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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 Monday 17th July it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to.
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First Cybertruck Rolls Off the Assembly Line at Giga Texas
Tesla has announced the production of the first Cybertruck at its Gigafactory in Texas, sharing an image of the all-electric pickup truck on its official Twitter account.
Reports had surfaced that Tesla had instructed its suppliers to prepare for the release of Cybertruck prototypes in late August, with production slated to begin in early October.
As of January this year, there were approximately 1.7 million pre-orders for the Tesla Cybertruck, according to a crowdsourced reservation tracker.
The Cybertruck’s production has experienced several delays since its unveiling in late 2019. CEO Elon Musk said production would begin in late 2021, with additional configurations rolling out in 2022. Tesla has also not updated the specifications and pricing for the Cybertruck since the prototype was launched in 2019. CEO Elon Musk has indicated that these details will be updated at the delivery event.
In May, Elon Musk estimated that Tesla could sell between 250,000 and 500,000 Cybertrucks per year once production is in full swing.
This event marks a significant moment for Tesla and the Gigafactory Texas team, as it signifies the start of production of Tesla’s fifth passenger car model, three and a half years after the production of the Model Y began in January 2020.
During the Q1 2023 earnings report, Musk stated that the first Cybertruck deliveries should take place in the third quarter of the year at a gala event. These should be the first deliveries to customers. Based on previous handover events for the Model Y at Giga Berlin and Giga Texas, it is anticipated that Tesla will only deliver a small number of Cybertrucks initially, most likely to Tesla insiders.
According to Musk, there will be a slow ramp-up this year to reach a more significant level in 2024.
Goodwood Festival Unveils V4 Tesla Supercharger with Bank Card Reader
The transition from V3 to V4 Tesla Superchargers may bring more than just taller stalls with longer cables. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed displayed a V4 Supercharging stall equipped with a contactless bank card reader and a space for a small display.
Previously, Tesla’s fast chargers were exclusively for Tesla vehicles, eliminating the need for additional systems for authentication, payment, or information. The superchargers supplied the power and the vehicles handled rest, unlike third party chargers, which need to handle billing and authentication.
In the UK there is forthcoming government legislation to put into law any EV charger being available to use without an app or membership, so I speculated that if Tesla weren’t willing to add card readers, they might have to close down the third-party trial here.
The first two known V4 Superchargers, located in the Netherlands and France, are not equipped with displays or bank card readers. A third V4 Supercharger site is under construction in the city of Lyon, France. The number of stalls at this site is not yet known.
The payment terminal in the V4 Supercharger is the Payter Apollo, the same terminal used by IONITY in Europe.
In Europe, Tesla has been using CCS2-compatible charging plugs/inlets on its new chargers and cars for some time, so there is no need to use the Magic Dock to enable other EVs to charge, and it’s highly unlikely Tesla would move to using the NACS connector here as Europe is working well with CCS2.
Non-Tesla EV drivers have been able to use Superchargers through the Tesla app as part of the non-Tesla EV Supercharging Pilot. In the future, there will be an option to use Superchargers without a phone by simply using a bank card.
The V4 Superchargers are initially capable of charging speeds up to 350kW, an increase of 100kW from their 250kW V3 stations.
Tesla Launches More Affordable Model Y in South Korea
Tesla has started selling its Model Y rear-wheel drive car in South Korea at a price of 56.99 million won (approximately $45,139), according to the company’s website. This pricing makes the vehicles eligible for the maximum rate of government subsidies.
The vehicle is available for delivery between August and September.
The Tesla Model Y cars sold in South Korea are reportedly made in China. A tweet by Tesla Korea announcing the sale showed a video of cars being produced in its Gigafactory in Shanghai and being shipped.
New Tesla Model 3 Available for $28,000 in New Jersey After Incentives
Tesla’s Model 3 can now be purchased in New Jersey for as low as $27,990, after applying various incentives and tax credits. This price is lower than the average new car price and is comparable to the cost of a Honda Accord or a Toyota Corolla.
The recent announcement that all Model 3 and Model Y cars qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit has boosted sales of these models. If you pay at least $7,500 in federal taxes and are under the current income cap, you can claim this tax credit with the purchase of any Model 3 or Model Y.
In New Jersey, an additional rebate of $4,000 is available for EVs with a list price below $45,000, as part of the state’s Charge Up NJ program. This program was temporarily suspended earlier this year but resumed on July 13, 2023.
Tesla is offering an additional $500 discount on new Model 3 and Model Y cars bought using a referral code from an existing Tesla customer. Discounts of up to $3,000 are also available on existing inventory Model 3s.
New Jersey has a sales tax exemption on EVs, so the sales tax on a new Model 3 purchased in the state will be 0.0%.
