Show #1384

 

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Wednesday 23rd February. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.

 

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BMW I7 M70 COULD BE THE BRAND’S FLAGSHIP ELECTRIC VEHICLE

 

– In a few weeks, BMW will finally unveil the latest generation BMW 7 Series, and along with it, the first ever BMW i7 electric limousine. There is a lot riding on the success of the new 7 Series, and as you’d expect, it’s quite an important car for BMW.

 

– The luxury limousine has historically introduced new technology which eventually trickled down to other BMW models. So that trend is likely to continue with the G70 generation.

 

– a BMW i7 M70 makes a lot more sense than the previously reported i7 M60. And to further differentiate itself from the BMW iX M60, the rumored i7 M70 will likely have more power and range. The 2023 BMW iX M60 offers 610 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque, along with an estimated 280-mile range. So we expect a BMW i7 M70 to offer at least 630-640 horsepower and a similar, if not better, electric range.

 

Original Source : https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/02/23/bmw-i7-m70-electric-vehicle

 

2023 BMW I7 TEASED DURING ACOUSTIC TESTING AHEAD OF WORLD PREMIERE

 

– A fully electric car gives automakers a bit more headaches in terms of noise insulation. With no combustion engine to cancel wind and tire noises, you begin to hear more unwanted sounds. That’s obviously not acceptable for a fullsize premium sedan, which is why BMW is going the extra mile to make the cabin of its next-generation 7 Series a veritable luxury cocoon.

 

– With the i7, BMW has acoustically optimized the electric drivetrain by developing a bespoke mount for the electric motors. These have a specific noise encapsulation to guarantee a silent operation, enhanced by installing a foam absorber in the tires. Body rigidity at the front is also up compared to previous 7 Series generations, while the flush door handles diminish wind noise.

 

– the 2023 BMW i7 will have aero-optimized side mirror caps (why not cameras though?) and a nearly closed underbody.

 

Original Source : https://www.motor1.com/news/569031/2023-bmw-i7-acoustic-testing

 

2022 BMW I7 M50 ELECTRIC LIMO TO OFFER ALMOST 400 MILES OF RANGE

 

– BMW is gearing up to launch the BMW i7, which will become a new rival for the likes of the new Mercedes EQS and the stalwart Tesla Model S when it goes on sale at the end of 2022.

 

– We expect the i7 to be offered with both the 71kWh and 105.2kWh battery packs from the BMW iX

 

– Thanks to slipperier aerodynamics, the range-topping i7’s lower power consumption should provide a range of nearly 400 miles, despite using the same dual motor system found in the iX xDrive50.

 

– The i7 prototype in BMW’s official shots is still heavily camouflaged, so there’s nothing new to glean on the design front. The car’s shape is more that of a traditional three-box saloon than the ultra-curvy, hatchback-style EQS. A long bonnet and high shoulder line combines with a low nose, while the rear follows the classic large saloon format.

 

– The i7 will be based on BMW’s modular CLAR platform and powered by its fifth-generation eDrive technology, which also appears in the new i4 saloon and iX. Using this EV drive system should dramatically reduce production times, because it groups the electric motor, transmission and electronics into a single unit.

 

Original Source : https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/7-series/356730/2022-bmw-i7-m50-electric-limo-offer-almost-400-miles-range

 

ELECTRIC CAR PRICES COULD BE ABOUT TO PLUMMET

 

– Battery electric vehicle (EV) prices have already fallen dramatically and are expected to reach parity with petrol or diesel cars between 2025 and 2027 – and be cheaper very soon after.

 

– The price drop is partly due to advancements in the batteries, set to tumble further still, as well as carmakers producing more mass market cars.

 

– In 2019 many electric cars were bought up by commercial fleets – taxi or car hire companies or those with company cars – after the government offered tax breaks for EVs.

 

– These companies tend to sell off those vehicles after two to three years, so those are about to enter the second-hand market.And Britain loves to buy second-hand cars. Last year around 7.5 million used cars changed hands, compared with two million new ones.

 

Original Source : https://news.sky.com/story/electric-car-prices-are-about-to-plummet-heres-why-12536407

 

CHINA’S ENVISION AESC TO MAKE BATTERIES WITH 1,000 KM OF RANGE IN 2024

 

– Chinese battery producer Envision AESC Group expects to start building batteries capable of giving EVs a range of at least 1,000 km (620 miles) in 2024.

 

– Envision currently supplies its lithium-ion battery packs to Nissan where they are used in the Leaf. It is understood that battery developments will allow it to pack the cells closer together. It will also work to improve storage efficiency in order to reduce charging times by around 30 per cent to less than 20 minutes. Envision is also set to double the number of battery cells in each car which increases range but also makes vehicles heavier.

 

– Nikkei Asia reports that Envision will establish a new plant in Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo that will produce the new batteries.

 

Original Source : https://www.carscoops.com/2022/02/chinas-envision-aesc-to-make-batteries-with-1000-km-of-range-in-2024/

 

WATER CHALLENGE FOR TESLA GIGAFACTORY WHERE MUSK MOCKED SUPPLY CONCERN

 

– Groundwater levels in the Brandenburg area have been dropping for the past three decades because of climate change, and the region has experienced droughts in each of the last four years, Bloomberg reported. That means there wouldn’t be enough water for residents when Tesla scales up its factory, experts and local authorities told the newswire.

