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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2100 on: December 18, 2020, 08:11:54 PM »
“No vehicle bearing the four rings has ever been readied for series production as quickly.”
Audi e-tron GT enters series production
Dec 9, 2020
Quote
Series production of the fully electric-powered Audi e-tron GT, the brand’s most powerful electric vehicle, is now getting underway at the Böllinger Höfe at the Neckarsulm site. With 100 percent eco-electricity and heat from regenerative sources, production is net carbon-neutral. The resource-conserving vehicle production process also avoids paper and packaging, uses aluminum and polymer closed loops, and in a first for a new Audi model was planned without any physical prototypes at all. …
https://electriccarsreport.com/2020/12/audi-e-tron-gt-enters-series-production/
 
—- Sweden may loosen max weight licensing limits
Tesla Cybertruck and other heavy EVs could soon find a welcome market in Sweden
December 18, 2020
Quote
The Tesla Cybertruck, as well as other heavy, sustainable vehicles, could soon find a welcome market in Sweden. This is thanks to the efforts of industry organization Energigas Sverige, which recently requested the Swedish Transport Agency to adjust the maximum weight allowed for vehicles that could be driven on a standard Class B driving license.

If successful, Energigas Sverige’s efforts could pave the way for regular drivers to operate vehicles that weigh as much as 4.25 tonnes (9,600 lbs). Current driving license laws in the country note that vehicles such as light trucks may not exceed a total weight of 3,500 kilograms (7,700 lbs), and that’s including the weight of their cargo. Vehicles that exceed the weight limit must be driven by drivers with a Class C driving license instead.

This poses some issues for organizations or buyers that are looking to adopt vehicles that are powered by sustainable means. Sustainable vehicles like electric trucks are typically heavier than their fossil fuel-powered counterparts, thanks to their large battery packs. As noted by the industry organization in a post, this issue is also present in vehicles that are powered by hydrogen and biogas.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-cybertruck-welcomed-sweden-market/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2101 on: December 22, 2020, 04:20:35 AM »
Exclusive: Apple targets car production by 2024 and eyes 'next level' battery technology - sources
Quote
"It would seem to me that if Apple develops some advanced operating system or battery technology, it would be best utilized in a partnership with an existing manufacturer under license," Miller said. "As we see with Tesla and the legacy auto companies, having a very complex manufacturing network around the globe doesn't happen overnight."

Apple's car might feature multiple lidar sensors for scanning different distances, another person said. Some sensors could be derived from Apple's internally developed lidar units, that person said. Apple's iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Pro models released this year both feature lidar sensors. …
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN28V2PY
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blu_ice

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2102 on: December 22, 2020, 10:19:21 AM »
I google translated part of the article https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11707734

Emphasis mine

Quote
The number of electric buses will increase fivefold in local traffic in Finland next year, says Marko Paakkinen, Head of VTT's research team at the Technology Research Center.

Currently, about 50 fully electric buses run on the streets of Finnish cities in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. At the end of next year, there will be about 250 electric buses.

In traffic in the Helsinki region, the number will increase from about 40 electric buses to more than 160, 47 new electric buses will be introduced in Turku in addition to the six already in use, 17 in Lahti and 13 in Kuopio.

In addition, in 2022, at least 13 electric buses will be introduced in Joensuu.

- The phenomenon is happening a bit everywhere: we are bidding on bus lines and getting more electric buses than required in the bidding. Electric buses are starting to be competitive with diesel buses, Paakkinen says.

According to Petri Auno, CEO of Nobina, who will bring more than 100 electric buses to public transport in the Turku and Helsinki region next summer, the purchase price of the electric bus will be about double compared to the diesel bus.

Paakkinen estimates that next year, electric buses will account for about half of all new buses.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2103 on: December 23, 2020, 02:45:11 AM »
Thread by @jpr007 on Thread Reader App

VW STRUGGLING TO SELL ID.3
Quote
Greenpeace has published a new report examining the weak response to the new ID.3 in Europe
- and particularly in its home market of Germany
https://www.greenpeace.de/sites/www.greenpeace.de/files/publications/s03151_gp_vw_id-vertrieb_studie_12_2020.pdf

VW is positioning itself as the German pioneer in the transition from diesels and petrol engines in favour of electric cars

And with the market launch of their ID models, the world's largest carmaker promises "e-mobility for all"
Group CEO Herbert Diess never misses an opportunity to emphasise the importance of battery cars in the fight against climate change

In the aftermath of the 2015 diesel scandal, positive communication on the transition to BEVs is an important part of a new image cultivation
The ID.3 is supposed to make the brand "more empathetic, friendlier, more human", it was said at its presentation last year

And apparently this message strategy has had some success:
- for the first time in four years, VW's image improved in the YouGov BrandIndex brand monitor
But while VW is going full throttle with its communications, sales of the new e-cars are barely getting off the ground

According to VW, 54,000 orders for the ID.3 had been received across Europe by the end of November, and 28,000 vehicles had been delivered
Considering that there were already 33,000 non-binding pre-orders for the introductory version of the ID.3 in 2019, this figure is disappointing


- especially since additional subsidies for e-cars have recently been provided in many countries
With the innovation premium of the German government which was extended in November 2020 until 2025, strong sales support is also available in Germany in particular
However, according to national registration statistics only 2,439 ID.3s were registered in Germany in November 2020
- fewer than Renault Zoe with 4,287 units
- and Hyundai E-Kona with 2,471 units


At the same time, the ID.3 has only been available since September 2020, while the e-models of the competition have already been on the market for years
- so a higher initial surge of demand would have been expected

In total, only 7,349 ID.3s have been registered in Germany since deliveries began
Of these, more than 3000 were VW’s own registrations, i.e. cars registered to VW itself or to VW dealers


How did this comparatively weak start of the ID.3 come about ?
Attributing it to a lack of demand is not an adequate explanation

In fact, VW itself is doing little to promote the actual sales of e-cars
One could even say that the carmaker is even slowing it down
This report shows that :

- VW has no interest in accelerating BEV transition and plans the sales of its electric cars solely along the lines of the European regulatory requirements for fleet emissions
- there are no incentives for VW dealers and sales staff to sell a BEV instead of an ICEV to undecided customers
- other models are being pushed onto the market with attractive special conditions subsidised by VW, while no equivalent measures exist for the ID.3

For this report, Greenpeace spoke to industry insiders, dealers and Volkswagen salespeople
In addition, Greenpeace verified the information they obtained with the help of "mystery shoppers"
- 56 volunteers from local Greenpeace groups conducted consultations on the purchase of a new car in a total of 50 VW dealerships

- in their discussions with the sales staff they used a standardised driving profile which VW claims is suitable for the use of the ID.3

The test purchases showed that
- the ID.3 was only recommended by the salesperson in 1 out of 25 cases where the prospective buyer did not express a preference at the beginning of the conversation
- the ID.3 was only recommended by the salespersons in 7 out of 25 cases when the prospective buyers indicated at the beginning of the conversation that they were wavering between ID.3 and Golf 8


- the salespersons were only superficially trained in the subject of electromobility and on average were unable to answer every second question or 48% of those posed by the prospective buyers, or they provided incorrect information
- in individual cases sales staff clearly advised against buying the ID.3 and expressed fundamental doubts about electromobility
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1339829884986613760.html

From: https://twitter.com/jpr007/status/1339829884986613760
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2104 on: December 24, 2020, 12:53:09 AM »
Dec. 23, 2020
Nikola shareholders got some very bad news Wednesday morning: Waste hauler Republic Services canceled its order for 2,500 battery-powered electric trucks.
Quote
That order, announced in August, led to a 22% bounce in Nikola stock (ticker: NKLA). Shares traded at almost $45 after the deal was announced. Now Nikola stock is below $16, after falling another 6% in premarket trading.

In a Wednesday research report, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called the loss a “gut punch for investors that were hoping this monster order was a potential paradigm changer for Nikola and reference customer going forward.” …
https://www.barrons.com/articles/nikola-stock-is-down-after-a-major-deal-is-canceled-51608733309

Edit:
Quote
After considerable collaboration and review, both companies determined that the combination of the various new technologies and design concepts would result in longer than expected development time, and unexpected costs. As a result, the program is being terminated resulting in the cancellation of the previously announced vehicle order. …
https://www.streetinsider.com/dr/news.php?id=17752660


NKLA closed today at $15.03  -$1.80  -10.7%

Waiting for other shoes to drop:  Anheiser Busch has an 800-truck order that has several cancellation options. (At the time of the Anheuser Busch deal, Ryder was to perform all servicing, but that relationship has since ended.)    At last report, U.S. Xpress does not have the cash to pay for its huge truck order....


