September 2020: Monthly Electric Vehicle News Roundup

1-As electric cars take off, LG Chem aims to split the battery industry

The move came after LG Chem in the latest quarter swung to a profit in its car battery business. As a new growth engine, LG Chem, South Korea’s top petrochemical manufacturer, has long bet on car batteries, but since it began making them about a decade ago, it has never made any early profit in the market. LG Chem’s small batteries used in smartphones and laptops and its energy storage devices, as well as its car batteries, will be included in the proposed wholly-owned subsidiary, tentatively called ‘LG Energy Solutions’.

2- VW to bring $17.5bn into electric cars in China

Global car manufacturers are combining hopes for an increasingly electric future with China as a customer base and production hub at the forefront. By 2025, Beijing has planned a 25 percent adoption of vehicles that save oil. China accounts for around 40 percent of the sales of the Wolfsburg-based automaker and has been the largest automotive market in the world in recent years. Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed earlier this month that the country would go carbon neutral by 2060, promising to reach peak emissions by 2030. Production will begin next month at two new dedicated “MEB” facilities in China, a battery-powered platform forming the basis for a whole range of vehicles.

3- Volkswagen is introducing its latest all-electric SUV, the ID.4

According to Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, VW hopes the ID.4 will have as much impact in the US as the most famous model of the brand, the classic Beetle, once did. Volkswagen sold nearly five million beetles in the US between 1949 and 1977. ID.4 rates would start at around $40,000, not including the $7,500 federal tax credit commonly available for buying an electric vehicle. A gross purchase price of around $32,500 will result from factoring in the tax credit. VW predicts the starting price to drop to about $35,000 in 2022 after ID.4 development starts in the United States. But the SUV will, for now, be built in Germany.

4- The UK plans to push the ban on fossil fuel vehicles to 2030

From 2020 to 2030, the United Kingdom is poised to put forward its ban on new fossil fuel vehicles to help accelerate the roll-out of electric vehicles across British roads. According to sources in the energy and transport industries, the government had planned to set out the proposals as early as this week, but the announcement will be postponed until later this year as it focuses on resolving the increasing number of cases of coronavirus. The strategy, endorsed by the government’s official advisors to the Climate Change Committee, is likely to emerge alongside national proposals by the middle of the century to become a carbon-neutral economy.

5- Ford slashes electric car prices for the Mustang Mach-E by up to $3,000

The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s first all-electric vehicle built from the ground up to be electric. It was completely unveiled last year, but in the coming weeks, the automaker has been reviewing specifications and prices leading up to the beginning of deliveries to dealerships. Ford updated the specifications and charging speeds of the Mustang Mach-E earlier this year. Now Ford is updating the suggested prices for the electric car from the dealer. A member of the Mustang Mach-E forum shared Ford ‘s latest contact with dealers announcing the new price drop.

6-Daimler Labor Exec urges the EU to accept charging for EVs

Automakers cautioned that plans by the European Commission to slash average new car emissions by 50 percent below 2021 levels in 2030 endanger manufacturing employment that is heavily dependent on combustion engine vehicle assembly. If electric vehicle ownership was not made more appealing with more readily accessible charging networks, overall demand for cars could suffer, Brecht said.

7- Aldermen pave the regulatory path for low speed public electric passenger vehicles

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to pave the legislative path for low-speed, hybrid public passenger vehicles in Chicago breezed through a City Council committee Wednesday in the midst of excitement about the possibilities for transportation-deprived neighbourhoods. Escareno said a change in coronavirus-induced plans has occurred. The emerging business permit will be extended instead of issuing a permanent license.

8- London electric vehicle charging point company, French oil giant Total, has snapped off national rival Bollore Group

Total is taking over the management and service of Source London, which plans to increase the number of charging points in the City tenfold within five years. In suburban streets, public car parks, Total is taking over the management and service of Source London, which plans to increase the number of charging points in the City tenfold within five years. In suburban streets, public car parks, supermarkets, and shopping malls, charging points are located. Users of electric car vehicles must register with the website of Source London and pay a £48 annual charge. In Amsterdam and Brussels, Total already owns charge-point businesses.

9- GM announces another alliance for electric cars

GM will take an 11% stake in the Phoenix business and build and produce Nikola’s Badger hydrogen fuel cell and an electric pickup truck. By the end of 2022, the Badger is anticipated to be in production. The $2.3 billion Ultium Cells LLC factory, a joint venture with LG Chem of South Korea, will be a big factor in the all-electric future of GM. Out of 13 electric vehicles GM plans to roll out in the next five years and in two new electric vehicles under development with Honda, cells made at the plant will also power 11. The move sets GM up for a new revenue stream and possibly a change in its business model, becoming essentially a supplier of parts for electric vehicle frames, batteries, controls, and components to other businesses.

