Cars Clips: February 26, 2024

 

 

Senate

 

Fox News | Ted Cruz Probes Left-Wing Group Over Effort Training Federal Judges For Climate Cases — “Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is probing the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Law Institute (ELI) over its efforts to provide first-of-its-kind, climate-related education to federal judges nationwide. Cruz on Friday sent a letter to ELI President Jordan Diamond, demanding information about the group’s Climate Judiciary Project (CJP) and its work with former senior Biden administration official Ann Carlson. In the letter, he noted Carlson’s involvement in the development of the CJP and that the group shares funding streams with a law firm pursuing high-profile climate litigation on behalf of states and cities nationwide. ‘Although ELI claims that it gives ‘neutral, objective information to the judiciary about the science of climate change,’ [CJP] is meant to be a direct complement to the wave of climate change litigation initiated by the Carlson-connected law firm Sher Edling,’ wrote Cruz, who serves as ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee. ‘Indeed, ELI knows the impact this litigation could have on the fossil fuel industry.’ ‘The Project’s funding and ties to plaintiffs in climate change cases further belie ELI’s claim of neutrality,’ he continued.” [Yahoo! News, 2/24/24 (-)]

 

House

 

130+ House, Senate Republicans Join Forces In Opposition Of Biden’s Upcoming EV Mandate — “A bicameral coalition of more than 130 Republican lawmakers penned a letter to the White House on Thursday, urging it to withdraw proposed tailpipe emissions regulations, forcing a transition to electric vehicles (EV). The Republicans — led by Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho — argued that the regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are a ‘de facto EV mandate’ phaseout of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. They addressed the letter to President Biden and Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, which is expected to soon finalize the regulations. ‘President Biden has made his intentions clear,’ Feenstra said in a statement. ‘He would rather force American families — who are already facing financial hardship under the weight of inflation spurred by trillions in wasteful government spending — to buy electric vehicles to advance his Green New Deal agenda than allow folks to choose the best car or truck for their families, businesses, and farms at an affordable price.’” [Fox News, 2/23/24 (-)]

 

House Hearing Probes EV Fires, Danger To First Responders — “A House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee will investigate the dangers posed to first responders by electric vehicle fires, as the number of electric models on U.S. roadways increases. The Investigations and Oversight panel, led by Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), will explore the differences between fires involving EVs and traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. Additionally, the hearing will focus on current methods to extinguish fires and how to improve those. Last year, EVs made up 9 percent of total new U.S. car sales. Adoption is particularly strong in California, where Obernolte noted in a statement that a stray spark can lead to a wildfire. Electric vehicle fires can be more difficult to extinguish and dangerous to first responders, Obernolte said. ‘We need to better understand these risks, the resources necessary to respond to them, and steps that can be taken to address this growing challenge,’ Obernolte said. ‘Firefighters put their lives at risk to protect our communities and we must give them the tools they need to be successfu,’ said the chair.” [E&E News, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Presidential Election A Fork In The Road For Automakers' EV Plans — “Depending on whom Americans elect to the presidency in November, the U.S. auto industry could be looking at two vastly different product and profitability scenarios. As a result, the industry is holding its breath. The Biden administration last year proposed stricter emissions regulations into the next decade, suggesting EV penetration would need to be close to 60% by 2030 for manufacturers to comply. A forecast from business analysis firm GlobalData Plc expects even under that scenario, EV adoption would be around 48% by 2030, while it might be more like 32% under former President Donald Trump, who has promised to strip back requirements and revoke California’s waiver to set its own rules if he returns to the White House. This fall’s presidential election between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden is expected to have a large impact on the pace of EV production and adoption. ‘Over the last decade or so, CO2 legislation has become such a divisive topic between Republicans and Democrats,’ GlobalData forecaster Kevin Riddell said. ‘Having an inconsistent policy makes it tougher for the OEMs and suppliers to plan for all for this, to bring the economies up, and to start actually making profit off these things.’” [The Detroit News, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

10 Ways A Second Trump Term Could Be More Extreme Than The First — “Trying to kill the electric car Electric vehicles didn’t get much attention from Trump during his first term. This time he’s making no secret of his disdain for the technology, even issuing a Christmas greeting on social media that called for supporters of the ‘All Electric Car Lunacy’ to ‘ROT IN HELL.’ If he defeats Biden, Trump would have significant leeway to put legal force behind his attacks. Trump pledged during a rally in January that ‘on day one’ he would halt an upcoming EPA auto-pollution rule that is aimed at driving EV adoption, falsely calling it an ‘electric vehicle mandate.’ He has also vowed to undo Biden’s aggressive proposal to increase federal fuel economy standards. Even before Trump takes office, the Supreme Court could ease his path to reversing those rules by overturning the legal doctrine underpinning them. Heritage’s 2025 Project also encourages Trump to once again go after the federal waiver authority that allows California to set its own vehicle standards, which it and other states have used to set rules ordering the phaseout of gasoline-powered cars. Trump blocked the state’s waiver in 2019, but the Biden administration soon restored it.” [E&E News, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Koch Network Stops Spending On Nikki Haley’s Presidential Campaign — “Americans For Prosperity Action, the powerful conservative group supporting Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary, will no longer spend money on behalf of her campaign. In an email to staff obtained by POLITICO, Americans For Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel said Sunday that the group’s political arm, AFP Action, had to ‘take stock’ of its spending priorities after Haley’s loss in the South Carolina primary. The Koch-aligned group, Seidel said, will now focus its efforts on competitive Senate and House races. ‘She has made it clear that she will continue to fight and we wholeheartedly support her in this effort,’ Seidel wrote of Haley. ‘But given the challenges in the primary states ahead, we don’t believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory.’ AFP Action’s decision is the latest blow to Haley’s longshot presidential bid, which has sustained losses in four early nominating states and the Virgin Islands, including on Saturday, when former President Donald Trump beat Haley in her home state by 20 points. Haley declared she will continue on in her primary fight, but has only committed to running through Super Tuesday on March 5.” [Politico, 2/25/24 (=)]

 

TV: FOX Report With Jon Scott (Audience: 1,141,176) “>> The politics of this get fairly interesting. the opinion piece with this headline Biden is in danger of losing Michigan and with that the whole election. It goes on to say Biden will most likely never satisfy those horrified by his Middle East policies but if he does not do more to try he is in danger of losing Michigan in November which would almost certainly cost him the election. It is therefore a political as well as moral imperative for Biden to do more than decry Palestinian civilian casualties. The opinion piece is suggesting he needs to lean harder on he needs to lean harder on Benjamin Netanyahu and be more on the side of the Palestinians, your thoughts? >> The reason Joe Biden is going to lose Michigan is because he has anti-american labor , he’s anti-union. These union workers realize it takes one third less labor to build electric cars than it does the typical internal combustion engines. Biden stuck between a rock and a hard place, he has become the pro-Iran party, the Republicans are the pro-Israel party. Everyone is realizing exactly were Joe Biden is on this issue. It is interesting to watch them being divided.” [FNC (Fox News), 2/25/24 (-)]

 

 

 

A Double Dose Of Energy Dept. EV Supply Chain Finance — “The Energy Department’s loan office plans to pour another $710 million into U.S. projects that feed the electric vehicle supply chain, Ben writes. Why it matters: It’s part of a wider surge in EV-related manufacturing fueled by federal finance and private-sector investment — even as automakers tap the brakes on EV growth plans. Biden officials are keen to build up the domestic production base, alongside policies that spur consumers to ditch gasoline for electricity. What’s new: A conditional agreement will provide Korea’s SK Siltron CSS $544 million to expand Michigan production of silicon carbide wafers for EV power electronics. Another new preliminary deal would provide $166 million for American Battery Solutions to expand battery pack assembly facilities in Ohio and Michigan. The bottom line: Team Biden hopes climate and industrial policy can sing in harmony.” [Axios, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

