Show #1558
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 Wednesday 10th August, it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
ŠKODA ANNOUNCES RAFT OF UPDATES AND ENHANCEMENTS FOR ENYAQ IV
ŠKODA is introducing a number of key specification and equipment enhancements to its award-winning ENYAQ iV range.
All new ENYAQ iV models benefit from the latest version of ŠKODA’s MEB platform software (ME3) which introduces a range of improvements and updates. These include the ability for future updates to the car’s operating software, made over the air (OTA). In addition, the new software includes an upgrade to the navigation system and head-up display along with visual improvements to the heating and ventilation infotainment screens to make the user experience even smoother. Remote Access for three years is now a standard feature on all ENYAQ iV models, having previously been an option.
The 2023MY ENYAQ iV is available to order now with prices starting from £38,480 OTR.
The software update also delivers improvements to the ENYAQ iV’s high voltage battery management systems. The changes further reduce electrical losses from the battery to ensure that drivers can maximise their driving range.
Convenience Plus: electrically operated tailgate with kick activation (virtual pedal) and remote access (1 year).
The expanded range of single options now includes a panoramic sunroof (£855 inc VAT), heat pump (£1,025 inc VAT), tow bar (£815 inc VAT), partition net screen (£170 inc VAT), and iV universal charger (£680 inc VAT).
https://skodamedia.com/en-gb/releases/1345
SALES LAUNCH FOR THE EQS SUV
The EQS SUV is the first all-electric luxury SUV from Mercedes-EQ. At market launch, the model range comprises three variants: EQS 450+
and EQS 450 4MATIC
each with 265 kW output, and the EQS 580 4MATIC
with 400 kW. The prices start at 110,658.10 euros[2] for the EQS 450+. EQS 450 4MATIC and EQS 580 4MATIC cost 114,446.10 and 135,291.10 euros respectively2. The models can be ordered now and will reach the first customers in Europe in December. The model series is produced in a CO2-neutral manner at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa (USA).
There are not only three drive variants to choose from, but also three model types. These differ in several details, both outside and inside: Standard exterior & Electric Art Line interior Electric Art Exterior & Electric Art Interior AMG Line Exterior & AMG Line Interior
MBUX Augmented Reality Head-up Display (1,082.90 euros2): displays a lot of augmented reality content for driver assistance systems as well as navigation information. For the driver, they merge with the environment in front of the vehicle and can thus help to reduce driver distraction.
https://group-media.mercedes-benz.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko.xhtml?oid=53862160
ZEEKR RELEASES MORE IMAGES OF ZEEKR 009 MPV
After releasing the first images of the Zeekr 009 last week, Zeekr, Geely’s premium electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary, today released more images of the MPV.
The front of the Zeekr 009 features a large area of bright silver, an uncommon design that makes the model stand out.
Zeekr did not announce more information about the Zeekr 009, and they are expected to be known gradually in the near future.
Zeekr was founded in March 2021. Last April 15, Zeekr’s first model, the Zeekr 001, was unveiled as a hatchback, with deliveries starting last October.
The company first teased the Zeekr 009 on July 22, confirming it was building an electric MPV.
https://cnevpost.com/2022/08/09/zeekr-releases-more-images-of-zeekr-009-mpv/
FORD RAISES THE PRICES OF THE F-150 LIGHTNING ELECTRIC PICKUP DUE TO RISING RAW MATERIAL COSTS
Ford is raising prices of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup for the first time since its launch earlier this year. The automaker cited significant material cost increases and other factors for the price hikes of nearly 20% on Lightning models.Ford has adjusted MSRP starting with the opening of the next wave of F-150 Lightning orders, which were recently closed due to higher than expected demand for the battery-powered truck.
The automaker said prices for the 2023 F-150 Lightning will jump between $6,000 and $8,500 depending on the model. The entry-level F-150 Lightning Pro now starts at $47,000, which is up from the previous MSRP of $39,974.
Moving up the lineup the XLT now has an MSRP of $59,474. The XLT High starts at $68,474, while the XLT High Extended Range has jumped to $80,974. The Lariat is now priced at $74,474, while the Extended Range Larient jumped to $85,974.The top of the line F-150 Lightning Platinum Extended Range starts at $96,874, which increased by $6,000
For those customers already waiting for their F-150 Lightnings, Ford said it will honor the previous MSRP for all customer preorders, including those customers facing longer wait times due their specific configurations being unavailable.
In March, Ford rival Rivian also was forced to raise prices up to 20% for its electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV due to rising costs of raw materials and semiconductor shortages. Rivian CEO R.J Scaringe faced intense backlash for the price hikes, since the company failed to notify reservation holders ahead of time. In this case, the price increase also applied to Rivian reservation holders, some of which put down deposits for an electric Rivian vehicle back in 2020 and locked in favorable prices. Ford was careful not to repeat Rivian’s mistakes, which resulted in a flood of order cancellations.
