Cars Clips: April 29, 2024
Congress |
30 House Republicans take action to overturn Biden's gas car crackdown — “A group of more than 30 House Republicans is introducing a resolution Friday that would overturn President Biden's actions targeting gas-powered vehicles as part of his climate push. The nearly three dozen GOP lawmakers, led by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., are introducing the bill under the Congressional Review Act, a law dating back nearly three decades that allows Congress to revoke federal regulations. The resolution would block the stringent, multipollutant emission standards governing gas cars finalized last month by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).” [Fox News, 4/26/24 (-)]
Department of the Treasury (USDT) |
You can now get a $7,500 upfront discount for buying an EV — “For nearly 90,000 car buyers, one small change in U.S. tax policy meant thousands of dollars off the sticker price of their new EVs. As of Jan. 1, Americans who buy certain electric cars can request the federal electric vehicle tax credit as an upfront discount. The government created the tax credit in 2022, but before this year, car buyers had to wait until tax season to get their money. Now they can just pay up to $7,500 less for certain new EVs, or $4,000 less for used EVs, at dealerships that have signed up to offer the discount.” [Washington Post, 4/27/24 (=)]
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Five Major Climate Policies Trump Would Probably Reverse if Elected — “Mr. Trump has spoken particularly aggressively about electric vehicles. Transportation is responsible for another quarter of U.S. greenhouse gases, with cars and trucks making up the bulk. Mr. Biden has imposed limits on pollution from automobile tailpipes, rules designed to ensure that the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032.” [New York Times, 4/26/24 (+)]
Vehicle & Engine Manufacturers |
BYD Revenue Misses Estimate as China EV Discounts Take Toll — “Chinese automaker BYD Co.’s first-quarter revenue missed estimates as aggressive price cuts across most of its lineup ate into its financial performance. Net income rose 11% year-on-year to 4.57 billion yuan ($631 million) in the three months ended March 31, the automaker said Monday. Revenue grew at its slowest pace in four years, up 3.9% to 124.94 billion yuan. That’s well short of analyst estimates of 132.53 billion yuan.” [Bloomberg, 4/29/24 (=)]
Ford Reports Staggering Loss On Every Electric Vehicle It Sold — “Ford Motor Company revealed this week that it lost more than a hundred thousand dollars for every electric vehicle that it sold during the first quarter. Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported a $1.3 billion loss, amounting to a $132,000 loss per electric vehicle sold during the first three months of the year, CNN reported.” [Daily Wire, 4/27/24 (-)]
Ford reports loss on every EV sold in first quarter — “Ford lost $1.3 billion in its electric vehicle department during the first quarter of 2024, which is about $132,000 per vehicle it sold. The loss is due to the car maker lowering the price of its electric models while also appropriating funds for further research. Electric vehicle revenue brought in $100 million, which is an 84% drop from last year. It is expected that Ford will continue to lose money on its EV models, as the company predicts a total loss of $5 billion this year. Last year, the company lost $4.7 billion in its electric division, which was about $40,525 per vehicle it sold.” [Washington Examiner, 4/28/24 (=)]
Reuters | US opens preliminary investigation into Ford's hands-free driving tech BlueCruise — “The U.S. auto regulator said on Monday it has opened a preliminary investigation into Ford Motor's hands-free driving technology BlueCruise after being informed of two incidents involving Mustang Mach-E cars that collided with stationary vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened the evaluation to investigate BlueCruise, which provides partial driving automation with the expectation that the driver actively supervises its performance.” [Detroit Free Press, 4/29/24 (=)]
Fake engine noises coming to EVs — “The guttural roar from a gas engine disappears in an EV — but some people want it back. Why it matters: Lacking engines, EVs are quiet, emitting only the sound of tires on pavement and the purring whir of an electric motor as it powers the vehicle. State of play: Dodge has had enough. The Stellantis brand is debuting what it's dubbed a ‘Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust’ system in the new 670-horsepower 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona — the first EV version of the Charger muscle car. The system replicates the deafening burble of Dodge's Hellcat V8 engine, Axios' Joann Muller reported.” [Axios, 4/26/24 (=)]
US investigating Tesla recall of 2M+ vehicles over Autopilot safeguards — “The Department of Transportation is investigating last year’s Tesla recall involving more than 2 million vehicles to determine whether updates to their Autopilot driving systems did enough to keep drivers focused on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in documents posted online Friday that additional crashes since the recall have raised concerns.” [The Hill, 4/26/24 (=)]
