Tag: Electric vehicles

The government is investigating why Tesla drivers can play solitaire at the wheel

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is officially looking into the “driver distraction potential” of Tesla’s “Passenger Play” system, which drivers say allows them to play games while on the road. 

A spokesperson for NHTSA told Popular Science Wednesday it has now opened a “Preliminary Evaluation” to “evaluate the scenarios” in which Tesla drivers can interact with the gaming offerings available on the dashboard screen. The vehicles included in this investigation are Tesla Models 3, S, X, and Y from years 2017 through 2022. The Associated Press, which first reported on the NHTSA evaluation, says this equates to about 580,000 cars. 

According to a report from the New York Times on December 7, three new games were added to Tesla’s dashboard screens in a virtual update this summer, including solitaire, a “jet fighter game,” and a “conquest strategy game.” While more than a dozen games were previously available while the car was in park, this update also made games accessible when the vehicle was in drive. Before launching, the games ask for confirmation that the player is a passenger, not the driver, The Verge found, but the driver could still tap the confirmation button to proceed. 

The Times report cited Vince Patton, a Tesla owner who filed a complaint to NHTSA after discovering the feature and had safety concerns, as well as videos on YouTube that show how the system works. NHTSA confirmed to Popular Science that it received one owner complaint about the games. In the report from the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, there are no recorded incidents of crashes or injuries related to the game system’s use.

“NHTSA based its decision on reports that Tesla’s gameplay functionality is visible from the driver’s seat and can be enabled while driving the vehicle,” the NHTSA spokesperson said to Popular Science in an emailed statement about the agency’s choice to formally look into the issue. Previously, NHTSA told the Times it was “discussing the feature with the manufacturer.”

This probe comes less than two weeks after NHTSA told CNBC it was in communication with Tesla over an Autopilot glitch and as the agency continues to investigate multiple serious accidents involving Teslas hitting emergency vehicles while in Autopilot mode. The NHTSA spokesperson said that, as a reminder, there are no commercially available vehicles today that can totally drive themselves.

“Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all State laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles,” the spokesperson added. 

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Ford Partners with CARB to Secure Green EV Charging

Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. 

Ford debuts 2020 Escape PHEV
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.

With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.  

“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.

“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.” 

California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program. 

Ford green charging California graphic

Only green energy wanted 

The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.  

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, recently noted the ability of electric vehicles to limit emissions of greenhouse gases is blunted if the energy powering them comes from fossil fuels, such as oil. Other critics of EVs note EVs cannot deter climate change if they are dependent on electric grid powered by fossil fuels.  

Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said. 

CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States. 

Ford Sustainable Charging web page

Program uses a phone app to find green energy 

Under the program, owners of eligible plug-in electric vehicles connect to the program through the FordPass app. 

Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy. 

Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity. 

Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.

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UK Fuel Shortage Sent Buyers Scurrying for EVs, Tesla Topping British Sales Charts

While most British service stations now have all the petrol — gasoline — they need again, the country’s fuel crisis could have long-term impacts, the scare convincing many UK motorists it is time to switch to battery-electric vehicles.

UK-fuel-pump-out-of-use
The petrol shortage in the UK last month drove the Tesla Model 3 to the top sales spot overall in the UK for September.

For the first time ever, a BEV was the best-selling vehicle in Britain last month, and motorists registered nearly as many all-electric vehicles in September as they did in all of 2019, according to industry data. The Tesla Model 3 was the big winner, but other BEVs also gained momentum.

“The petrol crisis was temporary but the impact on consumer attitudes is not,” said Ian Plummer, commercial director for the British arm of Auto Trader. “The idea that you’ll always be able to fill your tank has gone out the window.”

Pumps run dry

At one point, as many as 90% of the pumps serving petrol ran dry last month. Long lines of motorists waiting at stations across the country proved reminiscent of the twin oil shocks that struck the U.S. back in the 1970s.

But this crisis wasn’t due to shortages of petroleum, but rather the inability to get refined fuel to service stations, experts noted. That was due to an ongoing lack of carrier truck drivers that has grown worse since Britain exited the European Union and enacted new restrictions on workers from the continent. (The U.S. currently faces a similar shortage of drivers resulting in spot shortage of fuel this year.)

As pumps — and fuel tanks — ran dry, British motorists began looking for alternatives. At one point, Google recorded a 1,600% increase in online searches related to electric vehicles, and automotive shopping website Carwow saw its own traffic nearly double.

UK fuel shortage line

The inability to just run out and get petrol/gas anytime Britons desired impacted their buying habits.

