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Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, your trusted source of EV information. It’s Saturday 15th July it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
Nio ET5 at Goodwood Ahead of UK Launch
The company will launch with its mid-sized Nio ET5 saloon, a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3.
Nio plans to introduce battery swap stations in the UK, allowing owners to change their batteries in about five minutes. This could be a significant selling point if a substantial network is installed.
The company has identified a location in London for its signature Nio House, a large showroom that will serve as both a display for its models and a general hang-out space.
Nio is currently recruiting for its UK launch, including positions for a brand manager and a sales manager. The overall UK general manager was hired recently.
The cars will be exclusively leased, either for a fixed period or via a more flexible subscription model. This model allows customers to return their vehicles with as little as a month’s notice.
The brand’s expansion to Europe began last year in Norway, where it also built the first battery swap station. The recent launch in Berlin marks the brand’s expansion into Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
Volkswagen Group EV Deliveries Surge Except in China
The Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries of all-electric vehicles in the first half of the year by 48% year-on-year to 321,600 units. The BEV share of total deliveries rose to 7.4%, up from 5.6% in the first six months of the previous year.
In Europe, the VW Group delivered 217,100 electric cars, an increase of 68%. In the USA, the increase was 76% with 29,800 vehicles. However, in China, which has a particularly competitive market environment, deliveries were below the previous year’s level with 62,400 BEVs
Volkswagen is facing significant pressure from investors to boost EV sales in China as a host of Chinese competitors cutting prices threaten its dominance of the car market in the combustion engine era.
Volkswagen Group remains the market leader for battery-electric vehicles in Europe.
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 164,800 vehicles by the end of June, slightly more than half of all BEVs in the Group. It was followed by Audi with 75,600 vehicles, Skoda with 31,300 vehicles, Seat/Cupra with 18,900 vehicles, Porsche with 18,000 vehicles, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles with 12,300 vehicles.
In terms of models, two VW brand series were also in the lead: the ID.4/ID.5 duo accounted for 101,200 units, followed by the ID.3 with 49,800 vehicles in the first half of the year. The MEB SUV Audi Q4 e-tron (including Sportback) follows in third place within the group, ahead of its sister model Skoda Enyaq (including Coupé) and the Audi Q8 e-tron (including Sportback) in 5th place.
According to reports, the Volkswagen brand is currently experiencing a problem with incoming orders: most of the vehicles delivered in the first half of the year were already ordered in 2022. Insiders were quoted as saying that incoming orders for some electric series vehicles had fallen to “close to zero”.
The Roof Is On Fire’: Volkswagen CEO Warns Of Tough Times Ahead
Volkswagen’s CEO Thomas Schäfer has reportedly warned of challenging times ahead for the German automaker. He suggested that “all is at stake” during an online address this week, where he also told more than 2,000 senior managers in the meeting that “the roof is on fire.”
A lot of the issues seem to be stemming from Volkswagen’s venture into the EV space while still holding on to core internal-combustion models. He called for an immediate spending freeze because, “We are letting the costs run too high in many areas.”
Autocar reports that Schafer told attendees that the next few weeks and months will be “very tough” for VW, while also calling on managers to make “small wins.”
VW planned to introduce a new series of “performance programs” over the next three years that aims to save VW €10 billion – about $11.2 billion.
A lot of this comes down to the fact Volkswagen is currently investing heavily in EV technology and production infrastructure. On its own, that would be a lot of cash, but you have to consider that’s only half the story. The automaker is still developing combustion engine vehicles to meet increasingly stringent emission and safety standards.
In a perfect storm-style scenario, this is all happening as VW deals with a sales downturn in its largest market, China. The automaker has been forced to discount many of its more profitable vehicles to remain competitive against strong Chinese domestic competition.
In the next few months, sales of the electric VW ID. 7 sedan will start in Europe.
PowerCo’s New Cell Production Procedure Promises Energy and Space Savings
Volkswagen Group-owned battery manufacturer PowerCo SE plans to introduce a new battery cell manufacturing method in its plants in Europe and North America.
PowerCo predicts that its new Dry Coating procedure may save 30% of energy consumption and 15% of floor area, saving hundreds of millions of euros annually.
The Dry Coating method eliminates the most energy-intensive component of cell manufacture—wet-coating and drying electrodes—as well as chemical solvents.
The procedure allows manufacturers to calender the powdery basic materials directly onto the foil, similar to a printing procedure. This removes two of four process steps in electrode manufacturing.
The powder coating can be applied onto the foil in a thin layer. This ensures energy density and a long life cycle while improving the battery’s fast-charging ability.
Tesla Model Y Crowned as the Bestseller in the UK for June 2023
In June, plugin EVs accounted for 25.1% of the UK auto market, up from 21.6% year on year.
The combined plugin result of 25.1% was made up of 17.9% full electrics (BEVs), and 7.2% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). BEVs saw a healthy 39.4% YoY growth.
Diesel-only vehicles fell in volume to 6,221 units, and took just 3.5% share of the market.
