, which also owns the Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands, said it is filing Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices with the respective governments and the United Auto Workers union out of an abundance of caution. The company cited the need to manage sales of the vehicles it produces to comply with California emissions regulations that are measured on a state-by-state basis. Those notices, according to spokeswoman Jodi Tinson, list 2,455 workers who may be affected at the Detroit Assembly Complex – Mack plant, where versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are produced, and 1,225 workers who may be affected at the Toledo Assembly Complex, where the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator are produced. Most of the affected workers in Toledo will be supplemental employees, Tinson said.” [Detroit Free Press, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Inc.

 

Tesla Contests Fines Over Worker's Serious Injury On Conveyor Belt — “Tesla has been cited by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health for four safety violations after an employee was seriously injured when she got stuck in a Model Y at the company’s Fremont factory earlier this year. The EV maker failed to ensure power was cut to a conveyor belt while workers were performing quality inspections, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg through a California Public Records Act request. As a result, in April, the worker became trapped in a car after its open door struck a fixed vertical gate at Tesla’s Fremont plant, according to the documents. California OSHA proposed fining Tesla $18,000 for the ‘serious’ violation, which the regulator said the carmaker addressed during an inspection at some point between April and October. The company also received another $18,000 fine for failing to maintain an effective injury and illness prevention program, while it received two other $1,000 fines for ‘general’ violations at the plant. The report comes as the United Auto Workers, fresh off contract wins with the major Detroit automakers, has Tesla in its crosshairs. It’s trying to gain support among the company’s California workers, and employees at other non-unionized factories. One of the UAW’s key talking points in the past has been the group’s ability to push for safer working conditions.” [Autoblog, 12/9/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Investor Sues For Docs On Musk 'Glass House' Outlays — “A Tesla Inc. stockholder sued in Delaware’s Court of Chancery Friday seeking access to a range of company documents that include details on until-recently secret purchases by the company of millions of dollars worth of large, specialized glass panels for founder Elon Musk’s ‘new house.’ Stockholder Ronald R. Hodge said in an investor demand under Section 220 of Delaware’s General Corporation law that Tesla failed to respond to his request for the records. Also unanswered, the complaint said, was a call for documents on other conduct ‘dating back to 2017’ involving potentially ‘improper’ perks for Musk and details on the recent allegedly unexplained exits of a top Musk aide and the company’s legal chief. Also sought, although not described in detail, was information on company use of ‘automated systems to deny insurance claims’ that the complaint said ‘will result in regulatory action and has already caused reputational harm.’ Hodge’s requests cited published reports that Tesla had carried out an internal investigation into use of company funds for construction materials intended for Musk and his personal residence, including large, specialized glass panels used for building facades.” [Law360, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Is Offering Higher Incentives In Year-End Push For Volume — “Tesla is offering six months of free charging on many vehicles it has in inventory. Buyers have to take delivery by the end of the year. DREAMSTIME It’s year-end and Tesla TSLA 0.49% is in the midst of its final push to meet Wall Street expectations for a record quarter. It won’t be easy for the battery-electric vehicle leader to sell almost half a million cars amid higher interest rates and more EV competition. Instead of price cuts, Tesla is using a new tool to move metal: Incentives.” [Barron’s, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Closer To Coming To Durango After City OKs Service Contract With Electric Vehicle Manufacturer — “Durango City Council gave first approval Tuesday for a contract with Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer that leads the way in global EV sales, to build and maintain eight superchargers at the Transit Center. The contract will help put Durango on the map for electric vehicle owners nationwide. Those who travel through Southwest Colorado are currently able to fast-charge their vehicles in Farmington or Telluride. Durango Transportation Director Sarah Hill said federally designated ‘priority corridors’ for supercharging stations include U.S. Highways 550 and 160, and Durango sits at the intersection of those major highways. There are currently two ChargePoint stations at the Transit Center, but the level of service Tesla provides is considerably higher. If City Council gives final approval of the contract, which is scheduled to be voted on at the Jan. 2 regular meeting, Tesla charging stations would be built and opened by fall 2024.” [The Durango Herald, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Starts Telling Some Cybertruck Orders To ‘Prepare For Delivery’ — “A number of Cybertruck order holders have started getting ‘prepare for delivery’ emails today, suggesting that Tesla might be getting Cybertrucks out to the public a little sooner than we expected. Tesla held its first Cybertruck delivery event late last month to deliver the first Cybertrucks, though there were only a small number delivered on the day. Those deliveries seemed to largely go to VIPs, such as Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian. At that time, it wasn’t clear how soon we would start seeing wider public deliveries of the Cybertruck. It could have been weeks or it could have been months. In the case of the Model 3, for example, Tesla held one big delivery event in July where it mostly delivered vehicles to employees, and it took several months before the general public started to receive cars. We got one of the first cars delivered to the public a full five months later, in late December. And the same happened with the Tesla Semi, which we’ve really seen no movement on over the course of the last year.” [Electrek, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

The Tesla Cybertruck Has Strong Sales Potential, But Only If Us Buyers Step Up — “Much has been written about the Tesla Cybertruck since it was first unveiled as a prototype in December 2019. Last week was the launch of the production version and, as expected, media coverage has skyrocketed. This truck is an evolution of the pickup in many ways. Its bold design, numerous features, interesting solutions, and positioning in the market make it one of this year’s most important revelations. But what is its real impact on Tesla’s sales volume and global markets?” [Inside EVs, 12/9/23 (=)]

 