—- ”Nikola in motion” again! ;D
Quote
EWWGAAS (@sacramentotesla) 12/9/20, 12:28 PM
Look what’s on the road in Little Rock
#Nikola …
https://twitter.com/sacramentotesla/status/1336724471613276161
« Last Edit: December 24, 2020, 01:38:30 AM by Sigmetnow »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2105 on: December 24, 2020, 03:32:17 AM »
—- Apple EV battery rumors
Quote
HyperChange (@HyperChangeTV)12/23/20, 4:36 PM
New SCOOP/rumor on the Apple EV
-Apple EV battery pack dev & testing moving quickly, probably already testing on roads
-312 cells in a pack, no cobalt
-built by Toshiba, 10-20% weight Lithium Titanate, Project Titan ;)
full livestream  ➡️ youtu.be/S1iZA8CzjxU
https://twitter.com/hyperchangetv/status/1341860340737327109

Nafnlaus:  Yes, low energy density.  Toshiba's highest energy density SCiB on the market today is 96Wh/kg. At the *cell level*. 83Wh/kg at the module level. Even lower at the pack level.  Super-fast charging, mind you. But crazy expensive and crazy-low energy density.
<  Maybe that's their play here: a 150 miles battery pack, you recharge super fast when you need it, the few times you go on road trip (charging 10 min every 2h of driving)...
Dr Karsten Wentink:   Low range but high charge speeds. Would require a vast charging network. Think this will be the future. 99% of the days you don't need long range, so if you can quickly load on days you do, the problem is solved.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2106 on: December 25, 2020, 01:51:56 AM »
—- Proposed state bill to ban direct sales: dies
Tesla gets a huge win in Michigan as direct sales ban bill flops
Might this be the first domino to fall in the fight against direct sale bans?!
Quote
House bill 6233 in Michigan has quietly been put out to pasture after their state senate failed to take any action before recess. The bill would have banned direct sales of automobiles in the state where the automotive industry began.

Seen as 'anti-EV' by many, this bill would have effectively banned the sales of Tesla, Lucid, Polestar, and Rivian, due to the fact they use a direct sales structure. If you're not familiar, this means they don't have independently owned dealers - they're all corporate-owned and hence, direct-sales. …
https://drivetribe.com/p/tesla-gets-a-huge-win-in-michigan-bn7Yq7OtRMCCGdnEZ6RTiA

—- Autonomy
ARK re Apple EV
Quote
Tasha Keeney (@TashaARK) 12/22/20, 6:15 PM
Another flip flop in Apple's strategy for autonomous. A vertically integrated strategy has clear benefits, but I am skeptical of Apple's ability to pull this off given the history of the project. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…  [ https://t.co/eAEpNRsOva ]   
https://twitter.com/tashaark/status/1341522827560841223

—- Why we need autonomy
Car crashes killed 36,096 people in the US in 2019
Urban pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen over the last decade.
12/19/2020
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/12/car-crashes-killed-36096-people-in-the-us-in-2019/


—- VW boss announces future tweets
Quote
Alex (@alex_avoigt)12/22/20, 12:53 PM
Herbert Diess announced to go Twitter in January
https://twitter.com/alex_avoigt/status/1341441860045254656
Alex: I appreciate that move from [Diess].  It will help him to convey his message

< He’s brave.
Alex: He'll learn that Twitter is not LinkedIn

Rather unusual, announcing he’ll join Twitter in January, instead of just starting to tweet.  But I guess it fits with VW’s penchant for making big announcements about their future.
I hope he’s already created a Twitter account, because imposters will be scooping up the rest of the relevant account names for their own use.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2107 on: December 25, 2020, 04:25:44 PM »
Japan to Phase Out Gasoline-Powered Cars, Bucking Toyota Chief
December 25, 2020
Quote
TOKYO—Japan said it planned to stop the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by the mid-2030s, bucking criticism by
Toyota Motor Corp.’s chief that a hasty shift to electric vehicles could cripple the car industry.

The plan released Friday followed similar moves by the state of California and major European nations, but it has faced resistance from car executives in a country that still makes millions of cars annually running solely on gasoline engines.  Japan would still permit the sale of hybrid gas-electric cars after 2035 under the plan. Many models from Japan’s top car makers—Toyota,
Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. —come in both traditional and hybrid versions.

Earlier this month, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said that if Japan was too hasty in banning gasoline-powered cars and moving to electric vehicles, “the current business model of the car industry is going to collapse.” He was speaking on behalf of Japanese car makers in his role as head of a local industry association. Mr. Toyoda said the electricity grid couldn’t handle extra summer demand and observed that most of Japan’s electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels.

Government officials said converting to cleaner energy and electric-powered vehicles should be treated as an opportunity for growth.
“The age has ended when we could view the response to global warming as a cost or limitation on economic growth,” said Katsunobu Kato, a government minister who led the council putting together the plan. “What is demanded of the private sector is a significant change in existing strategies and business models.”


The government plan calls for all new cars sold in Japan from the mid-2030s onward to be electrified. That includes electric vehicles, hybrid gas-electric models and cars whose electricity is generated by hydrogen fuel cells. The plan says the cost of batteries should be reduced so that electric vehicles cost about the same as gasoline-powered vehicles a decade from now.

A plan outline released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry expressed concern that Europe and China were jumping ahead of Japan. It observed that sales of EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles more than tripled in the European Union in the July-September quarter to around 270,000 units, while the equivalent figure for Japan was only about 6,000.

Masayoshi Arai, a ministry official, said “Japan is very far behind” on vehicle electrification.

Japanese auto executives bristle at such statements, saying more hybrid gas-electric vehicles are sold in Japan than in any other country. Some question whether fully electric vehicles such as those made by Tesla Inc. are more environmentally friendly than hybrids given the carbon dioxide emitted in producing EVs and their parts.

“It is absolutely not the case that Japan is behind,” said Toshihiro Mibe, a Honda executive who heads an industry council on environmental technology.
https://newsyfi.com/japan-to-phase-out-gasoline-powered-cars-bucking-toyota-chief/


Japan Plans Phase-Out of New Gasoline Cars by Mid-2030s
Quote
The government will likely seek to keep hybrid vehicles on the road considering a complete halt in production of gasoline engines would negatively affect small factories and parts-suppliers, Yoshida said. “As long as hybrid vehicles survive, we will have some gasoline demand,” he said. …
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/japan-plans-phase-out-of-new-gasoline-cars-by-mid-2030s/ar-BB1bzZ5U
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2108 on: December 25, 2020, 06:02:48 PM »
Quote
James Stephenson (@ICannot_Enough)12/25/20, 10:10 AM
With only 1 week left in 2020, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at a 2016 Business Insider article listing 15 EVs from $TSLA and its competitors expected to come to market by 2020.
I think some of these aren’t going to make it. ;D

https://twitter.com/icannot_enough/status/1342487982041870338

Quote
These 15 electric cars will be here by 2020
Business Insider Jun 17, 2016
https://www.businessinsider.com/15-electric-cars-that-will-be-here-by-2020-2016-6

~  cc: @NYKChannel who called it many years ago.
“Why is every EV coming “in 2020”??”  ???
(many, *many* more EV concepts were announced since this 2016 article with 2020 release dates)

—-
Quote
Tesla Owls of Christmusk (@TeslaOwls) 12/24/20, 8:02 PM
This is from 2014
6 years later, Toyota starts to realize they made a poor decision


[ ⬇️ Image below. Click to embiggen. ]
Tesla Owls of Christmusk (@TeslaOwls) 12/24/20, 8:00 PM
1. Not if you had decent software
2. Radio is insignificant, A/C should be if you knew your shit
3. Not if you had decent software
4. Not if you had decent software
5. Not if you had decent hardware
6. Not if you had decent software
7. Are your chargers 11kW? Lame...
https://twitter.com/teslaowls/status/1342273938034995200
<   1-7 Should not happen if you drive a Tesla and are even partially awake.
     8 = Need serious therapy.
<<  There is a spelling mistake. It says wait four hours
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oren

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2109 on: December 25, 2020, 09:58:01 PM »
Japan to Phase Out Gasoline-Powered Cars, Bucking Toyota Chief
Nice headline, but "hybrid gas-electric models" are still gasoline-powered. IMHO Japan's decision is not very impressive.

interstitial

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2110 on: December 26, 2020, 10:14:13 AM »
Japan to Phase Out Gasoline-Powered Cars, Bucking Toyota Chief
Nice headline, but "hybrid gas-electric models" are still gasoline-powered. IMHO Japan's decision is not very impressive.
They don't even promise all hybrids at that time will have a plug.

NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2111 on: December 26, 2020, 02:08:42 PM »
These 15 electric cars will be here by 2020
Business Insider Jun 17, 2016
https://www.businessinsider.com/15-electric-cars-that-will-be-here-by-2020-2016-6



Reading that, this one has to raise a smile...

Quote
Volkswagen's CEO Matthias Mueller said on Thursday that the automaker will deliver more than 30 electric plugin-in models by 2025. Previously, the company has said that it would deliver 20 electric vehicles by 2020.

The company also aims to launch its first fully autonomous vehicle by the end of the decade

I dreamed a dream.

Reality, on the other hand, is one long slog.
Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

Robert A. Heinlein

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2112 on: December 26, 2020, 06:30:02 PM »
Japan to Phase Out Gasoline-Powered Cars, Bucking Toyota Chief
Nice headline, but "hybrid gas-electric models" are still gasoline-powered. IMHO Japan's decision is not very impressive.
They don't even promise all hybrids at that time will have a plug.