Group14 Hosts U.S. Secretary Of Energy Jennifer Granholm — “Group14 Technologies welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to its Moses Lake, Washington, facility, showcasing its advanced silicon battery materials factory. The visit underscores a significant stride towards a clean energy future, bolstered by a $100M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In a gathering that included Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Group14 highlighted its efforts in job creation, manufacturing career opportunities, and strengthening the U.S. battery supply chain. The company’s second commercial U.S. Battery Active Materials factory site (BAM-2) is poised to become the world’s largest manufacturer of advanced silicon battery materials, promising transformative technology for electric vehicles (EVs), smartphones, and more. Rick Luebbe, CEO and co-founder, emphasized the milestone’s importance, ‘We are grateful to Governor Inslee, Secretary Granholm, and Senator Cantwell for joining us to celebrate this major milestone in the electrification of everything.’ Secretary Granholm lauded the initiative as pivotal for President Biden’s agenda to secure supply chains essential for the clean energy revolution, ensuring quality jobs nationwide.” [The EV Report, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

 

 

‘Superficial’ Transition — “The president of the Service Employees International Union sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen saying that the Energy Department’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation model, known as GREET, falls short of true decarbonizing efforts for the aviation sector. And without meaningful sustainability standards, ‘Black, brown, and immigrant workers holding down service jobs at airports experience disproportionate harm from aviation emissions.’ To recap: The Inflation Reduction Act created a new tax incentive for the sale and mixture of sustainable aviation fuel, and in December, the Treasury Department said that it would announce updates this week to the GREET model so that it can be used to qualify for the credit. But those changes could instead reward ‘fuel pathways that fall well short of existing benchmarks for emissions reductions,’ said SEIU’s international president Mary Kay Henry. ‘Airport workers and frontline airport communities would be the first to pay the price for this superficial transition, but they would not be alone,’ Henry said.” [Politico, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Federal Highway Admin. (FHWA)

 

Groups Back Texas' Bid To Void Feds' Highway GHG Rule — “Construction trade groups have thrown their support behind the state of Texas’ federal lawsuit seeking to vacate a new U.S. Department of Transportation rule requiring states to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from federally funded highway projects. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the Associated General Contractors of America Inc. filed an amicus brief Thursday maintaining that the U.S. DOT’s Federal Highway Administration overstepped its authority when it promulgated its GHG performance measurement final rule in December. The rule directs states to set declining on-road carbon dioxide emissions targets on the National Highway System and submit regular progress reports to the FHWA. The rule does not mandate how low those targets have to be, and states won’t get penalized if they fail to meet their targets or fail to reduce GHG emissions. The final rule, announced in late November and published in the Federal Register Dec. 7, aligns with President Joe Biden’s executive orders pushing for the U.S. to reduce GHG emissions by 50% below 2005 levels in 2030, and sets a course to reach net-zero emissions economy-wide no later than 2050.” [Inside EPA, 2/24/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Ohio Leaders Push Back Against Regulations Proposed By The EPA — “A bipartisan panel of mayors, senators, U.S. representatives, Ohio’s lieutenant governor and attorney general took the stage at downtown Toledo’s One Government Center on Thursday, standing against regulations proposed by the EPA they say would severely hurt the state. They faced a crowd of some 200 automakers and refinery workers, holding up signs saying ‘save our jobs’ and ‘don’t take away our cars.’ The signs project fears that stem from potential new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency that would require automakers to significantly reduce emissions starting in 2027. Experts said it would mean seismic changes to the auto industry, predicting 67% of all vehicles in production would be electric by 2032. But this panel of democrats and republicans alike said it’s something Ohio isn’t ready for. ‘First of all, it can’t be achieved. In 2023, 554,575 automobiles were sold in Ohio, and 16,562 of them were electric. 2.99%,’ said Husted. ‘We have a federal law that’s going to require that 67% of them be accomplished in just a few short years. Is that unrealistic or what?’” [WTOL-TV, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

 

 

BYD Co.

 

BYD Launches New Dolphin EV Starting Under $14K As Price War With ICE Cars Heats Up — “BYD launched the new Dolphin Honor Edition with more performance, an improved design, and an even lower price tag. The new BYD Dolphin EV starts at $13,900 (99,800 yuan), fueling the automaker’s declared price war on ICE cars. Meet the new BYD Dolphin EV Honor Edition After declaring a price war with gas-powered vehicles earlier this week, BYD is launching what could be its most important EV yet. The new model is BYD’s cheapest Dolphin so far, starting under $14,000 (99,800 yuan). Since launching in 2021, BYD’s all-electric hatch hatch has continued to put up impressive sales numbers. BYD sold 367,419 Dolphin models last year, up 79% over 2022. The electric hatch made up 12% of BYD’s total sales in 2023. It’s also expanding overseas, with recent launches in Japan, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, and others. In fact, after launching just last year in Japan, BYD already accounted for 20% of Japan’s imports last month. And Japan is not a known importer. Domestic automakers like Toyota dominate the market, while most vehicles brought in are luxury models.” [Electrek, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Ford Motor Co.

 

Bloomberg | Ford Stops Shipping Electric F-150 Pickup Due To Quality Issue — “Ford has halted shipments of its F-150 Lightning plug-in pickup for an undisclosed quality issue just weeks after cutting production of the battery-powered model due to slowing sales. The automaker said in a statement late Friday it stopped shipping the Lightning on Feb. 9 ‘to ensure quality.’ It did not say when it expects to resume delivering the Lightning to dealers but noted it has started shipping traditional gas-powered versions of the truck, which was redesigned for the 2024 model year. ‘We expect to ramp up shipments in the coming weeks as we complete thorough launch quality checks to ensure these new F-150s meet our high standards,’ the company said. Ford is recalibrating its electric vehicle strategy with EV sales slowing sharply as mainstream consumers balk at high prices and spotty charging infrastructure. The automaker has also cut production and prices of its battery-powered Mustang Mach-E while it pivots to boost output of gas-electric hybrid models.” [E&E News, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Ford Pauses F-150 Lightning Shipments As Part Of Lengthened Quality Check — “Ford Motor Co. has paused shipments of the 2024 F-150 Lightning pickup truck as part of a longer-than-expected quality check process. A spokesperson declined to specify why the quality check is taking so long. The stop-shipment went into effect on Feb. 9 after shipments of the ‘24 Lightnings began last month. Despite the hold, production of the Lightnings continues at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn. ‘We expect to ramp up shipments in the coming weeks as we complete thorough launch quality checks to ensure these new F-150s meet our high standards and delight customers,’ the company said in a statement sent by spokesperson Emma Bergg. Meanwhile, the automaker began shipping the first of its refreshed gas-powered 2024 F-150 pickups to dealers this week.” [The Detroit News, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Geely

 

Volvo To Sell Majority Of Polestar (PSNY) Stake, Cuts Funding For Next Growth Stage — “Volvo announced plans to sell 62.7% of its stake in EV maker Polestar (PSNY) as it looks toward the next stage of its transformation. Volvo said it will also cut off funding as the ‘company is well positioned for growth.’ Volvo plans to trim stake in EV maker Polestar ‘As we embark on the next stage of our transformation, gearing up to lead in next-gen mobility, our focus sharpens on Volvo Cars’ development,’ Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan explained. Volvo Cars board proposed plans to distribute the 62.7% stake Friday. If approved, the move will result in an 18% stake in Polestar. Parent company Geely, with a 78.7% stake, has already confirmed it intends to vote in favor of the stock sale. Despite selling the majority of its shares, Volvo said it will continue to have influence over Polestar. ‘ The automakers will continue to collaborate across R&D, manufacturing, and sales. Volvo and Polestar still have a $1 billion outstanding convertible loan. Geely will continue to fund the EV maker while providing operational support. Rowan confirmed, ‘Volvo Cars will not provide further funding to Polestar.’ The plans were revealed earlier this month.” [Electrek, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

General Motor Co. (GM)

 

GM Suspends Sales Of Chevy Blazer EV Due To Quality Issues — “General Motors has announced that sales of its 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV have been temporarily suspended (beginning around Jan. 2, 2024) while the automaker works on resolving owner-reported software issues. It’s an unfortunate setback for anyone looking for a practical, smooth-driving, American-made, all-electric SUV that has impressed us every time we’ve reviewed it, enough to make us recently crown it our SUV of the Year. Here’s Chevy’s released statement regarding the stop-sale of the 2024 Blazer EV: ‘We are aware that a limited number of Blazer EV owners have experienced some software quality issues. To ensure our customers have a great experience with their vehicle, we are temporarily pausing sales of Blazer EVs. Our team is working quickly to roll out a fix, and owners will be contacted with further information on how to schedule their update. We apologize for the inconvenience.’” [USA Today, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

GM Returns To France With Fully-Electric Cadillac Lyriq — “U.S. automaker General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab on Monday unveiled its luxury electric Cadillac Lyriq in France, an expansion of its market in Europe after returning last year and a test of whether online-only sales will attract wealthy car buyers. In October GM announced it was launching sales in Switzerland, the first step in an all-electric return to European markets since selling off the Opel and Vauxhall brands in 2017. Unlike in its home market where it relies on a large dealer network, European customers can customise and purchase their Cadillac EVs entirely online. Europe’s automakers are focused on trying to build more affordable EVs, under pressure from Chinese competitors and slowing demand growth. GM’s European head Jaclyn McQuaid told reporters at a launch event in Paris that electric SUVs are expected to remain the fastest-growing segment for zero-emission vehicles.” [Reuters, 2/26/24 (+)]

 

Li Auto, Inc.