Tesla Once Again Threatens To Sue Cybertruck Scalpers For $50k — “Tesla has re-added a clause to its Cybertruck purchase contract, threatening to sue owners who try to flip their Cybertrucks within the first year of ownership. But its also being unclear about its threat, because the language doesn’t seem to exist in Tesla’s pre-order documents. Back in November, before the initial Cybertruck delivery event, Tesla modified its Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement with a section that said ‘For Cybertruck Only.’ This section basically included clauses that told Cybertruck owners that they are not allowed to re-sell their vehicle within the first year of ownership, and if they did, that Tesla would sue them to recoup whatever amount they received from the sale or $50k, whichever is greater.” [Electrek, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

China: Tesla Increased EV Retail Sales, But Exports Were Down 55% In November 2023 — “Additional sales data from China reveals an interesting difference between Tesla’s exports and retail sales in the world’s largest electric car market for the month of November. According to the China Passenger Car Association’s (CPCA) data, out of 82,432 Tesla MIC Model 3/Model Y wholesale vehicle shipments last month, the vast majority falls on local sales—65,504 (up 5% year-over-year), while export represents only a small part of 16,928 units (down 55% year-over-year). * CPCA reports wholesale shipments, not registrations/customer deliveries. We are not sure why exports decreased so much, nor why they are down for the second consecutive month (after a 20% drop in October). Tesla MIC Model 3/Model Y wholesale shipments last month (YOY change): Retail sales in China: 65,504 (up 5%) Export: 16,928 (down 55%) Total wholesale shipments: 82,432 (down 18%)” [Inside EVs, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

Tesla To Be Asked By Nordic Pension Funds To Respect Collective Bargaining — “U.S. carmaker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) will be urged to respect collective bargaining for its employees in the Nordic region in a joint letter to be sent by a group of pension funds this week, three pension funds said on Monday. Tesla is facing a backlash in the region from unions and some pension funds over its refusal to accept a demand from Swedish mechanics for collective bargaining rights covering wages and other conditions. ‘As investors in Tesla, we recognise the company’s great contribution to the electrification of the transport sector, but at the same time call on the management to seek a resolution to the conflict,’ Rasmus Bessing, head of responsible investments at PFA, Denmark’s largest non-state pension fund, told Reuters. The company has managed to avoid collective bargaining agreements with its roughly 127,000 workers, and CEO Elon Musk has been vocal about his opposition to unions.” [Reuters, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group

 

Volkswagen Mulls $21K EV With Renault, But Don’t Get Too Excited — “European automakers are looking to affordable EVs to help boost demand. The latest may be a 20,000 euro ($21,500) EV from Volkswagen and Renault. Volkswagen is seeking partners to build an EV under 20,000 euros ($21,500), including Renault. According to a new report from the German newspaper Handelsblatt, the automakers aim to produce 200,000-250,000 units per year. The report claims Volkswagen is already in talks about building a platform for the vehicle, citing several people familiar with the matter. VW hopes an affordable EV will fuel adoption. However, the talks with Renault are still in a ‘very early stage,’ the report notes. Volkswagen had no comment on the partnership with Renault.” [Electrek, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

VW Considering Cooperation With Renault On 20,000-Euro Electric Car -Handelsblatt — “Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is speaking with potential partners, including France’s Renault (RENA.PA), about cooperating on the development of its 20,000-euro ($21,476) electric car, Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The German carmaker is interested in cooperating on a platform for the car that it hopes will make battery-powered vehicles affordable for the masses, Handelsblatt reported. Talks with Renault are still ‘at a very early stage’ and could come to nothing, Handelsblatt cited the sources as saying. Annual production of 200,000 to 250,000 vehicles is the target for both partners together, according to Handelsblatt. Volkswagen declined to comment on the report. A spokesperson for Renault said that cooperation was necessary to be competitive with small-entry electric vehicles. ‘We are in different discussions but nothing has been finalised,’ said the spokesperson.” [Reuters, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

VW’s Rugged Scout EV Brand On Track To Debut Electric Pickup And SUV Next Year —- “The new rugged Scout brand from Volkswagen remains on track to debut its electric pickup and SUV next year. VW Scout CEO Scott Keogh says the designs are upwards of 95% complete. Keogh told Automotive News that Scout remains on track to debut its first electric truck and SUV in the third quarter of 2024. We should begin to see our first prototypes hit the streets in the next few months. ‘The design of the product is, I would say, 85, 90, 95 percent of the way there,’ Keogh said. ‘Proportions readily dialed in, exterior design dialed in.’ Scout hired former Stellantis designer Chris Benjamin in May to help lead the design of its rugged EV series. Benjamin is known for his work on recent Jeep and Ram models. Keogh said Benjamin’s ‘thumbprints are all over many of the most beloved off-road vehicles’ available today. Benjamin will define the ‘next chapter of design for Scout,’ the brand’s leader explained.” [Electrek, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

VW's Scout Motors Confirms Magna As 'Engineering Partner' For Off-Road EVs — “The Volkswagen Group has big plans for electric SUVs for the U.S. market under its revived Scout Motors brand, and now, its CEO has revealed that famed contract auto manufacturer Magna International will be its ‘engineering partner.’ Speaking with Automotive News, Scout CEO Scott Keogh said the collaboration with Magna was a ‘good, efficient way to get the car to market on time.’ The Canadian company was helpful at the start of the project to get things moving, according to Keogh. ‘But now Scout engineers are in the lead. We’re driving it,’ he said. The Canadian auto parts supplier and contract manufacturer has vast expertise in developing and building body-on-frame off-roaders and electric vehicles. It currently builds the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at its plant in Graz, Austria, and it will make the EQG all-electric variant at the same site. Magna also builds the Jaguar I-Pace and Fisker Ocean electric SUVs at the plant.” [Inside EVs, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Volkswagen ID Models Get Vehicle-To-Home Opportunity — “Way back when the Volkswagen ID.3 was first shown, Volkswagen execs also highlighted eventual bidirectional charging. Now, we’re getting there, with a bidirectional charging initiative for ID. models just starting in Sweden. In particular, this is a vehicle-to-home system that has been created to complement home solar PV power. First of all, the EV driver needs to have a Volkswagen ID. model with a 77 kWh (net) battery. Secondly, they need to get a home solar power system and associated Home Energy Management System (HEMS) from HagerEnergy GmbH. Thirdly, their vehicle software system needs to be at ID. Software 3.5 or higher. Then, at that point, the ID. owner can send electricity from their car battery back into their home as needed. So, yes, this is a vehicle-to-home (V2H) setup for now, not a broader vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system (yet).” [CleanTechnica, 12/9/23 (+)]