Good points.  Most Japanese industry and government remain steadfastly terrified of adding any further load to the electrical grid.  In the context of the problems they had after they shut down most nuclear power plants after Fukushima, and having little coal, oil or gas resources of their own, their fear is understandable.  But, given those reasons, I’m surprised they are not leading the world in adding to their renewable energy supplies.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2113 on: December 26, 2020, 08:08:59 PM »
Consumer Reports likes Tesla… this week. ;)   It’s good for electric vehicles when an EV beats ICE cars in the same category.  More buyers who hadn‘t considered an EV will take a look.
Tesla Model 3 & Model S Crowned Best American Luxury Cars, According to Consumer Reports
”With the brand's focus on technology, it sets the bar for what customers should look for in luxury cars.”
Quote
Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model S are the best American cars in their respective categories, according to the Best American Cars, SUVs, and Trucks list compiled by Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports recently compiled a list of America's best cars, ranking Tesla in the top two spots. The overall score takes into account individual road-test scores, reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety. …
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/tesla-model-3-and-tesla-model-s-are-the-best-american-cars-according-to-consumer-reports

——
“Did your crappy ICE car get a holiday software update?”
— Earl of Frunkpuppy

Tesla must certainly have been instrumental making NHTSA relent on their proposed rule that every EV of the same model must have the same Pedestrian Warning Sound (PWS).  The newest software update provides the option for Teslas with the external PWS speaker to change their driving, Summon, or horn sound to things like a goat bleat, fart, Polynesian elevator music, snake jazz, the “coconuts” clip-clop, or your own uploaded sounds. 
A small thing, but a fun standard equipment advantage that EVs have over ICE-mobiles.  When regs say you must make a noise for safety’s sake, unique sounds are much better at catching attention.  By the time EVs are the majority of cars on the road, autonomy will make warning sounds less necessary — and more automated. :)

Tesla’s new Boombox feature will let car owners fart at unsuspecting neighbors
https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/25/22199963/tesla-holiday-update-fart-sound-horn-goat-boombox

“I’m absolutely going to upload the Raptor relight sound as my horn.”
— Everyday Astronaut

FIRST LOOK! Tesla Software 2020.48.26 aka: "Holiday update"
➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6WeD7L2s0E&feature=youtu.be
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2114 on: December 27, 2020, 05:45:43 PM »
Here’s how in-car charging information should work for all EVs — at least until the process becomes completely automated. ;)

Below is from the latest Tesla update.

From:  https://twitter.com/greentheonly/status/1343016861395513350
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2115 on: December 28, 2020, 09:49:59 PM »
Guilty as  slowly  charged: Electrify America site lazily energizes a Ford Mustang Mach-E
Dec 24, 2020
Quote
As Ford touts its electric Mustang Mach-E, the company is also promoting its owners’ access to an existing public-charging network built by ChargePoint and Electrify America. Ford calls the network, with some 13,500 stations and 35,000 total plugs, the nation’s largest.

This is a welcome start, including a smartly designed “FordPass” phone app designed for easy, pay-as-you-go access to the network. But not every charging network is created equal, as suggested by my underwhelming, time-sucking experience with Mach-E charging.

I drove miles out of my way just to check out one of EA’s 150-kilowatt machines, eager to see if the ‘Stang SUV (with an official 270-mile range) could really add 47 miles of range in just 10 minutes on the plug. Ford claims a Mach-E in rear-drive, 300-mile-range form will juice even faster, adding 61 miles in 10 minutes.

Working on my laptop in the driver’s seat, I looked up after 10 minutes, and realized (according to both the app and the Mach-E’s driver’s display) that I’d only added nine miles of range to its 88 kWh, 376-cell lithium-ion battery — nowhere near the 47 miles in 10 minutes that Ford is touting via these 150-kilowatt, Supercharger-style stations.

Hopping from the driver’s seat, I saw the charger screen insisting electricity was being delivered at 74.2 kilowatts. That was only about half the 150-kilowatt rate touted on the machine’s placard, and I would have happily taken it. The actual trickle of juice going into the Ford was 20 kilowatts at best; a fraction of the expected rate, and only about twice as fast as a piddling, 11-kilowatt Level 2 home charger. …
https://www.autoblog.com/2020/12/24/2021-ford-mustang-mach-e-chargepoint-electrify-america/

—-
That Viral Video of an 'Apple Car' Parking Is Totally Fake
https://gizmodo.com/that-viral-video-of-an-apple-car-parking-is-totally-fak-1845955323


—- Denmark: Both BEV & PHEV (separately) have caught up to sales # of Diesel
Quote
Søren Jakobsen (@SrenJakobsen2)12/2/20, 3:13 AM
Ser man kun på privates bilkøb (50% af bilsalget) så er diesel-salget (13%) og dermed lavere end både elbiler (14%) og plug-in (14%). I Q1 2020 lå diesel på 22% af salget, men er i november 13% - mon diesel er ved at dø blandt private? twitter.com/aftrier/status… pic.twitter.com/Lik7fdSSie

If you only look at private car purchases (50% of car sales), diesel sales (13%) are thus lower than both electric cars (14%) and plug-ins (14%).  In Q1 2020, diesel accounted for 22% of sales, but is 13% in November - is diesel dying among private individuals?
https://twitter.com/srenjakobsen2/status/1334047926008614913
➡️ Line graph, 2018-2020, at the link.


—- Making the dreaded EV Pedestrian Warning Sound into a highly desired feature
Quote
Tesla Owners Silicon Valley:  Can we get the boom box installed for models prior to the ones that have them now

Elon Musk: You mean install the external speaker on earlier cars that don’t have it?

Tesla Owners Silicon Valley:  Yes. We definitely need it. I want to fart at people walking by.

Elon Musk:  Ok, service might be able to do this. Will check.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1343098161322053632
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vox_mundi

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2116 on: December 29, 2020, 12:49:03 AM »
Volkswagen Teases an Electric Car-Charging Robot With Eyes
https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/28/22202913/volkswagen-charging-robot-electric-cars-vw

Volkswagen says it’s made a prototype of the electric vehicle charging robot concept it first showed off in proof-of-concept form in late 2019, and that it plans to keep developing the idea. The giant German automaker apparently liked the concept so much that the prototype charging robot looks almost identical to the concept version, complete with blinking digital eyes and R2-D2 noises.

The robot — which, shockingly for Volkswagen, doesn’t have a garish or cutesy name — works simply enough in theory. When you park your electric vehicle in a parking garage, you (or your car) can request to have the battery topped up. The robot unmoors from its docking station, hooks up to one of a dozen or so mobile batteries, which it then drags to your car. The robot plugs the battery in to your car and then returns to its station, ready to field any other charging requests. When your car is done charging (or you return from your errand), the robot collects the battery and brings back to the charging racks, stopping to let other cars and pedestrians pass by along the way.

“There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.” ― anonymous

Insensible before the wave so soon released by callous fate. Affected most, they understand the least, and understanding, when it comes, invariably arrives too late

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2117 on: December 31, 2020, 10:54:49 PM »
Across the globe, the internal combustion engine has an expiration date
December 23, 2020
Quote
For better or for worse, the internal combustion engine transformed human society. It opened up the world to fast and affordable travel, increased agricultural productivity and supported millions of jobs, creating a thriving middle class. It also enabled war machines such as tanks, warplanes and nuclear missiles, caused widespread environmental destruction, and bestowed vast wealth on a rogues’ gallery of despots around the world.

Now, after a century and a half, the end of the Oil Age is in sight, and the transition to new energy and transportation systems will once again transform our civilization in unpredictable ways.

The signs of Big Oil’s impending demise are all around us. Electric vehicle sales are soaring in Europe—in November, plug-in vehicles accounted for 16% of the overall auto market in the UK, over 20% in Germany, and an eye-opening 80% in Norway. The cost of batteries continues to plummet. According to research by BloombergNEF (via Al Jazeera), the cost of a lithium-ion battery pack dropped by 87 percent from 2010 to 2019. For the first time, an EV-maker has reported a pack-level battery cost below the much-discussed $100/kWh price point, which many consider the figure that will enable true price parity with legacy vehicles.

EV trendsetter Tesla has become the most valuable automaker in the world, although competitors like Toyota and Volkswagen build many times more cars per year (another ill omen for oil: Tesla recently displaced Occidental Petroleum in the S&P 100 index). TSLA’s stock-market success has catalyzed a veritable feeding frenzy for shares in other electric vehicle companies. Not only startup automakers, but providers of charging infrastructure and developers of esoteric EV-related technology are attracting huge amounts of investment, enabling them to accelerate their programs and expand their offerings.

As energy analyst Ramez Naam pointed out in a recent episode of the Outrage and Optimism podcast, the economic case for fossil fuels is dwindling as the cost of energy from wind and solar power plummets. “None of this is happening as fast as we want. But it’s happening a lot faster than people in industry, especially in the fossil fuel industry or the automotive industry, think it’s going to happen, and what’s clear is the internal combustion engine for ground transport is dead, dead, dead.”
https://evannex.com/blogs/news/across-the-globe-the-internal-combustion-engine-has-an-expiration-date
⬇️ Image below.

——
Ford Mustang Mach-E:   Dealers Reportedly Adding $15,000 Markup Over MSRP
Quote
If you wanted proof that even though some Mustang fans think the Ford Mach-E shouldn’t have borne the iconic galloping stallion badge, it’s still popular and desirable, here is that proof. According to a post on the Mach-E forum, dealers are now marking up the price by between $5,000 and $15,000, even for those people who have already placed orders.

This means that a base Mach-E, whose starting price before incentives is $43,895, can end up costing the buyer nearly $60,000. …
https://insideevs.com/news/430459/ford-mustang-mach-e-dealer-markup-15000/


—- ”Talking about VW's ID3 OTA? What a joke!” 
12/30/20, 1:13 PM
 https://twitter.com/wisitlike/status/1344345866023432193
⬇️ Photo below.