 

Li Auto Posts First Full Year In Black But Sees Challenges Ahead — “Li Auto Inc. reported revenue for the fourth quarter that beat analyst estimates as deep discounting to fend off rising competition in the Chinese electric vehicle market spurred sales. The final quarter’s figures bring revenue for the full-year to 123.9 billion yuan ($17.2 billion) while net income for 2023 was 11.8 billion yuan, making Li the first of the three major Chinese EV upstarts, ahead of Xpeng Inc. and Nio Inc., to post an annual profit as sales surged 182% to 376,000 vehicles. ‘Notably, 2023 is our first year of profitability,’ Li Chief Financial Officer Li Tie said in a statement Monday. ‘In 2024, healthy profitability and capital strength will support Li Auto to further strengthen research and development, expand business scale and lead the rapid transformation of China’s new-energy vehicle market.’” [Bloomberg, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Lotus Technology, Inc.

 

EV Maker Lotus Tech Closes Up Modestly In Nasdaq Debut After SPAC Merger — “Shares of Lotus Technology (LOT.O), opens new tab closed up 2% in their Nasdaq debut on Friday, recouping earlier losses, after the luxury electric car maker completed its merger with a blank-check acquisition company backed by private equity firm L Catterton. The American Depositary Shares, which began trading with the new ticker ‘LOT’, ended at $13.80 after falling as low as $10.12. About 190,000 shares traded. The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) closed at $13.51 on Thursday. Lotus Technology was valued at about $7 billion in the deal with L Catterton Asia Acquisition Corp (LCAA), the SPAC backed by L Catterton. It is part of British sports car maker Lotus Group which in turn is owned jointly by Chinese automaker Geely (GEELY.UL) and Malaysia’s Etika Automotive. The listing came at a time when EV makers are facing scrutiny in capital markets. Rivian Automotive (RIVN.O), opens new tab and Lucid Group (LCID.O), opens new tab tumbled on Thursday after their earning reports pointed to the impact of slowing EV demand on their ramp-up plans.” [Reuters, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Lucid Group

 

EV Maker Lucid Motors Plans $10 Million Southfield Engineering And Research Center — “Electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors is planning a $10 million engineering and research office that would open in Southfield in April, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Friday. The California-based EV startup will go before Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Strategic Fund Board on Tuesday, according to the board agenda, with a request for a $6 million performance-based grant. The investment would create more than 250 jobs for the facility, which a source said is planned for the Travelers Towers on Evergreen Road. A leasing manager for the property did not return a phone call for comment Friday. Spokespeople for Lucid and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. declined to comment. Crain’s Detroit Business reported Lucid’s coming Southfield investment earlier Friday. Lucid, a luxury EV maker that makes the Air sedan and plans to launch the Gravity SUV later this year, already has 25 remote employees based in Michigan. The company is based in Newark, California, and has a production facility in Arizona. The Michigan engineering center is the company’s third employment hub.” [The Detroit News, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

Mercedes-Benz Group AG

 

Sign Of Times: Mercedes Alters Its EV Horizon — “Mercedes-Benz is the latest auto giant to publicly recalibrate its EV expectations, Ben writes. Why it matters: While automakers are still expanding their lineups and manufacturing capacities, demand has not been as strong as envisioned. Consumer concerns about charging access, price disparities with petro-powered models and other friction points remain, even as global sales rise. What’s new: Mercedes sees fully electric and plug-in hybrid models hitting 50% of its overall sales in the second half of this decade, it said in reporting quarterly earnings yesterday. That had previously been its 2025 target. Catch up quick: The luxury auto giant said in 2021 it would be ‘ready to go all electric’ by 2030 ‘where market conditions allow,’ and it tells Axios that remains the goal. But Reuters points out that notes of caution have been apparent of late. The big picture: ‘The company plans to be in a position to cater to different customer needs, whether it’s an all-electric drivetrain or an electrified combustion engine, until well into the 2030s,’ Mercedes said yesterday.” [Axios, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

 

Renault Leads Europe's EV Defence In Geneva As Chinese Rivals Expand — “Renault (RENA.PA), opens new tab and China-owned MG launched new electrified cars in Europe at the Geneva car show on Monday as Chinese automakers seek to take more market share from legacy European rivals. Europe’s auto industry is scrambling to cut costs and roll out more affordable, well-reviewed electric vehicles (EVs) to counter the arrival of cheaper Chinese models. The strong presence of Chinese competitors at the show, which returns this week after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shows ‘they are interested in our market, in our customers,’ Renault CEO Luca de Meo told Reuters. Speaking to media later, after unveiling Renault’s highly-anticipated new electric R5, he insisted Europe’s auto industry was ‘up for the challenge’. In a sign of weakening interest from legacy automakers for most car shows, there were fewer exhibitors than before COVID, with stands in just one hall, rather than in several at the last show in 2019. U.S. EV pioneer Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab does not have a stand.” [Reuters, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Renault Unveils New R5 As It Taps Past Success For Electric Future — “Renault (RENA.PA), opens new tab unveiled its highly anticipated new electric R5 on Monday at the Geneva Motor Show, a model directly inspired by its 1972 bestseller that the French automaker hopes will bring a major boost to its electric vehicle sales. The small sedan, promised in 2021 as part of Renault’s turnaround plan, openly copies design elements from the R5 and the brand’s iconic Super 5 - vertical tail-lights, bright colours. The two models sold more than nine million cars between 1972 and 1996. Unlike other brands that have successfully relaunched iconic models like the Mini or the Fiat 500, Renault has avoided what the brand’s design director refers to ‘retrofuturism.’ Revamping an old model must be done ‘at the right time, where it resonates correctly in the history of the brand,’ said Gilles Vidal, during a presentation on the R5 near Paris. Central to Renault’s efforts to build affordable EVs, the small sedan will not be immediately available in its cheapest version.” [Reuters, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Rivian Automotive, Inc.

 

Rivian (RIVN) Stock Hits All-Time Low After Double Analyst Downgrade, Job Cuts — “After disappointing fourth-quarter results, Rivian (RIVN) stock earned a double downgrade, sending share prices to an all-time low. Sitting at its lowest value since going public, the EV maker looks to gain control of costs in 2024. Q4 earnings miss the mark After releasing Q4 and full-year earnings results Wednesday, Rivian announced it was laying off 10% of its salaried employees. Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe explained on the company’s media call the move enables them ‘to maximize the amount of impact we can have as a company.’ Scaringe said the company ‘is not immune to existing economic and geopolitical uncertainties.’ The impact of higher interest rates has rippled across the industry. Rivian’s order bank has ‘notably reduced’ as the EV maker scales output. Although deliveries more than doubled last year, with over 50,000 vehicles handed over, the pace slowed in Q4. As CFO Claire McDonough explained in November, Rivian expected ‘a more significant gap between production and deliveries’ with Amazon limiting new vehicle intake during the holidays. Although Rivian’s net losses improved in the fourth quarter ($1.5B vs $1.7B) from 2022, the EV maker’s gross margins took a hit with lower vehicle deliveries.” [Electrek, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

EV Startup Rivian To Lay Off 10% Of Salaried Workforce — “Electric vehicle startup Rivian plans to slash its salaried workforce by 10%, the company announced on Wednesday when it reported fourth quarter and full-year earnings for 2023. In an email, a company spokesperson confirmed Rivian would lay off 10% of its salaried employees along with some non-manufacturing hourly workers. However, Rivian will not lay off hourly manufacturing workers at its plant in Normal, Illinois. The company employs 16,700 people, including salaried and hourly workers. The spokesperson said the company would not provide further details on the layoffs at this time. The automaker also plans to produce 57,000 vehicles in 2024, which is about the same as last year. Rivian said economic and geopolitical uncertainty, including high interest rates, influenced the production estimates.” [Smart Cities Dive, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

SAIC Motor Corp.