 

Electrify America expands customer charging agreement with Kia America to include new EV9 owners; 1 MWh free — “Building on the multi-year relationship with Kia America regarding the EV6 GT charging agreement announced earlier this year, the EV9’s 1,000 kWh complimentary charging is redeemable at any Electrify America charging station across the country through the Electrify America app. The EV9 is the third Kia vehicle to include this complimentary Electrify America charging, along with Niro and EV6. The EV9 is Kia’s first all-electric three-row SUV model. From launch, the Kia EV9 will be available with two powertrain options. The standard configuration features a 76.1-kWh battery paired with a 160-kW (215-hp) rear-wheel-drive motor. An optional 99.8-kWh battery is available in a single-motor setup (201-hp), with an EPA-estimated 304-mile all-electric range or in a dual-motor, 283-kW (379-hp) all-wheel-drive configuration.” [Green Car Congress, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

Electrify Canada Switches To kWh Pricing — “Earlier this year, Electrify America changed the pricing structure for EV charging. Instead of charging a flat-rate across all stations, with lower rates for people with a Pass+ membership, the company switched to dynamic pricing, with every location getting its own charging price and the possibility of higher pricing during certain times of day. Now, Electrify Canada (the company’s Canadian division) is doing something similar. A few days ago, a new station-by-station kilowatt-hour (kWh) based pricing strategy goes into effect starting 9 January 2024. According to the company, the updated kWh pricing model aims to enhance the fairness and transparency of Electrify Canada’s public DC fast charging network. With this new approach, customers will be billed based on the actual energy consumed during the EV charging process instead of being billed by the minute.” [CleanTechnica, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

 

Battery & Charging Companies

 

Our Next Energy (ONE) Inc.

 

EV Battery Startup ONE Names Paul Humphries As CEO, Replacing Founder — “Electric-vehicle battery startup Our Next Energy (ONE) said on Sunday that Paul Humphries will be its new CEO effective immediately, replacing Mujeeb Ijaz, who held the post since he founded the company. Ijaz, a former Apple (AAPL.O) executive, will serve as vice-chairman of the board and take on the role of chief technology officer following Humphries’ appointment, ONE said. Humphries has also been a member of the ONE Board of Directors since the company was founded in 2020. The Michigan-based company cut around 25% of its workforce, or 128 employees last month, citing ‘market conditions’ as reason for the layoffs. It added that it is continuing to focus on establishing its gigafactory in Michigan and to develop a North American supply chain for batteries. The company said in February it had raised $300 million in a Series B funding, valuing it at $1.2 billion.” [Reuters, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

 

Advocacy & Unions

 

United Auto Workers (UAW)

 

UAW President Did Not Like Ford CEO Farley During Strike — “With the 2023 strike in the rearview mirror, The Blue Oval can focus on getting production back to normal while the union can pivot to organizing non-union plants. But as with any event as significant as a strike, there was always going to be some type of postmortem at some point. A recent article from the Detroit Free Press does in fact go over UAW President Shawn Fain’s perspective on certain aspects of the strike, and he did not have anything good to say about how he thinks Ford CEO Jim Farley handled negotiations. However, he doesn’t seem to be holding a grudge over what transpired either. The article details how Fain thought talks between the Detroit Three would go and which company he expected to be more difficult to deal with. It seems the UAW leader thought Ford or GM would be easier to talk to when compared to Stellantis, but in his opinion, the exact opposite happened.” [Ford Authority, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

 

Electric Vehicles

 

Batteries & Charging

 

Will 2024 Be The Year Of Car-Charging Made Easy (Or Easier)? — “The day when electric cars drivers can simply plug their car into a charger and walk away — no more fumbling with apps or tapping credit cards on card readers that may or may not work — could be coming soon. In fact, maybe even next year. ‘We’re closer than ever to getting to that vision, but there’s still work that has to be done to ensure that it can actually happen,’ said Francesca Wahl, senior charging policy manager at Tesla and chair of policy committee at Charging Interface Initiative North America (CharIN NA). Wahl sees 2024 as the ‘pivotal year to make that happen.’ Next year, Tesla will begin allowing other vehicles to charge on the car company’s Supercharger network. ‘Our goal is to provide the exact same customer experience that our Tesla drivers receive,’ said Wahl, during a Dec. 6 panel organized by the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA).” [Government Technology, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

EV Chargers Have A Big Reliability Problem. Can The Government Fix It? — “Rosana Francescato is an electric vehicle enthusiast who likes to plan ahead. So when she and her husband drove their all-electric Chevy Bolt from the San Francisco Bay Area to New Mexico to visit family last fall, she plotted out every charging station along the route — both to minimize the time spent waiting for hourslong charging sessions and to ensure they didn’t end up stranded in the middle of the desert. But despite her maps and spreadsheets, built with data pulled from apps that track charging locations and whether or not the equipment there is working, she and her husband still ran into a range of problems familiar to anyone driving an EV — or, that is, any EV that isn’t a Tesla. ‘In general, we had better luck with the large, established networks’ like Electrify America and EVgo, she said, but only ’when they weren’t broken.’ Francescato, a clean-energy communications consultant, estimated that roughly half of the direct-current fast chargers — the ones capable of replenishing her Bolt’s battery in 30 minutes to an hour — were broken at each station she and her husband visited.” [Canary Media, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