Tesla was the best selling BEV brand in the UK in June, with around 23.5% of BEV sales, led by the Tesla Model Y. The Model Y was the UK’s overall bestselling vehicle in June.
The UK government has proposed a zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate which will require that a certain proportion of brand sales will have to be BEVs.
Tesla Eyes Apple AirPlay and Apple Music Integration
Tesla, known for not supporting Apple’s CarPlay, may be considering adopting Apple AirPlay, according to code found in its iOS app update.
CEO Elon Musk has previously hinted at AirPlay support, and the latest version of Tesla’s iPhone app includes a mention of AirPlay in its code.
The reference “allowsAirPlayForMediaPlayback” is in the code for the Tesla App 4.23.0, which was released recently. There is no other reference to it, and Tesla has not officially announced support for AirPlay.
If implemented, AirPlay support would mean that iPhone users could send audio or possibly video directly from their phones to their Tesla infotainment system. This would enable users to play Apple Music from an iPhone through the car’s speakers, instead of relying on native support in some models.
Tesla has been one of the few car companies to refuse to support CarPlay, but it has been joined recently by GM. However, GM’s own dealers are reportedly unhappy with the firm’s plans to abandon both CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of its own forthcoming system.
There has been no concrete announcement that Tesla is including AirPlay in the App as of writing, but the coding undoubtedly hints the feature is certainly on the way.
German Automobile Club ADAC Discovers Safety Issue with Ora’s Funky Cat
The German Automobile Club (ADAC) has identified a safety defect in the Chinese electric model Ora Funky Cat. The defect allows the charging plug to be pulled out during the charging process.
If a locked electric car is unlocked via the radio key, the charging plug also unlocks. However, the Ora Funky Cat does not stop the charging process during this time, and the current continues to flow.
This is in contrast to other electric cars that stop charging as soon as the plug is unlocked.
According to ADAC tests, it is possible to pull out the Type 2 plug while charging under load with up to 16 amps flowing during the 15 seconds it takes for the plug to lock again. This could result in a bang, flying sparks, and a burning smell. In the long term, this could lead to wear of the contacts and heating of the contact surfaces.
The ADAC has informed the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) about the test results and advises users to ensure that the charging process is finished before unplugging the charger.
However, a technology journalist, Dominik Lux, who claims to have the same car model, stated on Twitter that he could not reproduce the ADAC error. He mentioned that he couldn’t pull the plug when the car is locked and when he unlocks it, it stops charging.
The error only occurs when AC charging. With DC fast charging, it is a legal requirement that the charge must be interrupted before the cable can be disconnected. This is checked by the charging station, among others.
Ora has had a bumpy start in Germany. From January to May, the Ora Funky Cat was registered 423 times.
Renault Scenic’s Electric Comeback Set for September 4
Renault will unveil the production version of the Scénic Vision concept on September 4 at this year’s Munich motor show.
The Scénic Vision previews a spacious family SUV positioned above the existing Mégane E-Tech Electric crossover.
The production Scénic will feature a battery-electric powertrain, expected to share key components with the Mégane E-Tech.
The MĂ©gane E-Tech features a 215bhp, 221lb ft single electric motor that drives the front wheels, plus a 60kWh (usable) battery that gives a 280-mile range.
MG Mulan’s Price Cut in China: A Competitive Move Against VW ID.3
MG Motor has reduced the price of its MG Mulan model in China in response to the recent price reduction of the VW ID.3.
Until the end of July, Chinese customers will receive a discount of 24,000 yuan (about 3,000 euros) for the compact electric car.
This brings the starting price of the MG Mulan down to 115,800 yuan (about 14,500 euros), making it cheaper than the VW ID.3, which costs about 10,000 Yuan more.
Additional incentives for MG Mulan customers include zero per cent financing, a charger worth 4,000 yuan, and a “lifetime warranty on core components”.
The MG Mulan, marketed as MG4 outside China, was the best-selling electric model of Chinese brands in Europe from January to May, with around 23,100 registrations.
MG Cyberster: An Affordable Electric Roadster on the Horizon
MG is set to launch the Cyberster, an affordable electric roadster with 309bhp.
MG UK has already received numerous requests from potential buyers and expects UK volumes to be around 2000 units a year when demand settles.
The Cyberster is primarily an image-builder for MG, which has seen booming sales in the UK and Europe over the past few years.
The car’s design was a collaborative effort between MG’s UK and Shanghai teams, with the exterior designed entirely in the UK.
Canoo Delivers Zero-Emission Crew Transportation Vehicles to NASA
Canoo Technologies, a Californian advanced mobility company, has delivered three Crew Transportation Vehicles (CTVs) to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The CTVs will transport astronauts to the launch pad for the Artemis lunar missions.
The vehicles are engineered to carry fully suited astronauts, flight support crew, and equipment to the launch pad.
The CTVs feature an exclusive interior and exterior design to ensure astronaut and crew comfort and safety during the nine-mile journey to the launch pad.
Canoo plans to reveal images of the exterior and interior of the CTV later this year.
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