 

SAIC's MG Unveils MG3 Hybrid Model For European Market — “MG Motors, a unit of China’s SAIC (600104.SS), opens new tab on Monday unveiled its hybrid hatchback MG3 model for the European market, taking advantage of slowing growth demand for electric vehicles by offering a lower-emission model without the need for charging. A pure hybrid combines a fossil-fuel engine that charges a larger battery so the car can periodically run in electric, zero-emission mode. MG said that the MG3’s battery is larger than that provided by rival models, enabling to run emission free for longer. The model has so far only been on sale in the United Kingdom. Legacy automakers have been racing to switch to EVs as quickly as possible and make them more affordable as Chinese EV makers start launching lower-cost models in Europe. Demand for EVs has slowed because of a lack of affordable models and the slow rollout of charging infrastructure. Founded in England in 1924, MG has been owned by SAIC since 2007.” [Reuters, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Stellantis NV

 

Stellantis CEO Had Total Compensation Of $39.5M In 2023, Although Actual Pay Was Less — “Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares had total compensation of $39.5 million (36.5 million euros) in 2023, which is approximately 518 times that of the average Stellantis employee, although the company lists a lower figure for what he actually received, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday evening. The compensation highlights the company’s financial performance in 2023, which included a net profit of almost $20 billion and a 12.8% adjusted operating income margin that the company noted was ‘among the best performance of the automotive industry.’ … The company said his actual compensation, including ‘cash and vested equity awards,’ was $25.4 million (23.5 million euros). Tavares had a $2.16 million (2 million euros) base salary, short-term incentive worth $6.26 million (5.8 million euros), long-term incentive valued at $28.3 million (26 million euros), post-retirement benefits valued at $2.1 million (1.95 million euros) and fringe benefits valued at $686,885 (634,697 euros).” [Detroit Free Press, 2/24/24 (=)]

 

The 2025 Dodge Ram 1500 Drops The Hemi V-8. We Don't Miss It. — “The year was 2003, and America’s full-size pickup wars were raging. Dodge had just released its new third-generation Ram 1500 half-ton pickup with an impressive new engine under the hood: the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Bolstered by an unforgettable ad campaign, ‘Hemi’ quickly became a household word. The popular engine carried on relatively unchanged for 11 years across three generations of trucks before the 2024 model year was announced as its final hurrah. With a pair of 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged I-6 engines replacing the Hemi V-8 and an all-new battery electric Ram REV and range-extended Ramcharger on the horizon, 2025 will be a pivotal year for the Ram brand. While there’s still more to be seen, it has become clear that the company’s combustion-powered 2025 Ram 1500 is more an evolution of the truck we know and love rather than the revolution coming on its heels.” [USA Today, 2/24/24 (+)]

 

Jeep’s First EV Will Land In The US As Early As July, Electric Wrangler-Like Recon To Follow — “The first all-electric Jeep could be delivered to US customers as soon as July. According to new CEO Antonio Filosa, production of Jeep’s first EV, the Wagoneer S SUV, is expected to begin in Q2. Deliveries could happen as soon as the third quarter. Jeep’s CEO also confirmed we may see the electric Wrangler-like Recon launch by the end of the year. The first Jeep EV could reach US buyers as early as Q3 After slashing prices amid slumping sales Friday (including up to $4K on its best-selling Grand Cherokee), Filosa admitted more needs to be done to fend off incoming competition. Jeep is facing new rivals like the Rivian R1S, which was the seventh best-selling EV in the US last year. Volkswagen’s off-road Scout brand is also set to launch its first EVs soon. Jeep’s first EV in the US, the Wagoneer S SUV, is expected to enter production in the second quarter. Filosa said the first deliveries could happen as early as the third quarter. Ahead of its official launch, Jeep is hyping the electric SUV with new teasers.” [Electrek, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer Won't Shy Away From Jeep Name Going Forward — “The electric version of the Wagoneer will have something that highlights just what the new leadership team at Jeep thinks the upcoming vehicle’s gas-powered siblings have been missing: The Jeep name prominently displayed. Antonio Filosa, who has been the CEO of the Jeep brand for about three months, replacing Christian Meunier, said the Jeep name is so crucial and iconic that it should have been on the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer since the beginning. Both vehicles were unveiled in March 2021 for the 2022 model year, reestablishing the Wagoneer name after a 30-year absence. Although profitable, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have been among Jeep’s lowest-volume models and even saw sales slide last year. Price can certainly hit the high end, with the company showing a 2024 Grand Wagoneer Series III 4x4 on its website with a starting price of $113,290.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Tesla, Inc.

 

Tesla Cybertruck A Hit In China! — “Tesla (TSLA) has shipped its all-American Cybertruck to China for a tour across several cities. The large electric pickup truck is getting a ton of attention in the country from automotive and EV enthusiasts. Jay reports Tesla updates from Shanghai on X/Twitter (see below). On Sunday, he visited the Tesla Shanghai showroom and witnessed crowds gathering around the Cybertruck for an in-person view of the vehicle. Of course, Chinese people have looked at the Tesla Cybertruck on the internet, but a physical look at this massive stainless steel vehicle is a stunning experience. While Jay was present in the Tesla Shanghai store, he captured a nice video of the Cybertruck and the entire showroom as people were lining up to have a glimpse of the Cybertruck.” [CleanTechnica, 2/24/24 (+)]

 

This 1.2 Million-Mile Tesla Model S Is On Its 14th Motor, Fourth Battery Pack — “UPDATE: This Model S has now surpassed 1.2 million miles. The text has been updated to reflect this amazing achievement. It’s hard to believe that there’s a Tesla Model S out there with over 1.21 million miles (1.96 million kilometers) on its odometer, but indeed there is. And here it is. The car, a 2014 Model S P85, has racked up 1.2 million miles so far, which works out to approximately 131,000 miles per year. Could you imagine driving that much? And doing so in an electric car, which naysayers often state can’t go the distance. Well, we think this car proves that EVs can be driven a significant amount of miles per year and that the charging infrastructure, at least in some parts of the world, can support high-mileage drives. Back in 2019, Elon Musk congratulated Hansjörg von Gemmingen-Hornberg, the owner of this particular Model S, which at the time had one million kilometers (621,371 miles) on its odometer. That seemed like a solid accomplishment but flash forward to today and the mileage has basically doubled.” [Inside EVs, 2/25/24 (+)]

 

Toyota Motor Corp.