Drivers Spent Nearly Twice The Time At Free Dc Chargers Than At Paid Ones — “A new study reveals a massive difference between paid and free DC fast charging of electric vehicles in the United States, both in terms of energy dispensed and time spent charging. According to a report from the Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, EV drivers stay almost twice as long at ‘free’ DC fast chargers than at the paid ones. That conclusion is based on more than 2.3 million sessions at non-Tesla DC charging stations between June 2020 and June 2023. As it turns out, the average driver spends 78 minutes per session and gains 40.7 kilowatt-hours of energy at the free DC fast chargers. When they use the paid DC fast chargers, they spend just 42 minutes on average, while receiving a mere 22 kWh of energy.” [Inside EVs, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Electric Vehicle Charging Needs A ‘Goldilocks Solution’ — “While it is less expensive to charge your electric vehicle at home, using a public station will become inevitable. It’s a reality that concerns owners and deters others from making the switch. The solution, however, will involve hitting a precise target of stations, charging technology and economic impacts, experts say. A reliable charging infrastructure is an important piece of a complex puzzle. As the number of charging station installations increases, so do the challenges involving their operation and maintenance. Despite pathways being created by government and industry stakeholders to bolster the charging infrastructure, a combination of factors – including price, reliability, lifestyle changes, and range – have led to underwhelming EV sales. Robert Charette, a longtime systems engineer, contributing editor for IEEE Spectrum, and author of ‘The EV Transition Explained,’ told The Center Square, that isolating any of the components cannot be done as they are all interconnected like a spider web.” [The Center Square, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Bloomberg | Mobile EV Chargers Aim To Fill Public Charging Gaps — “The U.S. has about 50,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles, compared to an estimated 145,000 retail locations to purchase fuel for a gas-powered car. That’s the prime source of the dreaded charging anxiety — the worry that you could run out of power in the middle of a trip. Not only are current and would-be EV drivers worried about whether they can find charging, they’re also concerned charging infrastructure might not work. More than 20% of EV drivers in the U.S. said they have pulled up to a charging station and been unable to charge their vehicle due to equipment malfunction, according to a study from J.D Power, a data analytics company. A slew of startups are attempting to solve this problem by developing mobile chargers, from clunky metal boxes on wheels to sleek robots ready to prowl parking lots. While startups are seeing an initial wave of interest from vehicle fleets — which often park where charging infrastructure is unavailable — the technology may become more widespread for everyday drivers in the future.” [Autoblog, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: The Clouds On The Horizon For America’s Electric Vehicle Industry — According to Christine McDaniel, “With representatives from 197 countries gathered this week in Dubai to discuss ways to fight climate change, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a bill that would make the much-hyped energy transition a bit harder. It’s a reminder of the difficult trade-offs facing U.S. policymakers. Many bemoan the slow pace of climate progress. Even with pledges, as the Council on Foreign Relations has noted, the world is not on track to meet its target of limiting warming to 1.5°C. But electric vehicles, or EVs, have emerged as a bright spot in recent years. As Apostolos Petropoulos of the International Energy Agency recently put it, ‘The game-changer has been the policy support for the shift to electrification quite substantially reducing oil demand from the transportation sector, which has been the key driver of global oil demand growth.’ The environmental good news partly rests on the fact that China is good at making batteries for electric cars, and they are willing to partner with U.S. firms. Chinese-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., with its leading-edge technologies and well-developed supply chains, is the world’s leading EV battery maker with 37 percent market share in the first half of this year.” [The Hill, 12/8/23 (~)]

 

1.8 Million Barrels Of Oil A Day Avoided From Electric Vehicles — “We love covering electric vehicle sales and new electric vehicle models, but something we get to cover much less is how much oil is not being burned due to all of these new electric vehicles. ‘Global oil demand for road transport is expected to reach roughly 42.3 million barrels a day in 2023, a slight increase over the past year,’ BloombergNEF (BNEF) writes. What may surprise people is electric cars weren’t the #1 source of avoided oil use here. Here are more details from the information firm: Electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles are expected to avoid almost 1.8 million barrels of oil a day in 2023, or about 4.1% of road transport sector demand. This is up from 1.5 million barrels a day in 2022. Avoided oil consumption increased by almost two and a half times from 2015 to 2023, up from ~720,000 barrels of oil per day in 2015. This is expected to accelerate. Two- and three-wheeled EVs account for about 60% of the oil demand avoided in 2023 due to their rapid adoption and large fleet, particularly in China, Southeast Asia and India.” [CleanTechnica, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

EV Sales & Transition

 

