Show #1449
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, you trusted source of EV information. It’s Thursday 28th April, it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
VW SAID TO CONSIDER BUILDING ID. BUZZ, ELECTRIC PICKUP IN THE US
– Ever since Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Buzz in early March, the automaker constantly had to answer questions regarding the possibility that the electric van will also be made in the United States.
– reports claim that Volkswagen is considering an expansion of its Chattanooga plant in Tennessee. A source close to the matter told Reuters that the automaker plans to build an electric pickup and the ID. Buzz at the new facility.
– VW has not confirmed plans for an electric pickup yet, although VW Group CEO Herbert Diess and VW of America CEO Scott Keogh have vaguely hinted at such plans.
– The report ties in with another one from Germany’s Manager Magazin from earlier today. The publication wrote that Volkswagen was planning to build a second production plant in the US that would increase its annual capacity to up to 600,000 vehicles.
– VW Group announced on March 21 that it plans to invest at least $7.1 billion in North America over the next five years.
Original Source : https://insideevs.com/news/582632/vw-said-to-consider-building-id-buzz-electric-pickup-us/
VOLKSWAGEN REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING A SECOND US PRODUCTION SITE PLUS NEW BATTERY CELL PLANT
– With competitors like Nissan, General Motors, and Ford Motor Co. all manufacturing EVs in the state of Tennessee, it is very quickly becoming a mecca for electrification in the US and could soon be number one, according to the head of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
– Current ID.4 production capacity in Chattanooga is expected to be from 100,000 to 120,000 units per year as the automaker adds a third production shift creating about 4,500 jobs. Combined with existing production for VW’s Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, the Chattanooga plant would essentially be maxed out.
– The report also states that VW is considering a battery plant near the Chattanooga plant(s) as well.
– According to VW exec Scott Keogh, the company’s current plan is to source its EV battery cells from SK Innovation at the new $2.6 billion factory it is building in Georgia. In terms of a potential US battery plant, Keogh said VW will need units.
Original Source : https://electrek.co/2022/04/29/volkswagen-reportedly-considering-a-second-us-production-site-plus-new-battery-cell-plant/
VOLKSWAGEN & BP LAUNCH PARTNERSHIP TO ROLL-OUT EV FAST CHARGING IN EUROPE
– Volkswagen Group and energy giant bp have launched a strategic partnership that will aim to boost the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across Europe, unveiling the first charger in Dusseldorf, Germany. The partnership aims to rapidly building a fast charging network across Europe by 2024.
– The roll-out will feature Volkswagen’s Flexpole 150kW charging units, each of which feature two charge points, and an integrated battery storage system.
– The Flexpole units can be directly connected to a low voltage grid which removes the requirement for a dedicated substation and costly construction work, while providing fast charging speeds of up to 150kW
– The first phase of the roll-out will see up to an additional 4,000 charge points at bp’s Aral retail sites in Germany and bp retail sites in the UK over the next 24 months.
– bp’s charging network will be integrated into Volkswagen, ŠKODA and Seat/Cupra in-car dashboards ensuring drivers can find their nearest charger seamlessly.
Original Source : https://www.autofutures.tv/2022/04/28/volkswagen-bp-launch-partnership-to-roll-out-ev-fast-charging-in-europe/
USPS HIT BY CAROLYN MALONEY ON LIMITING ELECTRIC VEHICLE PURCHASES
– he U.S. Postal Service used “faulty” assumptions in limiting its purchase of electric mail-delivery trucks in its $6 billion fleet replacement plan, a top House Democrat said Tuesday.
– The postal service used a low gas price and assumed higher maintenance costs for an electric vehicle than for gas-powered, said Representative Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat who is pushing for the service to buy more battery-powered vehicles.
– The service last month said it had doubled, to about 10,000, the number of electric vehicles in its initial order. The trucks will be among 50,000 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles from Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp.
– Maloney referred to a Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday. The congressional watchdog said the postal service used a gas price that is almost $2 per gallon less than the current national average price of gas.
– The Postal Service is moving forward over objections of the Biden administration with its $6 billion plan to purchase as many as 165,000 mail trucks over the next 10 years, with up to 90% of those running on gasoline instead of more climate-friendly batteries.
Original Source : https://www.chicagobusiness.com/manufacturing/usps-hit-carolyn-maloney-limiting-electric-vehicle-purchases
AMAZON POSTS A LOSS AS ONLINE SHOPPING SLOWS, STOCK TANKS
– Amazon swung to a loss in the first quarter as the receding pandemic tempted consumers away from online shopping and a souring investment in Rivian Automotive prompted a $7.6 billion “non-operating expense.”
– The company invested in the electric truck maker before it went public. Though Rivian’s shares initially surged and reached a high of around $180, the stock price has since sunk to about $32 a share.
