Show #1221
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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Friday 24th September. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they’ve built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It’s a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.
Saturday Special – listen this weekend for Ian Johnston from Osprey Charging talking about the future of fueling up, and the innovative load-sharing solutions he’s bringing to the UK.
A couple of listener comments from yesterday’s podcast…Chris in Texas says that I didn’t mention the effective price of the Audio Q4 e-tron yesterday. Whilst it has a competitive price of $43,900 for the Q4 40, I forgot to mention the federal tax credit, which means I should be saying $36,400 after incentives. That’s a good price for a 82kWh car, with 201hp and sub-8 second 0-60mph. EPA range possibly around 250 miles.
And Michelle in Sacramento made a point about the Mercedes-Benz EQS. I talked about the starting price of $102,310 for the EQS 450+. That has a 107.8kWh pack with 487 miles of range on the WLTP. She pointed out the entry-level S Class is $109,800, so the EQS is almost 10 grand cheaper than the equivalent petrol.
FORD PARTNERS WITH TESLA FOUNDER ON BATTERY RECYCLING & SUPPLY CHAIN
“Ford Motor Co. announced on Wednesday plans to team up with a co-founder of Tesla Inc. on battery recycling in an effort to improve Ford’s domestic battery supply chain for electric vehicles.” reports the Detroit Free Press: “This new partnership with Redwood Materials, run by CEO J.B. Straubel, the first chief technology officer at Tesla, focuses on “localizing the complex supply chain network, creating recycling options for end-of-life vehicles, ramping lithium-ion recycling and increasing U.S. battery production,” Ford said in a news release. Straubel, who worked at Tesla from 2004 to 2019, has built a reputation for creating a circular supply chain for batteries and helping partners in the electric-vehicle and clean-energy industries by providing technologies to remanufacture lithium-ion batteries. As part of this new collaboration, Ford also announced it has invested $50 million in Redwood.”
They add: “Ford announced in May plans to manufacture battery cells and arrays, which store energy for later use, through multiple BlueOvalSK battery plants in North America starting around 2025. BlueOvalSK is the U.S. joint venture between Ford and SK Innovation.”
“With Ford, Redwood Materials is looking to be more deeply integrated than just a recycling partner. Straubel’s startup is working with the Detroit automaker to figure out plans for everything from helping to process scrap material, to finding new life for worn-down batteries with ample capacity remaining, to helping Ford create new batteries out of salvaged lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper.” says The Verge: “the overarching goal is one that Straubel has talked about frequently since founding Redwood Materials. The idea is to create a “circular” or “closed loop” system where the stuff that makes up lithium-ion batteries gets recycled and reused, which could theoretically drive down the cost of an EV’s battery while reducing the automaker’s reliance on imported materials and (one day) mining.”
JB was employee #5 at Tesla, he is as central to their success story as anyone else, and it’s not surprising Ford want to invest.
FOXCONN SAYS THAILAND EV FACTORY WILL BEGIN PRODUCING 50,000 UNITS BY 2023
“Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturing giant Foxconn and national Thailand oil supplier PTT PLC are moving forward with an agreement to start an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Thailand. The facility is expected to begin rolling out vehicles by 2023. Foxconn had previously reported plans to begin building factories in both Thailand and the U.S. next year.” says The Verge: “The initial production capacity of the Thailand facility will be around 50,000 units, which Foxconn says will increase three-fold by 2030. The Thailand plant officially marks Foxconn as an automaker in its own right, but the company is also working with EV maker Fisker on a U.S. manufacturing plant, which should also start production in 2023. The two companies signed a joint agreement, called Project PEAR,”
LUCID WILL BUILD 520 AIR DREAM EDITIONS
“The EPA recently released its official range figures for the limited Dream Edition and as the company expected, its 520 miles (836 kilometers) is the best range ever tested by the EPA, besting the Tesla Model S Long Range by over 100 miles (160 kilometers)” writes MotorIllustrated: “To commemorate this achievement, the company decided to increase production of the fully reserved Dream Edition up to 520 units, which means a number of customers that were previously on the waiting list will be able to buy the car after all. The Lucid Air Dream Edition can be ordered in two trims, the Dream Edition R, which provides the 520 mile (836 kilometer) range and delivers 933 horsepower, enough to power the large sedan to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2.7 seconds.”
The P version has 1,111 HP but sacrifices 49 miles of range.
BMW EXEC SAYS AUTOMAKER IS CAPPING EV RANGE AT 373 MILES (600KM)
“According to a recent report from WhichCar? out of Australia, a BMW executive said the automaker has no plans to produce electric vehicles with a range of over 600 kilometers (373 miles). The publication says drivers must rely on charging infrastructure if they plan to drive longer distances.” reports InsideEVs: “While nearly 400 miles of range is a pretty solid estimate for an EV produced today, it’s interesting that BMW would state that it has no intention of striving for more range. WhichCar writes that BMW i4 project leader David Ferrufino said the automaker won’t target a 1,000-kilometer driving range.”
