Cars Clips: May 16, 2024
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Highlights from Regan's contentious House appearance — “In his final go-round on Capitol Hill this budget season, EPA Administrator Michael Regan tangled with Republicans on electric vehicles, firearms use at the agency and just how many pages were in a methane rule. The House Energy and Commerce Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing featured several fireworks, as one lawmaker called automakers ‘wusses’ in the face of federal government action. At one point, Regan deemed a line of questioning ‘ridiculous.’ Republican lawmakers also took issue with the climate component of a suite of new power plant standards, arguing at the Wednesday hearing it will threaten economic growth and reliability of the electric grid.” [E&E News, 5/16/24 (=)]
United States Postal Service (USPS) |
Here's why you're seeing new electric USPS vehicles in Atlanta — “The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) unveiled its first electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the South Atlanta Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC), back in January, and residents are starting to see them show up. The rollout marks the start of a nationwide initiative to electrify the USPS delivery fleet. This project, part of the 10-year Delivering for America® plan, aims to install EV infrastructure and deploy over 66,000 electric delivery vehicles.” [WXIA, 5/16/24 (=)]
Vehicle & Engine Manufacturers |
Ford recalls hybrids over software issue putting them in limp mode — “Ford is recalling nearly 9,000 hybrid vehicles to address a software issue that could cause the drivetrain to shift into neutral unexpectedly. Affected vehicles include 8,369 Maverick hybrid pickup trucks from model years 2022-2024, as well as 277 Escape crossovers from model years 2020-2022 and 81 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid crossovers from model years 2021 and 2022. All three models share a basic platform and many major components.” [Green Car Reports, 5/16/24 (=)]
Chevrolet Is Releasing Silverado EV RST Soon, The First Legacy Electric Pickup Designed From Scratch To Be An EV — “The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST is a significant advancement in electric pickups, offering a 450-mile range, 10.2kW onboard power, and innovative features like the Multi-Flex Midgate. It competes with other electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T, aiming to make a significant impact in the electric vehicle market.” [Clean Technica, 5/15/24 (=)]
Honda Motor Plans to Invest Over $60 Billion on EV Strategy — “Honda Motor 7267 -2.40%decrease; red down pointing triangle plans to invest tens of billions of dollars on its electric-vehicle strategy through 2030 as part of efforts to boost sales and production in the coming years. The Japanese automaker said Thursday that it aims to invest about 10 trillion yen ($64.56 billion) on its electric-vehicle and software strategy over the 10-year period through 2030. Honda said it plans for EVs, including fuel-cell vehicles powered by hydrogen, to make up 40% of its global auto sales by 2030. It also aims to produce more than 2 million EVs by then.” [Wall Street Journal, 5/16/24 (=)]
Kia is offering up to $12,000 off 2024 EV6 and EV9 models with new discounts — “If you’ve been eyeing a new Kia electric vehicle, now may be the perfect time to start shopping. Kia is offering up to $12,000 off 2024 EV6 and EV9 models with some of its biggest discounts yet. The EV6 was introduced in March 2021 as Kia’s first dedicated electric car based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform (the same one underpinning the IONIQ 5).” [Electrek, 5/15/24 (=)]
China's Nio unveils Tesla Model Y rival — “Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio has unveiled the first car from its new lower-priced brand Onvo, in a direct challenge to Tesla's best-selling car. With prices starting at 219,900 yuan ($30,465, £23,990), the L60 SUV is more than 10% cheaper than the world's most popular EV, Tesla's Model Y, which has a price tag of 249,900 yuan. It comes in the same week that US President Joe Biden announced he would quadruple the import tax on electric cars from China. Like other EV makers, Tesla has been struggling with falling sales in the face of intense competition from Chinese brands.” [BBC, 5/16/24 (=)]
Volkswagen Walks Back EV-or-Bust Strategy That Rankled Rivals — “Volkswagen AG’s all-in on electric vehicles plan is no more. The namesake VW brand, which pitched its ID family of electric cars as central to its future, admitted last week it will need more plug-in hybrids as EV sales decelerate.” [Bloomberg, 5/16/24 (=)]
Electric Vehicles |