—- Nikola
Quote
Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog)12/31/20, 1:18 PM
shoutout to trevor milton and nikola for making this year hilarious
https://twitter.com/wholemarsblog/status/1344709631403151361

Quote
Gary Black (@garyblack00) 12/28/20, 1:27 PM
$NKLA could declare bankruptcy in 2021 once any of 5 securities fraud class actions are certified as class actions. The lead case is Borteanu v Nikola filed in US District Court in AZ on 9/15/20. The claim defines the class period as 3/3/20 to 9/15/20.
classaction.org/media/borteanu…  [ https://t.co/QQXVQq1o42 ]
2/ I estimate owners of 90M $NKLA shares (ex-TM, other NKLA execs/board, all insiders) could join the class actions. At even 1/2 the $37/sh drop in NKLA price from its June peak of $70 to 9/15/20 price of $33 would cost NKLA $1.7B — roughly 2x its cash on hand as of 9/30/20.
3/ The odds of $NKLA classes being certified is very high (>80%) according to plaintiffs’ counsel I’ve spoken with. The $1.5B-$2.0B risk is likely why we haven’t seen a settlement between the SEC and NKLA on these claims, since plaintiffs can use any admission in private claims.
< Thanks for the information Gary. I asked this several times before. Should I expect to receive any kind of compensation for the money I lost on $nkla?
Gary Black: Join the $NKLA class action and I’m sure you’ll get some $. 
https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1343624658806059012
[textpic at the link: lawyers list.]
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2118 on: January 03, 2021, 01:43:47 PM »
It may have an expiration date, but if VW don't stop telling lies, it is going to put a damper on EV adoption.

Quote
It reveals that not everything Volkswagen claims in public to be a strength of the ID.4 is seen from management as one. In private life, to say something different from what you know is usually called a lie.

https://cleantechnica.com/2021/01/03/leaked-confidential-volkswagen-id-4-strength-weaknesses-assessment/amp/

Reading an article on why dieselgate happened, is enlightening.

Quote
So VW engineers were starting from scratch and under deadline to meet a tough goal set by demanding company leaders who insisted on success.

VW engineers solved the daunting challenge by installing cheating software in cars exported to the U.S.

https://ideas.darden.virginia.edu/vw-emissions-and-the-3-factors-that-drive-ethical-breakdown

In short, they lied.  So much for vorsprung durch technik.  Leaping ahead through lies more like.

The ID.4 is a mediocre effort at producing an EV which competes with the rest of the world.  It has diesel level acceleration, pitiful top speed for a vehicle to be sold to go on the Autobahns and is relatively inefficient to boot. The software / hardware package is a kludge and the overall experience is blighted by a vehicle punted out the door a full year before it is ready.

So why do VW management put out documentation claiming it is #1? I can only assume that it is because they don't believe the truth is important.

Something they swore to fix.
Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

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kassy

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2119 on: January 03, 2021, 05:21:22 PM »
It will put a damper on VW EV adoption if anything.

The emission cheat was in cooperation with the politicians who agreed to the rather lacking and very cheatable test method. It was already the wrong way to go then even to protect jobs in the long term.

For some reason it is really hard to see the alternatives and the need to change when you are only used to ICE culture. Of course the problem is really complicated but if they had just factored in the fact that there was no other choice a long while ago they could easily have done 20 years of research by now. We could have stimulated tech research into that and put more into battery research but for reason that was not interesting enough.

The reason for that is the projections they used. For much too long it was a problem for the next generation. Things have shifted gear a bit. 
Þetta minnismerki er til vitnis um að við vitum hvað er að gerast og hvað þarf að gera. Aðeins þú veist hvort við gerðum eitthvað.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2120 on: January 03, 2021, 10:12:10 PM »
The annual Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
GM to show off electrified vehicles at CES 2021
Quote
CES 2021 is going to be very different from past years. Rather than hordes of technology fans and journalists showing up in Las Vegas in person, the entire event will be held online. A new report has surfaced that General Motors CEO Mary Barra will give the opening keynote address on January 12 for the show. During her keynote, she will reportedly provide a peek at coming electric vehicles.

Like many automakers, GM is very keen to become a significant player in the electric vehicle market. Barra is expected to explain why electrification is necessary to address both environmental and societal changes during her keynote. Sources cited by Bloomberg say that Barra will explain how GM is ready to play a central role in electrification.

One of the GM concept vehicles that will reportedly be unveiled at CES is a plug-in Chevrolet pickup. It’s unclear if that pickup will be a plug-in hybrid or fully electric. GM will also be showing off electrified Cadillac models and electric vehicles for its other brands. GM President Mark Reuss also speak at CES about the automaker’s electric vehicle strategy.

Electrified pickups are a big deal for automakers like GM and Ford. Ford is already talking up its plug-in hybrid F-150 pickup and has plans for a fully-electric truck. Tesla also has the Cybertruck that will launch in the coming months. …
https://www.slashgear.com/gm-to-show-off-electrified-vehicles-at-ces-2021-02653242/
But will we see Tesla showing its cars operating in the Boring Company’s new tunnel system underneath the convention center?

—- India
Mahindra to focus on SUVs and electric after ending Ford joint venture talks
JANUARY 01, 2021
Quote
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd will focus on developing its core portfolio of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and their electric version, a senior executive said on Friday after the company ended joint venture talks with Ford Motor Co.

Anish Shah, the deputy managing director, said Mahindra will focus mainly on large SUVs for its core India market in the short term and move to electric in the medium term, as it charts a new strategy for its automotive business.

Mahindra’s high-end electric vehicle Pininfarina Battista is a starting point, Shah said, adding that the automaker would look at developing more electric platforms in India to build SUVs for the local and export markets.

Mahindra and Ford late on Thursday called off their automotive joint venture due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted them to reassess their capital allocation priorities. The two companies had plans to jointly develop vehicles for manufacture in India for local sales and export to dozens of emerging markets under the Ford badge. However, Mahindra was not convinced the venture would generate returns needed to justify the higher investment it would have to make in a post-pandemic world.

Shah told reporters Mahindra had initially planned to invest about 30 billion rupees ($410.68 million) in the venture, half of which would have been equity. Now, Mahindra plans to invest the money in electric vehicles, he said, adding it is open to collaborating with Ford in the future, including in EVs. …
https://www.reuters.com/article/ford-motor-mahindra-india-idUSKBN2962A2
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2121 on: January 04, 2021, 02:17:27 AM »
—- U.S.
Consumer Reports survey reveals that the EV era has begun
January 3, 2021
Quote
Consumer Reports’ latest nationally representative survey on electric cars showed that public perception regarding EVs is taking steps towards the mainstream. While only about 30% of the survey’s respondents stated that they are notably familiar with electric cars, almost all the participants had at least heard of EVs. Interest in electric cars was extremely high, with 71% of US drivers stating that they would consider buying an electric car at some point in the future.

Nearly a third of the survey’s respondents indicated that they are interested in purchasing an electric car for their next car. More than 70% of the study’s respondents also agreed on the notion that electric vehicles would be better for the environment, and that automakers should offer more vehicle types such as plug-in electric pickups and SUVs alongside their car EV offerings.

Overall, the results of Consumer Reports’ survey shows that consumers are now becoming steadily more aware of electric cars. And while there are still some concerns about challenges such as the availability of charging stations on the road, Chris Harto, CR’s senior sustainability policy analyst, noted that the use of public charging stations is actually quite rare for a good number of electric car owners.

“American drivers are accustomed to having ready access to gas stations, and may not realize that if they have a personal garage or driveway, they’ll be doing most of their charging at home with an EV. Even though we have found that the typical driver would make as few as six stops at a public charging station every year, a more robust network of fast-charging stations would help alleviate buyers’ concerns about switching to an electric vehicle,” Harto said.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-age-of-evs-consumer-reports/

—— Taiwan
Tesla to Add 13 Superchargers in Taiwan in 2021 as Global Expansion Charges On
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesmanian-blog/tesla-plans-to-add-13-v3-superchargers-in-taiwan-in-2021
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2122 on: January 05, 2021, 11:19:39 AM »
It will put a damper on VW EV adoption if anything.

Yes, but if you look at the numbers, both in production and investment, only VW, of the incumbents, is truly going all in on EV.  The rest are still playing the compliance game.  With Renault Zoe having sold, between 2012 and Dec 2019, the same as Tesla delivered in Q4 2020.  Total capacity of the e208 from Peugeot is 60,000 vehicles per year and the New 500 from Fiat is sized at 80,000 per year.

If you add the planned capacity of VW (Zwickau), plus PSA, Renault (60k) and Fiat, you get 530k vehicles.  Just slightly more than the phase1 volume for Giga Berlin.

To say that damaging VW adoption in the EU is only damaging VW EV sales is to understate the situation.  Especially as VW is intending to convert Wolfsburg too, allowing them to produce 1.5m EV per year.

Granted that EU vehicle sales are 15m a year and EV is still very low, it is still going to be a very large proportion of EU EV sales until competition wises up and starts to transform faster.

So I stick by my assessment. The inability of VW to tell the truth about their offerings (whilst under pressure to deliver), is going to harm EV reputation.  Because VW will be marketing like mad and the overall impression, when buyers take ownership, is going to be underwhelming.

With Tesla being less than 50% of the market and not advertising, the impression of EV's is going to be impacted by this kind of dishonesty.

Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

Robert A. Heinlein

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2123 on: January 07, 2021, 08:34:36 PM »
Where Are The Affordable Cars Required To Accelerate Europe’s Electric Revolution?
Quote
The phony war is over in Europe. Early adopters with deep pockets, helped by big dollops of tax-payer cash, have given an early boost to the nascent electric car market. But for sales to progress, electric cars will have to demonstrate value for money as well as virtue, and be able to perform at least as well as gasoline and diesel fuelled internal combustion engines (ICE).