 

Op-Ed: Was Toyota’s Bet On Hybrid Cars Right All Along? — According to David Keohane in Tokyo, Peter Campbell in London and Claire Bushey, “After spending the past decade as the car industry’s loudest champions of hybrid vehicles, Toyota executives could be forgiven for feeling some measure of vindication. The Japanese carmaker’s dogged determination to pour billions into hybrid vehicles that combine batteries with the traditional internal combustion engine drew criticism from investors and environmentalists alike. Consumers would balk at buying more expensive fully electric cars, Toyota repeatedly warned. Now, as a combination of stubbornly high prices and concern over inadequate charging infrastructure chills enthusiasm for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in markets from Europe to the US, what was once regarded as heresy from Toyota is being reassessed. Adam Jonas, an analyst at Morgan Stanley who confidently predicted that aggressive government regulation and a consumer preference for fully electric models would quickly extinguish the hybrid market, this month admitted: ‘I owe Toyota an apology.’” [Financial Times, 2/25/24 (~)]

 

VinGroup JSC

 

Vietnam’s VinFast Starts Building EV Plant In India’s Tamil Nadu — “Vietnamese automaker VinFast Auto Ltd. broke ground on its integrated electric-vehicle manufacturing facility in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu. The facility will span 400 acres within the estate of the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, the company said in a statement Sunday. The company plans to initially invest $500 million over five years for the site, which has a projected capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually, according to the statement. The plant will create jobs for 3,000 to 3,500 local people, the company said in a statement. In January, the automaker disclosed its agreement with the state to invest as much as $2 billion for the facility.” [Bloomberg, 2/25/24 (=)]

 

Volkswagen Group (VW)

 

Volkswagen Introduces New Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain While China Embraces PHEVs — “The plug-in hybrid has suddenly found itself to be the prom queen of the EV revolution. We have hashed out the pluses and minuses of plug-in hybrid technology several times here at CleanTechnica. We know it has several downsides. PHEV cars often cost as much or more than a battery-electric vehicle. But driving a plug-in hybrid means never having range anxiety. In normal daily driving, it can operate on battery power most of the time, foregoing any tailpipe emissions that contribute to global heating. But when it’s time to travel long distances, there is no need for PlugShare or ABRP. As long as there are gas stations, drivers can go when and where they like and never worry about broken chargers or standing in the rain talking to some customer service rep trying to get a charger to accept their credit card. It turns out that charging is the Achilles heel of the EV revolution. People want electric cars that can go 300 miles or more without stopping. Then they want to be able to recharge those cars in 10 minutes or less so they can get back on the road and continue their journey. But there aren’t any electric cars like that for sale, which leaves a plug-in hybrid as what you might call a bridge to the electric car future, much as methane gas is sometimes called a ‘bridge’ to a clean energy future.” [CleanTechnica, 2/24/24 (=)]

 

South Carolina Welcomes Multibillion Dollar Electric Vehicle Projects, Even Though Many Echo Trump’s Harsh Ev Critiques — “On their way to a groundbreaking last week for a massive new electric vehicle plant, designed for the rebirth of an iconic American brand, guests first had to walk past a phalanx of vintage Scout sport utility vehicles. About a dozen of the pioneering Scouts, all gas- and diesel-powered and well over 40 years old, adorned the entrance to the staging area, beside their proud owners, as backhoes and bulldozers worked in the distance. Inside a barn with the words ‘Forging the Future’ painted on the side, photos of old Scouts lined the walls while tech-savvy young Volkswagen reps shared tablets offering visitors virtual 3-D tours of the scale model display in the center of the room. ‘I think I’m pretty good at seeing around corners, but I never saw this coming,’ said Bill Hartnagel, of Lake Lure, North Carolina, standing near his black 1974 Scout, replete with a racing stripe and refurbished engine. ‘Out of the clear, blue sky there’s this European company, Volkswagen, saying, ‘We’re going to keep the brand alive.’” [Inside Climate News, 2/24/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Citgo

 

Citgo Unveils EV Charging Program — “Dive Brief: Citgo Petroleum has entered the electric vehicle charging space with a site in Battle Creek, Michigan, as the pilot location for its new program, according to a press release from Citgo. The location, a PS Food Mart owned by Folk Oil Company, has four charging positions and uses XCharge hardware, Kevin Kinney, program lead and general manager for brand equity at Citgo, said in an email. This PS Food Mart was selected using Citgo’s internal model, which can help determine what locations in an interested company’s footprint are best for adding EV infrastructure, according to the announcement.” [C-Store Dive, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Advocacy

 

Op-Ed: Misleading Ads On EPA Car Emissions Rule Ignore The Real Benefits — According to Margo T. Oge, “Recently, the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association started running misleading ads in key swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania about new proposed standards for car emissions from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ads falsely claim that EPA is ‘rushing to ban new gasoline cars.’ But the spots are nothing more than a scare tactic. Not only is there no ‘gasoline car ban,’ but EPA’s proposal would boost the American economy, improve public health, and make the U.S. more competitive globally. in key swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania about new proposed standards for car emissions from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ads falsely claim that EPA is ‘rushing to ban new gasoline cars.’ But the spots are nothing more than a scare tactic. Not only is there no ‘gasoline car ban,’ but EPA’s proposal would boost the American economy, improve public health, and make the U.S. more competitive globally.” [Forbes, 2/26/24 (+)]

 

US Should Block Cheap Chinese Auto Imports From Mexico, US Makers Say -– “The U.S. government should block the import of low-cost Chinese autos and parts from Mexico, a U.S. manufacturing advocacy group said on Friday, warning they could threaten the viability of American car companies. ‘The introduction of cheap Chinese autos - which are so inexpensive because they are backed with the power and funding of the Chinese government - to the American market could end up being an extinction-level event for the U.S. auto sector,’ the Alliance for American Manufacturing said in a report, opens new tab. The group argues the United States should work to prevent automobiles and parts manufactured in Mexico by companies headquartered in China from benefiting from a North American free trade agreement. ‘The commercial backdoor left open to Chinese auto imports should be shut before it causes mass plant closures and job losses in the United States,’ the report said. Vehicles and parts produced in Mexico can qualify for preferential treatment under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement as well as qualifying for a $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) tax credit, the report noted.” [Reuters, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

AAM Calls Cheap Chinese EVs Built In Mexico “An Extinction Level Event” — “The Alliance for American Manufacturing is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership formed in 2007 by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers. Its mission is to strengthen American manufacturing and create new private sector jobs through smart public policies. It believes an innovative and growing manufacturing base is vital to America’s economic and national security, as well as providing good jobs for future generations. It also believes EVs built in Mexico by Chinese companies could be a threat to America’s economic security. On February 20, 2024, it issued a report warning that cheap Chinese electric cars manufactured in Mexico could be the death knell for US automakers. That report warns about ‘China’s Existential Threat To America’s Auto Industry And Its Route Through Mexico.’ The focus of the report has been turbocharged by reports that BYD is scouting locations for a new factory in Mexico.” [CleanTechnica, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

United Auto Workers (UAW)

 

UAW To Support Autoworkers In Mexico To Strengthen Cross-Border Solidarity — “The United Auto Workers union looks to increase its labor power by supporting the efforts of autoworkers in Mexico to unionize and negotiate higher wages and improved working conditions. The union announced Friday that its UAW International Executive Board voted earlier in the week to establish a new solidarity project. The project will provide resources to Mexican autoworkers and independent unions in Mexico. The union said it wants to strengthen cross-border solidarity between U.S. and Mexican workers. A UAW spokesman did not provide further details on the exact resources the UAW will provide. Cross-border solidarity was key last fall when the UAW and its counterpart in Canada, Unifor, were negotiating new contracts with the Detroit carmakers at the same time. The UAW conducted a targeted 46-day Stand-Up Strike across the Detroit Three automakers while Unifor went on strike at three of General Motors’ factories in Canada. The strike lasted less than a day last October before Unifor reached a deal with the automaker.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

 

 

EV Batteries & Charging

 

Ready For An 800-Volt Jolt? Carmakers Are Unveiling New Fast-Charging EVs — “Automakers are rolling out new 800-volt electric vehicle platforms, which promise to cut charging time in half, though BloombergNEF analysis finds a few of the biggest manufacturers are still hesitating to invest in the new technology, leaving them at risk of getting left behind. Today most EVs are based on 400-volt architectures — and for a standard vehicle like the VW ID.4 it can take about 20 minutes to add 200 kilometers (124 miles) of range. An 800-volt EV can do the same job in about 10 minutes. Seven of the 10 largest automakers by revenue globally have announced 800-volt platforms that will introduce new vehicles to the mass market over the next few years. For example, BMW will bring six models from its Neue Klasse platform starting in 2025. Up until now 800-volt technology has been associated with premium vehicles, with models such as the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT.” [Bloomberg, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Is It Fair That EV Chargers Are Allowed Where Gas Stations Aren't? — “House Bill 581 seeks to prevent zoning authorities from treating EV charging differently from gasoline dispensing. That means any location considered suitable for EV charging would also have to host gas stations. ‘For an ordinance to say that you can build an electric charging station, but you can’t build a gas station or a retail gas station, we feel like that is discriminatory,’ Republican state representative Ken Upchurch said in an interview with WKYT. But with gas stations still vastly outnumbering EV charging stations, it’s unclear what form that discrimination is taking. According to U.S. Census data there are more than 110,000 gas stations nationally, whereas according to the Department of Energy there are 61,700 publicly accessible charging stations. Fast-chargers capable of anything close to gas-station fueling speeds are few and far between. Nearly 54,000 of those public charging stations are just Level 2, good for all-day or overnight EV charging, many of which might be seen as 240-volt appliances and extensions of the existing residential or commercial power grid, with no additional buildout required.” [Green Car Reports, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

