Cars Clips: May 20, 2024
Vehicle & Engine Manufacturers |
Q&A: CEO Mary Barra discusses GM's shift to hybrids, RenCen exit and EV strategy — “In her 11th year as CEO of General Motors Co., Mary Barra's latest test is to ensure that the Detroit automaker's coming electric vehicles reach profitability by getting mainstream consumers to buy them in competitive global markets. General Motors CEO Mary Barra, with the Equinox EV RS, at GM's Design Studio in Warren on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. But in the time since GM first declared it would become all-electric, industry regulations have changed and the pace in the demand for EVs has slowed. Even though EV sales surpassed 1 million for the first time in 2023, data shows they are slowing quarter to quarter. First-quarter EV sales rose 2.6% year over year, but fell 15.2% from the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Kelley Blue Book.” [Detroit News, 5/18/24 (=)]
US NHTSA opens recall query into more than 51,000 Volkswagen EVs — “The U.S. auto safety regulator said on Monday it has opened a recall query into an estimated 51,500 Volkswagen America's EVs over concerns of the vehicle door opening while driving. The U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it received 12 complaints over Volkswagen's electric ID.4 SUVs built between 2021 and 2023. Some consumers reported that the vehicle's door intermittently opens while driving with no reasonable detectability, though no injuries or fatalities have been connected to this issue.” [Reuters, 5/20/24 (=)]
Electric Vehicles |
Charging stations are failing to keep up with the EV boom — “For the past few years, electric vehicles have flooded onto America’s roads: Tesla Model 3s, Hyundai Ioniq 5s, even the occasional electric Hummer. In 2023, automakers sold almost 1.2 million all-electric cars to U.S. consumers, accounting for over 7 percent of total new car sales and a new national record.” [Washington Post, 5/20/24 (=)]
Amid global copper crunch, UM scientist says hybrid fleets are more realistic than EVs — “Manufacturing fleets of hybrid gas-electric cars instead of pure electric vehicles is the answer to reducing greenhouse gas emissions amid a global copper crunch, a University of Michigan earth scientist found in a report published this month.” [Detroit News, 5/18/24 (=)]
The EV industry can’t shake its human rights abuse problem — “Mining for minerals used to make EVs and batteries is plagued with allegations of abuse, the latest report from the nonprofit Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) shows. And automakers continue to source materials from some of the worst offenders, The Verge finds. BHRRC has documented 631 allegations of human rights abuses since 2010 for seven key minerals used in electric vehicles, rechargeable batteries, and renewable energy technologies. Many of the allegations were made against a small group of companies, which The Verge was able to link to three of the world’s biggest EV manufacturers: Volkswagen Group, Tesla, and BYD.” [The Verge, 5/18/24 (-)]
Global critical mineral supply gap looms, IEA says — “Global critical mineral prices fell across the board in 2023, but heavily concentrated supply chains and insufficient production to meet anticipated future demand could pose constraints to clean energy aspirations over the long term, a new report finds. The International Energy Agency’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2024 report, released Friday, identified current global market trends for a number of minerals vital to manufacturing low- and zero-carbon energy technologies, including lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements. It also made projections for how these markets will change over the next decade as the global energy transition picks up speed.” [E&E News, 5/17/24 (=)]
States & Local |
'The danger is known': Florida looking into lithium battery safety policies with rise in EVs — “Andrew Sullivan with St. Cloud Fire Rescue showed WESH 2 News the remains of a Mercedes Benz electric vehicle, or EV, that suddenly erupted in flames in a tow yard Wednesday. It scorched half a dozen other vehicles before firefighters could drag it away and try to extinguish the fire. But it's an electric vehicle, and posed a major problem.” [WESH, 5/17/24 (=)]
Michigan leaders celebrate historic clean car standards — “Leaders in Michigan are marking the historic new clean car standards, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency. The final rule, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles, was announced in March. Michigan leaders are celebrating the move as a positive step in the fight against climate change.” [WKZO, 5/20/24 (=)]
More electric vehicle chargers are going to be installed along Ohio’s highways — “Drivers of electric cars will find it easier to get a jolt at fast-chargers. More EV charging stations are being installed in Ohio. An electric vehicle charges in a parking lot in downtown Columbus. An electric vehicle charges in a parking lot in downtown Columbus. [Daniel Konik | Statehouse News Bureau] DriveOhio, the state’s smart mobility initiative, said the second phase of EV charging stations are being installed. Spokesperson Brianna Badanes said a combination of state and federal funds are being used to install 22 new electric vehicle fast-charging stations along Interstates 270, 275, 675, 680, 71, 76, and 77 as well as state Routes 23, 30 and 33. Badanes said this is the second phase of a five-year long project that’s being accomplished as part of the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.” [WOUB, 5/18/24 (=)]
Untangling when Oregonians are eligible for the state's electric vehicle rebate — “The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate program closed in May 2023 when it ran out of funding and reopened this spring for just two months, ending June 3, based on funding estimates. But so many people already have applied for the rebates this spring that funding is likely to be exhausted ahead of the June deadline. Oregonians who purchased an EV during the two-month window, however, still might be able to get a refund if taxes collected by Oregon dealerships are higher than expected.” [Salem Statesman Journal, 5/19/24 (=)]
Thieves target electric vehicle charging stations, likely for copper in cables: officials — “An undesired trend seen all around the country is now playing out in Philadelphia. A Roxborough charging station for electric vehicles (EV) was vandalized on Ridge Avenue. Plastic bags are covering the charging cables that were sliced off.” [Fox 29, 5/17/24 (=)]
Research, Analysis & Opinion |
Opinion | Biden electric vehicle mandates not practical for Montana — “Life in Montana takes energy. Companies and individuals across the state have worked tirelessly over the years to ensure Montanans have the power to go about their lives in the way they want. It is part of what makes Montana the Last Best Place. However, the Biden-Harris administration’s new EPA mandate threatens that freedom. Under the EPA’s final rule, two-thirds of vehicles sold by U.S. automakers need to be battery-powered or plug-in hybrid by 2032.” [Western News, 5/17/24 (-)]
Opinion | EVs Unwanted, Dangerous, Unloved Lemons — “OK, please imagine for a moment that you recently cashed in all your Christmas or Hanukkah and birthday money to purchase ingredients to open a curbside lemonade stand, only to discover that your nutrition-conscious neighbors weren't all that interested in buying your product. Making matters worse, Suzi, your competitor across the street whose daddy and mommy own a grocery store that sold you the sugar and lemons, got hers for free and made her lemonade even sweeter.” [Newsmax, 5/17/24 (-)]
Report: Pricey Electric Cars Driven 20 Percent Less Than Gas-Powered Vehicles — “A recent report from ISeeCars.com said drivers are using electric vehicles (EVs) 20 percent less than those powered by gas, the outlet reported Friday. The news comes as Biden wants a national network of 500,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030 as he charges ahead with his “climate agenda,” Breitbart News reported April 1.” [Breitbart, 5/19/24 (-)]
RESPONSES TO THIS EMAIL ARE NOT MONITORED
To receive Cars Clips or other Clean Vehicles Coalition (CVC) materials, please contact Al-Batool Ibrahim
(aibrahim@partnershipproject.org)
For any other questions or comments, please contact Patience Warren