AP | EV Sales Slowed This Year, But U.S. Still Bought Record Numbers Of Them — “Despite new electric vehicle market share and sales hitting a record in the U.S. this year, EV growth is starting to slow and fall short of the auto industry’s lofty ambitions to transition away from combustion engines. The U.S. has reached a crucial milestone in its efforts to electrify: More than 1 million new EVs have been sold here this year, according to Motorintelligence.com. The auto industry consulting firm says EVs accounted for 7.5% of total U.S. sales through November. Experts say that number must rise swiftly to address climate change because a large share of greenhouse gases comes from transport. Ford recently touted a 43% increase in electric vehicle sales year over year — which includes its top-selling electric Mustang Mach E SUV, as well as the F-150 Lightning pickup — in a November sales release. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6, both electric SUVs, each hit around 100% growth year over year last month. Despite these positives, this doesn’t come close to the 90% year-over-year growth the EV industry enjoyed last summer. EVs had huge sales growth at the time, even with models averaging more than $65,000, according to Cox Automotive data. Demand was high, inventories were low, and automakers were bullish on sales prospects.” [Autoblog, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Global EV Sales Maintain Record Pace Of 1.3 Million In October 2023 — “In October, global registrations of plug-in electric cars once again amounted to nearly 1.3 million units, marginally behind the September record. According to EV-Volumes data, shared by researcher Jose Pontes, 1,279,000 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered globally in October (37% more than a year ago), which is only about 12,000 less than in September. The share of rechargeable cars out of the total global car registrations stands at 17%, including 12% for all-electric cars and 5% for plug-in hybrids. Especially positive is the solid growth rate of 33% year-over-year for all-electric cars, although plug-in hybrids noted an even higher increase of 46% year-over-year. There is a very big chance that in November or December, we might see more than 1.4 million new plug-in electric car registrations, so stay tuned for more records. Plug-in car registrations for the month: BEVs: about *870,000 and 12% market share PHEVs: about *409,000 and 5% market share Total: 1,279,000 (up 37%) and 17% market share * estimated from the market share” [Inside EVs, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

EV Sales Growing Faster Than Expected — Charts — “Electric vehicle sales continue to grow faster than most people expected, even faster than professional analysts in the field expected, and — surprise, surprise — they’ve grown much faster than oil companies have forecasted. That’s one of the big takeaways from BloombergNEF’s latest Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook.” [CleanTechnica, 12/10/23 (+)]

 

Car Dealers On Why Some Customers Hesitate With EVs — “Auto dealers across many parts of the country say electric vehicles are becoming too hard a sell for buyers worried about the range, reliability and price of these models. When Paul LaRochelle heard Ford Motor F 1.76%increase; green up pointing triangle was coming out with an electric pickup truck, the dealer was excited about the prospects for his business. ‘We thought we could build a million of them and sell them,’ said LaRochelle, a vice president at Sheehy Auto Stores, which sells vehicles from a dozen brands in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The reality has been less positive. On Sheehy’s car lots, LaRochelle says there is a six- to 12-month supply of EVs, compared with a month of gasoline-powered vehicles. With automakers set to release a barrage of new electric models in the coming years, concerns are mounting among auto retailers about whether the technology will have broader appeal given that many customers are still reluctant to make the switch.” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/8/23 (-)]

 

Why Automakers Are Turning To Hybrids In The Middle Of The Industry’s EV Transition — “KEY POINTS As sales of all-electric vehicles grow more slowly than expected, major automakers are increasingly meeting their customers in the middle with hybrid vehicles. Automakers are reconsidering the viability of hybrid cars and trucks to appease consumer demand and avoid costly penalties related to federal fuel economy and emissions standards. Hybrids accounted for 8.3% of U.S. car sales, about 1.2 million vehicles sold, through November of this year. That share is up 2.8 percentage points compared with total sales last year.” [CNBC, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

In 2023, Bold EV Strategies Took A Punch From Reality — “This was the year the auto industry’s race toward an all-electric future took a detour. Heading into 2023, automakers were gearing up to invest $1.2 trillion by 2030 to move electric vehicles from niche products to mass-market models - many with batteries and software developed in-house, according to a Reuters analysis. As the year closes, legacy automakers as well as Tesla (TSLA.O), Rivian (RIVN.O) and other EV startups are throttling back investments and reworking product strategies. Legacy automakers are appealing to policymakers for more help to offset the high costs of the EV transition, on top of billions of dollars already pumped into EV subsidies. Consumer demand for EVs is growing worldwide. But EV adoption is not happening as fast or as profitably as industry executives anticipated, especially in the United States. High interest rates have pushed many EVs out of reach for middle-income consumers. Lack of charging infrastructure is a deal-breaker for buyers used to adding hundreds of miles of gasoline driving range in just a few minutes.” [Reuters, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Is It Right To Be Worried About Getting Stranded In An Electric Car? — “Of all the reasons car buyers give to avoid buying an electric car, two words stand out above all: range anxiety. Drivers wary of making the switch from petrol or diesel to electric overwhelmingly cite a concern that batteries will not last the journey. Our EV mythbusters series is taking a closer look at some of the most common criticisms of electric cars, highlighting the myths, the realities and the grey areas. We have asked whether we should be more concerned about fires in electric cars and whether cars have a mining problem. This article asks whether fears about battery range mean the transition away from internal combustion engines never reaches its destination.” [The Guardian, 12/9/23 (=)]

 

Tiny Electric Vehicles Pack A Bigger Climate Punch Than Cars — “Big Oil faces a tiny foe on the streets of Asia and Africa. The noisy, noxious vehicles that run on two and three wheels, carrying billions of people daily, are quietly going electric — in turn knocking down oil demand by one million barrels a day this year. In Kenya and Rwanda, dozens of start-ups are vying to replace oil-guzzling motorcycle taxis with battery-powered ones. In India, more than half of all new three-wheeled vehicles sold and registered this year were battery-operated. Indonesia and Thailand are also encouraging electrification of motorcycle taxis. China dominates the market. Its government began promoting electric vehicles decades ago in a bid to clean its smog-choked cities, which explains why a vast majority of the world’s electric two-wheelers are in China. The shift to electric mobility overall has reduced global oil demand by 1.8 million barrels every day, according to BloombergNEF, a research arm of Michael Bloomberg’s financial data and media company. Two- and three-wheelers account for 60 percent of that reduction, or 1.08 million barrels.” [The New York Times, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