Making Batteries Takes A Lot Of Lithium. Some Of It Could Come From Wastewater. — “Most batteries used in technology like smart watches and electric cars are made with lithium that travels across the world before even getting to manufacturers. But what if nearly half of the lithium used in the U.S. could come from Pennsylvania wastewater? A new analysis using compliance data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection suggests that if it could be extracted with complete efficiency, lithium from the wastewater of Marcellus shale gas wells could supply up to 40% of the country’s demand.” [Clean Technica, 5/14/24 (=)]
Seeking Access to Congo’s Metals, White House Aims to Ease Sanctions — “Three years after Biden administration officials tightened sanctions on a billionaire Israeli mining executive for corrupt business practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have reversed themselves and are offering the executive a deal they hope will bolster the supply of a metal vital to electric vehicles. The plan would allow the executive, Dan Gertler, to sell off his remaining stakes in three giant copper and cobalt mining operations in Congo. Once Mr. Gertler sells his positions, the Biden administration hopes Western-leaning companies will be more willing to invest in Congo, perhaps delivering a greater supply of cobalt to the United States as automakers race to increase domestic production of batteries.” [New York Times, 5/16/24 (=)]
New technology aimed at tackling electric vehicle fires — “In the ongoing transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), fire safety concerns have emerged as a focal point for fire departments across regions. Montgomery County Fire Department is aiming to address the challenges posed by extinguishing EV fires, which require significantly more resources compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles.” [WTVF, 5/15/24 (=)]
EV market share fell in Q1, in a dearth of affordable models — “U.S. EV and hybrid sales fell in the first quarter of the year, according to a Tuesday update from the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). Sales of battery electric vehicles (full EVs) dropped to 7.0% of overall light vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2024 from 8.1% in the previous quarter. Nationally, sales of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs combined dropped to 18.0% of the market, versus 18.8% in the previous quarter.” [Green Car Reports, 5/15/24 (=)]
States & Local |
Republicans sue EPA, California over rules requiring electric vehicle transition — “Arizona Republican leaders on Wednesday filed a pair of lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency’s new tailpipe pollution standards for cars and heavy-duty trucks, a day after they joined a multistate legal challenge to a California regulation mandating the use of electric semi trucks.” [AZ Mirror, 5/15/24 (=)]
California Tests Gas Tax Alternative — “This critical gas tax is used to support road maintenance and other transportation projects, with approximately 80 percent of highway and road repairs being funded by it, according to the California Department of Transportation. Meanwhile, electric car owners pay an annual tax for road repairs, but this comes to about a third of the average gas tax, according to Caltrans' Road Charge Program.” [Newsweek, 5/15/24 (=)]
Georgia postponed a tax on charging electric vehicles. What it means for residents — “When a Georgia car owner fills up a gas-powered vehicle, a small sales tax is included in the final bill, unbeknownst to the user. In 2023, the state wanted to mirror this same concept for electric vehicles at public electric charging stations via Senate Bill 416. But the charging stations, the state and the businesses that offer public charging are not ready for such a large infrastructure switch, prompting a delay in this requirement in the form of House Bill 516. This week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 516, which gives stakeholders like the Department of Agriculture, the entity overseeing the gas pump tax, more time to figure out how to implement a way to accurately measure and pay for this tax at all public EV charging stations.” [Ledger-Enquirer, 5/15/24 (=)]
Regional program helps Chicago-area communities become 'EV Ready' — “University Park is a small suburb south of Chicago, built around sprawling warehouses for companies like Clorox, Amazon and Solo Cup that attract a steady stream of diesel truck traffic. Its residents, 88% of whom are African American, are also exposed to pollution from a steel and wire processing facility relocated there from a gentrifying Chicago neighborhood, as well as steel mills and an oil refinery in nearby Northwest Indiana. So, village manager Elizabeth Scott figured, the town was a prime candidate for improving quality of life and the environment by adopting electric vehicles — even if only two local households had EVs when Scott first checked the secretary of state’s website.” [Public News Service, 5/16/24 (=)]
