Electrification

A Stellantis executive recently warned the car market could collapse if BEV prices don’t come down. But BEV prices are driven by the cost of building them which in turn is driven overwhelmingly by the cost of the battery. And that is tied to relatively rare, geographically constrained materials, making battery and car manufacturing vulnerable to politics, price volatility, and supply disruptions. Car makers need a battery that is safe, durable, and inexpensive if they are to bring costs under control. That means either moving away from the current lithium and cobalt-based formulas or significantly reducing the amounts needed. But there is no single ‘best’ formula to address the fundamental five: energy density, durability, temperature stability, safety, and abundance. So, what can replace lithium and cobalt-based batteries? Which companies are developing those replacements? And how soon before it comes to market? Join us as we answer these questions and more.

The open-source collaboration platform has the potential to take years off the time it takes to get a battery plant fully up and running, the company contends.

Who among the world’s automakers is best positioned in this race toward electrification, who’s on the cusp and who still has work to do?

New labeling is part of Electrify America’s plan to educate public charger users, while Nissan, Tesla and Kia make charging news as well.

GM follows through on a planned August 2022 start of production at its Ohio Ultium Cells plant, while the Inflation Reduction Act appears to be motivating Asian automakers to make similar commitments.

The 2022 Solid State Battery Summit took place recently in Chicago. Ines Miller, a consultant for the P3 Group, presented a current snapshot of the industry, some of the key players, and a timeline for when we’re likely to see the first solid-state batteries in EVs is closer than you think.

BMW may be moving toward LFPs, or Tesla nickel-based cells, while F-150 owners get a little bit of help from EA and Tesla gives a sneak peek at Supercharger memberships for non-Tesla owners.

Models built outside of North America, and with batteries containing a high percentage of materials and components sourced overseas, won’t qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

Global deliveries of battery-electric vehicles in first-half 2022 totaled over 3 million units, up 81% from the same year-ago period, and Wards Intelligence partner LMC Automotive expects the total to top 4 million units in the second half.

The U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which re-establishes the $7,500 tax credit for new BEV purchases. But automakers and consumers may be hard pressed to take advantage of it before the incentive expires in 2032.

Rivian, as well as the Detroit Three and Toyota, ask for changes to a new EV tax credit.

U.S. buyers of BEVs, including those made by GM and Tesla, will be able to get significant money off the price of their new or used vehicle, while GM aims to answer your burning BEV questions and Tesla seeks funding to open its Superchargers.