A Pesky EV Question Keeps Coming Up — “Are we spending too much time and space on EVs and zero-emission technology? This is a question I always ask myself, my staff, my boss, and now you. Our email inboxes fill each week with pitches from public relations reps on new electric vehicles and subject-matter experts about fleet electrifications, regulations, charging infrastructure, and more. It’s enough to make you think that any fleet owner can just call up their dealer and easily replace all their internal combustion engine equipment with electric trucks. We all know that isn’t possible today—or even tomorrow. Electrification can take years of planning. Most U.S. fleets are likely years away from acquiring their first electric or zero-emission Class 8 truck. But does that mean you shouldn’t care about them? But with some California Air Resources Board clean fleet regulations taking effect in the New Year, the push for zero-emission transportation technology is becoming less theoretical. But in reality, just hundreds of heavy-duty EVs operate nationwide compared to millions of diesel-powered tractors hauling freight from coast to coast. And the farther your fleet is from California and the several states trying to mimic those trucking regulations, the more theoretical this could be.” [FleetOwner, 12/8/23 (~)]

 

Three Ways EVs Don't Measure Up To Gas-Powered Cars — “Electric vehicles have not lived up to the hype, according to a new consumer report, which revealed EVs have nearly 80% more problems than cars powered by internal combustion engines. The report, released last month, also revealed that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles have even more problems than regular EVs, with almost 150% more troubles than gas-powered cars. Here is a look at some of the problems consumers are facing when it comes to EVs: Battery troubles and charging stations Electric vehicle owners say one of their biggest problems is with the battery and charging stations, which is different than gas-powered cars. One thing consumers who purchased electric vehicles needed to get used to was finding places to charge their cars, including buying a home port. Because the technology and power system are so new, EV manufacturers are still working out ways to improve those systems. ‘This story is really one of growing pains,’ said Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. ‘It’s a story of just working out the bugs and the kinks of new technology.’” [Washington Examiner, 12/8/23 (-)]

 

Biden's EV Plans Branded 'Despicable' As Cars Doomed To Have 'No Trade-In Value And Limited Life' — “Joe Biden’s plan to wean the US off gas-guzzling cars and switch to EVs has been branded ‘despicable’ as cars doomed to have ‘no trade-in value’. The president has his sights aimed at moving forward with stringent vehicle emissions regulations which could lead to as many as 67 per cent of new vehicles going electric by 2032. However, the plans have not gone without backlash as two years after introducing the scheme, not even a single charger has been built.” [GB News, 12/8/23 (-)]

 

 

States & Local

 

Delaware

 

Your Questions, Answered: What You Need To Know About State's New Electric Vehicle Mandate — “Delaware officially approved the clean car regulations, which will require car manufacturers to send an increasing percentage of new zero-emission vehicles to Delaware starting in 2026. The regulation has been in the works for years and has undergone many public hearings and changes along the way. The version of the mandate that was approved by Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn Garvin is slightly different than the standards originally discussed. The full Secretary Order can be read here. While this regulation is similar to mandates enacted by other states, there are some key differences. Here are some common questions relating to the mandate and what it means for Delaware.” [Delaware News Journal, 12/11/23 (+)]

 

Iowa

 

D.C. Dispatch: Iowa Lawmakers Advance Bills Addressing Electric Vehicles, Manufacturing And Medicare — “A bill cosponsored by Miller-Meeks and Rep. Ashley Hinson passed the House and if made law, would limit the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate emission standards for new vehicles. The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023 would prevent the EPA from making regulations that mandate the production of a specific technology or would limit production based on a specific motor vehicle engine. The bill would also eliminate the multi-pollutant emissions standards for model years 2027 and rules for later light-duty and medium-duty vehicles proposed by the EPA, which creates more rules regarding greenhouse gas standards in vehicles made after 2027. Hinson said the bill pushes back on President Joe Biden’s ‘out of touch electric vehicle obsession’ and preserves consumer choice. ‘Forcing American families to buy electric vehicles they don’t want and can’t afford is government overreach at its worst,’ Hinson said in a news release.” [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Louisiana

 

Louisiana Board Approves $80 Million Tax Break For EV Battery Chemical Plant With 9 Permanent Jobs — “A state panel approved an $80 million tax break this week for a Japanese company that promises to create nine full-time jobs once it builds a chemical plant in Jefferson Parish UBE Corp. plans to construct a new facility that manufactures chemical solvents for electric vehicle batteries inside the Cornerstone Chemical Complex, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Waggaman. The Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry approved the company’s application for a $8 million first-year property tax break under the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP). Louisiana’s ITEP offers industrial manufacturers huge exemptions on property taxes, which local governments rely on to pay for things such as public schools, drainage, roads, law enforcement and other public services. Under ITEP, companies get to claim the exemption each year for a maximum of 10 years, bringing the total value of UBE’s tax break to an estimated $80.8 million, according to Louisiana Economic Development records.” [Louisiana Illuminator, 12/8/23 (+)]

 

Maine

 