The trouble is, auto manufacturers are heading in the wrong direction as they seek to fulfill the European Union’s (EU) plan to force everyone into electric cars. Auto companies are trying to produce electric cars that are the mirror image of ICE ones. They are failing because current battery technology is simply not up to the job and they are offering cars that are much too expensive and still can’t match the overall performance of ICE vehicles.

EU politicians must be wishing they were trying to push a product like the mobile phone, which conquered the world without subsidies because it worked, everybody wanted one, and could afford them.

But wait.
There might be such a product waiting in the wings that is all-electric, does a great but limited job as a city car, and is affordable by people on average incomes. Citroen has one such product with the Ami, although it requires a bit of work on range and performance. And in China there is the Hong Guang Mini, made by BYD, and apparently on the verge of moving into Europe. If these cars catch on it will be a massive shot in the arm for manufacturers because current battery technology can already meet the demands without the need for super powerful ones with hugely expensive research, pricey scarce raw materials, and burgeoning recycling costs. …
https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilwinton/2021/01/05/where-are-the-affordable-cars-required-to-accelerate-europes-electric-revolution/

—-
State of New York announces transit and school bus electrification initiatives
January 5, 2021
Quote
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a series of initiatives to increase the number of electric buses in the state. The plans include $16.4 million in incentives for transit buses, and $2.5 million for school buses.

Under the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP), $16.4 million from the Volkswagen diesel settlement will be made available to five of the largest public transit operators in the state: the Capital District Transportation Authority, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Rochester-Genesee Regional Transit Authority, Suffolk County Transportation and Westchester County Bee-Line Bus System. Combined, these transit operators operate over 1,300 transit buses. The NYTVIP program will cover 100 percent of the cost of new all-electric transit buses that serve disadvantaged communities. …
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/state-of-new-york-announces-transit-and-school-bus-electrification-initiatives/
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2124 on: January 09, 2021, 03:27:27 PM »
A standard Fiat 500, today, costs around €16,000 new, with up to 30k with add ons.

The basic VW ID.3 comes in at €30k but there are benefits in running costs, etc and the inside space experience is more like the Passat.

My 6'2" son does a hilarious mime of trying to fit inside a Fiat 500.  He should know he got one on hire when his range Rover had to be repaired.

I would suggest that a 20% price drop on the ID.3 would put it firmly into an affordable bracket, running costs included.

Yet VW has still to replace the Polo with an EV equivalent. It may take a few years but it will get there.

Ditto PSA with their 208/C3 range.

These EV vehicles are on the launch pad. The main thing to know is just how long they are going to take. Because 2024/5 is too long for a 50% transition.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2125 on: January 09, 2021, 07:20:51 PM »
NIO reveals its ET7 sedan, first deliveries Q1 2022

NIO is heavily promoting its battery swapping program.  I have not watched the video yet, but I haven’t seen anything that says the future 150 kWh pack can be swapped into earlier 70- and 100-kWh cars.

NIO Reveals Stunning ET7 Flagship Sedan
Quote
During the NIO Day event, on January 09, 2021, NIO unveiled its fourth electric car model, the NIO ET7, a highly advanced flagship sedan, based on the NIO ET Preview concept from 2019.

NIO ET7 specs:
   •   70 kWh battery - more than 500 km (311 miles) of NEDC range
   •   100 kWh battery - more than 700 km (435 miles) of NEDC range
   •   150 kWh battery option in the future will get more than 1,000 km (620 miles) of NEDC range
...
[Prices before subsidies:]
   •   ET7 (70 kWh)
   •   448,000 yuan ($69,185)
   •   BaaS: 378,000 yuan ($58,375) plus 980 yuan ($151) per month

   •   ET7 (100 kWh)
   •   506,000 yuan ($78,142)
   •   BaaS: 378,000 yuan ($58,375) plus 1,480 yuan ($229) per month

   •   ET7 Premier edition (100 kWh)
   •   526,000 yuan ($81,230)
   •   BaaS: 398,000 yuan ($61,463) plus 1,480 yuan ($229) per month
* BaaS - Battery as a Service
Interestingly, NIO offers substantial discounts on the ET7 for its current customers. ...
https://insideevs.com/news/465163/nio-et7-flagship-sedan-debut/
NIO Day video ➡️https://youtu.be/dYtvit9aBOo


Here’s a “but, Tesla…” CNBC article, with its own video:
Nio releases its first sedan to compete with Tesla in China
Quote
BEIJING — Chinese electric car start-up Nio released its first sedan on Saturday with self-driving technology features that the company claims surpass that of Tesla.

Nio’s et7 sedan can work with the company’s new autonomous driving system that features camera resolution of 8 megapixels — versus 1.2 megapixels for Tesla — and Nvidia processing chips that offer processing power greater than that of seven Tesla full self-driving computers, Li claimed.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/09/nio-releases-its-first-sedan-to-compete-with-tesla-in-china.html
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2126 on: January 10, 2021, 12:56:20 PM »
Tesla has not exceeded the capability of HW3 yet.  It is glaringly obvious that the challenge here is software rather than hardware at the current level.

Witness Tesla having to create an AI training supercomputer to generate the immense library of information that Humans have already accumulated in their formative years.

Sheer hardware grunt is not going to fix this.  It may become a component as the AI expands and consumes more power for the decision processes, but it is pretty clear that Tesla can already manage multiple path predictions on HW3.

Looking at the journey Tesla has had with a total rewrite of the AI to remove performance blocks, I would take these claims with a bucket of salt.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2127 on: January 10, 2021, 10:31:15 PM »
...
Looking at the journey Tesla has had with a total rewrite of the AI to remove performance blocks, I would take these claims with a bucket of salt.

The fact that they promote ranges using the NEDC test standard (common in China, but still, ::) ) suggest to me they are comfortable with very loose approximations of the truth.
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

zizek

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2128 on: January 10, 2021, 10:40:48 PM »
...
Looking at the journey Tesla has had with a total rewrite of the AI to remove performance blocks, I would take these claims with a bucket of salt.

The fact that they promote ranges using the NEDC test standard (common in China, but still, ::) ) suggest to me they are comfortable with very loose approximations of the truth.

Looking forward to the mental gymnastics NIO is going to bring. It will go something like this:

When Musk misses a deadline, targets are missed, specs fall short, or projects become complete vaporware: he's a visionary and we can ignore those things.

When the Chinese do it: they're inscrutable liars.


NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2129 on: January 11, 2021, 02:18:00 PM »
When Musk misses a deadline, targets are missed, specs fall short, or projects become complete vaporware: he's a visionary and we can ignore those things.

Ah, the short view.

Not very profitable in 2020 when the Model 3 took over the #1 slot in the world, the Model Y launched and Shanghai (vapourware, muddy field), went into production and phase 2 was completed.

Perhaps you might want to look at how VW is measuring up to those same standards.

As for Nio sticking in a power hungry monster of a processor in the car and claiming it has a better FSD solution than Tesla, is hardly being honest and is setting wildly impractical expectations.

Late is an entirely different story.  Late is not never, nor is it vapourware.  It's just late.
Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2130 on: January 11, 2021, 04:05:02 PM »
Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.


Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2131 on: January 11, 2021, 05:20:50 PM »
Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.

It works as a gimmick to help NIO stand out from the crowded China EV space today, and provides a way to offer its cars at a lower price with battery leasing — but it will seem like old tech in a couple years.  Even the recent heavy investments into the company won’t assure its survival if it doesn’t quickly become competitive in other aspects.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2132 on: January 11, 2021, 05:24:39 PM »
Lordstown Motors Says It Has Over 100,000 Reservations for Its Electric Pickup Truck
The pre-orders are coming from commercial fleets, the CEO said.
Quote
Ohio-based start-up Lordstown Motors (NASDAQ:RIDE) said on Monday that it now has more than 100,000 reservations for its upcoming Endurance electric pickup truck.

While the reservations are nonbinding, the total is a significant indication of interest in the truck, which is designed around the needs of commercial and government fleet operators. Lordstown said that the average order is for nearly 600 trucks.

In a statement, CEO Steve Burns noted that all of the pre-orders are from commercial fleets. Burns emphasized that government fleet operators, including U.S. military representatives, have also expressed interest in the truck. But government fleets can't place pre-orders; they need to wait until the truck is in production later this year.

The Endurance is a full-size electric pickup designed for fleet operation, with a claimed range of about 250 miles and a towing capacity of up to 7,500 pounds. The initial trucks will be configured as crew cabs with medium-length beds; other configurations may be introduced later on.

In that initial configuration, the Endurance is expected to start at $45,000 after U.S. government incentives.

The company is operating in a former General Motors (NYSE:GM) factory in Lordstown, Ohio. GM is an investor in Lordstown and has provided some technical assistance, Lordstown has said.

The company confirmed on Monday that it is now building beta versions of the Endurance for testing. It expects to begin production of trucks for customers in September. 
https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/01/11/lordstown-motors-has-over-100000-reservations-for/

Image below: Lordstown CEO Steve Burns with the company's Endurance pickup.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2133 on: January 11, 2021, 05:36:32 PM »
Tata Motors Stock Is Surging on India Tesla Rumors
Quote
According to the Times, the rumor is that Tesla has been searching for an Indian manufacturing partner and settled on Tata after its due diligence process concluded that the Indian company had the best electric-vehicle infrastructure among the country's major automakers. Tata's Nexon EV is India's best-selling electric vehicle.

