25 Mar 2022 | Police Offer Reward For Flying Tesla Driver

Episode 1409,   Mar 25, 2022, 05:00 PM

On the podcast today:
• Tesla battery supplier LG Energy Solutions announces $1.4B battery factory in Arizona
• CATL Builds World's First ‘Zero-Carbon' EV Battery Factory
• VW’s Electrify America unveils new ‘human-centered’ EV charging stations
• Google searches for electric vehicles set record in March
• More affordable Polestar 2 undercuts Tesla Model 3, at $47,200 for US
• JLR's talks with Envision AESC could lead to new UK gigafactory
• SK Group affiliate acquires EverCharge
• NIO ET7 Enters Production, Deliveries To Start March 28
• UK government vows 10-fold increase in electric car chargers by 2030
• Automotive Cell Company Announces Battery Gigafactory In Italy
• Volkswagen delays ID.5 launch due to Ukraine wiring harness bottleneck
• Amazon unveils its first fully-electric HGV delivery trucks
• Mercedes-Benz Says its Will Accept Liability for the Safety of its DRIVE PILOT
• Video shows Tesla flying 50 feet into air in Los Angeles

Show #1415

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, you trusted source of information. It’s Friday 25th March, it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.

Tesla battery supplier LG Energy Solutions announces $1.4B battery factory in Arizona

- Tesla battery supplier LG Energy Solutions announced it would build a $1.4 billion battery production facility in Arizona as demand for electric vehicles throughout the United States skyrockets.

- LG Energy Solutions said it would build the $1.4 billion plant to meet demand for “prominent startups” and other North American companies

- The factory is expected to be operational by 2024, the company believes.

- The Arizona plant will be LGES’s first-ever U.S. factory to make cylindrical electric vehicle cells, which are typically used by automakers like Tesla and Lucid, which has an automotive production facility in Arizona.


CATL Builds World's First ‘Zero-Carbon' EV Battery Factory

- CATL, has received the internationally recognized specification for carbon neutrality ("PAS 2060" certification) for its new electric vehicle battery plant in China. The recent PAS 2060 certification makes the plant the world's first zero-carbon factory in the new energy industry.

- The certification marks a significant milestone for CATL towards its carbon neutrality goals. As the world's first zero-carbon battery plant, CATL's Sichuan plant sets an example of how battery production can be carbon neutral.

- To become PAS 2060 certified, CATL-SC said it developed a "trailblazing smart plant management system", which enables the interconnection of data by  automatically capturing the plant system data and equipment operation data. The system-wide facility management platform helps to ensure safe, reliable, high-efficiency and low-carbon operation of the facility. Even the forklifts used at the plant are electric. Employees are also encouraged to use electric vehicles and shared mobility to get to work, further reducing their carbon footprint.

- CATL-SC's parent CATL is emerging as a leader in EV battery production on a global scale. In December, CATL began phase 1 production at its newest EV battery factory in China. Once completed, the plant will be the world's largest EV battery factory with an annual production of 120 GWh. The plant will be more than three times the size of Tesla's gigafactory in Nevada.

- CATL is investing 17 billion yuan (US$2.6 billion) in the plant and said it will create about 10,000 jobs once fully operational.


VW’s Electrify America unveils new ‘human-centered’ EV charging stations

- Electrify America, the electric vehicle charging company that’s a subsidiary of Volkswagen, announced plans to install new “human-centered” charging stations in several cities in California and New York, complete with solar panel awnings and a lounge-like waiting area. The company is also rolling out a slimmer, redesigned EV charger aimed at improving the customer experience.

- The company’s new stations are organized around comfort, security, and amenities, with a nod toward the length of time it takes to recharge an EV. Electrify America says the goal is to create “a more inviting transition to an electric vehicle lifestyle from traditional gas station.”

- The most notable change for Electrify America’s current design is the inclusion of solar panel awnings, which have the dual effect of sheltering customers from the sun and inclement weather while also supplying power for the station’s operations. The company says it is currently in the process of adding solar awnings to 400-500 individual chargers at 100 charging stations across the country. It already has solar canopies at its flagship charging stations in Baker and Santa Clara, California.

- The company has also begun rolling out a redesigned EV charger with a slimmer profile and newly simplified controls. The ultra-fast chargers with up to 150 and 350 kilowatts of charging power stand at nearly 8 feet tall, with recessed screens to help reduce sunlight glare.


Google searches for electric vehicles set record in March

- As gas prices soared and deepened the pain at the pump this month, consumers reacted by searching for — and possibly dreaming of — more fuel-efficient vehicle alternatives. Web search interest in electric vehicles reached a record high in the US in March, according to Google Trends.

- EVs are still prohibitively expensive for many US households. And rather than shelling out even more money up front, many consumers tend to hold on to their current vehicles for as long as they'll last.

- It's also not just EVs; people are looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles in general, including hybrids and compact cars, of which sales spiked early this year, according to Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive.

- The problem, Krebs said, is that the EV supply is currently limited, which is what many people searching for electric vehicles on Google are probably finding out.


More affordable Polestar 2 undercuts Tesla Model 3, at $47,200 for US

- The new 270-mile single-motor version of the Polestar 2 will start at $47,200 (including destination) in the United States, Polestar confirmed Thursday.

- That base price undercuts the Tesla Model 3, which now starts at $48,190 for base version with a 272-mile range. Considering that Polestar qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and Tesla doesn't, the actual price difference could be even greater for some customers.

- In states with generous incentives—like New Jersey—the single-motor Polestar 2 could be had for "well under $35,000,"

- Both the single-motor and dual-motor versions of the Polestar 2 are available with two option packages. The Plus Pack ($4,000) adds the heat pump that enables the maximum 270-mile range, along with a panoramic glass roof, 13-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, and WeaveTech vegan upholstery.
The Pilot Pack ($3,200) adds driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and Polestar parent Volvo's Pilot Assist system.


JLR's talks with Envision AESC could lead to new UK gigafactory

- Jaguar Land Rover and battery supplier Envision AESC are in talks to supply cells for electric Range Rover and Land Rover models, the Financial Times has reported.

- Envision AESC, which started as a Japanese-based joint venture between NEC and Nissan in 2007 before being integrated into Chinese battery conglomerate Envision in 2018, is currently investing £450 million into a seperate battery gigafactory in Sunderland

- However, the deal being discussed is said to be so large that JLR will require its own battery facility. The firm plans to put six electric models on the road by 2025 but will still use its Solihull plant as its main hub for electric vehicle manufacturing.

- As for Land Rover, it is set to launch the all-electric Range Rover in 2024.


SK Group affiliate acquires EverCharge

- SK E&S, an energy company affiliated with South Korea’s conglomerate SK Group (SK Innovation), is entering the US electric vehicle charging market. SK E&S has acquired US EV charging solution provider EverCharge.

- This is the first time a Korean company has acquired the management rights of an EV charging company based in the United States. EverCharge was founded in 2013 in California. The company manufactures EV chargers and operates charging stations.

- SK innovation’s battery business include Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai-Kia Motors, and Ford Motor Company.


NIO ET7 Enters Production, Deliveries To Start March 28


UK government vows 10-fold increase in electric car chargers by 2030

Automotive Cell Company Announces Battery Gigafactory In Italy

Volkswagen delays ID.5 launch due to Ukraine wiring harness bottleneck

Amazon unveils its first fully-electric HGV delivery trucks

Mercedes-Benz Says its Will Accept Liability for the Safety of its DRIVE PILOT

Video shows Tesla flying 50 feet into air in Los Angeles


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