Now, British auto industry data indicate this translated into actual sales.

UK’s EV sales explode

Demand for electrified vehicles was already rising before the fuel crisis. But sales of all plug-based models surged at a record pace in September. Pure battery-electric vehicles recorded the biggest gain, automakers reporting a 49.4% increase in BEV registrations for the month. That jump came despite the fact that overall passenger car sales in the UK actually dipped by 34.4% in September.

Of the 215,312 vehicles registered in Britain, BEVs totaled 32,721, or 15.2 percent. That was 5,000 short of the number of all-electric models sold in the UK during all of 2019.

Plug-in hybrids generated 13,884 sales, or 11.5%, and conventional hybrids accounted for 12% of September registrations, or 24,961. In other words, vehicles using some form of electric propulsion made up nearly four in 10 of the vehicles British drivers registered.

The Tesla Model 3 was the big winner, becoming the best-selling new vehicle in the country, British motorists purchasing 6,879.

Nissan Leaf in London

Electric vehicle sales are expected to continue to rise in the UK in the wake of the current shortage.

The all-electric sedan was the only exclusive BEV model among Britain’s top 10 in September, but five others on that list are available with various battery-based propulsion systems. The Vauxhall Corsa was second on the September list, the BMW 3 Series the third, Toyota Yaris came in fourth, while the Kia Niro was ninth. Rounding out the top 10 was the Volkswagen Golf.

Not an anomaly

While sales of electrified vehicles have surged, demand for diesels has plummeted in the UK, registrations falling 55% last year and continuing to spiral downward in 2021.

While some analysts have questioned whether last month’s sales numbers were an anomaly, Brent Gruber, senior director of Global Automotive at J.D. Power, told TheDetroitBureau.com the shift is only likely to continue, if not accelerate.

The fuel shortages proved part of a “microcosm of all the different factors that are aligning to help drive EV adoption,” according to Gruber.

British consumers, like those in the U.S. and other markets, Gruber added, are getting a steadily widening range of BEVs to choose from, vehicles targeting a broader array of price and product segments, while offering improved range and more appealing features.

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Volkswagen Group: Audi Employs Ken Block, Porsche Making 718 Electric

<img data-attachment-id=”1774616″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/audi-block/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Audi-Block-e1632344516704.png” data-orig-size=”2867,1674″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”Audi Block” data-image-description=”

Audi

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Despite being the target of a German lawsuit accusing the manufacturer of not being green enough, Volkswagen Group is probably the legacy automaker touting the merits of electrification with the most enthusiasm. While undoubtedly influenced by the diesel emissions catastrophe that cheesed off every regulator in the Western world, its brand has actively been delivering EVs and praising alternative energy automobiles whenever possible.

There was more of that this week. Porsche has reportedly decided to make the 718 to be an all-electric model by 2025 and Audi recently announced that it’s employing rally icon and Hoonigan founder Ken Block (who broke with the Ford Motor Co. earlier this year) to develop EVs.

Audi announced Block’s involvement on Tuesday by simultaneously releasing a video and interview. The video is about what you’d expect and the interview feels about as organic as a cube of polyethylene. Block is supposed to be joining the company to help develop electric cars but there isn’t much in the way of details in the interview. Instead, it served as a vehicle for the professional driver to praise Audi products (perhaps genuinely) and discuss how it shouldn’t matter what’s beneath the hood so long as the car goes fast.

In case you’ve never seen one of his videos, Ken Block likes to go fast and he mentions it with the frequency and subtlety of Sonic the Hedgehog throughout the release. As I’ve never witnessed him being verbose, this was likely the most authentic aspect of the interview. But the rest was sprinkled with enough corporate buzz terms to make it feel like he may have been coached by his new employer.

“By testing electric cars in different contexts, we want to showcase mobility and electrification in new and entertaining ways. Audi has done an incredible job of driving their vehicles into the future,” Block stated. “Hopefully, I can pick up on that and have a lot of fun with it at the same time. Audi technology has always had a huge impact on me. In the 1980s, the brand used to dominate one of my all-time favorite sports events — the World Rally Championship — in a way that truly inspired me. Over the years, I’ve always had a real fan’s appreciation for what Audi achieved in racing way back when, right up to modern-day motorsport. I have always been very impressed with their progressiveness and the fact that they are constantly looking ahead.”

This led to a statement on humanity and the ways we all need to live to create a progressive, pro-mobility future. But the overall gist from Ken’s discussion is that electric vehicles are part of that and everyone needs to get on board.