Auto Safety Regulator Investigating Tesla Recall of Autopilot — “The federal government’s main auto safety agency said on Friday that it was investigating Tesla’s recall of its Autopilot driver-assistance system because regulators were concerned that the company had not done enough to ensure that drivers remained attentive while using the technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website that it was looking into Tesla’s recall in December of two million vehicles, which covered nearly all of the cars the company had manufactured in the United States since 2012. The safety agency said it had concerns about crashes that took place after the recall and results from preliminary tests of recalled vehicles.” [New York Times, 4/26/24 (=)]
Did Tesla do enough to fix Autopilot flaw following recall? US regulator opens probe — “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into whether Tesla did enough to fix issues with its Autopilot technology in response to a mass recall late last year after multiple crashes involving the assisted-driving system. The federal agency is opening a query to “evaluate the adequacy” of Tesla’s December recall of more than 2 million electric vehicles, reportedly the largest in the company’s history, according to a filing disclosed Friday. At the time, the Austin-based automaker said the recall would consist of an over-the-air software update applied to Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model X and Model Y vehicles manufactured in certain years, including some dating back to 2012.” [New York Post, 4/26/24 (=)]
Tesla Autopilot feature was involved in 13 fatal crashes, US regulator says — “US auto-safety regulators said on Friday that their investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot had identified at least 13 fatal crashes in which the feature had been involved. The investigation also found the electric carmaker’s claims did not match up with reality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disclosed on Friday that during its three-year Autopilot safety investigation, which it launched in August 2021, it identified at least 13 Tesla crashes involving one or more death, and many more involving serious injuries, in which ‘foreseeable driver misuse of the system played an apparent role’.” [Guardian, 4/26/24 (=)]
Cheaper Teslas? China Says ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ — “Investors are excited that more affordable Teslas are coming soon. But even cheaper electric vehicles from China are probably coming, too. Despite enormous overcapacity, the largest Chinese automakers still have big cash cushions. And gross margins at BYD, China’s market leader, actually rose last year. That means the global EV price war will continue—and probably get worse. Tesla TSLA -1.11%decrease; red down pointing triangle Chief Executive Elon Musk said last week that it is accelerating the launch of more affordable models, ahead of the original plan for late 2025. Tesla’s stock jumped 14% last week despite its bad first-quarter results: falling deliveries, narrowing margins and a plunge in profit. Tesla’s shares are still down 32% this year.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/29/24 (=)]
Who Gains From Elon Musk’s Visit to China? — “Just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Beijing and warned China about unfair trade practices, Elon Musk landed in the Chinese capital. The Tesla boss’s meeting with China’s No. 2 official may have paid off: Musk reportedly cleared two obstacles to introducing a fully autonomous driving system in the world’s biggest car market. The split screen again reveals the gap between Western diplomacy and corporate imperatives. Tesla has to stay committed to China even as it faces big headwinds — a conundrum that other multinationals also face, and one that Beijing is eager to exploit.” [New York Times, 4/29/24 (=)]
Electric Vehicles |
The Latest Car Chargers Will Fire Up Demand in an Ailing Market — “The booths at the Beijing auto show last week were filled with high-tech gadgetry: minivans with cinema screens and theater seating, sports cars with translucent-blue bubble roofs and SUVs with built-in camping tents. The less flashy technology — the key charging equipment that’ll help drive the global shift away from oil — was hidden toward the back of the stands. The plain gray or white boxes from companies such as Xpeng Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. aren’t as eye-catching, perhaps, but demonstrate a game-changing upgrade.” [Bloomberg, 4/29/24 (=)]
EV Range Anxiety: It Really Is All In Your Mind — “EV range anxiety will seem like a quaint reminder of days gone by, after new ultra-long range solid-state EV batteries hit the mass market. For the here and now, though, range anxiety can be a bad experience for EV drivers, especially those trying it out for the first time. The question is whether or not there are any solutions that new drivers can deploy today, and a research team has just come up with an answer.” [CleanTechnica, 4/26/24 (+)]
