21 Dec 2021 | Why Is Tesla Using 2017 Batteries In New Cars?

Episode 1316,   Dec 21, 2021, 01:00 AM

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Today’s big EV stories:
• Tesla says it has put 2017 battery packs in 2021 cars
• Tesla May Be Selling New Cars With Batteries From 2017
• Tesla Using Four-Year-Old Batteries In New Cars
• Tesla's New Change of Expectations About Giga Berlin's 2021 Deliveries
• General Motors Extends the Bolt EV, EUV Production Shutdown
• Polestar Developing Own 636 HP Motor And Two-Speed Gearbox
• Ford Pro Charging offers comprehensive commercial EV charging solution
• Shell opens first EV charging hub fully converted from fossil fuels
• All-electric off-road vehicle now available from Polaris
• EPA issues new rule to curb tailpipe pollution, fight climate change
• Eaton aims to reduce DC charging complexity and cost

Show #1316

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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Tuesday 21st December. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.

Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they’ve built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It’s a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.

A new Producer MIKE SCHOTT

TESLA SAYS IT HAS PUT 2017 BATTERY PACKS IN 2021 CARS

- Tesla has been adding a strange new warning about putting battery packs as old as 2017 in brand new 2021 Model 3 vehicles for sale.

- Several people have been pointing out a very strange warning that Tesla has been adding to some of those Model 3 “demo” vehicles:

- “This vehicle was built with a battery pack manufactured as early as 2017. While this pack was brand new when the vehicle was built, the cells have reduced capacity due to their age and you can expect up to 12% reduction in range from current production specifications.”

- Tesla mentions both the packs and the cells in the warning, but it specifically says that the whole packs were manufactured as early as 2017.  Why would Tesla be sitting on battery packs made back in 2017, which was super early in the Model 3 production ramp-up?


TESLA MAY BE SELLING NEW CARS WITH BATTERIES FROM 2017

- These first came to my attention from an email from a buyer of one of these cars from a series of tweets from Seth Horowitz, a man with a well-educated Rodney Dangerfield profile pic who had found a lot of Model 3s for sale all across the country—he saw examples in Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, and even Honolulu, for example, and all of these locations had 2021 Model 3s for sale, at prices not appreciably less than other 2021 Model 3s, that bore this unusual disclaimer

- The Model 3 has an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty for the battery, with a minimum of 70 percent retention of capacity. If you do buy one of these demo cars with a 2017 battery that’s already had 12 percent degradation, will the warranty only be for four more years and you’re starting with an 88 percent range battery? Or will Tesla warranty the battery for eight years from your purchase date, and replace it if it drops  to go below the 70 percent threshold within the warranty time? It’s not made clear here at all.


TESLA USING FOUR-YEAR-OLD BATTERIES IN NEW CARS

- The vast majority of the responses on Twitter have been scathing, but some users are suggesting that the wording of the disclaimer is simply incorrect. The prevalent theory, however, is that Tesla is aiming to get out in front of a PR disaster before an internal whistleblower makes the company infamous once again. The reasoning behind using these packs instead of new ones must be cost-related, but with no clear explanation from Tesla, all we have is speculation.

- What is not up for debate is the pricing of these vehicles. While a new base trim Model 3 costs under $45,000 and the top-tier Performance is a little under $59,000, these used demo cars with degraded batteries are still selling for premium money at the $62,000 mark. A sizeable discount would make sense, but that isn't being offered.


TESLA'S NEW CHANGE OF EXPECTATIONS ABOUT GIGA BERLIN'S 2021 DELIVERIES

- Tesla does not expect any more deliveries from Giga Berlin EV Gigafactory in 2021.

- Tesla had originally planned to start series production of electric cars at its Giga Berlin plant in Grünheide this year. Up to half a million are to be produced there annually in the first expansion stage.

- Environmental groups have tried several times to overturn early permits. Among other things, they fear problems with drinking water. Approval authorities are still waiting for documents from Tesla regarding Giga Berlin.