He said: “One thousand kilometres of range is not a target we have with our fully-electric cars. We are aiming for 600 kilometres [of driving range] for our fully-electric cars, and 100 kilometres with our plug-in hybrids in everyday driving. For example, we don’t think a range of 600 kilometres will be suitable for a BMW i3 as an urban car, but when it comes to the BMW iX or i4, we think that around 600 kilometres is a very customer-friendly solution.”
Read more: https://insideevs.com/news/534914/bmw-capping-ev-range/
BMW I3 EDITION UNIQUE FOREVER
“The small car and its offshoot BMW i3s will be offered in a limited edition as Edition Unique Forever from November 2021. The 2,000 planned edition vehicles are to be distinguished by the particularly high-quality and exclusive design and equipment features, such as individualised exterior paintwork and a black insert for the rear bumper.” writes electrive.com: “In the interior of the edition vehicles, the Suite equipment line with its leather and fine wood trim and Ambiente lighting will be supplemented by specific design elements: the front headrests will have “Unique Forever” lettering, and the door trim panels in the area of the exterior mirrors will bear the inscription “One of 2 000”.”
Read more: https://www.electrive.com/2021/09/22/bmw-announces-battery-management-upgrade-for-the-ix3-and-i3/
NEW BATTERY MANAGEMENT FOR IX3
To ensure the fastest and most efficient power feed at DC fast-charging stations, regardless of operating and outside temperatures, the BMW iX3 will be equipped with intelligent thermal management for the high-voltage battery as in the BMW i4 / BMW iX from November 2021. As soon as the active route guidance of the navigation system foresees a stopover at a High Power Charging Station, it already ensures that the battery is automatically preconditioned before arrival.
The appropriate heating or cooling ensures that the high-voltage battery is at the ideal temperature for charging at maximum power on arrival. The thermal management takes into account, among other things, the battery temperature, the remaining range, the predicted charging power and the planned scope of the charging process as part of the overall route calculation.
RIVIAN’S APP LOOKS TO BE AWESOME
Owners Manuals
Delivery Appointment
Delivery Tracking
Delivery Status
Delivery Courrier
Diagnostics ( A lot of key data points, inverter temps, Trq tracking of all 4 wheels)
Charge State
Car Location
Body Closures/Opening (Locks, Gear Tunnel, Frunk)
System HVAC
Lighting
Tire Pressure
Odometer
Service Appointment
Here are some easter eggs located inside the app that are super neat.
First stand out is WINCH Picture and services thru the App for the following:
Controlled Via Bluetooth within Application
Free Spool
Winch Out
Winch In
BYD SHIPS ITS 1000TH BYD TANG SUV TO NORWAY
“Back in August, BYD launched its pure-electric Tang SUV for the European markets. It held a launch event by delivering to its first 100 customers. Now, BYD has reached a milestone point in sales in the European markets. That is, the brand has just shipped its 1000th pure-electric BYD Tang SUV to Norway. ” says Car News China: “To meet its customer demand, BYD has shipped 450 more units of the pure-electric Tang SUV to the Norway Market. These cars were imported from Guangzhou Port. BYD is planning to deliver 1500 more units of Tang SUV to the Norway market in 2021. BYD now has more than 43 dealers in various parts of Norway. The pure-electric all-wheel-drive Tang SUV features class-leading technology, including its 86.4kWh Blade Battery. The brand advertises it as the safest battery. The seven-seater Tang SUV has a range of 528km (WLTP City) and 400km (WLTP combined) with an impressive acceleration of 0-100km/h in under 4.6 seconds.”
Other Chinese makers quietly getting on with shipping to Europe- Geometry, NIO, Aiways and Xpeng.
https://carnewschina.com/2021/09/22/byd-ships-its-1000th-byd-tang-suv-to-norway/
NIO PRESENTS A HYBRID 75-KWH BATTERY PACK WITH LFP AND TERNARY CELLS
“NIO started its career with 70-kWh and 85-kWh swappable battery packs. As time went by, the 85-kWh battery pack was replaced by a 100-kWh unit. Rumors about a new battery pack to replace the 70-kWh component said it would come with LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cells. Still, nothing prepared us for what NIO would actually present: a 75-kWh hybrid battery pack that mixes ternary and LFP cells.” reports Gus at autoevolution: “The ternary batteries (NMC or NCA, NIO did not disclose which chemistry) improve the cold-weather performance and make the battery pack more accurate in determining the units’ SoC (state of charge). NIO says that mixing the two kinds of cells in the hybrid battery pack reduced range loss in low temperatures by 25% compared to a unit that worked solely with LFP cells. The mix itself is not the secret sauce but rather how NIO did it. The prices for BaaS with the 75-kWh battery pack will remain the same: RMB980 ($152 at the current exchange rate) per month”
E.ON AND VOLKSWAGEN LAUNCH FAST CHARGER WITH STORAGE BATTERY
We’ve seen this with other such as Freewire but now V.W are at it too.
