Refresh Model 3 Spied, EV Factory Investment and Lucid Struggles | 23 Feb 2023

Feb 23, 2023, 05:00 PM

➤ SEAT kicks off electrification journey as it celebrates 30th anniversary of Martorell site
➤ Lucid sees 2023 EV production far below forecasts, shares drop 11%
➤ Tesla Model 3 refresh spotted with new wheels
➤ Tesla moves back to California — its engineering headquarters, that is
➤ Sean Ryan wants Tesla firings investigated
➤ Enphase Energy demonstrates bidirectional EV charger technology
➤ Ford study shows heated interior panels could save EV range
➤ EV charging infrastructure is ‘inadequate and plagued with non-functioning stations’: J.D. Power
➤ Michigan wants $750 million to prep site for Ford EV battery plant on top of $1 billion incentives deal
➤ Mercedes adding Luminar lidar to more vehicles in multibillion-dollar deal
➤ Why electric vehicle era means legacy factories must close
➤ BMW strikes deal with Rio Tinto for low-CO2 aluminium
➤ Valmet kicks off battery assembly in Germany
➤ What to know about the 2023 tax credit for clean vehicles if you're car shopping

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, you trusted source of EV information. It’s Thursday 23rd February it’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.

SEAT KICKS OFF ELECTRIFICATION JOURNEY AS IT CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF MARTORELL SITE

- Summary: SEAT is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Martorell factory by kicking off an ambitious 3 billion euro investment to transform the company from combustion to electrification. By 2025, SEAT S.A. will start producing fully electric vehicles for different brands within the Volkswagen Group. To support this transformation, SEAT S.A. has designed a strategic plan that includes five main pillars and the Future: Fast Forward project to electrify factories in Spain. Furthermore, the company is investing in training for its employees and implementing data and business intelligence tools in its production facilities. Since 1993, the Martorell factory has built over 12 million vehicles and exported to over 70 countries.


LUCID SEES 2023 EV PRODUCTION FAR BELOW FORECASTS, SHARES DROP 11%

- Summary: Lucid Group reported a major drop in orders during the fourth quarter, with their shares dropping 11% after hours. They forecast 2023 production to be 10,000 to 14,000 luxury electric vehicles, well short of analysts' expectations of 21,815. Price cuts from Tesla and Ford have made it harder for Lucid to compete for consumer wallets, with more than 28,000 orders as of Feb. 21, down 6,000 from the second quarter. Lucid reported a net loss of $472.6 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31 and their stock fell as much as 10.6% in extended trading.


TESLA MODEL 3 REFRESH SPOTTED WITH NEW WHEELS

- Summary: A Tesla Model 3 prototype with a refreshed design has been spotted with new wheels. Last year, rumors began that Tesla was working on a Model 3 refresh and the project is reportedly codenamed “Highland”. The new wheels feature an 18" aero design with spokes coming into the center at different angles. Tesla is expected to release more details about the update on their Investor Day next week.


TESLA MOVES BACK TO CALIFORNIA — ITS ENGINEERING HEADQUARTERS, THAT IS

- Summary: Tesla Inc. has announced that it will be establishing its "global engineering headquarters" in Palo Alto, California, with the move being seen as a sign of cooperation between the electric-vehicle maker and the EV-friendly state it once called home. The move is also seen as a thaw in the frosty relations between Tesla and California after the company moved its corporate headquarters to Texas in 2021. Elon Musk and Governor Gavin Newsom made the announcement, with Newsom praising Tesla for its "visionary spirit" and record of innovation. Newsom argued that Tesla was able to become the largest passenger EV maker in the world because of the state’s EV-friendly policies and tax structure. Tesla also announced that they are hiring for engineering roles in Palo Alto.


SEAN RYAN WANTS TESLA FIRINGS INVESTIGATED

- Summary: Sean Ryan, a state senator from New York, has called on the state's economic development agency to investigate Tesla's firing of more than 40 employees last week in response to a union organizing drive at its South Buffalo plant. Attorneys for the Tesla Workers United have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that at least 25 of those fired were in retaliation for the organizing effort. Ryan has requested documents from Tesla officials in Buffalo related to the firing of the workers.


ENPHASE ENERGY DEMONSTRATES BIDIRECTIONAL EV CHARGER TECHNOLOGY

- Summary: Enphase Energy has successfully demonstrated a bidirectional EV charger that enables vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality and allows energy generated from solar panels to be sent directly to the EV battery. The product uses Enphase’s grid-forming IQ8 Microinverters and Ensemble energy management technology, and supports both the CCS and CHAdeMO charging standards. Enphase plans to bring this charger to market in 2024, as part of an all-in-one home energy system that unlocks electrification, resilience, savings and control for homeowners.


