Little Red Electric Corvette

Northvolt, Corvette, F-150 Lightning, BYD, Our Next Energy, Tesla Semi, EVgo

Dec 06, 2022

The Big 5 This Week

1. Electric Corvette Coming. “Where the hell is the electric Corvette?” Jim Dunne asked me back in 2018. Corvette may be getting there, finally. Corvette should become its own brand, too. What right-minded consumer would buy something called a VW Porsche? Link

2. Tesla China Confusion. Which of the following is true? A. Tesla achieved its best-ever month in China, moving 100,000 vehicles. B. Tesla is cutting prices and reducing production. Yes, the correct answer is: Both. Link

3. Batteries Cheaper – or More Expensive? Lithium-ion batteries are more expensive in 2022 than in 2021. This is the first price reversal in 10 years. So, where to from here? Think short term higher, long term lower. Link

4. Northvolt Turns Eyes to America. Sweden’s Northvolt is pausing plans to build a battery plant in Germany. Europe’s most promising battery startup is turning to America, drawn by the allure of subsidies. Link

5. Dealers: To EV Or Not To EV? Cliff Banks invited me to speak at his high-quality AutoVate event last week in Scottsdale, Arizona. Automakers instruct dealers to make large new investments to support EV sales. But the lucrative after-market almost vanishes. So, when will they earn their money back? Some Ford dealers are fighting back. Link

F-150 Lightning starts at $52,000, up from $41,900 at launch.

What I’m Driving: Ford F-150 Lightning. The frunk is a splendid new feature. And, yes, the Lightning can power your house in a pinch. But what moved me most was how instant acceleration while passing on the highway delivers immediate peace of mind. Propelling 6,000 pounds from 0-60 in under 4 seconds is no ordinary feat. Link

What I’m Reading. Chips War: The Fight For the World’s Most Critical Technology. A Cold War has already broken out between China and the United States. Semiconductors are the number one strategic battlefield.

Future EVs, Batteries, Charging

Electrics

Tesla Semi. Tesla made first deliveries of its semi to Pepsi last week. The vehicle also traveled 500 miles from Fremont to San Diego. Coolest design feature: Driver sits in the middle with a 15-inch screen on either side. Jaan of EV Universe reports everything we know so far. Link

BYD into Japan. The irresistible force, China’s BYD, will meet the immovable object, Japan’s home market, in 2023. Link

…And Into America’s Backyard. BYD’s man in Mexico City says the company will sell 10,000 EVs in Mexico in 2023. And 25,000 the following year. Link

Batteries

GM-LGES @ Spring Hill. GM and LGES are adding another $275 million to their $2.3 billion in battery plant investments in North America. “It’s an exciting journey that we’re on,” says one GM executive. (How many times do we hear auto executives talk about journeys, with almost every one of them in the exciting category?) Link

Simon Moores / Battery Megatrends. Going from 600 to 6,000 gigawatt hours over the next 20 years. How soon can we get there? Moores call it the “trillion dollar” question. Biggest unknown: Mining investments “are generally 10=year horizons.” Audio

Charging

Connection Error Detected. Quick, run! It’s the dreaded exclamation point! Oh, wait, I can’t run. My car needs a charge. As Reilly Brennan says: “Driving a non-Tesla in the US is a psychological test of how often you can deal with seeing this screen. Photo credit: Brennan, Trucks VC. Link

Ergo gives names like Conrad to their kiosks to make them less vexing.

Charge Across America. Last year, five teams driving Taycans, Mach Es and Ioniq 5s weaved their way from New York to LA in search of the perfect charging solution. One year later, charging’s holy grail remains elusive. Listen to Kristin’s Slanina’s views on America’s charging networks on this week’s Driving With Dunne podcast. Audio

New Numbers / Milestones

Tesla Breaks 100,000. Tesla China operations delivered more than 100,000 vehicles in the 30 days of November, up 40% over the October number. Link

Michigan made the College Football Playoff. Will play TCU on New Year’s Eve. QB JJ McCarthy makes this team more dangerous than Michigan offenses of the past. He is “a warrior in the garden.” Link

Visiting Our Next Energy (ONE). Our Next Energy is one of America’s most significant battery startups. I accompanied the team from HP‘s 3D Printing division to ONE’s impressive new headquarters in Novi, Michigan last week. Love these antique electrics from the 1920s previously owned by guys like H. Ford and T. Edison.