The “E.ON Drive Booster” is an electric powerhouse that doesn’t need to draw its power directly from the grid but rather has its own integrated battery storage system. A normal power connection like those found at any supermarket and the internal battery together provide the necessary capacity to charge two electric vehicles simultaneously with up to 150 kW.
A normal charging column can also be upgraded very easily to the Booster. It is therefore ideal for branching into new locations rapidly and cost-effectively. Installation is easy: Place it, plug it in, configure it online – a “plug-and-play” charging station. There is no need for costly adaptations to infrastructure or civil engineering work. All this makes fast charging easy, affordable and possible anywhere.
READ MORE: VOLKSWAGEN GROUP CHINA BUILDS BATTERY SYSTEM FACTORY IN ANHUI
Volkswagen Group China is commencing construction of a battery system production factory in Hefei (Anhui province). VW Anhui Components Company is the first battery system plant to be wholly owned by the Group in China. Its initial annual capacity will be 150,000 to 180,000 high-voltage battery systems for Volkswagen Anhui’s all-electric vehicles based on the Group’s Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB platform). With an area of over 45,000 square meters, the plant will be located next to the production facilities of Volkswagen Anhui, Volkswagen’s first majority-owned joint venture for all-electric vehicles. Volkswagen Group China is investing over EUR 140 million until 2025 in the new plant and its facilities, with the start of production (SOP) targeted for the second half of 2023.
FOREIGN AUTO GROUP’S AD CAMPAIGN OPPOSES EV TAX CREDITS THAT FAVOR UNION SHOPS
“An advocacy organization for foreign automakers selling vehicles in the United States has launched a digital ad campaign opposing electric vehicle tax credits that would favor the Detroit Three by boosting union-made cars. ” says The Detroit News: “Autos Drive America’s first ad, “This is An Insult,” is being published “across various media platforms” in Washington, D.C., and in auto manufacturing states around the country, according to the organization. The group represents 12 foreign automakers, including Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp.”
Detroit News points out: “Non-unionized automakers will still benefit from receiving an unlimited number of consumer credits — currently, there’s a 200,000-vehicle cap, which has pushed General Motors and Tesla Inc. out of the running for the incentive.”
Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township: “I’m not going to apologize for the fact that we think labor-union supported workers should go to the front of the line. They helped build the middle class, we want to keep it that way. If we invest in jobs that have good wages, good benefits, good workers protections, that benefits everybody.”
MERCEDES VAN DEALER TO SUPPLY HERMES WITH 168 FULLY ELECTRIC ESPRINTERS
The boom in van deliveries continues as parcel collection and delivery company Hermes orders 168 fully electric Mercedes-Benz eSprinters. The company’s first substantial investment in battery-powered vans follows successful trials from a depot in Enfield, north London, of a pair of eSprinter demonstrators supplied by Intercounty Truck & Van.” according to Motor Trader website: “Hermes plans to undertake all ParcelShop collections with electric vehicles at the earliest opportunity.”
GOLD MINER LOOKS TO DITCH DIESEL IN W.A.
“South African Gold Fields, one of the world’s largest gold mining firms, will trial two mining-specific battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from Swedish engineering company Sandvik at its St Ives operation in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields region.” says The Driven: “Sandvik announced this week that it would partner with Gold Fields to trial its new LH518B 18- tonne BEV underground loader as well as an Artisan Z50 50-tonne BEV truck. Both vehicles will be put into service in the Hamlet North mine, part of the St Ives mine near Lake Lefroy. And using Sandvik’s AutoSwap self-swapping battery system, it will have the option to install fresh batteries in under six minutes for both the Z50 and LH518B – a significant advantage over fast-recharge battery vehicles in the mining context.”
GERMAN ELECTION: WHY THE NEXT GOVERNMENT WANTS TO OVERHAUL TRANSPORT
The first milestone was achieved this past July, when more than 1 million fully electric and hybrid cars were finally registered on German roads. A purchase premium introduced in 2016 has seen over €2 billion ($2.4 billion) going as subsidies to buyers willing to own more environmentally friendly vehicles. The premium is to stay in place under the new government.” says dw.com: “All mainstream parties are ready to grant continuing and large-scale financial support for battery development and production at home. A further boost toward cleaner individual transport is expected from Tesla’s new Gigafactory outside Berlin, which is be operational at the end of the year and is eventually expected to produce about half a million fully electric cars per year. The development of hydrogen-powered vehicles is not seen as a priority among the parties.”
https://www.dw.com/en/german-election-why-the-next-government-wants-to-overhaul-transport/a-58753744
QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM
Either how long have you waited, OR, how long would you wait, to have an electric vehicle once you’ve decided to purchase?
Email me your thoughts and I’ll read them out on Sunday – hello@evnewsdaily.com
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Come and say hi on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter just search EV News Daily, have a wonderful day, I’ll catch you tomorrow and remember…there’s no such thing as a self-charging hybrid.
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