Welcome to a new Patreon Producer PRAT KODE
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 Tuesday 17th October, Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don’t have to. We go live at 5pm UK, that’s Midday Eastern. Patreon supporters get the episodes as soon as they’re ready and ad free. You can be like them by clicking here.
Tesla Model 3’s Upgraded Version Launches in UK at Reduced Price
– Tesla’s enhanced Model 3 is now open for orders in the UK.
– Deliveries for the new Model 3 are slated to begin in January 2024. Interestingly, this latest version is priced lower than its predecessor.
– The prior entry-level Model 3 was priced at £42,990 in September.
– The upgraded Model 3 comes with a starting price of £39,990.
Tesla Powers Up One of Europe’s Biggest Batteries in the UK
– A new Tesla battery, one of the largest in Europe, has been activated in Buckinghamshire, UK.
– The objective of this battery is to store surplus wind energy, reducing the UK’s reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
– Harmony Energy Income Trust, a UK investment firm, revealed that the Tesla battery is now live.
– The battery, named “Bumpers Battery Energy Storage System,” has the capacity to supply 99MW over two hours, equaling a total discharge of 198MWh.
– With this capacity, Harmony positions it as one of Europe’s leading battery energy storage systems.
– Harmony Energy is also behind another recent Tesla battery activation: a 49.5MW battery in Scotland.
– Both these batteries are built on Tesla’s lithium-ion Megapack 2XL technology with a two-hour capacity.
– Collectively, the energy storage potential of these batteries can cater to approximately 450,000 households.
Volta Trucks Goes Bankrupt Due to Battery Supplier Crisis
– Swedish EV enterprise, Volta Trucks, has declared bankruptcy.
– This move was instigated by the bankruptcy of its battery supplier, Proterra, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. back in August.
– The collapse of Proterra hindered Volta Trucks’ production capabilities, leading to a failure in meeting their targets.
– The board’s statement highlights the bankruptcy’s cascading effect: “negatively affected our ability to raise sufficient capital in an already challenging capital-raising environment for electric-vehicle players.”
– In November of the previous year, Volta Trucks successfully raised a substantial €600mn.
– The company initiated the production phase for its 16-tonne truck in April this year, with ambitions for an IPO by 2024.
– Volta Trucks had amassed around 5,000 pre-orders for their flagship Volta Zero truck. This truck boasts a range of 150-200km and has a 7-tonne payload capacity. Prospective buyers had the option of choosing between a standard model and a refrigerated variant.
– The company’s workforce consists of about 850 individuals, with approximately 600 of them based across various locations in the UK.
Rivian Revamps Software for Enhanced Drive and Towing
– Rivian is making significant changes to its electric vehicle features, aiming to refine the user’s journey and streamline the towing process.
– The Drive Mode app is getting a makeover: a new real-time data screen will display live metrics, including motor temperatures.
– Enhancements in the towing experience are in the offing with the R1T now coming equipped with a bed camera.
– The software update, dubbed version 2023.38.0, is rolling out to both the R1T pickup and R1S SUV models.
– The revamped user interface places controls such as ride elevation, regenerative modes, and others on the far left, making them more accessible.
– Users can swipe over the Rivian image to easily shift between various drive settings including All-Purpose, Conserve, Sport, and Snow for diverse terrains and conditions – whether on-road, off-road, or towing.
– A novel “Trailers” section allows users to save up to three distinct trailer profiles. This feature doesn’t just save profiles but can also estimate the weight of what’s being towed, track trip data, and more crucially, predict the battery’s range influenced by the load.
– For those behind the wheel of an R1T, the rear truck bed camera can now be accessed directly through the camera application, ensuring the trailer is always within sight.
Lucid’s Q3 Deliveries Climb with Price Cut Boost
– Lucid Group experienced a near 4% quarter-over-quarter growth in deliveries during the third quarter, credited partly to a price reduction on its Air luxury sedan.
– During Q3, which concluded on September 30, Lucid manufactured 1,550 cars, delivering 1,457 of them. This is in contrast to the previous quarter where they created 2,173 vehicles and handed over 1,404.
– In an effort to stimulate demand, Lucid, with financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, decreased the price of their Air luxury sedans by up to $12,400 during a special August offer.
