Briefly | 03 Mar 2023

It’s EV News Briefly for Friday 3rd March. I’ll be back as usual at 5pm UK time, that’s Midday Eastern, for the full podcast.  Patreon supporters get the episodes as soon as they’re ready AND ad free. You can be like them by clicking here.

Former Ford CEO Mark Fields believes that Tesla is one generation ahead of its competitors in the EV race, despite its stock dropping around 7% after its investor day presentation failed to confirm any new car models. Tesla's keys to winning the EV race come down to product appeal, software or user interface, controlling cost, and consistent execution.

Tesla has started installing its fourth-generation Supercharger posts in Europe with longer cables to reach charging ports of different EV models, according to Tesla's Head of Global Charging Infrastructure, Rebecca Tinucci. The company's charging network is now the world's largest global fast-charging network with over 40,000 Superchargers in 46 countries.

Tesla has opened up its Supercharger network in North America to non-Tesla EVs at 8 Supercharger locations in New York and 2 in California, fitted with the new "magic dock" interface. Ccharging costs vary by location but Tesla offers a membership for reduced charging rates.

Tesla has been granted over $330 million in tax incentives by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development board for the company’s new electric semi truck and battery manufacturing facility, as part of an expansion of Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory. In return, Tesla has committed to investing $3.6 billion over 10 years and hiring 3,000 new employees with an average wage of $33.49 per hour.

Ford has announced plans to resume production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck on March 13 after a battery issue caused one of the vehicles to catch fire. The resumption of production will be watched closely as Ford seeks to compete in the growing electric vehicle market.

Polestar, the EV brand owned by Volvo Cars and Geely, announced an 84% increase in revenue for 2022 and halved its net loss to $466m. The company aims to launch two new EV models this year and increase its deliveries by nearly 60% to around 80,000 cars.

Vietnamese automaker VinFast has delivered the first batch of 45 vehicles to US customers amid doubts about the company's corporate health. CleanTechnica confirms VinFast's assembly process is on track and the company has delivered over 4,278 EVs to local customers in Vietnam.

Buick China has revealed the interior of its upcoming battery-electric crossover, the Electra E5, which boasts advanced technology such as a 30-inch EyeMax curved OLED screen and wireless charging. The vehicle is expected to launch in China before mid-year and in the U.S. for the 2024 model year.

LG Energy Solutions and Honda have broken ground on a new joint venture battery plant in Ohio, representing a $4.4 billion investment and the creation of 2,200 new jobs. The plant will produce lithium-ion batteries to power Honda vehicles for North American consumers, with the goal of shifting to 100% EV sales by 2040.

Aston Martin is set to reveal a future model lineup that includes a new full-electric car at a capital markets day for investors this summer, according to Chairman Lawrence Stroll. The luxury carmaker is currently overhauling its three core front-engine sports cars, the DB11, the Vantage, and the DBS, with the first to be delivered to customers this autumn.

First Bus has ordered an additional 117 electric buses from Wrightbus to operate in four UK cities, with additional funding from the British government. This order, along with the previous one, will enable First Bus to operate over 600 electric buses by March 2024 and supports the company's goal of being CO2 neutral by 2035

Redwood Materials has completed its first year of recycling electric vehicle (EV) batteries and has recovered over 95% of lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and other metals from 1,268 battery packs weighing over 500,000 lbs. The company says the cost driver is logistics, which will reduce over time as end-of-life pack volumes increase.

Daimler Buses is transforming its Mannheim plant into a center for electric city buses, and it will invest around €150m in both its German plants by the end of the decade. The company plans to offer CO2-neutral vehicles in all segments in Europe and Latin America by 2030, and it aims to sell only fully electric vehicles for city buses in Europe.

Renewable energy sources in the UK generated more electricity than gas during the winter season, producing enough energy to power every home in the UK. The progress was made through the use of wind, hydro, and solar energy, and is in line with the UK government's goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that while global carbon dioxide emissions have increased, the growth has been tempered by a surge in renewable energy. The growth in renewable energy is driven by an increase in wind and solar installations and more supportive government policies, and the IEA emphasizes the need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy to achieve a sustainable future.

A new study from the European Heat Pump Association and the European Heat Pump Network shows that heat pumps are significantly cheaper than green hydrogen for producing heat in Europe. Decarbonizing heating is a critical part of the EU's goal to reach net-zero by 2050, and the study highlights the role of heat pumps in achieving it.