GENERAL MOTORS EXTENDS THE BOLT EV, EUV PRODUCTION SHUTDOWN
- GM's more budget friendly Bolt EV and EUV are currently not for sale due to a massive battery recall in July due to the risk of battery fires.

- As the automaker works to replace the battery packs in all of the Bolt EVs, the production shutdown of the vehicle at GM's Orion Assembly plant in Michigan has been extended multiple times, the latest suspension will halt production until at least the end of February, Reuters reported on Monday.

- GM originally hoped to resume Bolt EV production in September. But After disassembling some Bolt battery packs as part of its own investigation into the issue, the company said it discovered "manufacturing defects in certain battery cells produced at LG's manufacturing facilities.


POLESTAR DEVELOPING OWN 636 HP MOTOR AND TWO-SPEED GEARBOX

- Green Car Reports has information from Polestar that the manufacturer will develop its own powerful in-house electric motor, as well as a two-speed gearbox that doesn’t sound too dissimilar to Porsche and Audi’s.

- The motor is reportedly codenamed P10 and it’s being developed in Sweden. It’s around 50 percent more powerful than a Porsche Taycan motor, with a targeted output of 636 horsepower (475 kW). It also sounds like the motor and two-speed transmission will be a single unit, so when equipping all-wheel drive vehicles, each axle could get its own cog swapping action.

- This new motor and gearbox combo will be exclusive to Polestar, not shared with Volvo or Geely or any other manufacturer it has connections with.

- With a theoretical combined 1,272 horsepower from two of these new P10 electric motors from Polestar, the electric sedan they power would be among the quickest in the world, right next to the Tesla Model S Plaid or the Lucid Air Dream Edition and other vehicles that can accelerate to sixty in the low two seconds.


FORD PRO CHARGING OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE COMMERCIAL EV CHARGING SOLUTION

- Ford Pro, a division of Ford that caters to commercial fleet customers, has launched a comprehensive solution for commercial EV charging. The new Ford Pro Charging program is designed to help ease the complex transition from ICE to EV fleets by delivering software and commercial hardware infrastructure to support charging and energy management.

- Ford Pro Charging offers a turnkey solution that starts with site review and design consultations to determine the number and type of chargers needed, plus service to manage installation of commercial-grade charging hardware.

- The software analyzes how each fleet operates, and orchestrates charging management based on those behaviors—for example, determining the optimal times to charge based on energy rates.


SHELL OPENS FIRST EV CHARGING HUB FULLY CONVERTED FROM FOSSIL FUELS

- Shell has opened its first electric vehicle charging hub in the United Kingdom converted from a traditional service station

- The Fulham charging hub in central London features high-powered 175kW ultra-rapid charging points, and a solar canopy, and has been proudly promoted by Brisbane-based Tritium’s head of sales Christian Hewitt in his LinkedIn account.


“Welcome to Shell Recharge Fulham Road, our first EV charging hub - and it looks different to other Shell service stations! Shell Recharge Fulham Road features 9 ultra-rapid charge points however, it is more than a charging hub. At Little Waitrose and Partners you can grab a snack, pick up dinner or stock up on essentials. Or you can grab your favourite cup of Costa Coffee while your EV charges!  The opening of Shell Recharge Fulham Road is a special moment for me personally and for Shell UK’s EV ambitions. I do hope you are able to come along and say hello” - Bernie Williamson, General Manager, Mobility, Shell UK

- In Fulham, central London, we have converted one of our conventional fuel service stations into an electric vehicle charging hub that features 9 high powered, 175kW charge points. Customers will also be able to enjoy a cup of their favourite crafted coffee, grab a snack, pick up dinner or stock up on essentials while they wait.


ALL-ELECTRIC OFF-ROAD VEHICLE NOW AVAILABLE FROM POLARIS
 

EPA ISSUES NEW RULE TO CURB TAILPIPE POLLUTION, FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE


EATON AIMS TO REDUCE DC CHARGING COMPLEXITY AND COST


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