Original Source : https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/amazon-posts-a-loss-as-online-shopping-slows-stock-tanks/
FORD CUTS 580 U.S. SALARIED, AGENCY WORKERS AS IT RESTRUCTURES FOR EVS
– Ford Motor is cutting 580 U.S. salaried employees and agency workers as part of its ongoing Ford+ turnaround plan, the company confirmed Wednesday night.
– The cuts, which will be completed by the end of the week, come less than two months after Ford said it would reorganize operations to separate its electric and internal combustion engine businesses into different units within the automaker.
– The employee cuts, which were first reported by the Detroit Free Press, are only about 1% of the company’s roughly 31,000 U.S. salaried workforce. As of the end of last year, Ford had 186,769 employees globally
Original Source : https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/28/ford-cuts-580-us-salaried-agency-workers-as-it-restructures-for-evs.html
MILITARY EVS ARE A NECESSARY AWAKENING — NOT ‘WOKENESS’
– The United States Army has been forward-leaning and open about integrating climate change factors into future force design. Detractors have derided these initiatives and associated electric vehicle (EV) programs as “wokeness.”
– Commander Michael Knickerbocker
– Electric vehicle adoption by the United States Armed Forces is about waking up and realizing the force multiplying power of the electric revolution. Such an awakening will benefit the future force by maximizing efficiency in warfighting logistics, budgetary appropriation and management of technicians.
– Electric vehicles are up to three times more efficient than their gasoline counterparts in energy usage efficiency while offering instant torque and superior ratios for towing capacity.
– Fewer moving parts reduce maintenance frequency and the rate of material failures. Components that fail are more modular when replaced, allowing shorter downtime to complete repairs. And fewer parts mean a smaller footprint in storerooms required onboard ships or at forward operating bases. That footprint is further reduced by the lack of need for lubricants and coolants required by gasoline-powered vehicles.
– Anything that reduces the time frame to receive newly trained personnel and then reduces the required man-hours for necessary maintenance is a force multiplier.
– Military EV experimentation to overcome the unique engineering challenges presented by the operational environment could be the key to accelerating solutions to existing shortfalls while unlocking additional and unforeseen potential of electric vehicles.
– they also free up existing fuel on ships and at forward operating bases to be used elsewhere. This mean more fuel for aircraft, tanks and other combat platforms.
– Commander Michael Knickerbocker is a United States Navy surface warfare officer
Original Source : https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/3469206-military-evs-are-a-necessary-awakening-not-wokeness/
HERTZ LAYS OUT 17 EUROPEAN ROAD TRIPS PERFECT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVERS
– Those who were afraid that the rise of the electric vehicle would spell the end of the road trip may now rejoice because Hertz has done the math and found 17 scenic, idyllic, picturesque driving routes around Europe ideal for the newfangled vehicles.
– There are, for instance, two tours in the U.K., one of which goes from East Devon to Dorset along 95 miles (153 km) of what is known as the Jurassic Coast. Famed for its dinosaur fossils from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, drivers will be able to see many landmarks of England’s only natural World Heritage Site as they stop at one of 21 EV charging points along the route
– In Spain, meanwhile, Hertz has recommendations for those who want to see the famous cities of Barcelona or Valencia, or who want to visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Malaga. In France, there are trips along the French Riviera or the Alps depending on your preferences.
– In Italy, road trippers can visit the Emilia Romagna region, home of the country’s most famous food culture. They can also visit the Amalfi Coast or see Northern Italy to visit Monza and stop at one of the 596 EV chargers on the route.
Original Source : https://www.carscoops.com/2022/04/hertz-lays-out-17-european-road-trips-perfect-for-electric-vehicle-drivers/
RESEARCHERS FIND E-BIKES OUTPACING ELECTRIC CARS SALES IN THE U.S.
– People in urban areas are starting to realize that sometimes, it’s faster to go by bike than to drive from place to place. Especially when the bike is electric-assisted and capable of zooming through traffic at the same speed as most city speed limits, without the hassle of finding parking. And now that e-cargo bikes are becoming more readily available and kitted out for comfort, it’s an easier decision than ever to swap the minivan for an e-bike.
– Edward Benjamin of the Light Electric Vehicle Association predicts that more than 1 million e-bikes will be sold in the U.S. this year, as the bike industry slowly begins to rebound from the effects of supply chain slowdowns and lack of stock in bike shops
– As parents struggled to avoid crowded subways during the COVID pandemic, e-bikes became a practical way to transport the kiddos to school in style, without breaking a sweat or requiring a parking space in the drop-off/pick-up zone.
– While buying an electric car may still be out of many consumers’ price ranges, with e-bikes becoming more affordable, it’s possible to get a decent e-bike for sub-$1,500, making it an easier purchase to combat high fuel costs.
– E-bike sales have also surpassed non-e-bike sales in terms of popularity and growth (though not actual numbers quite yet)
Original Source : https://www.bicycling.com/news/a39838840/ebikes-are-outpacing-electric-car-sales-in-the-us/
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