FORD STUDY SHOWS HEATED INTERIOR PANELS COULD SAVE EV RANGE

- Summary: Ford conducted a study to test which system is more efficient for keeping the cabin temperature comfortable in E-Transit vans - the traditional HVAC system or heated interior panels. The study found that panels used 13% less energy and could potentially increase EV range by 5%. It was suggested that this is due to the panels retaining heat even with frequent door openings. Luxury automakers such as BMW and Mercedes have been offering heated armrests for years and it is possible that heated interior panels could become more common in the near future as a way to improve EV range.


EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS ‘INADEQUATE AND PLAGUED WITH NON-FUNCTIONING STATIONS’: J.D. POWER

- Summary: J.D. Power's ongoing study shows that inoperable and poorly maintained public EV charging stations are increasingly frustrating drivers. More than one in five charging attempts fail, with these failures attributed to 72% malfunctioning or out-of-service chargers. EV owners in high-density areas are particularly frustrated with the lack of available chargers. The White House has announced that Tesla will open some of its charging network to non-Tesla vehicles, but there is skepticism about how open the network will be.


MICHIGAN WANTS $750 MILLION TO PREP SITE FOR FORD EV BATTERY PLANT ON TOP OF $1 BILLION INCENTIVES DEAL

- Summary: Michigan economic development officials have asked lawmakers to provide $750 million to support Ford Motor Co.'s new $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery factory in Marshall. The funds will be used to buy land, upgrade infrastructure, and do other work, bringing the total state incentives for the project to nearly $1.8 billion. This includes $330 million for road improvements, $224.7 million to make the site "pad ready", $100 million for water and wastewater infrastructure, $75 million for land acquisition, $15 million for rail improvements, $5 million to contract for full-time permit processing and inspections staff, and $300,000 to extend a fiber optic system.


MERCEDES ADDING LUMINAR LIDAR TO MORE VEHICLES IN MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR DEAL

- Summary: Mercedes-Benz has agreed to a "multibillion-dollar" deal with Luminar to integrate lidar technology and software into their next-generation of vehicles. The deal includes Luminar building a factory in Asia to supply Mercedes with lidar sensors, and Mercedes taking a small stake in Luminar in exchange for data and services. The lidar technology will be used to support Mercedes' automated driving system, Drive Pilot, and will allow the system to operate at up to 80 miles per hour. Drive Pilot is currently available in certain German models and will be available in certain U.S. markets later this year.


WHY ELECTRIC VEHICLE ERA MEANS LEGACY FACTORIES MUST CLOSE

- Summary: The growing concern of excess capacity in vehicle production has led to a decrease in profits around the world, as companies have competed to stay ahead. Hyundai-Kia has become a global powerhouse, while many Chinese manufacturers have attempted to take their share of the local market, leading to an over-saturation of production capacity. The traditionally accepted capacity utilisation of more than 80% for profitable operation has been shifted by new EV startups and the more successful Chinese manufacturers, leading to a decrease in profits.


BMW STRIKES DEAL WITH RIO TINTO FOR LOW-CO2 ALUMINIUM

- Summary: BMW and Rio Tinto have signed a memorandum of understanding in which BMW will source aluminium with significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Rio Tinto's hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024. This approach can save around 70 percent of CO2 emissions compared to conventionally manufactured aluminium, and is intended to reduce the carbon footprint of BMW vehicles. The agreement involves the use of carbon-free anodes to eliminate process-related CO2 emissions, renewable energy sources, up to 50 percent secondary material, and blockchain technology to guarantee traceability and compliance with environmental and social standards.


VALMET KICKS OFF BATTERY ASSEMBLY IN GERMANY

- Summary: Valmet Automotive has started series production of battery systems in Kirchardt, Germany, and has already secured the first order for small-series production of modules, packs, and the battery management system for a sports car brand. This is the company's first German battery plant, as well as their third battery system production plant, with two others in Finland. Valmet Automotive is a leader in the production and development of battery systems, having delivered over 1 million battery systems to customers since the start of production in 2019.


WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2023 TAX CREDIT FOR CLEAN VEHICLES IF YOU'RE CAR SHOPPING

- Original Source: https://eu.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2023/02/23/what-to-know-about-ev-tax-credits-if-youre-car-shopping-in-2023/69922921007/
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