 

– They are now taking Brandenburg’s environment office to court, with a first hearing set for March 4, claiming that the effects of climate change were not considered when authorities gave the green light for a groundwater pump for Tesla’s Gigafactory, Bloomberg reported.

 

– Joerg Steinbach, Brandenburg’s economy minister, told Bloomberg that “the current water supply is sufficient for the first stage of the factory” but when Tesla expands the factory, the area will need more water.

 

– Axel Bronstert, hydrology professor at the University of Potsdam, told Bloomberg that the amount of water consumed in the region would double because of the factory and described the water supply issue as “serious.”

 

Original Source : https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-german-factory-overuse-water-droughts-production-delays-2022-2

 

CHINA NEV SALES DROP 18.6% IN JANUARY AFTER SUBSIDY CUT

 

– Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China fell 18.6% month-on-month in January after the country cut subsidies for NEVs by 30%, industry data showed on Friday.

 

– Sales of NEVs, which include battery-powered electric vehicles, plug-in petrol-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, in January reached 431,000, representing an annual increase of 135.8%, according to data of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

 

– December sales surged as buyers rushed in ahead of a subsidy cut that took place in January

 

– China has ambitious goals in promoting NEVs as part of efforts to curb air pollution and believes the industry has matured enough to be driven by demand rather than subsidies.

 

Original Source : https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/china-jan-auto-sales-see-first-monthly-rise-after-eight-months-falls-2022-02-18/

 

LUCID AIR PREPARES FOR ITS FIRST RECALL FOR STRUT DAMPER REPLACEMENT

 

– Lucid Group is communicating to owners of the Air electric vehicle that it will be issuing a recall for front strut dampers that may have been manufactured by the supplier with the snap ring installed in the wrong orientation.

 

– This will be Lucid’s first recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since it started deliveries of the Air Dream Edition sedan in October 2021. “Lucid has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2022 Lucid Air vehicles,” it said.

 

– “This condition may result in sudden loss of ground clearance, vehicle vibration, and front brake line damage, increasing the risk of a crash,” Lucid said in the e-mail. “A snap fail could occur without warning to the driver. If the failure causes damage to the electrical connections to the damper, the driver would receive a warning message station ‘Suspension Control Fault. Contact Service Center.’ If the failure results in a brake hose leak and the brake fluid level falls below 81.9% of the minimum recommended brake fluid volume, the driver would receive a warning message station ‘Brake Fluid Level Low. Refill Required, Contact Service Center,’ with an accompanying audible warning.”

 

– Lucid will inspect and fix the front strut dampers, if necessary.

 

Original Source : https://www.teslarati.com/lucid-air-first-recall-strut-dampers-nhtsa/

 

VOLKSWAGEN PLANS IPO OF PORSCHE TO IGNITE EV SHIFT MOMENTUM

 

– Volkswagen AG is preparing an initial public offering of Porsche, seeking a listing of its most profitable asset to help boost the parent’s valuation and fund the push into electric vehicles.

 

– Under a plan code-named “Phoenix,” the carmaker and Porsche Automobil Holding SE, the billionaire Porsche and Piech family’s main investment vehicle, have sketched out a framework that navigates VW’s convoluted structure. Investors could be offered about 25% of non-voting shares in the iconic sportscar maker while the family buys a minority blocking stake, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

 

– The tentative listing, estimated to value the sportscar brand at as much as 85 billion euros ($96 billion)

 

– Going ahead will require walking a tightrope between key shareholders that own almost all of the group’s voting stock and external investors under VW’s complex governance structure. The owner family, the German state of Lower Saxony and Qatar together control about 90% of voting rights.

 

– Europe’s biggest carmaker has been pushing for years to adopt a less centralized corporate structure to become more nimble and step up its challenge to Tesla Inc. Success has been modest. The IPO of Traton SE, VW’s truckmaking unit, fizzled amid internal ructions and a limited free float, while a plan to separate the Lamborghini supercar and Ducati motorcycle brands didn’t progress.

 

– Separating Porsche could offer a new funding option for the group. VW largely relies on generating enough cash on its own or issue bonds. Its convoluted shareholder structure limits options to raise fresh equity capital like Tesla has done, without diluting shareholdings of key stakeholders that control about 90% of VW’s voting stock.

 

Original Source : https://finance.yahoo.com/news/volkswagen-advanced-talks-potential-porsche-092140273.html

 

BIDEN WANTS TO CUT INTO CHINA’S ELECTRIC BATTERY DOMINANCE

 

– President Joe Biden highlighted his efforts to counter China’s dominance of the electric battery market on Tuesday as he touted domestic efforts to mine and process lithium and rare metals necessary to create the technology that powers cars, electronics, wind turbines and more.

 

– The Democratic president announced his administration is giving $35 million to MP Materials, a company that mines rare earth metals near the Nevada border in Southern California,. The funding will boost MP’s ability to process the materials domestically for use in U.S. manufacturing.

 

– “We can’t build a future that’s made in America if we ourselves are dependent on China for the materials that power the products of today and tomorrow,” Biden said. “And this is not anti-China, or anti-anything else. It’s pro-America.”

 

– Newsom said lithium extraction in California has the potential to boost national security by improving domestic supply chains and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Biden earlier noted the nation could produce a half-million electric cars per year by 2025.

 

– Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy is among several companies working on extracting lithium from geothermal brine found around the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake.

 

Original Source : https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-nevada-environment-and-nature-630a11b14d738335d9d336bc9b51be8e

 

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