EV Drivers Want Public Chargers To Feel More Like Gas Stations, Says Study — “One of the headaches associated with EV ownership is the mundane, menial task of charging the vehicle. Instead of pulling up to a gas station where you or an attendant fills up your tank in a matter of minutes under a brightly lit shelter, electric vehicles have to charge at self-serve public charging stations near big-box shopping centers, highway rest stops, parking garages or shopping malls. Here, drivers are exposed to the elements and left figuring out what to do for the 20-or- so minutes it takes to charge, while other EV owners wait patiently in a line. Things could be better, and according to a recent survey, EV owners and prospective buyers have a wishlist of how the charging experience can be better.” [TheStreet, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

When Fentanyl Cripples Your EV — “Some recent check-ins at an EV charging station in Roswell, New Mexico, reveal a big problem: copper theft. This is something I’ve covered before, but it’s the first time I’ve seen anything like this at a DC fast charging (Level 3) station. Sadly, this is a story happening all over the United States. People caught in the cycle of addiction will do anything to come up with a few bucks to trade for some more pills. In my neighborhood elsewhere in New Mexico, a gang of armed thieves took advantage of an elderly woman with dementia and then set up shop stealing anything they could from the neighborhood. Every day or two, someone with a trailer would come by and collect up the stolen goods, and then someone else would show up a few minutes later with the pills. Worse, law enforcement in New Mexico has become increasingly worthless, and one lieutenant told me that the law had their hands tied, and that the neighborhood would probably need to take care of the problem ourselves. After several attempts to intimidate the neighborhood with machine gun fire (probably from a ‘Glock switch’), the neighborhood came together, let them know that they weren’t the only ones ready for a fight, and then worked with the property owner to expel them. It was an ugly and dangerous process that took months.” [CleanTechnica, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

EV Sales & EV Transition

 

Dark Brandon Is Boosting Electric Cars: Boosting Biden Day 40 — “Electric vehicles let Americans rely less on dirty fossil fuels, slash the cost of powering and maintaining a car, and reduce emissions to fight global warming. Joe Biden knows there’s no time to lose in putting EVs within reach of more people. Biden and Harris have been taking real action to boost EVs since 2021, including a new initiative launched December 14. It’ll make federal workers’ business travel cleaner while saving taxpayers cash and bolstering U.S. manufacturing of EVs and charging equipment. ‘Today the Administration is announcing new public and private commitments to boost access to electric vehicles (EVs), save taxpayer dollars, and tackle the climate crisis. This includes leading by example on climate with the release of new Federal employee travel guidelines that direct the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally. These new commitments will save taxpayers money by increasing the use of EVs and taking other cost-effective actions on clean transportation associated with business travel for the Federal workforce. In addition, the State of California, companies, and nonprofits are announcing new commitments through the Biden-Harris Administration’s EV Acceleration Challenge to expand EV fleets, increase consumer education, and grow the availability of EV charging and other clean transportation infrastructure.’” [Daily Kos, 2/22/24 (+)]

 

Nine EVs That Lease For Under $400/Month: Ioniq 5, Solterra, Niro, Ioniq 6, More — “There’s a loophole in the stricter IRA federal tax credit that only applies $3750 rebates on North American-built cars and separately $3750 on domestic batteries. For whatever reason, all EVs get the full $7500 applied to leases, however. So that has more people leasing EVs than ever before. The number of electric vehicle models that can be leased for less than an average monthly lease cost of $400/month has grown by 50% since last August. The list now includes nine models with factory offers that rival lease terms on low-priced ICE vehicles such as the Toyota Camry LE, Chevy Equinox LT, and Honda HR-V LX. Two of those EV models have a range of over 300 miles.” [Electrek, 2/25/24 (+)]

 

Car Shoppers Aren’t Electrified By Electric Vehicles — “Joe Pegher likes the idea of electric vehicles. He’s enjoyed test-driving them. And at the annual auto show here last week, he crossed the crowded convention center to eyeball Ford’s electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning. Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend. But when it came time to buy a new truck recently, Pegher stuck with a gas-powered model. ‘I get the concept of [EVs] and I think it’s a good idea. It’s probably about ten years too soon,’ he said from the sidelines of the show, citing a lack of charging infrastructure as his biggest concern. ‘I think everybody’s kind of jumping the gun.’ That view, common among show attendees and consumers nationwide, is taking the shine off the EV transition three years after automakers and the Biden administration barnstormed the United States with grand electric plans. Sales of fully electric vehicles are still growing much faster than gasoline-car sales in the United States — they were up 49 percent last year, to 1.1 million vehicles, according to Wards Intelligence.” [The Washington Post, 2/24/24 (-)]

 

Two Buzzy EV Startups Face Hurdles — “Rivian and Lucid are both getting punished in the market, Ben writes. Why it matters: It’s tough out there for pure-play electric vehicle companies, even buzzy ones with well received models, as they churn through cash. GM, Ford and other legacy automakers are also having EV problems, but they have lucrative gas-powered models to shore up the books. Catch up quick: Rivian doesn’t plan to grow production this year after a big jump in 2023 and will cut 10% of its salaried workforce. ‘Our business is not immune to existing economic and geopolitical uncertainties,’ CEO RJ Scaringe told analysts, saying high interest rates are hitting demand. Shares of Lucid — which makes the luxury Air sedan — also dropped sharply last week after mixed results and plans for only modest production increases. Between the lines: There’s no single reason EV startups are struggling. For Rivian and Lucid, part of the problem might be the price points. An LA Times piece notes the challenge Rivian is suffering as it tries to expand beyond an initial pool of wealthy adopters.” [Axios, 2/26/24 (+)]

 

TV: The Ingraham Angle (Audience: 2,167,683) “>> Now to the demand or lack thereof of electric vehicles, Will, Mercedes Benz delaying EV goals by five years. Rivian just laid off 10% of their staff. So, they don’t work in the cold they take forever to charge, is any of this a surprise? >> I do know quite a few guys that buy Rivian, it doesn’t look bad. >> Does it work? >> Yeah, I mean if you want to drive within a 30-mile radius, all good. If you need to go beyond your fifteen-minute city limitations, it is a problem, everyone has realized it. >> Shouldn’t every man have a plan to go beyond their fifteen-minute limitation if need be?... And be ready for the EMP or your cell goes out. How quickly we go to cannibalism, by the way? Watch the Will Kaine show and check it out. >> ” [FNC (Fox News), 2/23/24 (-)]

 

Op-Ed: EV Startups Struggled To Build Cars. Now They Struggle To Sell Them. — According to Sean McLain, “Electric-vehicle startups once said their greatest challenge was building cars fast enough; now selling them is proving difficult. Rivian Automotive RIVN -12.05%decrease; red down pointing triangle and Lucid Group LCID -1.95%decrease; red down pointing triangle last week offered disappointing production outlooks for this year, saying EV demand is being hit by high interest rates and economic uncertainty. The electric-pickup maker Rivian plans to produce 57,000 vehicles this year, roughly the same number as last year. Lucid said it aims to produce 9,000 vehicles, a slight increase from last year’s figure. Both say they are concentrating on finding customers. ‘Our key focus is on increasing demand to achieve our 2024 delivery targets,’ Rivian Chief Executive Officer RJ Scaringe said on a call with analysts Wednesday.” [The Wall Street Journal, 2/25/24 (-)]

 