<img data-attachment-id=”1774614″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/block-audi-2/” data-orig-file=”http://turbosaga.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-5.jpg” data-orig-size=”768,471″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”Block Audi 2″ data-image-description=”

Audi

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“Don’t get me wrong, I love the sound of combustion engines, especially the five-cylinder that Audi is so famous for,” he said. “That’s what I grew up with. Even so, I welcome change and whatever might make me go faster. Of course, I’ll miss the sound of the engine, but there are other ways to enjoy new technology and its sounds. The view that combustion engines are the answer because something would be missing without that growl is wrong. I have kids who haven’t grown up with those sounds for the past thirty or fifty years as I have and don’t care about them. They’re used to the idea that there are combustion engines and electric motors, each with their own sounds. To them, both are cool. We older people need to change our attitude and learn that the lack of a sound can also be very cool.”

What does all of this mean? Well, other than the fact that Audi is now paying Ken Block to say things, we’re not absolutely certain. The manufacturer has been extremely cagey on the details, only admitting that the Hoonigan executive will be helping to deliver “exclusive joint projects in the field of electric mobility” and already drove the classic Sport Quattro S1, V8 Quattro DTM, Audi RS E-Tron GT, and E-Tron Vision Gran Turismo prototype.

My guess is that this results in another gymkhana video where Block pilots an Audi-branded vehicle through tight spaces at unadvisable speeds. Perhaps there will even be a few new electrified products from the manufacturer with Ken’s signature on them — though his sitting through an entire development phase seems unlikely.

Meanwhile, Porsche is supposedly already working on a new EV that will end up replacing one of its best models. According to Car and Driver, the 718 will become a totally battery-electric vehicle for the 2025 model year. The outlet said that it ended months of speculation after Porsche unveiled the Mission R Concept (pictured) at the Munich auto show. It’s the correct shape and size to replace the 718 and will reportedly serve as the template for its successor.

<img data-attachment-id=”1774610″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/porsche-mission-r-concept/” data-orig-file=”http://turbosaga.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-11.jpg” data-orig-size=”980,653″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”Porsche Mission R Concept” data-image-description=”

Porsche

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From Car and Driver:

We haven’t seen the interior yet, but we are assured it will be the brand’s most futuristic yet, more forward-looking than the Taycan and a massive leap from the conservatively styled current 718 cockpit. In designing the user interface, Porsche is keeping the customer base in mind: In China, the most important market, the average age of a 718 buyer is just 31. We are told, “This will be the most modern Porsche.”

Sports-car fans have been concerned that an electric 718 could become excessively heavy; a Taycan, after all, comes in between 4,568 pounds for the entry-level model with the small battery and 5,199 pounds for the Turbo S Cross Turismo, despite its not-exactly-spacious package. The 718, on the other hand, will be almost a miracle of lightweight technology: The internal target weight is under 3,650 pounds.

Weight is one thing but the car also needs to be useable. If the Porsche Taycan taught us anything, it’s that diminished range can severely undermine what’s an otherwise desirable automobile. We’re also slightly concerned that future 718 models won’t be a cost-conscious alternative to the 911, but its main competition. The iconic 911 is said to remain internal-combustion-focused until at least 2030. Though an all-electric 718 will probably be able to match its acceleration before the speedometer reaches blistering speeds. Assuming there remains a divide between EV and ICE fans, this might not be a big issue and the same goes if Porsche can keep pricing below the $83,000 it charges for the Taycan.

However, it doesn’t really matter what the consumer wants or what it’s going to cost. Europe’s restrictive Euro 7 regulations have effectively painted all manufacturers into a corner. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has claimed the proposed rules would basically kill their ability to continue developing internal-combustion engines, especially since regulators are considering real-world emission monitoring over the entire lifetime of a vehicle. Assuming Porsche still wants to build high-performance vehicles with juicy spec sheets inside the EU, they’ll have to be electric.

<img data-attachment-id=”1774612″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/porsche-mission-r-concept-rear/” data-orig-file=”http://turbosaga.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-16.jpg” data-orig-size=”980,653″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”Porsche Mission R concept rear” data-image-description=”

Porsche

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[Images: Volkswagen Group]

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Genesis Going All-Electric

2022 Genesis GV60 debut best
Genesis plans to be an all-electric brand by 2030, starting with the newly introduced GV60.

The new Genesis GV60 crossover set to go on sale in South Korea this year will be the brand’s first model using a dedicated battery-electric vehicle platform — but it won’t be the last, the brand announcing it will completely phase out the use of internal combustion engines by the end of the decade.