GRIDSERVE RAISES £200M TO BOOST EV CHARGING IN UK
Gridserve has secured a £200m investment from Infracapital (about €237m). The company intends to invest fresh capital into expanding its national charging network of so-called Electric Forecourts and Electric Hubs.
While the partners claim Gridserve remained on track to deliver at least 5,000 High Power Chargers across Electric Super Hubs and Electric Forecourts by 2025, current numbers seem less extensive.
Gridserve said it has already received planning permission for more sites, including Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Bromborough. Still, Gridserve pledged in 2019 to open 100 Electric Forecourts in the UK by 2025, and it appears they have some way to go.
https://www.electrive.com/2022/08/09/gridserve-raises-200m-to-boost-ev-charging-across-the-uk/
FISKER HOPES LOOPHOLE WILL GUARANTEE US TAX CREDIT ON OCEAN EV
Under the current US electric vehicle tax credit, the upcoming Fisker Ocean EV would be eligible for the full $7,500, and you can imagine that at least some reservation holders are likely counting on it. However, if the newly proposed credit – which just passed the US Senate – goes into law, the Ocean won’t qualify.
The Fisker Ocean EV will be built by Magna in Austria beginning this upcoming November 2022. The new bill states that for EVs to qualify for the credit, they need to be built in North America. There are also rules related to the sourcing of materials either in North America or from a country that he a free trade agreement with the US. A recent article published by Green Car Congress points out that Fisker hopes to make sure his company’s customers can still get the credit.
According to Fisker, the bill’s “Transition Rule” could work in favor of current reservation holders, though he believes they’d need to enter into a binding contract before the new bill potentially goes into law. Basically, a taxpayer who has entered into a new vehicle contract ahead of the new law could be treated as a customer ordering a vehicle while the previous bill was still in place.
https://insideevs.com/news/603320/fisker-ocean-us-ev-tax-credit-loophole/
PROPOSED TAX BREAK FOR BUYING ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS TOO HARD TO GET, AUTO MAKERS SAY
Tesla has been investing in a battery supply chain for longer than traditional auto makers. Still, its vehicles likely wouldn’t qualify for tax credits under the proposed rules, people familiar with the company said. The company didn’t reply to a request for comment. Many car manufacturers have said they support the broad goal of developing a domestic battery-supply base and continue to review the specific measures in the legislation.
The new eligibility restrictions for the electric-vehicle tax credit are intended to prod auto and battery manufacturers to build out more of a supply base in the region, rather than rely on China for these critical automotive parts.When asked about the auto industry’s concerns, Mr. Manchin said during a Tuesday news conference that auto makers need to work faster to build a domestic electric-vehicle supply base.
The battery-material thresholds are even more difficult because the processing of minerals such as lithium and manganese is so concentrated in China that it could take years of investment in North America before those could be met, auto-industry and electric-vehicle lobbyists say. The bill through 2023 would require 40% of the battery minerals for electric vehicles to be mined and processed in the U.S. or partner countries or recycled in North America, rising to 80% after 2026
For now, though, China dominates the market for the processing of electric-vehicle minerals. The country accounts for 59% of global lithium processing, compared with 4% for the U.S., according to Benchmark. It processes 68% of the world’s nickel, compared with 1% for the U.S.
RIVIAN EDV WINS OVER AMAZON EMPLOYEE’S FIRST IMPRESSIONS
An Amazon delivery driver has posted their first impressions of Rivian’s Electric Delivery Van (EDV), showing many advantages over its ICE counterpart.
Via his YouTube channel Friday Adventure Club, a Seattle-based Amazon delivery driver posted his first impressions of the new Rivian EDV and praised its advantages over its ICE-powered counterparts. The driver loved the added storage capacity, the digital dash and center display, and the van’s keyless operation.
More delivery driver-specific upgrades the driver talks about include the more extensive rear storage with two sets of shelves, the digital dash and center screen that sync with the mobile delivery tablet; giving the driver a constant stream of directions, and the van’s key fob that latches to the driver’s vest; making the experience simpler and more streamlined.
https://www.teslarati.com/rivian-edv-amazon-employee-review-video/
THE ICONIC MEYERS MANX DUNE BUGGY MAKES ITS RETURN AS AN EV
The Meyers Manx, the iconic 50-year-old dune buggy that’s been copied thousands of times, is officially making its return in 2023. But this time around, it’s electric.
Details are still sparse on the little machine. The tl;dr is that it looks a lot like the iconic dune buggy designed more than 50 years ago and the real change is what’s underneath.