The Power of Us: As EV demand slows, a new alternative fuel garners attention — “While electric vehicles' share of the automotive market is still growing, the rate at which Americans are buying new electric vehicles appears to be slowing. Kelley Blue Book reports that just under 270,000 EVs were sold in the first quarter of this year. While that's up nearly 3% from the first quarter of 2023, it's down considerably from the last quarter of last year.” [ABC, 4/26/24 (-)]
Anatomy of a failed EV startup — “Most startups die in darkness. They disappear behind closed doors, while investors privately assess their losses and employees look for new jobs. Any lessons learned tend to stay hidden, and do little to inform successive entrepreneurs. A few months ago, Andrew Krulewitz pulled the plug on Zevvy, the company he founded to get electric vehicles into the hands of drivers who could benefit from them the most: long-distance commuters. The startup developed a novel, uncapped pay-per-mile lease to expand access to people who couldn’t afford to buy EVs outright, and it served hundreds of long-haul commuters in the Bay Area.” [Canary Media, 4/29/24 (=)]
Tesla among electric carmakers forced to cut prices as market stalls — “Elon Musk became the world’s richest man by evangelising about electric cars – and delivering them by the million. Yet in recent months his company, Tesla, has struggled to maintain its momentum: sales have dropped this year, and so has its share price. Those struggles have become emblematic of a broader reckoning facing the electric vehicle (EV) industry. After the soaring demand and valuations of the coronavirus pandemic years, the pace of sales growth has slowed. The industry has entered a new phase, with questions over whether the switch from petrol and diesel to cleaner electric is facing a troublesome stall or a temporary speed bump.” [Guardian, 4/26/24 (=)]
Vehicle Emissions |
The reckless policies that helped fill our streets with ridiculously large cars — “But the shift toward electric vehicles may further entrench car bloat. The EPA’s rules assume that all EVs, regardless of their design, generate no emissions — a questionable assumption, because EVs create emissions indirectly through the production and transmission of power that flows into their batteries. A huge or inefficient battery requires more electricity, which can lead to significant pollution (especially in regions where fossil fuels dominate the energy mix). The EPA’s policy of treating all EVs equally makes a monstrously wasteful vehicle like the Hummer EV seem cleaner than it is, encouraging carmakers to manufacture more of them. To counteract EV bloat, Peter Huether, a senior research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, would like to see the EPA revise its GHG rules to consider emissions from power generation and transmission: ‘If these standards look at upstream emissions, it could have a downstream effect on shape and size of EVs.’” [Vox, 4/28/24 (=)]
States & Local |
Thinking about an electric vehicle? Here's a chance to drive some popular models — “Enthusiasm for electric vehicles has waned a bit, but utility Salt River Project is working to counter that with free test drives of popular models and discussions with Valley residents who own these vehicles. Potential buyers, and others, can get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle or ride as a passenger Saturday, April 27, from 8 a.m. to noon. Test drives will be conducted following a 2.8-mile route in and around SRP's Project Administration Building at 1500 N. Mill Ave. in Tempe, just south of Papago Park, with the program centered on the north and east sides of the complex.” [Arizona Republic, 4/26/24 (+)]
ArDOT addressing EV charging shortage in rural areas — “Electric vehicles continue to enter area roadways more and more. Whether it’s Tesla, Ford, or another manufacturer’s EV, finding a place to charge the vehicle might be difficult. A map from the U.S. Department of Energy shows charging ‘gaps’ in areas of Northern Arkansas, as well as Southeast Arkansas. For Tesla Model 3 Driver Micah Woods, charging on main roads across Arkansas is rather easy.” [KAIT-TV, 4/28/24 (+)]
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure to get a jump-start in California — “With more Californians switching to electric vehicles and car manufacturers releasing more EV options, some drivers are saying the infrastructure needs are changing substantially. ‘All of these things are kind of increasing the demand for charging so the supply has to rise to match that,’ longtime EV owner Jerry Pohorsky said. ‘Right now, they're actually behind. I think there is a shortage of chargers.’ That's why he was thrilled when he heard about a public-private partnership development that will pump up the EV charging infrastructure. ‘It's a good thing and it's about time,’ he said. Tesla is opening its fast chargers to non-Tesla vehicles.” [CBS, 4/28/24 (=)]