While New Jersey offers some of the best incentives for new EV purchases, other states also offer perks for buying an EV, including California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
Georgia Approves Rivian Plant Construction
The Georgia Supreme Court has given the green light for Rivian to build an electric vehicle manufacturing plant east of Atlanta. The court declined to hear an appeal challenging the $5 billion project’s bond agreements with the state and the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton, and Walton counties (JDA).
The plant is expected to create 7,500 direct jobs, not including the indirect jobs that will be generated by various suppliers.
A lawsuit filed by a group of local residents accusing the state and development authority of bypassing local zoning regulations was previously dismissed by the state Court of Appeals.
Development of the 2,000-acre site began last year, and the plant is expected to start production in 2026.
The Rivian project is only surpassed in scope by the massive EV plant that Hyundai is building west of Savannah, which represents a $5.5 billion investment and 8,100 jobs.
Rivian Owner Faces $42,000 Repair Bill After Minor Collision
A Rivian R1T owner was shocked to receive a repair bill of approximately $42,000 after a minor collision at a stoplight. The incident occurred in Columbus, Ohio, in February and initially seemed to be a minor accident, with the other driver’s insurance offering compensation of around $1,600.
However, once the electric vehicle was taken to a Rivian-authorized repair shop, the cost escalated to $42,000.
The high repair cost was due to the collision impacting a panel extending from the back of the truck to the front roof pillars, necessitating the removal of the ceiling and front windshield for panel restoration.
The high cost of repairing Rivian R1T vehicles is attributed to the scarcity of repair shops equipped to handle the model and the expenses involved in fixing electric vehicles (EVs) that rely on advanced technological components. Rivian has certified approximately 200 repair shops across North America, with only three available options in Ohio. Additionally, Rivian has only 34 of its service centers.
A Rivian spokesperson stated that the repair cost exceeded what would typically be expected due to the nature of the repair, the required parts, and labor. They assured that this specific case would be considered as the company continues its efforts to improve product quality and service.
Leaked Cadillac Optiq: A Miniature Lyriq for the Chinese Market
Cadillac’s upcoming entry-level crossover, the Optiq, has been leaked in China. The Optiq is set to be a smaller version of the Lyriq, Cadillac’s electric SUV, and is expected to be officially revealed later this year.
The Optiq is expected to go on sale in the Chinese market in 2024 and will compete with the Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6.
Documents posted by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reveal that the Optiq is slightly smaller than the Lyriq, with a wheelbase of 2.9m. Small crossovers are popular in China, and Western manufacturers are continually lowering their prices to maintain market share.
The Cadillac Lyriq currently starts at ¥379,700 ($52,443) after a recent ¥60,000 ($8,400) price reduction, so the Optiq is expected to start at around ¥300,000 ($42,010).
It’s currently unknown if Cadillac plans to bring the Optiq to the US or keep it as a China-only model.
Europe Sees Surge in Plug-In Car Sales in May 2023
In May, over 253,000 new plug-in electric cars were registered in Europe, which is roughly 38% more than a year ago. This also represents 23% of the total volume of cars sold.
The battery-electric car segment saw a year-over-year growth of 67%, with some 165,000 units sold, representing 15% of the market.
So far this year, more than 1.1 million passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in Europe, which is about 21% of the total market.
The Tesla Model Y remains the best-selling plug-in model in Europe in May. It has held this top spot for the seventh consecutive month. The Volkswagen ID.4 regained second position.
Genesis Hits New High with BEV Sales in the US for Q2 2023
Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai Motor Company, has seen a significant increase in all-electric car sales in the United States.
The company introduced its first all-electric model, the GV60, last year, and has since added the all-electric G80 and GV70 to its lineup.
Genesis’ BEV sales for the first half of 2023 amounted to 2,559 units, accounting for over 8% of the total volume.
Despite being a relatively small brand, Genesis is expected to continue increasing its all-electric car sales. However, the locally produced Genesis Electrified GV70 is currently not eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit due to new battery-related requirements that came into effect on April 18.
Genesis plans to become a zero-emission brand with an all-electric lineup by 2030.
Blue Bird Unveils Next-Generation Electric School Bus
Blue Bird Corporation has premiered its next-generation Vision electric school bus with a battery with a capacity of 196 kWh, a more than 25% capacity increase compared to today’s model bus. The battery enables a vehicle range of up to 130 miles on a single charge and supports a fast-charging rate of 80 kW.
Blue Bird customers who utilize the batteries’ revenue-generating vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities sell excess energy stored in school bus batteries back to electric power companies at a profit.
