Ev batteries

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Towards the end of 2020, a very controversial report was circulating in the UK and receiving wide coverage in newspapers (albeit mostly the right-leaning ones). It became known as #AstonGate, referring to the main company behind the report (which had tried to hide its involvement). The resulting backlash didn’t reflect well on those involved, but it did signal something positive. We can’t just consider tailpipe emissions, and we can’t just consider the fuel source emissions of a vehicle either. We must also take the environmental impact of production into account – and vehicle disposal / recycling at end of life. Only then can we truly know which kind of car is greener. EVs produce more carbon during their production, mostly due to the battery. But accurately calculating lifetime emissions is hard, because there are so many variables to balance. Many attempts fail. In the last month or so, a TEDx talk published on YouTube … [Read more...] about We Need To Measure Total Lifecycle Emissions For Cars – But EVs Still Win

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin No matter what you may think of Tesla TSLA and its controversial CEO, it still does at least one thing better than any other company in the EV space. The Tesla charging experience remains head and shoulders above the rest of the industry. It’s simple to use and mostly very reliable. As General Motors GM begins the rollout of a whole range of new EVs, it is trying to tackle the easy charging part with its own implementation of Plug & Charge capability. As the name suggests, Plug & Charge is meant to make the use of public chargers brain dead simple. Just plug a cable into an EV and it magically starts flowing electrons into the battery. There is an industry standard called ISO 15118 which defines vehicle to grid communication protocols. Part of this standard is Plug&Charge. When a vehicle is connected to a charger, they shake hands, the vehicle is authenticated including payment information and the … [Read more...] about All GM EVs Add Plug And Charge Capability

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Drivers across the United States are suffering unprecedented pain at the pump, with national average prices spiking above $5 per gallon . Fortunately an inflation-busting option is ready to go – modeling shows electric vehicles save drivers thousands per year compared to internal combustion engines in most states. But these consumer-protection economics hinge upon the U.S. Senate passing legislation that has languished for months after passing the House of Representatives. The existing $7,500 federal EV tax credit cap of 200,000 vehicles sold has been surpassed by GM and Tesla TSLA while Ford, Nissan, and Toyota will likely exceed it this year. Without those extremely valuable incentives, EVs and billions in annual savings will slip out of reach for many families. If the Senate passes reconciliation legislation extending the EV tax credit cap for automakers and increases the federal tax credit to $10,000, it will … [Read more...] about Americans Are Suffering Record Pain At The Pump. Will Congress Provide Electric Vehicle Relief?

- A + A TOKYO (June 24): Toyota Motor shares slipped after it recalled some of its first mass-made all-electric cars, launched two months ago, because of a risk of wheels coming loose, a setback to its ambitions to electrify its model range. Toyota, the world's largest automaker by sales, said on Thursday it would recall 2,700 bZ4X sport utility vehicles globally. Subaru Corp, in which Toyota has a nearly 20% stake, also said it was recalling about 2,600 units of the Solterra, a related model. The Solterra, Subaru's first all-electric vehicle, was jointly developed with Toyota and shares major components with the bZ4X. The recall added to problems at Toyota, which has been forced to cut production frequently this year due to the global chip shortage and other supply issues and is facing investor pressure because of its slowness in embracing battery electric vehicles (BEVs). "It's embarrassing," said Christopher Richter, an analyst at CLSA. "People have waited … [Read more...] about Toyota, Subaru shares drop on ’embarrassing’ recalls of first EVs

- A + A (June 23): Chinese stocks rose to a near four-month closing high on Thursday (June 23), while Hong Kong's share benchmark gained over 1%, as Chinese tech companies and automakers jumped on Beijing's policy support. The market also drew inspiration from a surge in Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), following its US$6.7 billion (about RM29.52 billion) private placement and China's planned introduction of new stock index derivatives. US and European central banks "have been raising interest rates and shrinking balance sheets, but China has been loosening monetary policies to stabilise growth", said Linus Yip, the chief strategist at First Shanghai Group. In addition, "valuations of China and Hong Kong stocks are lower than their US peers". China's blue-chip index of CSI 300 rose 1.7% to the highest closing level since early March. The Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.6%, also hitting a near four-month closing high. Hong … [Read more...] about China, HK stocks gain on Beijing’s support to tech, auto