Baby’s First Experience Driving an EV Throughout Maine — “Long story short, my truck needs work done that doesn't involve hanging at the dealership for an hour or two (more on that soon, kinda), but instead it's an overnight job, so I needed a rental. Lee Toyota of Topsham Thankfully, from what has to hands down be the best dealership in Maine, maybe even in New England (also more on that soon), I got hooked up with a rental from Lee Toyota of Topsham on Main Street in Topsham, Maine.” [WJBQ, 5/15/24 (=)]
Researchers say a copper shortage could imperil Michigan’s EV future — “The world’s active copper mines, the authors concluded, can’t deliver. The report’s findings have big implications for Michigan, the epicenter of the U.S. automotive sector and a state with a long, fraught copper-mining history. Amid mounting political pressure to address climate change and looming competition from overseas automakers, Michigan’s Big Three automakers have all set ambitious EV production targets. General Motors has committed to all-electric sales by 2035, and Ford Motor Co. has said it wants half of its sales to be EVs by 2030, although both now face a reality check amid a slowdown in EV sales.” [Bridge Michigan, 5/15/24 (=)]
More Mercedes-Benz EV charging stations are coming to a Texas Buc-ee’s near you — “The first Mercedes-Benz High-Powered EV chargers are currently being installed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A dozen more will follow throughout the Texas Triangle − a region connected by Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio. The Texas Triangle is home to 68% of all Texans, making it a key area for Texas travel. The introduction of Mercedes Benz EV chargers aims to encourage more interstate travel among Buc-ee's Travel Centers.” [Austin American Statesman, 5/15/24 (=)]
International |
Probing a $69,000 Chinese Electric Vehicle for Clues on Spying — “When Tor Indstøy needed a bigger car for his family in 2022, he bought a $69,000 Chinese electric vehicle. Indstøy had an ulterior motive for buying an ES8, a luxury SUV from Shanghai-based NIO Inc. The Norwegian cybersecurity expert wanted to study the EV and figure out how much data it collects and sends back to China. Along with several friends in the industry, he created Project Lion Cage with the aim of analyzing his SUV from top to bottom and publishing the results.” [Bloomberg, 5/15/24 (=)]
Research, Analysis & Opinion |
Electric Vehicle Subsidies as Complex and Costly as Ever — “Electric vehicles (EVs) may be the most subsidized product in America. Federal taxpayers shell out $7,500 every time a new eligible electric vehicle is purchased (usually by wealthy buyers). State and local taxpayers chip in an additional $1,500 for each EV purchase. Then, there’s the tens of billions of dollars “invested” by policymakers into building EV plants. Even these bank-breaking concessions aren’t enough to please the Biden administration. Recently finalized EV tax credit rules expand eligibility for the subsidy while maintaining bizarre trade sourcing rules likely to lead to further tariffs from China. It’s time for President Biden and lawmakers to ditch protectionism and finally end EV subsidies.” [Real Clear Energy, 5/15/24 (-)]
Opinion | Despite temporary dip in sales, electric cars are the vehicles of the future — “Concerns have been raised about a slowdown in the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market but make no mistake the future of automobiles are electric. Since recording over 100% growth in 2021, the EV market has seen its growth rate steadily decline. While global EV sales growth reached 33.5% in 2023 compared to the previous year, experts predict that it will only hover around the 10% mark in 2024. Reflecting these projections, Tesla's stock price dropped by nearly 30% in early 2024, and both Rivian and Lucid also experienced declines of over 40% in their stock prices. It is not just EV brands; all automobile companies, including GM, Ford and Hyundai, are grappling with sluggish EV sales. With investments in EVs ramping up recently, the downturn in EV sales is hitting hard.” [Courier Journal, 5/16/24 (+)]
Opinion | Don’t Slam the Door on Inexpensive Chinese Electric Vehicles — “President Biden came out swinging this week when he announced a series of steep tariffs on Chinese imports, including 25 percent on certain steel and aluminum products, 50 percent on semiconductors and solar panels and 100 percent on electric vehicles. The administration’s official reason for the policy is simple: Chinese imports are undercutting American manufacturers in swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And Mr. Biden wants to protect them from competition, as he pours huge amounts of government money into building up the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar panels that can eventually compete with China’s inexpensive offerings.” [New York Times, 5/15/24 (=)]
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