Category Archives: electric vehicles

Cox Automotive Study – EV Consideration at Record High

“Education for both consumers and dealers remains a critical factor in driving widespread confidence and adoption of electric vehicles,” said Kayla Reynolds, Manager of Research & Market Intelligence, Cox Automotive Mobility. “For dealers specifically, preparation is paramount, and our findings emphasize the urgency of equipping dealers with EV sales and servicing capabilities to meet the needs and demands of EV buyers.” Continue reading

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US EV Market Growing – Problems Growing Too

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation today released its analysis of the US electric vehicle (EV) market for Q1 2023. More than 305,000 EVs sold in U.S. During  Q1, an increase of 56% compared to Q1 2022. This means that EVs represent 8.6% of new light-duty vehicle sales in Q1 2023, up slightly from 8.5% in Q4 2022 and 5.9% in Q1 2022. While this is relatively good news, supply constraints still hinder growth. This might not be as bad as it sounds for consumers since Q1 2023 public charging data show that the installation of US public chargers is not keeping up with current and – above all – projected EV sales. Continue reading

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EV Battery Gold Rush – GM and Element 25

General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Element 25 (ASX: E25) announced today in Detroit and Perth, Australia an agreement for Element 25 to supply up to 32,500 metric tons of manganese sulfate annually to support the annual production of more than … Continue reading

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Electrify America Expands Lyft Discounts

“Upfront costs and access to affordable charging continue to be two of the biggest challenges drivers face when transitioning to electric vehicles. By becoming the first rideshare company to team up with Electrify America, we’re further attacking those barriers head on.” Continue reading

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EV Politics – Biden versus the UAW

AutoInformed notes that this is a UAW contract year and an election year. Biden’s endorsement by the UAW is by no means assured, although we understand trade offs are unappetizing, but not as bad as endorsing a Republican candidates? Ford Motor is also opening a $3.5 billion manufacturing plant in 2026 in Marshall, Michigan, using technology licensed from Chinese CATL. Continue reading

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What Does American Made Mean?

The website Cars.com released its 2023 American-Made Index® today at a time of intense discussion about whether the term means anything. The standards for the American-Made Index include location of final assembly; percentage of US. and Canadian parts; country of origin for available engines; country of origin for available transmissions; US manufacturing employees relative to the automaker’s footprint. Continue reading

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Honda Prologue EV Losing Vapor Ware Status

Long ago in April 2021, Honda global CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, announced a vision to achieve carbon-neutrality for its products and corporate activities by 2050, including key targets for sales of electrified vehicles. This vision called for the sales ratio of battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles in North America to increase from 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2035 to 100% by 2040. Continue reading

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Annals of Electric Marketing – Cadillac Escalade IQ

Cadillac today released a teaser video of the all-new Escalade IQ ahead of its official reveal on 9 August 2023. As the brand’s first all-electric full-size SUV, Cadillac claims that Escalade IQ represents the reinvention of Cadillac’s most iconic nameplate. 

Well, Escalade is an SUV that is longer than Scorsese’s Irishman, and likely far more profitable. Continue reading

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Cleared for Takeoff – Archer Aviation and Stellantis

Stellantis previously said it will provide up to $150 million in equity capital for potential draw by Archer at its discretion in 2023 and 2024, subject to achievement of certain business milestones which Archer predicted will occur during 2023. If AutoInformed’s math is right, manufacturing aircraft at the forecast volumes would make Covington the world’s leading aircraft manufacturing facility. Continue reading

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Automakers Remain Challenged in Search for EV Buyers

Affecting the slight year-over-year increases are a combination of positive and negative market elements such as lower gas prices, inflation, rising interest rates, greater model availability and charging availability. Charging availability is growing more slowly year over year (13% vs 33% in 2022), while model availability has increased, with 42% of buyers now having a viable EV model that meets their needs in Power’s view. Continue reading

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FedEx Canada Receives first BrightDrop Zevo’s

FedEx Express Canada in Toronto today received  its first 50 BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric delivery The introduction of BrightDrop’s electric vans into the FedEx fleet in Canada is part of the company’s goal to transform its entire parcel pickup and delivery (aka PUD – we didn’t make this acronym up they did – AutoCrat) fleet to all-electric, zero-tailpipe emission vehicles by 2040. Continue reading

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GM Adding Tesla Supercharger Network to Ultium Charge 360

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is following Ford Motor Company expanding EV charging access to the Tesla supercharger network. GM customers will be able to access 12,000 Tesla Superchargers and growing beginning in early 2024 as part of the ongoing Ultium Charge 360 plan to expand access for residential, work and public charging. This builds on the more than 134,000 chargers available to GM EV drivers today through the company’s Ultium Charge 360 program and associated mobile apps. Continue reading

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Toyota to Build New Auto Battery Lab at Michigan R&D Site

“This new investment in our North American R&D operation, which has been a key pillar of the Michigan automotive industry for more than 50 years, shows Toyota’s directional shift towards electrification for all,” said Shinichi Yasui, executive vice president of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), Research and Development. Continue reading

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GM to Build Full-Size Pickups at Oshawa – Maybe

What role Unifor, which represents Canadian auto workers, plays in this remains to be seen. AutoInformed observes this is a bittersweet blessing for Canadian autoworkers since internal combustion engines are ultimately doomed. There are larger issues as well as the components and agreements for supplying electric vehicles are in place or at organizations that are hostile to unionized workers and even Democracies. Continue reading

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GM Expanding Ultium CAM EV Battery Joint Venture

General Motors (NYSE: GM) and POSCO Future M announced today the second phase of their Ultium CAM joint venture, an investment forecast to exceed $1 billion to increase production capacity of Cathode Active Material (CAM) for EV batteries. While CEO Mary Barra admits that GM was slow to embrace EVs, GM is now clearly among the leaders in what is the future of automobility. Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of actions GM has taken to build a more secure EV supply chain. Continue reading

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