The Hyundai spinoff has already begun the transformation, but it will accelerate in 2025, with all new models launched after that date running either on batteries or hydrogen. The goal is to have a total of eight of these green models by 2030, when the last legacy model running on gasoline will be phased out.

“Genesis has been on an intensive, bold and successful journey, successfully establishing itself as a truly global luxury brand,” said Euisun Chung, the chairman of the Hyundai Motor Group, during a formal unveiling of the GV60 in Seoul. “Genesis is once again at the starting point of another audacious journey — the journey toward a sustainable future.”

Genesis G80 EV front

Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.

Big plans for the future

By 2030, Genesis hopes to be selling 400,000 vehicles annually and currently plans a mix of four SUVs and four passenger vehicles. An image the luxury brand released appears to indicate that one of those could be a production version of the Genesis X coupe concept. Whether that would sell in today’s SUV-centric car market remains to be seen.

The transition actually began in April, when Genesis introduced its first battery-powered model, the Electrified G80. But that sedan is something of a half-step effort, with its batteries tucked wherever engineers could find space. The new GV60 is far more significant, long-term, because it becomes the first Genesis model to adopt a dedicated platform specifically designed for alternative power sources.

Genesis X concept best

In an automotive world so focused on EVs and SUVs, the Genesis X Concept is a refreshing change and could be part of the shift to EVs only.

Dubbed the E-GMP, or Electric-Global Modular Platform, it takes the same basic, skateboard-like layout that brands like Tesla, General Motors and Volkswagen are adopting for their battery-electric vehicles. But the Hyundai Motor Group’s new architecture has the flexibility of handling both battery and hydrogen power.

That’s possible because fuel-cell stacks combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electric current that powers the same motors used for a vehicle like the Genesis GV60. Some proponents refer to fuel-cell technology as refillable batteries.

The Korean automaker is a major proponent of fuel-cell technology and already uses it to power the Hyundai Nexo SUV. All three of the group’s brands — Hyundai, Kia and Genesis — will have FCVs in their line-up in the coming years. The parent company has also formed a new subsidiary, HTwo, which plans to develop fuel-cell systems to power heavy trucks, boats, locomotives and even aircraft.

Genesis Mint front

The Genesis Mint concept was unveiled at the 2019 NY International Auto Show, but it’s unlikely to be part of an all-electric line-up.

Rapid growth expected

The range of green machines coming from Genesis, in particular, is expected to expand rapidly as the brand grows its line-up. It currently offers three sedans and, with the launch of the GV60 EV, it will have three SUVs, as well. The automaker said it plans to have eight electrified models in the portfolio, though it didn’t provide details on how or when they would roll out.

How consumers will react to the switch by Genesis is far from clear. Electric vehicles, on the whole, account for barely 2% of the overall U.S. new vehicle market. And FCVs are barely an asterisk on the sales charts due to the limited availability of the fuel.

But sales of BEVs more than doubled in the U.S. during the first half of 2021 — and the electric vehicle market is growing even faster in Europe, China and other regions. Sales are also stronger in luxury segments than mainstream due to the higher cost for electrified technology.

As for the Genesis brand itself, it got off to a slow start, in part due to the decision to launch with a pair of sedans, the G80 and G90, and then add a third, the smaller G70. It only added its first SUV, the GV80, in 2020, and brought the GV70 to the line-up this year. But Genesis officials are confident they can boost demand by decade’s end to a global total of 400,000 vehicles annually.

Chevrolet Electric Silverado A ZERO Production

Silverado

Chevrolet’s Silverado electric pickup will be built at the Factory Zero assembly plant in Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan, along with GMC’s Hummer EV SUV which will also be produced there, General Motors president Mark Reuss said today.

Silverado

A new-from-the-ground-up EV pickup, and not adapted from the gas-powered Silverado, it will use the Ultium Platform. Ultium is General Motors’ virtual development tools and technology, said to have reduced development nearly 50 percent to 26 months.

Chevrolet estimates the new Silverado EV will have a 400-mile range on a full charge. Like its gas-powered sibling, there will be retail and fleet versions of the EV, both expected to be in demand. “Chevrolet will take everything Chevy’s loyal truck buyers love about Silverado — and more — and put it into an electric pickup that will delight retail and commercial customers alike,” said Reuss.