– While Lucid is upping its game, German luxury car brands like BMW and Mercedes are making substantial headway in the EV market. Their EV sales over tripled in the third quarter, as per data from industry analyst firm, Cox Automotive.
– After going public in July 2021 via a SPAC merger, Lucid disclosed on Tuesday that an additional 700 cars are en route to their newly inaugurated manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia for the final stages of assembly.
– Lucid had previously communicated in August about its ambition to roll out 10,000 cars in the current year. Achieving this would necessitate the production of approximately 4,000 vehicles in the upcoming Q4.
Amazon’s EV Fleet Surges with 10,000 Rivian Vans
– Amazon proclaimed the growth of its electric delivery van fleet produced by Rivian during an event in Seattle. Amazon boasts 10,000 co-designed vans, each with a mileage capacity of up to 150 miles, spread across 1,800 US cities.
– Since its initiation last summer, the fleet has experienced a 100% increment, doubling in number from its count in July. Infrastructure-wise, Amazon has established 12,000 charging points spread across over 100 delivery hubs.
– Training is at the forefront, with over 20,000 drivers nationwide now adept at operating these Rivian vans.
– To put the vastness into perspective, Amazon has a robust team of 279,000 delivery drivers who are responsible for the timely delivery of 20 million packages daily.
– Monitoring this rapid EV adoption is essential for power companies. They can use this data to enhance their services, preparing for the inevitable shift from fossil fuel vehicles as the demand for electricity grows.
– Amazon’s green ambitions don’t stop here. The retail giant has set its sights on integrating 100,000 Rivian vans into its fleet by 2030. This move aligns with their 2019 Climate Pledge aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a decade earlier than the timeline set by the Paris Climate Agreement.
Australian High Court Halts Victoria’s EV Tax
– The high court of Australia has ruled against Victoria’s electric vehicle (EV) tax, calling it unconstitutional.
– This decision is based on a case brought forward by two electric car drivers who challenged the tax, stating that state governments don’t hold the authority to levy such charges.
– This ruling may significantly affect New South Wales and Western Australia, potentially thwarting their intentions to roll out road user charging by 2027.
– The contested law required EV and hydrogen vehicle users to pay 2.8c for every kilometre driven annually, whereas plug-in hybrid owners were charged 2.3c per kilometre. Notably, traditional hybrid vehicles were not subject to this fee.
– As part of the regulation, drivers had to provide yearly photographic evidence of their odometer readings to the state government. Those who didn’t comply risked being billed for 13,500km or faced potential suspension or cancellation of their vehicle registration.
Potential EV Tax Spike Threatens UK-EU Trade
– Tariffs on EU-made battery electric vehicles (BEVs) might lead to an average £3,400 price increase if the proposed rules of origin are enacted in January. Similarly, a 10% tariff would add around £3,600 to British-built BEVs sold in Europe. Interestingly, internal combustion engine (ICE) models would remain unaffected.
– The automotive industry urges the EU and UK to either postpone the rules of origin requirements until 2027 or face compromising the competitive nature of the EV market and the broader goal of achieving net zero emissions.
– The latest report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) indicates that the UK’s global auto trade is on course to regain its £100 billion trading hub status.
– While EV growth is promising, it’s now at risk as the pre-agreed rules—set before the global pandemic, Ukraine conflict, and supply shortages—come into effect in just 75 days.
– About 49.1% of new BEVs registered in the UK during the first half of the year originated from the EU. Hence, any cost augmentation could stifle uptake, making these vehicles less competitive.
– On the flip side, traditional petrol and diesel vehicles won’t face these tariffs. This could unintentionally promote the purchase of fossil-fueled vehicles, directly opposing the push for net-zero emissions.
– Introducing the UK Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on 1 January 2024 could compound these challenges. It requires manufacturers to steadily increase their zero-emission model offerings, starting at 22% in 2024 and reaching 80% by 2030.
Smart’s #1 Pro Debuts with Compact Battery
– The Smart #1 Pro variant introduces a 49 kWh gross (or 47 kWh net) battery, which is notably smaller than the 66 kWh gross (or 62 kWh net) battery found in other models.
– In terms of battery chemistry, the #1 Pro’s 49 kWh battery utilizes LFP cells, while the 66 kWh battery uses NMC cells.