California reaches electric vehicle charger milestone — “With the rise in popularity of electric vehicles in California, it’s no surprise that the number of EV chargers across the state has increased too, but new data from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office suggests the Golden State is miles ahead of others when it comes to keeping electric cars going. Newsom’s office touted a “stat most Californians have likely never heard” in a press release on Saturday morning: For every five gas stations in California, there is now one electric vehicle fast charging station.” [KTLA, 4/27/24 (+)]
There's now 1 fast-charging station for every 5 gas stations in CA, Newsom says — “For every five gas stations in California, there's now one fast-charging station for electric vehicles, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom celebrated Earth Week by stopping by a Tesla Supercharger to highlight California's ongoing efforts to build an improved charging network, as well as Tesla's recent efforts to open its fast chargers to non-Tesla vehicles.” [KABC-TV, 4/27/24 (=)]
City of Pueblo receives $400,000 to increase electric vehicle charging access — “Pueblo City Government is getting closer to its renewable energy goal. City Council just approved more than $400,000 in grant money from the state. The money will go toward buying four new fast-charging electric vehicle charging stations for public use. The stations will be placed near the Main Street Parking Garage in Downtown.” [KOAA-TV, 4/26/24 (=)]
Rivian: ‘We are not abandoning Georgia’ — “Executives for electric vehicle maker Rivian said Saturday the company remains committed to building a massive manufacturing plant 60 miles east of Atlanta despite a recent pause on construction. The company recently pivoted its plans and is ramping up production of its new R2 SUV at its plant in Normal, Illinois. This caused some state politicians to worry that California-based Rivian would abandon its plans to build the sprawling factory site along I-20.” [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 4/27/24 (=)]
ComEd unveils 2 more EV charging stations in Bronzeville as part of 2-year pilot project — “ComEd unveiled two additional public electric-vehicle charging stations in Bronzeville Thursday morning, the final stations to be installed as part of a two-year pilot project aimed at increasing charging availability for communities with limited access. The two charging stations installed Thursday in the parking lot of the Illinois Eye Institute, 3241 S. Michigan Ave., join three others in the area — one near 43rd Street and Calumet Avenue and two others in the parking lot of the 1700 East 56th St. Condominium Association. The $3 million pilot project launched in 2022 in partnership with the Department of Energy and was part of a larger nationwide study designed to better understand how to serve low-income communities with higher concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions.” [Chicago Sun Times, 4/25/24 (=)]
Electric vehicle charging station vandalism could undermine Washington state's environmental goals — “Washington state aims to have fast-charging electric vehicle ports every 50 miles across the entire span of its 2,633-mile road system, and 3 million total in both public and private charging ports. However, these efforts to electrify the state's transportation sector could be undermined by copper wire thefts that have already hit newly-installed charging stations in various locations, leaving the chargers unusable and costing taxpayers. It’s a problem already noted by the Washington State Department of Transportation. According to the state agency, total wire theft on their properties has cost taxpayers $1.5 million since 2021.” [Center Square, 4/26/24 (=)]
Inslee rolls out $45 million in subsidies for electric vehicles — “One strategy for state officials looking to transition Washington’s transportation sector to electric vehicles is by subsidizing them with taxpayer dollars. This week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced $45 million in subsidies through a Department of Commerce grant program for families deemed ‘low-income’ to purchase an EV.” [Washington Examiner, 4/29/24 (=)]
Research, Analysis & Opinion |
Study finds electric vehicles lose value more quickly than gasoline-powered cars — “In what could be a troubling sign for the electric vehicle market, a recent study found that prices of used EVs dropped far more than comparably aged gas-powered vehicles. NBC News' Christine Romans reports.” [NBC, 4/26/24 (-)] (Video)
Study: EV, Plug-in Hybrid Battery Replacements Rare — “Just 1.5% of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) have needed their batteries replaced since 2011, according to a new study. Advertisement The U.S. Department of Energy used data from Recurrent, a company that tracks battery life. Recurrent tracks battery health directly for tens of thousands of PHEV and EV owners, giving it unique insight into the lifespan of a battery. Their services include a battery life report, acting much like a vehicle history report for batteries. The battery is the most expensive part of any electric vehicle, and many potential EV buyers have cited fears about battery replacement costs as a reason to hold back.” [Kelley Blue Book, 4/26/24 (+)]
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