10- Electric car can power Honda Smart Home

There are a lot of people thinking about climate change in the current wildfires and what can be done to stop it. It has long been recognized that the culprit is human-generated greenhouse gases and that much of it is caused by cars and trucks fueled by coal. Honda has been running its Smart Home on the University of California, Davis, campus for six years to learn more about sustainable design practices and the incorporation of electric cars into the zero-carbon lifestyle of the future. The three-bedroom, single-family Smart Home, a living laboratory as well as a research and development project, has hosted five sets of occupants since it was first built in 2014, including a set of three Brazilian graduate students, different UC Davis employees, and their current occupants: a family of two.

11-HONDA e- Is this the ultimate electric urban car?

It gets top marks for its desirability, cutting-edge engineering, cool interior, and super-tight turning circle. But when it comes to cost and selection, it leaves a little bit to be desired. No doubt, inspired by its compact form factor, Honda opted for a modest 35.5kWh battery, giving it a WLTP range of 137 miles, which is likely to be closer to 100 miles in the real world. And while it has head-turning looks and plenty of luxury features, it seems quite on the high side of its entry cost in Europe of £26,600 (€32,997).

12- Amazon launches the first customised electric delivery vehicle

As early as 2022, 10,000 Amazon custom electric delivery vehicles will be delivered worldwide to customers on the route. And all 100,000 by 2030 vow to be net-zero carbon by 2040, in support of The Climate Pledge. For hands-free access to route details and the latest weather forecasts, there is an Alexa integration and a reinforced door on the driver’s side for additional security. In order to build a vehicle that is designed for package delivery, we prioritized safety and functionality,” said RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian.

13-Electric vehicles will be charged free for 3 months in Kerala

The State Electricity Board of Kerala (KSEB) has agreed to build electric vehicle charging stations free of charge. Via these stations, cars will be charged free of charge for three months. From November 1, the charging stations that will be located at corporate limits will start running. The amount to be charged will be collected after the first three months. Through a mobile application, users can pay the bill at the charging stations. The user can find the nearest charging station and the availability of the charging slot via this app. It is possible to charge three vehicles at a time at the charging station.

After paying the bill in advance, the operator of the electric vehicle must enter the station at the time specified.

14-Govt extends to three months the validity of FAME II certification 

In a letter dated 23 September from the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Department of Heavy Industry, the Government notified the Government of the three-month extension of the validity of the certificates for all two-, three- and four-wheeled electric vehicles approved under the FAME II Scheme. The duration of the extension will enter into force on 1 October and will expire on 31 December. The FAME II certification of the vehicles would then need to be re-validated. The Delhi government unveiled its EV policy in August this year, which was praised by many players and experts in the industry. CM Arvind Kejriwal declared an incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for electric two-wheelers, electric cars & e-rickshaws under the Delhi EV scheme, and up to Rs 1.5 lakh for electric cars. The AAP chief said the government of Delhi will also set up an EV cell to enforce and oversee the new policy on electric vehicles.

15- Under its EV scheme,  Delhi government exempts road taxes on battery-operated vehicles

In its notification released on Saturday, the Transport Department claimed that the Lieutenant Governor of the Delhi National Capital Territory exempted with immediate effect the tax imposed on all battery electric vehicles. Under its latest Electric Vehicle Policy, the Delhi government has exempted road taxes on its battery-operated vehicles, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Sunday.

16- After high demand, MG says Australia pre-orders for the first electric car close early on

In Australia, interest in the MG ZS electric vehicle was so strong that pre-orders have now closed ahead of the November launch, the Chinese car manufacturer said on Friday. The sporty all-electric crossover is tipped to be one of the Australian market’s most value-packed EVs, and one of the lowest prices at $46,990, which explains why so much attention has been gained. Now, MG has shared some more photos of the MG ZS EV testing out in the wild, adding that it would make a good “budget” option for drivers looking to turn to zero-emissions driving who need a city runabout with about 262 km driving range on a single charge.

17- Musk discloses new plans for electric cars 

At both its Shanghai and Berlin gigafactories, Tesla will manufacture new, original electric vehicle models, CEO and co-founder Elon Musk said on Monday (US time), also confirming that the $US25,000 vehicle touted at last week’s Battery Day will not be the Model 3, but a future, smaller car. Musk disclosed some more information about the various Battery Day disclosures in a series of tweets in response to Tesla market analyst Cathie Wood of Ark Invest. Musk jumped in to correct the $US25,000 EV remark, saying it’s not going to be a cheaper Model 3, but a newer, smaller model.

18- Inobat Auto unveils new ‘intelligent’ batteries for electric cars

The new manufacturing method helps achieve faster and more efficient battery production. Compared to conventionally manufactured batteries, InoBat Auto facilitates a 20 percent increase in operating range, thus reducing reliance on rare metals such as cobalt, while at the same time increasing energy density. An energy density of 265 watts per hour (Wh) per kg will be given by the InoBat units by the end of 2021. This figure is predicted to grow to 298 Wh / kg by mid-2022, and to 350 Wh / kg by the end of 2023. InoBat Auto will also progressively eliminate nickel from its batteries as the ultimate target is 500 Wh per kg (achieved by optimizing anode technology). Production of the new battery will take place next year at Slovakia’s world’s first AI-driven R&D battery centre, with a 10 GWh Gigafactory confirmed to be designed to serve global markets in early 2025.