Maine GOP Rails Against Proposed Electric Vehicle Rules, Citing Opposition — “Maine Republicans are again speaking out against a proposal that seeks to require 82% of new vehicles sold in Maine to be zero emission by 2032, saying many don’t support the effort. ‘In August, an overwhelming majority of citizens had a clear message for Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection: ‘Don’t turn Maine into California,’ Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Presque Isle), said in a Thursday email blast. ‘Maybe it’s time state bureaucrats start listening to Maine’s people for once.’ In October, the board asked staff to prepare a formal order to institute the rules for its consideration. That vote is set for Dec. 21. At the time, there were clear divisions among board members, with at least two of the seven expressing serious concerns about how the standard would affect the power grid, car dealers and low-income Mainers. But supporters say it’s a moderate approach designed to help the state reach its climate goals.” [Spectrum Local News, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Fact Check: The Advanced Clean Car Rule Wouldn’t Force Mainers To Buy EVs — “A final decision has not yet been made, but the Maine Board of Environmental Protection indicated it may support regulations for new clean cars. On Oct. 24, the board of seven citizens appointed by the governor showed support for increasing the number of electric cars on the road by requiring manufacturers to deliver more zero-emissions vehicles to Maine. However, there wasn’t support for similar rules for trucks 8,500 pounds or heavier. The proposal in question is the Advanced Clean Cars II Act, which originated in California and has been adopted by multiple states since, including New York, Vermont and Massachusetts. While the rule is designed to require all new vehicles sold in the state to be electric or plug-in hybrid by 2035, Maine is considering having 80% of new vehicles meet that by 2032, according to a news release from Conservation Law Foundation Maine. The Board of Environmental Protection in July proposed that rule and a separate version for larger trucks. That was followed by a public comment period during which more than 2,000 responses were received on the two proposed rules.” [Maine Morning Star, 12/11/23 (+)]

 

New York

 

New York City Opens 8,500 Acres Of Parking Lots To Solar Canopies — “New York City has relaxed its zoning laws for renewables, including opening over 8,500 acres of parking lots for solar canopies. The New York City Council approved the ‘City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality,’ a game-changing zoning code update that will make it easier to deploy clean energy and EV chargers, along with other sustainable initiatives. Mayor Eric Adams said, ‘By modernizing our city’s zoning code, we have taken a bold step forward in fighting climate change while delivering cleaner air, lower energy costs, smarter waste management, and better access to EV technologies to New Yorkers across the city.’ ‘City of Yes’ removes zoning obstacles that severely limit how much rooftop space can be covered by solar panels. It will make it easier to install long-duration energy storage to go with solar, as well as allow microgrids – particularly in low-income communities – that are currently banned in residential areas. It also allows for the solar canopy installation in parking lots – which, if fully built out, could power more than 130,000 homes.” [Electrek, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Ohio

 

Ohio Senator Questions Stellantis Decision To Cut Jobs At Jeep Plants — “U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio is demanding answers around Stellantis NV’s decision to cut as many as 1,225 jobs at its Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator plant in Toledo, Ohio. The automaker on Thursday said it was moving the plant — currently on a two-shift alternative schedule that allows full-time workers to choose how many hours they want to work each week — to a traditional two-shift operation in February. The move was made in an agreement as part of negotiations with the United Auto Workers. U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance wrote a letter to Stellantis NV CEO Carlos Tavares seeking answers around its decision to cut jobs at its Toledo Assembly Plant in Ohio. It also temporarily was cutting the third shift at Detroit’s Mack Assembly Plant, one of the plants building the Jeep Grand Cherokee. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification for that site suggests 2,455 jobs could be lost there, though Stellantis says the final number could be much lower. The automaker cited the moves in part because of California’s emissions regulations over which it’s pursuing litigation. Because of more stringent rules compared to a handful of competitors, Stellantis only will ship ordered internal combustion version models to the 14 states with the California rules. Dealers only can stock the 4xe plug-in hybrid models.” [The Detroit News, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

The Megafactories Are Coming. Now The Hustle Is On To Find Workers — “Enormous factories are sprouting outside of this capital city. Now comes the hard part—finding people to work in them. Manufacturing jobs are tough to fill around Columbus, which has one of Ohio’s lowest unemployment rates and a flourishing logistics industry that competes for the same employees. The region’s plants have thousands of open positions, a shortage that is causing some managers to join their workers on the production line. U.S. manufacturers have long struggled to find all the employees they need. The coming wave of megafactories, aided by billions of dollars in public incentives, could push the shortage into a crisis, executives and industry officials say. The anxiety is particularly acute in Central Ohio, where Intel INTC 1.30%increase; green up pointing triangle is building two semiconductor plants at a combined cost of more than $20 billion, and Honda and LG Energy Solution are constructing a $3.5 billion electric-vehicle battery plant. The companies aim to hire more than 5,000 workers between them, and local suppliers that will serve the factories likely will need thousands more. That leaves smaller manufacturers bracing for an intensifying labor battle.” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/10/23 (=)]

 

Oklahoma

 

Could Oklahoma Replace Its Tax At The Gas Pump? Replacement Mileage Tax Has Its Own Challenges — “Brock Chance pumps gas in Oklahoma City. State transportation officials are wrapping up a study requested by lawmakers looking a potential switch from fuel taxes to mileage fees. Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz sees challenges ahead as the state looks at whether to replace taxes paid by drivers at the gas pump with user fees charged depending on miles driven. In a recent presentation to the Oklahoma Transportation Commission, Gatz said the Fair Miles Oklahoma study involved mileage being tracked for more than 440 volunteer drivers starting in June and ending this month. Participants received mock-up invoices showing how much they would owe if the program were in place. Altogether, Gatz said, the drivers from 63 of the state’s 77 counties drove more than 1 million miles. ‘As far as the citizenry being ready for something like this, and us having all the mechanisms in place to be able to accurately assess and collect, there are some challenges out there right now that we’ll have to overcome,’ Gatz said. ‘That can happen over time, but we’re not quite ready yet.’” [Oklahoman, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

South Dakota

 

A South Dakota Technical College Wants To Train Students To Repair Evs And Hybrids — “The auto industry is undergoing a massive transition to electric vehicles. And training programs are wrestling with how best to prepare auto repair technicians to work in such a rapidly changing field. Thor Green is an automotive technology instructor at Lake Area Technical College in South Dakota. He says most cars in his state run on gas, so students still need to learn how to work on conventional vehicles. But he also wants to prepare them to handle EV batteries and to repair a wide range of hybrid and electric vehicles. Green: ‘It is time to jump on this early … to get these young technicians trained.’ Teaching all those skills is too much to fit into the school’s standard two-year curriculum. So Green and other instructors developed a one-year EV training program as an optional add-on. So far, it’s been a hard sell. Most graduates can still get jobs working on gas-powered cars.” [Yale Climate Connections, 12/11/23 (+)]