The advanced Vision electric school bus performs even better in cold weather climates than its predecessor. An improved engineering design and internally insulated batteries limit the heat loss in the vehicle’s next-generation energy storage system.
Blue Bird will continue to build its next-generation electric school buses at its manufacturing facility in Fort Valley, Ga. The company recently celebrated the grand opening of its EV Build-up Center, which will enable Blue Bird to increase its long-term production capacity to 5,000 electric school buses a year.
First Look: Hyundai Creta EV Prototype Interior Revealed
The Hyundai Creta EV prototype has been spotted on test drives several times, and new spy shots have now revealed the interior of the vehicle. The images show some differences compared to the internal combustion engine (ICE) version of the Creta.
The prototype features a full-digital instrument cluster that appears to be unique and not shared with any other Hyundai model in India. The gear lever has been moved from the center console to the right side of the steering wheel column, similar to the Ioniq 5 EV.
The Creta EV prototype is based on the standard Creta currently on sale
The Creta EV will compete with the upcoming Maruti eVX EV SUV, which is expected to go on sale around the same time. Unlike the Creta EV, which shares some elements with its ICE counterpart, the eVX is Maruti’s born-electric vehicle and will not sit on a separate EV platform.
UK’s Electric Vehicle Ownership Shows Significant Gender Gap
A new study has revealed a significant gender imbalance in electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the UK. The poll, conducted by independent EV charging app Bonnet, found that only one in ten EV drivers are women.
The study also found that households with higher incomes are more likely to own an EV. Nearly a third of drivers reported their household income to be above £81,000.
The survey also revealed that most EV owners tend to be married (57%), while only 12% of EV drivers said they were single. The main reason people chose an EV was the promise of cheaper motoring costs, with half of those surveyed saying this was the biggest appeal.
Despite home charging being cheaper, two in five claimed to be public charging their car each week, with 57% choosing devices based on price. Only 3% said the brand name or reputation of a charging network affected their decision on where to charge up.
EV Newcomer VinFast Struggles with Just 128 Registrations in 5 Months
Vietnamese automaker VinFast is facing challenges in the U.S. market after launching its first electric vehicle (EV) earlier this year. According to Experian data, the company has only registered 128 new vehicles for its VF 8 crossover from January to May.
VinFast is currently selling the two-row VF 8 in California, the largest EV market in the U.S., before expanding to other states. Despite cutting prices and offering lease deals, the company is struggling to sell the VF 8s that have arrived from Vietnam.
The automaker has plans to sell a lineup of EVs, including the three-row VF 9 crossover expected this year. The VF 9 will start at $84,200, and two smaller crossovers, the VF 6 and VF 7, are designed to be more affordable.
Old EV Batteries Now Store Solar Power in the California Desert
In Lancaster, California, B2U Storage Solutions is addressing two significant renewable energy challenges: the lack of clean energy sources in the evening and the need for a second life for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The company is using used EV batteries to store clean energy generated by solar panels during the day.
The batteries, which still have 60% to 70% of their original charge capacity, are used to store energy from the solar panels. The stored energy is then sold back to the grid in the evening when demand is highest.
B2U Storage Solutions sources old batteries from automakers like Nissan and Honda. These batteries may have been replaced under warranty or come from old leased cars. After their second life storing solar power, the batteries are recycled.
The project is profitable for B2U Storage Solutions as stored solar energy is more valuable. The city of Los Angeles is willing to pay the price to meet its ambitious renewable energy goals.
The practice of using old EV batteries for energy storage is not yet widespread, mainly because there aren’t many old EV batteries available. However, with the increasing sales of EVs, the number of available used batteries is expected to rise rapidly.
California’s Power Grid Gets Boost from Battery Energy
As California increases its reliance on renewable energy sources like solar and wind, there’s a concern that there may not be enough energy during certain seasons and times of the day to keep the lights on. However, this summer, the state is setting a major milestone in energy storage.
California now has the capacity to store 5,600 megawatts of power using batteries, enough to supply more than 4 million homes. The growth of battery storage capacity over the last three years has been exponential.
In August of 2020, PG&E had 6.5 megawatts of battery energy storage on the grid, and today it has approximately 1,200 megawatts. Batteries can help provide power in the winter when there’s less sunshine or on summer evenings when it’s still hot outside.
Companies like ESS are building large-scale batteries in Sacramento that can also be used as a backup power source for critical sites. There’s now so much battery storage, California Independent System Operator – managers of the state’s power grid – has changed its day-to-day monitoring procedures to track how much “charge” is left in the battery fleet.
Building more batteries is the latest effort to ensure California has 100 percent clean energy by the year 2045. Cal-ISO says the record-breaking amount of snowpack this year is also helping provide more hydroelectric power this summer across the state.
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