The Meyers Manx 2.0 will come with two different power options: a 20 kWh battery with around 150 miles of all-electric range or a 40 kWh battery with a company-estimated 300 miles of range.
The power comes from lithium-ion pouch batteries with an integrated battery management system. It will weigh an estimated 1,500 pounds with the smaller battery and around 1,650 pounds with the larger one. A pair of rear-wheel-mounted electric motors should make the Manx 2.0 a blast to drive. The company says in its tests with the 40 kWh battery pack, the new vehicle will do 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds.
This isn’t the first time that the Meyers Manx has shown up with an electrified powertrain. Bruce Meyers built and showed off an electric prototype in 2014. And back in 2019, Volkswagen showed off a concept called the ID. Buggy that was based on Meyers Manx.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/08/the-iconic-meyers-manx-dune-buggy-makes-it-return-as-an-ev/
CHINA WULING’S FIRST GLOBAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE AIR EV
Chinese automaker Wuling celebrated the Indonesian production rollout of its first global electric vehicle, the Air ev (right-hand drive version). This marks an important milestone for Wuling New Energy in global outreach as it achieves one million production models.
Moving forward, the Air ev will enter India, Egypt, and more regions around the world
TESLA, GM SCORE BIGGEST SHARE OF $1.2 BILLION EV ORDER FROM STARTUP AUTONOMY
Tesla, GM, Volkswagen and Ford are among the automakers set to get big orders from Autonomy, a startup offering drivers the option of subscribing to an electric vehicle instead of buying one outright.
Autonomy plans to announce Tuesday that it’s ordering nearly 23,000 EVs from 17 different automakers for a total outlay of $1.2 billion. With chip shortages limiting production capacity at most automakers, it’s unclear how soon such a fleet could be amassed. The order represents 1.2% of the projected US electric vehicle production through the end of next year.
Tesla Inc., the market leader in battery-powered cars, is expected to account for 8,300 vehicles worth $443 million, according to the company. Autonomy plans to order 3,400 Bolt EVs and EUVs from General Motors Co., 2,200 vehicles from Volkswagen AG, 1,800 from Ford Motor Co., and 1,640 units from Hyundai Motor Co. It will also buy from newer players such as Lucid Group Inc. and Rivian Automotive Inc.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-09/tesla-gm-ford-evs-included-in-1-2-billion-order-from-startup#xj4y7vzkg
TESLA’S GERMAN GIGAFACTORY DEMONSTRATES THE DIFFICULTY OF DELIVERING GREEN INDUSTRIAL JOBS
Walking along the narrow shoulder of a busy road in Brandenburg State—about twenty miles outside of Berlin—you’d be hard-pressed to know you’re looking at what many consider the future of capitalism. Every so often, bright red buses whip around the bend as they ferry workers to and from the expansive, rapidly-growing campus of a Tesla “Gigafactory,” the company’s European mothership now reportedly churning out as many as 1,000 electric cars a week. The buses, however, run on diesel.
For the last few years, Brandenburg has been in the midst of a devastating drought fueled by rising temperatures. The local water supplier now limits usage for newcomers to 105 liters per person per day; current residents will face that restriction starting in 2025. Just two years ago, the sprawling Tesla campus in the town of Grünheide (“Green Heath”) was a vast artificial forest of single-species patches of trees, planted as the expansion of Berlin ate up the older varieties that used to occupy the area’s sandy soil. Dry conditions are also combustible ones, and younger trees—unaccompanied by the smaller shrubs found in naturally-occurring forest that can shield the ground from the sun’s warming rays—are more likely to catch fire, a problem exacerbated by global warming. As of July, Brandenberg had lost 680 hectares of forest to 260 wildfires this year alone.
The project fits in well, however, with the government’s approach to green industrial policy, focused as it is on keeping the country’s most important sectors intact—from cars to chemicals, steel, and concrete.
https://newrepublic.com/article/167324/tesla-musk-giga-berlin
HOW EUROPE CAN CUT A THIRD OF ITS OIL DEMAND BY 2030
At the time of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, it typically supplied one out of every four barrels of crude oil that the European Union imported. These imports contributed significantly to funding Putin’s military aggression against Ukraine. To cut this funding stream, the European Commission has agreed a ban on imports before the end of the year and a ban on EU ships transporting Russian oil. The UK has also announced a ban on Russian oil imports to fully take effect by the end of the year.
Transport is responsible for two thirds of the EU’s oil demand. To ensure that the EU does not simply shift oil purchases from one authoritative regime to another, which will do nothing to improve the EU’s energy security, the EU and member states should use this as an opportunity to wean transport of its fossil fuel dependency altogether. This will not only improve the EU’s energy security. Crucially, it will also put EU transport on a more sustainable pathway to enable the EU to meet its climate goals.
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