Op-Ed: Today’s EVs Are Way Better Than People Realize — According to Phil Coupe, “Fourteen years ago, my first electric vehicle had a summer range of 85 miles that dropped to 55 in winter, and public charging stations were rare as zebras in Maine. It’s true that back in 2010, first-generation EV technology was not practical for most folks. Much has changed since. Today my five-passenger EV goes 320-plus miles in summer and roughly 280 miles in winter. Mostly I charge at home for local driving. When I need to travel longer distances, Maine now has 474 public charging locations. Plus, Maine is in the process of deploying millions of dollars in federal funding to rapidly expand our public charging network. Based on the high volume of negative comments about EVs in this newspaper, it seems that most folks don’t realize that EV technology has evolved to the point where it’s much better than gas power.” [Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Air Pollution Tied To Signs Of Alzheimer’s In Brain Tissue, Study Finds — “People who inhale higher concentrations of tiny airborne particulates, like from diesel exhaust or other traffic-related air pollutants, are more likely to have signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains, according to a new study, the latest in a growing body of research that shows a link between air pollution and cognitive decline. For the study, published this week in the journal Neurology, researchers examined the association between concentrations of ambient air pollution and signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the human brain. They found that people who were exposed to higher concentrations of fine particulate matter air pollution, also known as PM2.5, at least a year before their death were more likely to have higher levels of plaques — abnormal clusters of protein fragments built up between nerve cells — which is a sign of Alzheimer’s in brain tissue. The research also found a strong association between the pollution and signs of the disease for people who were not already genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s.” [The Washington Post, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

Emory Researchers Find Association Between Air Pollution And Alzheimer’s — “A new study from Emory University researchers has found an association between traffic-related air pollution and Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Using brain tissue donated by metro Atlanta residents, researchers evaluated their home addresses for air pollution generated by nearby traffic. The study, released Wednesday, does not prove air pollution causes Alzheimer’s, but found an association between exposure to air pollution caused by traffic and signs of Alzheimer’s in brain tissue. Medical and environmental officials have long warned about the consequences of air pollution on respiratory and cardiac health.” [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/22/24 (+)]

 

Study Links Soot Exposure, Alzheimer’s — “Just weeks after EPA tightened its annual soot standard, a new study adds to the evidence linking long-term exposure to the common pollutant to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. For the study, published online this week in the journal Neurology, researchers sampled brain tissue from 224 donors who died before 2020. The results showed that those who had been more exposed to traffic-related air pollution around their homes were more likely to have high amounts of protein clumps associated with Alzheimer’s, according to a summary. The association was particularly strong among donors who lacked a gene variant connected to Alzheimer’s. ‘Future studies should further investigate the biological mechanisms behind this association,’ the researchers, primarily based at Emory University, wrote in the paper. The study specifically examined levels of soot, which is more technically known as fine particulate matter or PM 2.5, because individual specks or droplets are no bigger than 2.5 microns in diameter or one-thirtieth the width of a human hair. Direct and indirect sources can range from coal-fired power plant emissions to tailpipe exhaust.” [E&E News, 2/26/24 (+)]

 

Air Pollution Could Be Significant Cause Of Dementia – Even For Those Not Predisposed — “Air pollution from traffic is linked to some of the more severe forms of dementia, and could be a significant cause of the condition among those who are not already genetically predisposed to it, research suggests. Research carried out in Atlanta, Georgia, found that people with higher exposure to traffic-related fine particulate matter air pollution were more likely to have high amounts of the amyloid plaques in their brains that are associated with Alzheimer’s. The findings, which will alarm anyone living in a town or city, but particularly those living near busy roads, add to the harms already known to be caused by road traffic pollution, ranging from climate change to respiratory diseases. A team of researchers from Atlanta’s Emory University set out to specifically investigate the effects on people’s brains of exposure the type of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5.” [The Guardian, 2/21/24 (+)]

 

Breathing In Diesel Fumes Is Crippling Our Immune Systems — “It’s well established that breathing in diesel exhaust can have negative effects on our bodies. But beyond a tickling throat, studies have shown that these vehicle fumes may have wider-reaching health impacts, including disrupting our immune system and triggering inflammation. Worldwide, exposure to the fine particulate matter in polluted air causes 7 million deaths every year, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. And more than 1 in 3 Americans lives in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, the American Lung Society reports. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular tissues, causing heart and lung disease as well as respiratory infections. Moreover, we are increasingly learning that by entering our bloodstream, these particles can interfere with processes throughout the body, including our immune systems.” [Newsweek, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

Air Pollution May Raise Risk For Alzheimer's Disease — “People exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution are more likely to have more amyloid plaques in their brain, a condition associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study finds. Seniors were nearly twice as likely to have more amyloid plaques if, in the year before their death, they lived in places with high concentrations of particle pollution caused by traffic, results show. Those with higher exposure in the three years before death were 87% more likely to have higher levels of plaques, the researchers added. ‘These results add to the evidence that fine particulate matter from traffic-related air pollution affects the amount of amyloid plaque in the brain,’ said researcher Anke Huels, an assistant professor of epidemiology with Emory University in Atlanta. However, the findings did not prove that air pollution actually causes Alzheimer’s, only that there is an association.” [UPI, 2/22/24 (+)]

 

 

 

California

 

Are Recent Declines In Electric Vehicle Sales In California Just A Blip? Or A Long-Term Trend? — “Sales of electric vehicles in California hit an all-time high at the start of last summer. But registrations declined in the third quarter of 2023 and slipped again in the final three months of the year. Is it a statistical fluke, or does it indicate a trend? It’s a question with plenty of ramifications for the state’s clean transportation goals — especially since Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 issued an executive order mandating the elimination of all new sales of gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in the Golden State by 2035. Newsom and officials in his administration say the focus on the recent drop in sales numbers is overblown in light of California’s rapid adoption of zero-emission vehicles, with the pace especially accelerating in the last four years. ‘I actually take issue with the contention that there is somehow bad news here,’ said David Hochschild, chair of the California Energy Commission. ‘The overall trend is very positive and it’s a big deal that one out of every four vehicles sold have a plug. So I think the larger story is that EVs (electric vehicles) are enjoying an unprecedented growth spurt.’” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 2/25/24 (=)]

 

Californians Already Pay Sky-High Pump Prices. It Might Get Much Worse. — “California gasoline pump prices could jump by as much as 47 cents per gallon next year under a proposed overhaul of a state regulation on fuels. The potential price hike would make California gasoline — already among the most expensive in the nation — even costlier, likely putting a greater burden on low-income motorists and testing residents’ appetites for more climate action. State officials say the overhaul of the low-carbon fuel standard is necessary to help meet California’s ambitious climate goals, even as they disputed how much the rule rewrite would increase pump prices. But in a sign the proposal could be revised, the agency in charge of the regulation postponed a possible vote on it that had been planned for March. That was done to ‘build in more time’ to process feedback on the rule rewrite, said Dave Clegern, spokesperson at the California Air Resources Board. No new date has been chosen. One big concern of critics is that the move would hurt motorists who don’t have the money to easily buy an electric vehicle and avoid the potential gas price hike.” [E&E News, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

Georgia

 

Charging Ahead: Kemp Blasts Biden’s ‘Counterproductive’ Investments For Sapping EV Momentum — “Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) called the Biden administration’s push to accelerate electric vehicle production ‘counterproductive,’ citing resistance from the public. Kemp was joined by five other governors on Thursday at the Politico Governors Summit to discuss the role state governments play in a grid-locked Washington. He claimed that the Biden administration’s legislation surrounding EVs has spurred public backlash against the industry by exposing how far the United States has to go with the infrastructure needed to support EVs. ‘When the government starts mandating things and pushing people, it turns a lot of people off, and that’s what’s happened a lot in the EV marketplace versus letting the product drive the market,’ Kemp said. Hyundai and Rivian had invested billions of dollars into electric vehicle production in Georgia. Kemp, however, said that funding through the Inflation Reduction Act picked ‘winners and losers,’ driving up inflation while doing little to aid the EV industry. Automakers said at the time that manufacturing and sourcing requirements would make it difficult to meet their goals, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.” [WRKR-TV, 2/23/24 (-)]

 

Michigan

 