– The WLTP-established range for the #1 Pro stands at 310 kilometres.
– For charging capabilities, the LFP pack supports up to 130 kW at DC charging hubs. Under optimal circumstances, Smart claims the battery can be fully charged in under 30 minutes.
– Consumers in Europe can look forward to the #1 Pro’s availability. It will be up for grabs starting from “mid-autumn 2023” in countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. Following this, the vehicle will gradually make its way to other European regions where Smart operates by spring 2024.
PREMIUM PARTNERS
PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE
PORSCHE OF THE VILLAGE CINCINNATI
AUDI CINCINNATI EAST
VOLVO CARS CINCINNATI EAST
NATIONAL CAR CHARGING ON THE US MAINLAND AND ALOHA CHARGE IN HAWAII
DEREK REILLY FROM NEVO.IE AND THE NEVO EV REVIEW IRELAND YOUTUBE CHANNEL
OCTOPUS ELECTROVERSE GLOBAL PUBLIC CHARGING MADE SIMPLE WITH ONE APP AND ONE MAP.
LEASEPLAN ELECTRIC MOMENTS PROVIDING ALL THE TOOLS AND GUIDANCE EV DRIVERS NEED
PARTNERS
RICHARD AT RSEV.CO.UK
JUKKA KUKKONEN FROM WWW.SHIFT2ELECTRIC.COM
RAJEEV NARAYAN
BATTERY REPORTS FOR EVS AT RECURRENTAUTO.COM
JAN TORE GJØBY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
ADRIAN BOND
ALAN SHEDD
ALEX BANAHENE
ANDERS HOVE
ANDREA JEFFERSON
ANDREW LUOMA
ANDREW WANEK
ANDY NANCARROW AND LILIAN KASS
ASEER KHALID
BÅRD FJUKSTAD
BILL CALHOUN
BLAINE MCKINNEY
BLUNDERBUSS JONES
BRENDAN MCCARTHY AT NORTHFORK IRONWORKS
BRIAN OLEARY
BRIAN THOMPSON
BRUCE BOHANNAN
CHAD LANE
CHARLES HALL
CHRISTOPHER BARTH
COLIN HENNESSY AND CAMBSEV
CRAIG ROGERS
DAVID DYSART
DAVID FINCH
DAVID LARDER
DAVID MOORE
DAVID PARTINGTON
DAVID PRESCOTT
DC EV
ED CORTEEN
EDDIE RAGASA
ERIC HANSEN
ERU KYEYUNE-NYOMBI
FREDRIK ROVIK
GARY A HAMMOND
GENE RUBIN
GEORGE TORTAROLO
HEINRICH LIESNER
HELMUT SELKER
IAN ‘STILL WATERS UK’ BENJAMIN
IAN (WATTIE) WATKINS
IAN GRIFFITHS
IAN SEAR
JACK OAKLEY
JACOB KUEHNE
JAMES PENFOLD
JAMES STORR
JAN FROM EMOBILITYNORWAY
JIM MORRIS
JOHN SCHROEDER
JOHN VAN DEVOORT
JON AKA BEARDY MCBEARDFACE FROM KENT EVS
JON MANCHAK
JUAN GONZALEZ
KESTER SANDBACH
KEVIN MEYERSON
LAURENCE D ALLEN
LEE BROWN
LUKE CULLEY
MARCEL WARD
MATTHEW LONG
NATHAN GORE-BROWN
NATHAN KING
NATHANIEL FREEDMAN
NEIL E ROBERTS FROM SUSSEX EVS
OHAD ASTON
PAUL STEPHENSON
PETE GLASS
PETE GORTON
PETER & DEE ROBERTS
PETER RYNER
PHIL MOUCHET
PHILIP FORRESTER
PHILIP TRAUTMAN
RAYMOND ROWLEDGE
REALTORS CHOICE PHOTOGRAPHY
ROB FROM THE RSTHINKS EV CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE
ROBERT GRACE
RON HUNTER
ROOSEVELT WATSON
SEIKI PAYNE
STEPHEN PENN
STEVE JOHN
THE PLUGSEEKER’S EV YOUTUBE CHANNEL
THOMAS J. THIAS
TIMOTHY PHILLIPS
TOMER SHAHAF
TYLER VOSS