Factory ZERO, General Motors’ renamed Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, signifies the company’s zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion outlook for the future. ZERO is the largest renovation and retooling ever for a General Motors manufacturing plant. Its paint and body shop, along with the general assembly area, are getting upgrades including new machinery, conveyors, controls, and tooling. The plant’s footprint is now over 4.5 million square feet.

Silverado

General Motors previously hawked its modular propulsion system and Ultium battery-powered global EV platforms. The company is definitely looking to compete head-to-head for customers wherever they may exist. Ultium is a joint venture with LG in Lordstown, Ohio to produce battery cells for future battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Construction of that facility is underway.

General Motors world domination plan calls for a million EVs by 2025, and North American EV leadership. How will this work out with the power grid, President Biden’s future vision, and infrastructure improvements?

[Images: General Motors]

Teutonic Tesla: Volkswagen Now Building ‘Gigafactories’

<img data-attachment-id="1755530" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/03/teutonic-tesla-volkswagen-now-building-gigafactories/volkswagen-power-day-2021/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DB2021AL00276_medium.jpg" data-orig-size="1795,1010" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"Volkswagen AG","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"Volkswagen Power Day 2021","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="Volkswagen Power Day 2021" data-image-description="

VW Group

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As much as we’ve criticized American luxury brands for emulating the Germans, we’ve failed to do the same for Volkswagen Group’s pathetic attempts at copying Tesla. That changes with Monday’s announcement that VW will assemble six “gigafactories” in Europe by 2030. Shared on “Power Day” — the company’s bastardized version of Tesla’s Battery Day — the plan is supposed to result in a production capacity of 240 GWh annually when completed and help VW reduce battery costs while also securing access.

It’s not a half-bad plan for a company entirely devoted to electrification, which is probably why Tesla follows a similar model using nearly identical terminology. Though, considering the absolute mess Volkswagen seems to have made of its EV transmission thus far, some might find it difficult to blame the automaker for looking at the competition and breaking out the notepad.

Others will be less sympathetic while acknowledging this is probably VW’s best play if it’s serious about EVs. 

Volkswagen is only in this mess for getting caught circumventing emissions by illegal means, specifically software that flubbed the test results of diesel models. While we’re happy to suggest the brand was placed in a difficult situation by being the first automaker to get majorly busted for skirting the nearly impossible to adhere to rules regarding modern diesel emissions, it was still being exposed to the same scrutiny as other manufacturers. But it went the coverup route before confessing and has responded by transmogrifying itself into a beacon of greenness as penance for its eco-crimes. Volkswagen became a “mobility company” overnight in 2016 — born again, so to speak — despite its product lineup showing its status as a relatively traditional automaker, often forcing us to take it at its word.

VW has endeavored to keep up appearances while sprinting full tilt toward widespread electrification. But the fruit of its labor haven’t always panned out. The company has had a terrible time with battery suppliers and most of the EVs delivered thus far aren’t offering the kind of ranges that would make them compelling choices. Digitizing its products has also resulted in software issues that helped stymie the launches of numerous vehicles. In some cases, it even resulted in incomplete vehicles coming to market.

These are issues most automakers are confronting as they collectively attempt to redefine the purpose of the automotive industry, and we’re now way past the point where the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” would be useful. By now, most manufacturers are totally committed to a future where vehicles are electric, connected, and monetizing your data as often as possible. Volkswagen just seems to have dove in the quickest, suffered the worst for it, and is now in a situation where it absolutely has to make things work.

Hence the new “gigafactories” — which don’t seem a bad solution, if you can ignore the Tesla comparisons.

From Volkswagen:

The Group is pushing ahead at full speed with the development of production capacities in Europe in order to meet the increasing demand for battery cells. “Together with partners, we want to have a total of six cell factories up and running in Europe by 2030 thus guaranteeing security of supply”, explains [Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group Technology] Thomas Schmall. The new factories are expected to produce cells with a total energy value of 240 GWh per year by the time they are finally completed. Volkswagen is therefore actively contributing to meet the targets of the European Union’s Green Deal. The first two factories will operate in the Swedish city of Skellefteå and in Salzgitter. In response to increased demand, Volkswagen has decided to refocus the previous plan in relation to cell production and concentrate production of its premium cells in the Swedish gigafactory “Northvolt Ett” in Skellefteå in collaboration with Northvolt. The production of these cells is set to commence in 2023 and will be expanded gradually to an annual capacity of up to 40 GWh.