 

Virginia

 

EVs Are Selling Faster In Virginia. But Reaching The California Mandate Looks Unlikely. — “Electric vehicles are gaining popularity in Virginia, but sales are unlikely to meet the looming state mandate, based on the current trajectory.” [The Daily Progress, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Wyoming

 

Wyoming’s EV Charging Desert Sparks Interest Of Private Businesses, But The State Is Hesitant — “Big, one-ton diesel trucks are something you see a lot of in Wyoming. A state known for large swaths of untouched, rugged land. ‘You got 100 miles between everything,’ said David Halter, a fourth generation Wyomingite from Rock Springs. ‘There’s very little civilization.’ Halter grew up with the culture of big trucks. But four years ago, he and his wife went fully electric. ‘No particular reason other than electricity is cheaper,’ he said. They recently went on a road trip in their electric vehicle (EV) to see the sites of Wyoming, including Yellowstone National Park – but it was tricky. They had to divert into Montana to charge their Tesla, spending their money there, instead of some of their favorite small, Wyoming towns. ‘I like to go to those places, but I can’t now because there’s very little charging in those locations,’ Halter said.” [Wyoming Public Media, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

 

International

 

Asia

 

Another U.S.-China Fight — “While EV battery components and critical minerals from China get the lion’s share of attention from U.S. automakers and politicians, Tanya reports that another key technology, lidar, is quickly becoming a new dividing line in relations between the U.S. and China. Lidar sensors are a key component of driverless cars in places like San Francisco and Phoenix, and one company is trying to warn lawmakers of Chinese lidar technology being used to spy on Americans and deliver intelligence to Beijing. Ouster, a San Francisco-based company, says Chinese lidar technology ‘perpetuates their nefarious trade practices all while bolstering their military and security ambitions.’ Ouster and its lobbyists have stepped up efforts on Capitol Hill, meeting with lawmakers on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Biden administration officials. The campaign has similarities to another push to limit Chinese technology in Washington against Chinese drone giant DJI, leading Congress to ban the company from some federal business (notably the military). DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an interview the U.S. must ‘watch very closely to make sure it doesn’t entail an undue economic security or cybersecurity threat.’ Buttigieg also noted the need to ‘de-risk and necessarily decouple from China,’ especially when it comes to technology like lidar.” [Politico, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

China Says Tax Breaks To Stay For Over 90% Of New Energy Vehicles — “More than 90% of China’s existing new energy vehicle (NEV) models will continue to receive tax breaks on purchases, under new technical requirements unveiled on Monday, China’s industry ministry said. The technical requirements for NEV eligibility for purchase tax exemptions from 2024 state that pure electric cars should have a driving range of at least 200 kilometres per charge while plug-in hybrid cars should be able to run at least 43 kilometres on electricity, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement. The new regulations require a range attenuation rate of no higher than 35% under low temperatures for electric vehicles (EVs), and allows EVs capable of battery swapping to be eligible for the tax breaks. In June, China unveiled a 520 billion yuan ($72.41 billion)package of tax breaks over four years for EVs and other green cars, its biggest yet for the industry as it seeks to boost auto sales growth.” [Reuters, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

‘Asia’s Detroit’ Wants An EV Makeover. Enter: Chinese Carmakers. — “Ever since Nissan Motors started building cars in Thailand in the early 1960s, Japanese companies have been a driving force in the country’s rise as an auto manufacturing powerhouse. Now, Chinese competitors are moving in to bring it into the electric age. On the outskirts of Thailand’s carmaking capital, Rayong, not far from the industrial zones home to Japanese auto plants, China’s largest electric-vehicle maker, BYD, is developing what industry experts believe will be Thailand’s biggest car plant. Half a dozen other Chinese companies already build EVs here or have committed to, with an eye on domestic demand and the country’s status as an export hub thanks to regional free-trade pacts. China’s assertive entry into Thailand shows its ambition to dominate the global EV market and edge out traditional giants like Japan. As their offerings become more widely available in many parts of the world, major Chinese carmakers are seeking to set up production lines outside China to expand their reach, boost sales and take advantage of incentives being rolled out in various capitals.” [The Wall Street Journal, 12/8/23 (=)]

 

Using Big Data To Speed Up Japan’s Slow Electric Car Transition — “Japan’s slow transition to electric cars has been blamed on the usual suspects — high prices, few models, limited charging infrastructure and range anxiety. To help overcome some of those hurdles, gaming company DeNA Co. — which started a mobility division in 2015 and developed applications for car-sharing, self-driving and taxi dispatch services — has developed an EV simulation tool that can assess the lifespan and cruising range per charge of battery cars over time. The web-based tool, called FACTEV, uses data from vehicle inspection certificates and periodic servicing information to analyze how a gas car is actually used. By adding road characteristics (for example, highway versus city driving) and weather conditions (batteries drain faster in extreme heat or extreme cold), the simulator then selects a suitable EV alternative and provides data on practical performance. For example, FACTEV shows that a Nissan Leaf electric car driven on the northern island of Hokkaido — home to the Sapporo Snow Festival — will get between 106 kilometers and 212 kilometers (66 miles to 123 miles) per charge in its first year and will still go 99 kilometers to 198 kilometers per charge in five years.” [Bloomberg, 12/11/23 (=)]

 

 

 

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