Tesla has said it plans to enter the Indian market in 2021, but it hasn't provided any details. …
https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/01/11/tata-motors-stock-is-surging-on-india-tesla-rumors/
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zizek

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2134 on: January 11, 2021, 05:37:22 PM »
When Musk misses a deadline, targets are missed, specs fall short, or projects become complete vaporware: he's a visionary and we can ignore those things.

Ah, the short view.

Not very profitable in 2020 when the Model 3 took over the #1 slot in the world, the Model Y launched and Shanghai (vapourware, muddy field), went into production and phase 2 was completed.

Perhaps you might want to look at how VW is measuring up to those same standards.

As for Nio sticking in a power hungry monster of a processor in the car and claiming it has a better FSD solution than Tesla, is hardly being honest and is setting wildly impractical expectations.

Late is an entirely different story.  Late is not never, nor is it vapourware.  It's just late.

Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.



Thanks for both proving my point? I'm pretty sure you both completely misunderstood my post. Just to spell it out for you both:
Whenever I or others criticized musk, we were met with the typical response: FUD, short seller, spewing fossil fuel arguments, etc.... It was impossible to have any meaningful discussion because Musk's cult of personality completely infected this place, so many would defend any of his actions with hysterics.

Now that other automakers are on the scene, FUD, shorts, and all that garbage no longer applies to them. In fact, we can completely flip the script, and use tropes to create a pessimistic case - for example, we shouldn't believe NIO's spec (like we so wonderfully did with Teslas) because they're lying chinese.


Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.

Musk didn't give up on battery swaps because of faster chargers, it was because it was an engineering nightmare. NIO's 100kWh battery would still take 40 minutes to fully recharge, compared to their 5 minute swapping time. I don't personally care either way, but it's pretty easy to make a case for swappable batteries, especially when there are thousands of EVs on the road instead of just a handful in any given area.

Once again, this was not the point of my original post. If you criticized musk for promising swappable batteries, you would responded with FUD! Now that NIO's doing it, well, it's obviously a mistake because that's not what TSLA is doing. Musk is infallible, and everyone else is stumbling into this game.

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2135 on: January 12, 2021, 03:17:35 AM »
When Musk misses a deadline, targets are missed, specs fall short, or projects become complete vaporware: he's a visionary and we can ignore those things.

Ah, the short view.

Not very profitable in 2020 when the Model 3 took over the #1 slot in the world, the Model Y launched and Shanghai (vapourware, muddy field), went into production and phase 2 was completed.

Perhaps you might want to look at how VW is measuring up to those same standards.

As for Nio sticking in a power hungry monster of a processor in the car and claiming it has a better FSD solution than Tesla, is hardly being honest and is setting wildly impractical expectations.

Late is an entirely different story.  Late is not never, nor is it vapourware.  It's just late.

Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.



Thanks for both proving my point? I'm pretty sure you both completely misunderstood my post. Just to spell it out for you both:
Whenever I or others criticized musk, we were met with the typical response: FUD, short seller, spewing fossil fuel arguments, etc.... It was impossible to have any meaningful discussion because Musk's cult of personality completely infected this place, so many would defend any of his actions with hysterics.

Now that other automakers are on the scene, FUD, shorts, and all that garbage no longer applies to them. In fact, we can completely flip the script, and use tropes to create a pessimistic case - for example, we shouldn't believe NIO's spec (like we so wonderfully did with Teslas) because they're lying chinese.


Battery swapping is not a good solution. Higher charging speeds available now make it the wrong solution.

Musk didn't give up on battery swaps because of faster chargers, it was because it was an engineering nightmare. NIO's 100kWh battery would still take 40 minutes to fully recharge, compared to their 5 minute swapping time. I don't personally care either way, but it's pretty easy to make a case for swappable batteries, especially when there are thousands of EVs on the road instead of just a handful in any given area.

Once again, this was not the point of my original post. If you criticized musk for promising swappable batteries, you would responded with FUD! Now that NIO's doing it, well, it's obviously a mistake because that's not what TSLA is doing. Musk is infallible, and everyone else is stumbling into this game.


If you think I praise everything Musk does you haven't read enough of my posts. I don't like over the air updates. It gives the company the power to remove things just like microsoft has done. The cyber truck is a risky move. I think he should have built a regular looking truck first. It might end up being a huge hit. Personally he seems like an asshole and I would hate to work for him. Overall he has done a lot of impressive things. Building a high volume car brand with is impressive. Not everything he has tried is successful but most of it is.
Riven looks to have their act together. VW is taking the threat seriously but so far they have stumbled. GM looks to be taking it seriously but it is hard to be certain. Ford seems like they are ready to build a few more compliance vehicles. Toyota is saying we will build a few compliance vehicles by 2030. To my knowledge nio produces a vehicle which less expensive but other than battery swapping doesn't have much going for it. My main problem with battery swapping is it is cumbersome and expensive way to add electricity to a car. It may makes sense when you are building for the Chinese market but I don't think so. Nikola was a fraud playing on the tesla name.
The worshipers and the haters are both wrong. At this time though nothing competes with a Tesla.

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2136 on: January 12, 2021, 09:46:39 AM »
I suspect the reason battery swapping has fallen out of favour is because if you go down that route then you can no longer save weight by making the battery part of the structure of the car.  Quite the opposite, you end up building a heavier car as you need extra structure to enable the removal of the battery.   
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2137 on: January 12, 2021, 02:15:03 PM »
At this time though nothing competes with a Tesla.

I would slightly modify that statement.  At this time nothing competes with the Tesla Model 3, which is the only mass market vehicle Tesla is selling in very high volume.  By the end of 2021, that will be expanded to nothing competes with the Model 3 and the Model Y.

It would have been too long a post and I wanted to keep it short, but those two models, which will be unassailable come end 2021, were "vapourware". They were LATE and Musk was denounced as a charlatan for saying Tesla would deliver them.

Tesla has more than delivered on range, longevity, battery life and a whole host of other things they "promised".  Tesla will also deliver on FSD which is also being claimed as "vapourware".  It is only when you get down to the extremely difficult task of pushing a new concept through to volume production that you see just how hard it is.  Witness delays.

Today the shorts denounce the Cybertruck and the Semi as "vapourware".  Ditto the Solar roof.

In 5 years time the Cybertruck, the Semi and the Solar Roof will all take their place in the Tesla portfolio and it remains to be seen how popular they will become and how much competition they will have.  Tesla has far more competition in the solar business than it does in vehicles today.

As for Nio?  Tesla did all of this on EPA range assessments.  It closed out battery swaps when it realised that with a 340 mile range and extensive supercharging, battery swaps were not needed.

Tesla peaks at 77kwh for the Model3, yet doesn't need battery swaps.  In fact Tesla is building a facility to build 10,000 superchargers a year, so they can build the charging network even faster.

So back to Nio.  Will their battery swap locations match Tesla supercharging locations?  Even then, will people want to spend the time swapping batteries when an equivalent time at a supercharger could get them all the range they need in order to make it to the next charging stop where they can fully charge.

With 100kwh and 150hwh batteries, why is Nio even thinking about battery swaps?  Is their tech so inefficient, or unreliable, that they need to swap batteries instead of just charging it.

So it is the right thing to do to question where Nio is right now.  Because if they ever manage to sell to enough people, they're going to come right up against Tesla and others who are competing with Tesla, not Nio.

Will Nio survive?  Are they really selling hype at a lower price than Tesla reality?

Someone should be asking these questions, just as much harsher questions should have been asked of Nikola.

Or, Musk's an asshole so Tesla is fake.  The fact that Milton appears to be a "nice guy", but, in fact, is a scam artist, doesn't seem to percolate through some visions.  Just because Musk is not the kind of person most would want to be friends with our work for doesn't mean that he is not honest, hard working and successful in his business life.

Not taking all of this into account makes a really good short.  Most of them are assholes.
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2138 on: January 14, 2021, 02:10:17 AM »
—- Honda’s EVs are coming from GM
Report: GM-Built Honda and Acura EV SUVs Due by Mid-Decade
Quote
Last year, General Motors and Honda announced plans to use the former company's Ultium electric vehicle tech in forthcoming battery-electric vehicles sold by the latter. Now, a report by Automotive News sheds a little light on the forthcoming fruits of this partnership.

According to AN, GM is due to produce two EV models for the Japanese automaker: a mainstream Honda SUV and a luxury-oriented Acura SUV. Production of the Honda-badged model reportedly begins in 2023 at GM's Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant, which currently builds vehicles such as the Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer compact and midsize SUVs. About a year later, the Acura EV SUV will start production at GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee plant that today builds the likes of the Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia SUVs, and is set to build the the Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV.

Per AN's sources, the Honda and Acura EVs will cast shadows close to that of Lyriq, which was revealed in show-car form late last year and promises a driving range of more than 300 miles on a full charge of its battery pack. We expect the Honda and Acura EVs to offer similarly impressive driving ranges.

Although the timelines and production facilities GM and Honda intend to use are merely rumors at the moment, the fact remains that Honda is working with GM on its forthcoming EV models. Likewise, GM continues to move forward in its plans to expand its presence in the EV marketplace. The automaker intends to update its Chevrolet Bolt for the 2022 model year, while also adding the Bolt EUV crossover SUV to the mix. Meanwhile, the company intends to initially bring its Ultium tech to market in the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup. Other upcoming Ultium-based GM models include a GMC Hummer EV SUV, the aforementioned Cadillac Lyriq SUV, and a Chevrolet pickup.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/gm-honda-acura-ev-development-report/

—-
GM working with 'all the best startups' on next-gen EV battery tech -exec
Quote
“We’re partnering with some great companies,” including Honda Motor and LG Chem, on electric vehicles and batteries, said Doug Parks, GM’s executive vice president of global product development. But “we’re also looking outside the company to startups to get on the front edge of that learning curve.”

GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said nearly a year ago that the automaker had boosted its spending budget on electric and automated vehicles from $20 billion to $27 billion through 2025.

Parks said much of that $7 billion increase is tied to spending on additional production capacity for the Ultium battery, which is slated to go into production in Ohio next year in a $2.3 billion joint venture with LG Chem.

With all the electric vehicles that GM has planned for North America - some 20 models by 2025 - “we’re going to need more capacity” for batteries, Parks said. “So there’s more investment coming after the initial wave in Ohio.” 
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tech-ces-general-motors-idUSKBN29G2EG


GM debuts all-electric van in battle to capture 'last mile' e-commerce deliveries
FedEx has already placed "a large order" for the electric trucks, after a test showed they resulted in a 25 percent increase in productivity, GM said.
Jan. 12, 2021
Quote
General Motors wants to electrify the delivery side of e-commerce, launching a new subsidiary, BrightDrop, that will deliver “an ecosystem” of products and services to speed up the shipping and delivery process.
Set to launch later this year, BrightDrop will offer all-electric delivery vans, as well as a droid-like cargo palette capable of rolling around under its own power.

The new GM subsidiary has already received a large order from Federal Express, which tested the technology and found a 25 percent increase in productivity, according to Pam Fletcher, the Detroit automaker’s head of global innovation.
E-commerce will likely grow to 100 million packages a day by 2023, "three years earlier than originally expected," Richard Smith, FedEx's regional president said Tuesday.
Bright Drop has received numerous letters of intent from other shipping and delivery services, Fletcher said.

With BrightDrop, GM will go into competition with several other manufacturers hoping to electrify the delivery business, including Daimler and Rivian, the suburban Detroit startup backed by Ford and Amazon. The online retail giant has ordered 100,000 all-electric Rivian delivery trucks for the U.S., and thousands more from Daimler for Europe.

About the size of the standard FedEx truck of today, the BrightDrop EV600 will use an all-electric platform similar to the one that will underpin the new GMC Hummer pickup that GM plans to launch later this year. It will be powered by the new Ultium batteries the automaker will produce at a new plant in Ohio that is part of a joint venture with South Korea’s LG Chem.
The van will have a range of about 250 miles per charge, according to Fletcher, more than enough to handle the typical "last mile" delivery route, based on industry data showing such delivery trucks typically log fewer than 50 miles a day.

At its debut, the other key product will be the EP1. While not quite the chatty Star Wars droid, this cargo palette will be self-propelled, using electric motors in each of its wheels. That means it will be able to roll along with a human worker, minimizing strain and reducing the risk of injuries.
Both the EP1 and EV600 will use cloud-connected technology so they can be monitored constantly. New BrightDrop software will let a customer know where they are at any time and what goods are being carried. That should reduce errors, as well as theft, according to BrightDrop.

The utility truck market is expected to almost double to more than $90 billion annually by 2026, according to Forbes Business Insight, up from around $47 billion in 2018, with cargo and delivery vehicles of various sizes set to make up a significant share of that.
Demand is growing for all-electric models, according to Alf Poor, CEO of Ideanomics.
That adoption is expected to happen rather rapidly, Poor and other experts believe. One reason is the pressure fleet operators are facing under new regulations. California, for example, has laid out a plan for phasing out the use of internal combustion power in all trucking segments over the coming decade.
But there’s another motivating factor. Until recently, electric drive technology was considered too expensive or limited in range, but upgrades have made it much more appealing. Despite a higher up-front price tag, operating costs are a fraction of conventional vehicles, said Poor, so electric trucks “just make sense because there’s almost an immediate return on investment.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/gm-debuts-all-electric-van-battle-capture-last-mile-e-n1253883
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2139 on: January 14, 2021, 02:25:16 AM »
Tesla Model Y Will 'Disrupt' The Chinese Auto Market — Here's Why
Quote
Tesla Inc’s Model Y electric vehicle will help boost sales and emerge as a major disrupter of that country’s auto market in 2021, analysts are estimating, as reported by Reuters on Monday.

What Happened: China — the world’s largest car market — saw the launch of the locally made Model Y sports utility vehicles this month for a price of RMB 339,900 ($52,376), which is less than a tenth of gasoline-powered luxury cars with a similar market positioning made by Daimler AG, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, and Volkswagen AG, according to Reuters.

“The pricing will disrupt the conventional premium cars market and shatter the traditional belief that the cost of an electric vehicle (EV) should be higher,” Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) told Reuters.

Tesla’s Model 3 sedan, which is made in Shanghai, outsold similarly positioned cars made by the luxury automakers in November, as per CPCA data.

Why It Matters: Tesla’s Model Y pricing would set a benchmark for automakers to beat and push demand higher, noted Reuters.

Nio Rivalry: Tesla, other foreign players, along with domestic competitors such as Nio Inc, Xpeng Inc are ramping up production to meet the projected demand.

Nio unveiled its first sedan, the et7, during the Nio Day event on Saturday. The company's CEO William Li said this week that the automaker could make cheaper mass-market cars under a different brand. …
https://m.benzinga.com/article/19114686
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2140 on: January 14, 2021, 11:47:33 AM »
It will take a little bit of time to be sure, but it looks like competition with Tesla by other EV makers is dismantling FF vehicle sales rather than Tesla sales.

I know a lot has been bandied about that Tesla is losing market share in NO and NL, but reality is different. Simply Tesla was focusing elsewhere and didn't have the supply.

If Tesla can sell every vehicle they have and ditto VW group's various vehicles, then these models become FF killers rather than Tesla killers.

Something to watch for in the analysis. When they catch up.
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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2141 on: January 14, 2021, 08:01:15 PM »
imo talk about Tesla market share are mostly premature when sales are constrained by supply instead of demand

NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2142 on: January 14, 2021, 08:51:13 PM »
imo talk about Tesla market share are mostly premature when sales are constrained by supply instead of demand

Exactly what Elon continues to repeat. They are and have been supply constrained.

It will take a few years before that plays out.
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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2143 on: January 14, 2021, 10:23:51 PM »
And don´t we have another thread for that?
Þetta minnismerki er til vitnis um að við vitum hvað er að gerast og hvað þarf að gera. Aðeins þú veist hvort við gerðum eitthvað.

zizek

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2144 on: January 14, 2021, 11:03:27 PM »
imo talk about Tesla market share are mostly premature when sales are constrained by supply instead of demand

Exactly what Elon continues to repeat. They are and have been supply constrained.

It will take a few years before that plays out.

Then why has elon reduced the price numerous times?

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2145 on: January 15, 2021, 11:18:07 AM »
We do.  I was talking more generally about how Tesla is forcing EV responses from incumbents like VW which, in general, is driving the destruction of the FF vehicle market.

There is constant position changing in the press as to whether Tesla is impacting markets or not, hence driving reform to EV, due to the ability to supply vehicles in the market.

So we went down the constrained supply route instead of the higher, more general, "Is tesla driving manufacturers to produce EV's which then compete with FF and not other EV?".

Demand for EV seems to exceed global supply right now.  This is a good thing.  Hopefully as charging becomes widely available and the benefits of EV become more apparent for the 80% plus who don't need FF range and flexibility, that demand will continue to rise.
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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2146 on: January 15, 2021, 05:12:29 PM »
—- When a company that makes 500,000 EVs a year is too big.
Why Tesla Is Opposing South Korea's Proposed Green Energy Vehicle Policy
Jan 7
Quote
Given the high cost of electric vehicles, government subsidies and incentives are a major factor that can alleviate the financial burden on manufacturers and prospective customers.

What Happened: Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) has opposed an incentive scheme that is being discussed by the South Korean government to promote new energy vehicle sales, The Korea Times reported.

The new policy would require local automakers increase the share of green energy vehicles, and those that meet the standard would be rewarded, while the rest would be penalized, the report said.  Although the terms of the policy have not been worked out concretely, it is expected that companies meeting the standards will be able to sell excess credits in the market to other companies.

Tesla reportedly complained that the policy is against the equitable treatment mandated for both foreign and domestic players under the Korean-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

A government official clarified that the policy is proposed to motivate traditional automakers to switch to green energy vehicles, and therefore it does not make sense to pay subsidies to a pure play EV company such as Tesla, the Korea Times reported.

The government is reportedly planning to work out the final framework of the policy by the end of 2021 and assess automaker green energy vehicle production in 2022. Fines would be levied on defaulters by 2023 and the amount collected would be used to set up infrastructure for eco-friendly cars, the report said. …
https://m.benzinga.com/article/19063510


—- How many is too many EV manufacturers?
Quote
Sam Korus (@skorusARK)1/14/21, 2:55 PM
1/Some context for the number of EV companies emerging.
In the early 1900s when gas cars were first gaining share there was a boom in the number of car companies, which was quickly followed by consolidation.
https://twitter.com/skorusark/status/1349807387461316608
[At the link: Graph with 3 points]

Sam Korus:
2/When China was handing out money to EV companies there was a boom of ~500 companies. Of those, "just 11 succeeded in raising funds last year (2019)" europe.autonews.com/automakers/ev-…

Petteri Bergius:
$NKLA is first to go, then Workhorse, Atlis, Bollinger. Next batch is $F, $GM, $FCA, PSA. Disruption is ruining the horsewhip makers and charlatans.
The new Ford, GM and Chrysler will be Tesla, Rivian and Lucid in the US. In Europe VW will probably survive. The Chinese will wipe off Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Kia


Williams Gwyn:
Agreed. There are shaky new EVMs and many legacy OEMs face bankruptcy and are fighting for their lives. GM's latest marketing led reinvention is just that imo, advertising dressed up as news on CNBC. I don't believe they have compelling or profitable EVs coming out any time soon.


