Category Archives: global warming

Honda, LG Energy Solution Break Ground for New Battery Plant

The location of the joint venture between Honda and LGES was announced on 11 October 2022, and was formally established on 12 January 2023. The plant aims to start mass production of pouch-type lithium-ion batteries by the end of 2025, to be provided exclusively to Honda auto plants to produce EVs to be sold in North America. Continue reading

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Stellantis to Convert Three Indiana Plants to EV Components

As a result more than 265 jobs will survive. Stellantis* said that its total investments in Indiana since 2020 to support electrification goals will increase to nearly $3.3 billion, including gigafactory joint venture with Samsung SDI. This is to support the goal of 50% battery electric sales in the U.S. by 2030. Continue reading

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EVs – Stellantis Now Large Shareholder in McEwen Copper

Copper, of course, is a strategic raw material for the future of electric mobility. Estimates predict that global demand for the conductive metal will triple in the coming years. By making this investment in one of the top international projects in development of this commodity, Stellantis will be able to supply some of the projected copper demand starting in 2027, Stellantis claimed. Continue reading

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EVs – Honda, Ascend to Buy Recycled Nickel, Cobalt, Lithium

Through this collaboration, Honda will seek to acquire a consistent supply of nickel, cobalt and lithium that Ascend Elements reclaims from recycled lithium-ion batteries. Honda will then use these materials in its battery supply chain. Continue reading

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Renault and Nissan, Mitsubishi Alliance to Restructure

The transactions contained in the agreements would be subject to regulatory approvals, and completion is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2023. In the tangled web of individual country industrial policy this brings some measure of stability to a global, multi-national, politically diverse enterprise as the movement to electrified vehicles and other earth-saving technologies continues. The 24-year-old Alliance covers 100% of the world’s major global vehicle markets with Euro 85 billion in annual purchases. It already shares 60% of its vehicle platforms, and up to 90% of EV architectures, noted Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Alliance Board at the press conference. The upside for all is survival in a difficult environment, in our view. Continue reading

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Alpine, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Red Bull Ford, Mercedes-AMG are V6 Power Unit Suppliers for Formula One in 2026

AutoInformed suspects that we will ultimately hear from General Motors and Honda, perhaps as suppliers to the New Andretti Formula One Team that is currently under FIA consideration. Also will Aston Martin stay with Mercedes? And who will Audi supply or will it just be the factory team? Continue reading

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Corporate Climate Change – Honda Reveals Reorganization

Today’s announcement concerns the restructuring of Regional Operations and Corporate Functions, as well as the creation of what is called “Electrification Business Development Operations.” EBDO is an outgrowth of the Business Development Operations established last April to strengthen electrification business. Continue reading

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EV Battery Gold Rush – Honda and GS Yuasa JV Announced

The two companies will discuss specifics with the goal of establishing a joint venture company by the end of 2023 for battery production methods as well as the establishment of a supply chain for key raw materials and a “highly-efficient” battery production system. Continue reading

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GM Investing in Full-Size Truck and SUV Production

Significant amounts will be spent on updating full-size truck and SUV production. GM declined to release product details, timing, performance and other aspects related to GM’s next gen V8 engine. As with other automakers, vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs) will still play a role as GM converts to EVs. ICEs power GM’s most profitable vehicles. GM said its spending and plans for U.S. manufacturing sites totals more than $37 billion since 2013, including the Ultium Cells joint venture plants. Continue reading

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Current Flows – J.D. Power Now Tracking EV Parity

Today, the EV Index score is 47 (based on the most recent available data from November 2022), with some categories improving and others declining during the 12-month pilot period. The EV Index score and accompanying analysis will be available monthly. The index is of use to people who are considering purchasing, one of the reasons AutoInformed uses it. Continue reading

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Electrifying – Fastest Corvette in History is a Hybrid

Not surprisingly, the E-Ray is the quickest production Corvette in history at 2.5-second 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time with a quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds, according to General Motors. The 2024 Corvette E-Ray goes on sale in late 2023 as a 2024 model, priced ranging from ~$103,000 to  $114,000 or more.* Production will be at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly facility in Kentucky. Continue reading

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Global Warming – GP ICE RACE 2023 Cancelled in Melting Alps

The GP ICE RACE 2023, planned for 27-29 January 2023, is cancelled due to the ongoing melting in the Austrian Alps. The organizers said today that they “reached this conclusion after consultations with partners and sponsors. Tickets already purchased will be fully refunded – there will be no replacement date.” Continue reading

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Automakers Rapidly Increasing EV Prices

AutoInformed thinks two factors are in play here: First demand for EVs is strong, particularly among affluent buyers. Second, EVs are more costly to develop and batteries are still expensive and the covid pandemic supply chain interruptions are making them scarce. One click bait headline had it that “EVs are Bringing Out the Worst in Us” because, among other things, a Hummer EV battery pack weighs as much as a Honda Civic. It consumes minerals that could otherwise be used to build several electric-sedan batteries or hundreds upon hundreds of e-bike batteries. Perhaps such thinkers are unaware of the ongoing mood amongst that tawdry cast of Capital characters along the banks of the Potomac who will not legislate SUVs and Pickup trucks out of existence. Yes, there is a Santos clause and his party wants to legislate the government out of business. Continue reading

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EV Battery Gold Rush Down Under – Stellantis and Element 25

The deal with Element 25 – similar to ongoing EV battery supply chain moves at other automakers –  is key to Stellantis’ stated electrification strategy, which includes securing substantial supplies of raw materials for battery electric vehicle (BEV) production. Manganese is a stabilizing element in the cathode of EV batteries. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz to Open a Global EV Charging Network

General Motors is arguably well ahead of Mercedes in offering charging stations. Even though more public charging stations are in operation than ever, customer satisfaction with public Level 2 charging declined from last year, dropping to 633 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 643 in 2021, while satisfaction with the speedier DC (direct current) fast charger segment remains flat at 674, J.D. Power told AutoInformed last August. Continue reading

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