Those capacities are annual and are supposed to cut battery costs by up to 50 percent once all synergies are accounted for. But we think the big get here is VW having a direct line on an essential component it’s had serious problems procuring in even modest quantities. These also help bring the automaker closer to its goal of making energy management a viable source of revenue. This again harkens back to Tesla. In 2019, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed that energy storage would gradually become a larger aspect of the business. The following year, he said that Tesla Energy would likely grow to be at least as big as its automotive aspirations.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has repeatedly announced its role in the planned expansion of the public fast-charging network. Its latest release also said cooperation has been agreed to in Europe with some of the regions the energy companies, including BP, Iberdrola, and Enel. VW is plotting a course of staggered investments. As we’re not fortune tellers, we cannot predict how successful this strategy will be. But it does show that the company isn’t interested in taking half measures. And emulating the parts of Tesla that appear to be working makes it derivate and cringe-inducing, not stupid.

[Image: Volkswagen Group]

Lucid Motors Plots 20 Storefronts By 2022

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Image: Lucid Motors

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On Wednesday, Lucid Motors announced plans to open 20 retail locations and service centers across North America by the end of 2021. They’ll be called “Lucid Studios,” helping the company herald in what it considers “new standards for sustainable transportation” via the sale of luxury vehicles.

You know as well as we do that this type of language is customary among EV startups trying to sell you on the concept of shopping your way into a healthier environment. Yet the strategy appears to be working. Electric vehicle firms seem to enjoy nothing but victory on this continent right now — even if they seem to be dying off in places like China — and are poised to make big moves over the next few years. 

That said, it’s always prudent to take any announcements from an automaker with a grain of salt. That’s doubly true if they happen to be in their infancy. Elio Motors had (has?) a pretty sound business plan, and we all know how that turned out. In the electric realm, we could just as easily point to Faraday Future, Dyson, or the recent troubles incurred by Nio — the latter of which seemed positioned to take on Tesla in Asia a few months ago, with plans to eventually market product here.

Lucid, like so many automotive startups before it, may end up in a similarly sinking boat. Its direct-to-consumer model is hardly new among EV companies. It also harps on sustainable materials integrated into both its products and facilities using flowery language, most of it woefully empty.

“Just as the Lucid Air is meticulously designed and engineered to be a new benchmark in the luxury electric car segment, we designed Lucid Studios to be engaging, to start conversations and to help educate people about the performance and efficiency benchmarks possible in an electric vehicle,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of Lucid Motors. “A Lucid Studio is a place for people to learn about our unique brand while supporting every facet of the customer journey.”

You have to wonder if the people writing the copy for these kinds of press announcements actually speak them aloud before publishing. Obviously, they can’t just say “we’re opening some shops, come on by” and maintain that air of subtle superiority. But there’s just something so hollow and monotonous about the media releases of luxury automakers. Is this how fancier people like being spoken to, or have I just read too much marketing copy?

Happily, Lucid’s commitment to actually building these stores seems far less empty than the default phrasing it chose for marketing purposes. It’s already promised to construct 8 storefronts posthaste. While the first few will be located in California, the company said it wants to put one in New York City’s Meatpacking District; another just outside Washington, D.C.; and two on Florida’s West Coast.

From Lucid Motors:

With a direct-to-consumer model, Lucid will offer a digitally enhanced luxury experience tailored to each customer’s purchase and ownership preferences. Customers will have the option to visit a Studio in person, make their inquiries entirely online, or any combination of the two. The company’s California-inspired design aesthetic is integrated throughout the experience in both physical spaces and digital experiences.

For Lucid Studios, this translates to an efficient design that supports every phase of the customer journey, from discovery to delivery and every moment in between. To that end, Lucid purposely selected spaces with relatively small footprints in high-traffic areas, where customers can spend time in a thoughtfully designed space that highlights Lucid’s advanced technology in a warm atmosphere of natural, sustainable materials.

It doesn’t sound as though the shops will be ready in time for the 1,000-hp Lucid Air that’s set to debut this September. A few should be prepped in time for its actual launch, which was pushed back on account of the pandemic. Considering the pace at which Lucid was already moving, that may not be the worst thing in the world. There’s a sense that many of these EV startups destroyed themselves by biting off way more than they were ready to chew.

Lucid is one of the few that shows real promise, however, and it seems intent on delivering a genuinely appealing EV at a high-but-competitive price. It’s a fragile ecosystem, and electric cars are extremely vulnerable — and supported primarily by outside investments. Best to play it safe when things seem to be going smoothly.

Image: Lucid Motors

[Images: Lucid Motors]