—-
U.S. exempts automated vehicles from some crash standards
Quote
The outgoing Trump administration said on Thursday it was issuing new rules that would allow manufacturers of automated vehicles to bypass some crash standards required of conventional vehicles, which would cut production costs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the rules would exempt from certain crash standards automated vehicles that are designed to carry only goods, not people. The new rules, issued after months of deliberation, would also give a freer hand to manufacturers of passenger-carrying autonomous vehicles to design vehicles without standard controls, including steering wheels.

It is the first time the agency has made a significant move to remove barriers to deployment of vehicles without traditional human controls — including eliminating the requirement that self-driving vehicles have a driver’s seat. …
https://venturebeat.com/2021/01/15/u-s-exempts-automated-vehicles-from-some-crash-standards/

—-
JANUARY 15, 2021
BMW aims to double fully-electric vehicle sales in 2021
(But doesn’t say exactly how many that is.)
Quote
BMW said on Friday that it aims to double its sales of fully-electric vehicles this year as the German carmaker and rivals race to release new models to comply with CO2 emissions targets and chase market leader Tesla Inc.

BMW also said that including plug-in hybrids, it aims for a 50% increase in sales of electrified vehicles versus 2020.
It did not give sales volumes for its fully electric vehicles but in 2020 data released on Tuesday BMW said it sold close to 193,000 electrified vehicles - fully electric and plug-in hybrid - last year.

Tesla delivered just under 500,000 vehicles, all fully electric, to customers in 2020. …
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-bmw-electric-idUSKBN29K1CI

—-
Toyota greenwashing results in record fine of $ 180 million for emissions lies
January 15, 2021
Quote
Toyota will pay a fine of $ 180 million for failing to comply with Clean Air Act emissions reporting requirements from 2005 to 2015, according to a filing filed today by the US Department of Justice.

During this period, Toyota delayed the required filings on emissions defects and did not notify the EPA of the progress of recalls related to the emissions defects. This has resulted in higher emissions, higher costs for consumers, and greater profit for Toyota.

Emissions regulations are largely based on a “self-disclosure” system where manufacturers are responsible for filing reports detailing their compliance. During the 10-year period, Toyota delayed filing 78 emissions reports, some of which were sent up to eight years late. The company also failed to file 20 emissions recall reports and more than 200 quarterly emissions recall updates. …
https://www.fr24news.com/a/2021/01/toyota-greenwashing-results-in-record-fine-of-180-million-for-emissions-lies.html

—-
Porsche: guidance for 2020:  40,000 Taycans.  Actual: 20,000 (declares victory)
Quote
Alex (@alex_avoigt)1/12/21, 5:59 AM
Porsche declares victory having sold 20k Taycan in 2020
What they don't say is that the original target was 30-40k
https://twitter.com/alex_avoigt/status/1348947705016553475
Alex:  Porsche is losing money with every Taycan shipped.  Porsche announced to target making a profit with the new model in 2021 but did not release any break-even volume
> That 40k target was already set for the original start for 2019, during pre-production. Back then at end of 2018 they raised the volumes for logistics and supply chain for a 40k minimum.
< To be fair, there was a pandemic in 2020.
<< VW reports about 200% increase in electric sales "despite all challenges" (and 15% overall decline). So 20K BEVs vs 30-40K is bad.


—- NKLA Stock is Worth Less Than $3
Nikola’s Altered Agreement with GM Permanently Changed the Equation
Quote
Based on a new net-net value of $939.64 million [$985.9 million in current assets at the end of Q3 2020 plus $10.24 million in cash, less $56.5 million in liabilities] and shares outstanding of 385 million, the estimated new net-net value per share is $2.44.
https://investorplace.com/2021/01/nikolas-altered-agreement-gm-changed-equation-nkla-stock/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2147 on: January 19, 2021, 02:08:30 AM »
—- Florida, U.S.
Duke Energy Florida to invest in EV charging stations as part of clean energy plan, and raise rates
Quote
Duke Energy Corp.'s subsidiary Duke Energy Florida (DEF) announced Friday agreement to push its clean energy program for the state, including investing in electric vehicle charging stations and accelerating the retirement of coal plants, but will also include base rate increases over the next three years.

The utility company said the agreement is subject to approval by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC). "This agreement provides a path to minimize bill increases while continuing to make smart investments that will offer customers greater reliability, cleaner energy alternatives and innovative technology," said Catherine Stempien, DEF state president.

The agreement includes base rate increases of about $5 billion over the next three years. As a result, DEF said its average residential customers will see their bills increase by 3% to 4% in 2022, and by 1% to 2% in 2023 and 2024. Duke's stock, which rose 0.3% in afternoon trading, has slipped 0.6% over the past 12 months, while the SPDR Utilities Select Sector ETF has lost 4.6% and the S&P 500 has gained 15.0%.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/duke-energy-florida-to-invest-in-ev-charging-stations-as-part-of-clean-energy-plan-and-raise-rates/ar-BB1cN4NR

—-
Hyundai to end domestic sales of Kona EVs after recalls - reports
Quote
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co will end domestic sales of its best-selling electric vehicle (EV), the Kona EV, after a series of fires and faulty braking systems prompted mass recalls, local media reported on Friday.

Cable news channel YTN said Hyundai was reviewing the end of Kona EV sales in South Korea, while the JoongAng Daily cited an unidentified source as saying sales would continue in Europe.  The Kona EV ranks among Europe’s best-selling EVs. Sales of the model outside its home market account for over three-quarters of the total.

Hyundai declined to confirm the reports but told Reuters, “We are reviewing various options as we prepare to launch the Ioniq 5” midsize crossover electric vehicle.

In October, Hyundai recalled Kona EVs in South Korea due to the risk of short circuit possibly caused by faulty manufacturing of its high-voltage battery cells. The recall, which includes software updates and battery replacements after inspections, involves 25,564 Kona EVs built during September 2017 to March 2020.

Hyundai has also recalled 50,864 Kona EV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicles in South Korea due to faulty electronic braking systems.
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN28S0F3

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Ford reportedly delays some deliveries of its Mustang Mach-E
The company says it’s conducing additional quality checks on its new EV
https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/16/22234668/ford-delays-deliveries-mustang-mach-e-quality-checks

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2021 Tesla Model 3 fit and finish goes under the critical eye of automotive veteran Sandy Munro
January 15, 2021
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-2021-fit-and-finish-analysis-sandy-munro-video/
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2148 on: January 19, 2021, 09:42:22 PM »
Tomorrow, January 20 at noon EST, Joe Biden becomes President of the U.S.

Biden will move to implement his $2 trillion climate plan on Day 1 to bolster the economy and kick off the new administration's fight against climate change
Jan 20, 2021
Quote
In his $US1.7 trillion climate proposal, Biden plans on reversing many of President Donald Trump’s actions that relate to the climate on his first day in office, such as rejoining the Paris Agreement, ending the Keystone XL pipeline, and establishing rules that limit methane emissions from oil and gas drilling operations. The proposals are also intended to boost the still-struggling economy, and by confronting climate change, 10 million clean energy jobs could be created if the proposal is successful.
...
The climate was also high up on the agenda during the confirmation hearing of Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen on Tuesday. Yellen told lawmakers that Biden’s infrastructure plan will involve investing in clean technology, renewable energy, promoting electric vehicle usage, and creating jobs.

Yellen also said that Biden is in “full support” of restoring full incentives for electric vehicles, along with ensuring workers have the skills to succeed in the electric vehicle industry.

Democratic lawmakers support federal spending for combating climate change. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said in Yellen’s hearing that he hopes to advance a bill that will prioritise clean energy, clean transportation and energy conservation – efforts that address the “existential threat” of the warming climate. …
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/biden-enact-climate-plan-on-first-day-in-office-2021-1
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NeilT

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Re: Electric cars
« Reply #2149 on: January 20, 2021, 02:21:48 PM »
FAW-Volkswagen begins manufacturing ID.4 in Foshan

Quote
In China, Volkswagen has now also started production of the VW ID.4 for the Chinese market in Foshan. After SAIC Volkswagen started production of the ID.4 X at the MEB plant in Anting at the end of October, FAW-Volkswagen is now following suit with the ID.4 Crozz in Foshan.

The ID.4 is produced in China by SAIC-VW and FAW-VW under different names. The ID.4 X is the version of the electric SUV developed for SAIC-VW, while the ID.4 Crozz is the counterpart of FAW-VW. According to Volkswagen, the two plants together have a maximum total capacity of 600,000 units per year.

https://www.electrive.com/2020/12/01/faw-volkswagen-begins-manufacturing-id-4-in-foshan/

However if you read down a bit you find that the EV's are being produced alongside FF models.  So that 600k is going to be at least half if not less.

At the same time,

VW Releases ID.4 Prices In China: It's Cheaper Than The Tesla Model 3

Quote
The American company charges RMB 249,900 for the Model 3 Standard Range Plus made in China – equivalent to $38,571 under the current exchange rate. That car uses LFP batteries and has an NEDC range of 468 kilometers (290.8 miles). The ID.4 Crozz in its most expensive Chinese version with a range of 550 km (341.8 mi) costs RMB 242,888 ($37,489).

Now if only the software worked.....


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