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The second stronghold of Ford’s European operations could fall in 2025, with Ford confirming it will not replace the German-made Focus hatchback after its lifecycle ends in 2025. Ford of Europe Chairman Stuart Rowley told a conference call of journalists today he was hunting for “alternative opportunities” for the Saarlouis body assembly and manufacturing operation. There is no confirmed change for the giant Cologne operation that has been Ford’s continental mainstay since 1929, which will take the lion’s share of production of Volkswagen MEB-based EVs from 2023. The options for Ford include selling the plant to another automaker or repurposing it for other, unconfirmed operations. "We are seeking other alternative opportunities for vehicle production at Saarlouis, including other manufacturers," Rowley said today. "We do not have in our planning cycle an additional model that goes into Saarlouis." It … [Read more...] about Ford To Close Its German Plant In 2025, Ford Of Europe Chairman Confirms

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Planning to buy an electric vehicle? Your net cost could depend on how successful the lobbyists of General Motors GM , Toyota, Ford and Chrysler parent company Stellantis are and whether West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is ready to strike a deal with his fellow Democrats. Back in 2008, in an effort to jump start the electric car business, Congress created a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $7,500 for eligible vehicles–a credit which (as modified in 2009) starts to phase out once a carmaker has sold 200,000 electric vehicles. After a manufacturer hits the initial cap, the credit gets slashed by 50% for half a year and then by 75% for another half a year, before disappearing entirely. Tesla TSLA hit the total phase-out at the end of 2019 and General Motors at the end of March 2020. Toyota is expected to reach the 200,000 threshold soon, having sold more than 180,000 eligible vehicles as of the end of 2021 , … [Read more...] about Elon Musk Wants The Electric Vehicle Tax Credit To Disappear; Joe Manchin Might Oblige

Tesla, Inc. ( TSLA ) has raised the price of several of its US electric vehicles (EVs) again due to a combination of inflation and supply chain constraints. The shortage of semiconductor chips is also a threat to the company's growth. The price hike affects the long-range version of the Model 3 as well as the high-end models such as Model Y and Model X. The steepest increase is for the Model X Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive which will now be available at $120,990, up from $114,990--a difference of $6000. The Model S Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive will also cost $5000 more and will sell at $104,990, up from $99,990. While the price revision will not affect the most affordable Rear-Wheel Drive version of the Model 3 which sells at $46,990, the cost of the Long Range Model 3 will be higher by $2,500 and will be sold at $57,990. The Long Range Model Y will also cost $3000 more, with a new sticker price of $65,990. Key Takeaways Tesla has increased the price of some of its US … [Read more...] about Tesla Raises Prices for Some Models in the U.S.

An investigation of Amazon.com Inc. is being sought by a congressional committee into potential criminal obstruction of Congress, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a letter and people familiar with the matter. Republican and Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter marked March 9 to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the WSJ said. Amazon refused to provide information sought by the committee, as part of the Antitrust Subcommittee's investigation into the online retailer's competitive practices, WSJ said. That refusal amounted to a cover up of an alleged lie Amazon told about outside sellers it hosts. Amazon was not immediately reachable for comment, the WSJ said, and the Justice Department also could not be reached. “Amazon repeatedly endeavored to thwart the Committee’s efforts to uncover the truth about Amazon’s business practices,” the congressional letter says, according to the report. “For this, it must be held accountable.” The … [Read more...] about Amazon Probe Sought at Justice Dept. for Potential Criminal Obstruction, Report Says

- A + A BERLIN (June 23): McDonalds versus Burger King. Apple versus Microsoft. Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. The business world is riddled with rivalries. A new one may be taking shape as Volkswagen tries to unseat Tesla as the leading maker of electric cars. VW is in a “good second position” behind Tesla on EVs and making progress on battery production, charging infrastructure and software, Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess said Wednesday at a tech conference in Berlin. “We think we can close the gap a little bit in the next months,” he said. Europe’s biggest automaker could overtake its US rival as soon as 2024, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts predicted last week. Elon Musk disputed this Tuesday during the Qatar Economic Forum, telling Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait that he “would not agree” with the forecast. He instead praised Chinese carmakers before saying that at Tesla, “we don’t really think about other competitors.” I’m not so sure about … [Read more...] about Tesla and Volkswagen square off in duel for electric-car dominance