EV Charging Market Pilot Program Is Coming To Battle Creek — “The Electric Vehicle movement - ‘EV’ for short - is starting to take over the country. Technology continues to get better every year, and now most electric vehicles have the ability to travel several hundred miles on one charge. But there’s still one challenge yet to be fully tackled in the EV universe, and that’s ease in finding the next charging station on a long trip. The infrastructure is still being built, step by step, but now fuel-stop mogul Citgo, is taking a step forward in the initiative, and installing an EV Charging market pilot program in Battle Creek. The majority of the major vehicle production companies - Ford, GM, Dodge, etc. - are adding more EV and hybrid vehicles every year to their catalog. And with all of those companies primarily based in Michigan, it makes sense that the first-of-its-kind EV Charging Market should be within driving distance of their headquarters. Enter, Battle Creek, which is just shy of two hours outside of Detroit. So just far enough that an electric vehicle would use MOST of its charge, but not SO far that there would still be some charge left to get to another charge station if necessary.” [WRKR-Radio, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

New Mexico

 

New Mexico Environment Department Asks EPA To Approve Clean Car Program — “The implementation of new rules to require cleaner cars in New Mexico hinges on the approval of a federal waiver in California. Now, the New Mexico Environment Department is asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve that waiver. New Mexico has been working on creating rules to set stricter requirements for vehicle emissions. The proposal is based off of similar rules set by California’s Air Resources Board that require emissions standards higher than the federal guidelines. The ability for California to set those higher standards comes from a waiver offered by the EPA. California went through a waiver request process for previous emission-setting standards and is now going through the process again for the latest California regulations. And New Mexico’s environment officials say New Mexico’s proposed new emissions rules depend on California’s waiver.” [KRQE-TV, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Wisconsin

 

Wisconsin Assembly Backs Buildout Of Statewide Electric Vehicle Charging Network — “A pair of bills that clear the way for the state to work with privately owned businesses to develop a network of high-speed electric vehicle chargers along Wisconsin’s major highways moved closer to final approval from the state Legislature Thursday. The legislation aligns state law with the requirements of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, a federal initiative that aims to build 500,000 electric vehicle chargers along the nation’s highways and in communities. Wisconsin is approved to receive $78.6 million through the program, but the state Department of Transportation has been unable to spend the money because current law allows only regulated utilities to directly sell electricity to customers. As a result, charging station operators in Wisconsin charge customers for the amount of time their vehicle is plugged in, which introduces uncertainty for customers about how much it will cost and how long it will take to charge their vehicles. To ensure price transparency, the NEVI program requires participating EV charging station operators to sell electricity based on the kilowatt hour, or the amount of electricity provided.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/23/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Asia

 

Op-Ed: Weakest Link For EV's Is In China's Supply Chain — According to Larry Bell, “Federal and state energy policies now pushing electric vehicles on a reluctant public are running in conflict with other social and environmental restrictions banning vital materials and component imports. As consequences, U.S. and European auto companies are racing into Chinese rare earth monopoly and other supply traps posing inevitable economic and national security threats. American EV consumers who ride along will be left in a ditch along with dealers who lack essential inventory and profitable markets. This is already occurring. U.S. customs officials have seized thousands of German Volkswagens over a single part made in China’s Xinjiang region believed to be in violation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) which requires importers to provide evidence that their goods were not produced with forced labor in order to avoid penalties.” [Newsmax, 2/23/24 (-)]

 

Europe

 

Facing Chinese EV Rivals, Europe's Automakers Squeeze Suppliers On Costs — “Europe’s automakers and their already-stretched suppliers face a tough year as they race to cut costs for electric models to counter leaner Chinese rivals which are bringing cheaper vehicles to challenge them on their home turf. A big question is how much more Europe’s automakers can squeeze out of suppliers that have already started laying off workers, with many smaller companies hard hit by supply chain issues during the pandemic. The difference between Europe’s legacy automakers and more EV-focused Chinese manufacturers will be on stark display this week at the Geneva car show, which is returning after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The only major companies holding media events are France’s Renault (RENA.PA), opens new tab, and China’s SAIC (600104.SS), opens new tab and BYD (002594.SZ), opens new tab - two of a number of the country’s automakers that have set their sights on Europe.” [Reuters, 2/25/24 (=)]

 

Stellantis Aims To Sell Up To 500,000 Vehicles To Ayvens Across Europe — “Franco-Italian automaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI), opens new tab said on Monday it had reached a multi-billion-euro frame agreement with leasing and fleet management company Ayvens to sell up to 500,000 vehicles across Europe over the next three years. Under the agreement, Ayvens’ affiliates will buy the vehicles for its long-term leasing fleet across Europe, with the first delivery volumes expected to begin in the first half of 2024, Stellantis said. Stellantis, which owns brands including Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat, said specific details of the deal including order quantity, compositions and delivery dates beyond the volumes already planned for 2024 can be flexibly agreed between the two companies, depending on fleet requirements and demand. Ayvens’ customers will be offered brands such as Alfa Romeo, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall, the statement said, adding that the brand availability can be extended in the future to cover Stellantis’ entire portfolio.” [Reuters, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

UK SUV Sales Have Increased By More Than A Fifth In One Year — Ugh. — “SUV sales exceeded 1 million in 2023, having increased 23% between 2022 and 2023 and are an increasing share of car sales New analysis from Transport & Environment UK has found that SUV sales in the UK have increased by 23% since 2022. In 2022 the number of new SUVs registered stood at 910k and were but now that number has grown by a third and stands at 1.12M. In 2021 50% of all new car registrations were SUVs, in 2022 that figure stood at 57% and in 2023 that rose again to 60%. If the trend continues then in 2027 SUV registrations could make up 75% of new registrations. Such high numbers of SUV registrations would blow a hole in UK carbon budgets as the vast majority, 83% in fact, of these SUVs are petrol and diesel cars, hybrids, or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) meaning they are producing significant carbon emissions and will continue to do so as they remain a higher proportion of vehicles on the UK’s roads over the next 15 years.” [CleanTechnica, 2/25/24 (=)]

 

Oceania

 

Wireless-Charging Road Trial Sets Out To Transform Trucking — “Australia faces unique challenges in electrifying its heavy-vehicle fleet because of its vast geography. A futuristic new technology may be a solution: roads that can wirelessly charge electric trucks as they drive. In an Australia-first trial, a research group from Melbourne’s Swinburne University will embed dynamic wireless charging technology into a 1.5-kilometer (0.93-mile) stretch of road as part of a broader bid to accelerate lagging EV uptake in the country. The A$8.2 million ($5.4 million) initiative has been partially funded by an A$3 million government grant. ‘We’re setting the stage for a transformation in the heavy vehicle industry,’ said project lead Medhi Seyedmahmoudian, a professor of new-energy technology research at Swinburne. The project’s partners include German engineering giant Siemens AG, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Australian electric-truck manufacturer Sea Electric.” [Bloomberg, 2/26/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Clean Energy Manufacturers Invested $2.4B In New Projects In January: E2 — “Dive Brief: The clean energy manufacturing industry started the new year with a bang in the electric vehicle and battery sectors, according to an analysis of January project announcements from environmental and economic advocacy group E2. Four manufacturers announced a total of $2.4 billion in investment in January, the most significant being Cummins, Daimler Trucks and Paccar’s $1.9 billion battery manufacturing joint venture for a factory in Mississippi. Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, 278 clean energy projects have been announced in 41 states and Puerto Rico, totaling nearly $114 billion in investment. E2 noted that manufacturing makes up over 80% of these clean energy projects.” [Manufacturing Dive, 2/23/24 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: I Am An EV Driver Who Rents Diesel Powered SUVs When Needs Must, Shoot Me — According to Carlton Reid, “I haven’t owned a petrol car for donkey’s years. I am an EV evangelist, but our small family electric car has a weeny battery and a less-than-generous carrying capacity. It’s recharged, oh so virtuously, from domestic solar panels and is great for dotting about town but not so great for longer journeys. We get range anxiety and can’t transport a metaphorical ton of anything. Suck it, Elon, but EVs are not the best choice for all journeys. A few weeks back, with snow in the forecast, I needed to transport two meaty mountain bikes, a load of camera gear, and two passengers to the wilds of Scotland. I might have managed the distance with our little electric car—with plenty of plug-in searching and lots of stops—but couldn’t have hoped to pack the kit, too, and then felt comfortable driving off-road to a remote hillside for a frozen night. I’m no fan of them for city driving, but for this particular task, a diesel-powered 4x4 SUV was the right tool for the job. Car rental companies don’t tend to offer such beasts; when they do, they charge an arm and a leg. Solution? Turo.” [Forbes, 2/23/24 (~)]

 

 

 

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