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☆ Ford-SK venture to get $9.2 billion US loan for battery plants
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department plans to lend up to $9.2 billion to a joint venture of Ford Motor (F.N) and South Korea's SK On to help it build three battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. The conditional commitment for the low-cost government loan for the BlueOval SK joint venture comes from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program. The joint venture is building three battery manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee capable of collectively producing more than 120 gigawatt hours annually, the Energy Department said. This is the sixth loan for battery supply chain projects from the ATVM program. Last year, the department awarded a joint venture of General Motors (GM.N) and LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) $2.5 billion to help finance construction of new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities.

Persons: Jigar Shah, Dave Webb, Robert Rhee, Ford, Jim Farley, Tesla, David Shepardson, Toby Chopra, David Evans, Alexander Smith Organizations: U.S . Energy Department, Ford Motor, Korea's SK, BlueOval SK, Technology Vehicles Manufacturing, SK, South Korea's SK Innovation, Energy Department, Energy, Ford, Lincoln, Republican, Republicans, Biden, General Motors, LG Energy, Ultium Cells, Thomson Locations: Tennessee, Kentucky, South, United States, KS, Ohio , Tennessee, Michigan, Fremont , California

☆ GM, SDI will build $3 billion battery manufacturing plant in Indiana
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 13 (Reuters) - General Motors (GM.N) and Samsung SDI (006400.KS) will build a more than $3 billion EV battery cell plant in Indiana scheduled to begin operations in 2026, creating 1,700 jobs, the state's governor said Tuesday. The companies said in April they would invest more than $3 billion to build a joint venture EV battery manufacturing plant in the U.S. but did not name a location. Reuters reported in January that GM had opted not to move forward with building a fourth U.S. battery plant with LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) in Indiana, but said GM could still pick Indiana for a battery plant with another partner. The joint GM and Samsung SDI plant near New Carlisle, Indiana aims to have an annual production capacity of 30 gigawatt hours (GWh). The companies are building a $2.6 billion plant in Michigan, set to open in 2024 after opening a plant in Ohio and are building another in Tennessee.

Persons: Yoonho Choi, Shawn Fain, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Biden, David Shepardson, Louise Heavens, David Evans Organizations: General Motors, Samsung SDI, EV, Reuters, GM, LG Energy, Samsung, U.S . Energy Department, LG Energy Ultium Cells, United Auto Workers, GM LG Ohio JV, UAW, Thomson Locations: KS, Indiana, U.S, New Carlisle , Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, North America, South Korea

☆ Tesla shares jump on EV charging tie-up with GM
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 9 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) shares jumped 5% on Friday on expectations that its electric-vehicle charging system would become an industry standard after General Motors (GM.N) joined cross-town rival Ford (F.N) in agreeing to use the Tesla Supercharger network. Already the world's most valuable automaker, Tesla was set to increase its market value by more than $30 billion to about $780 billion. Shares of General Motors, whose valuation is much lower at $49.8 billion but sells millions more vehicles annually, rose 3.5%. "We estimate Ford and GM combined could add another $3 billion to services EV charging revenue for Tesla over the next few years in another accretive poker move by Musk & Co," said analysts at Wedbush Securities, raising their price target on Tesla's shares to $300. They are expected to lag well behind EV market leaders Tesla and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) through 2028, according to data provided by AutoForecast Solutions.

Persons: Elon, Tesla, Aditya Soni, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: General Motors, Ford, U.S, EV, GM, Musk &, Wedbush Securities, GM EV, Detroit, Volkswagen, AutoForecast Solutions, Thomson

☆ GM, POSCO Future M to boost investment at Canada battery materials plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 2 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) and South Korea's POSCO Future M said on Friday they will invest more to boost production at their chemical battery materials facility in Canada, taking their estimated total investment in the plant to over $1 billion. The companies said the new investment includes an additional CAM and a precursor facility for local on-site processing of critical minerals. The development comes a few days after the Canada's federal government and the Quebec province each provided about C$150 million ($112 million) for the facility. The companies last year established Ultium CAM joint venture, which is majority owned by POSCO Future M, and had initially invested about $327 million, according to media reports. Their battery facility in Becancour, Quebec, will produce cathode active material (CAM) for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Persons: Priyamvada, Shinjini Organizations: General Motors Co, POSCO, Thomson Locations: Canada, Quebec, Becancour, Bengaluru

☆ Canada, Quebec to provide about C$300 mln for GM-POSCO battery materials facility
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoOTTAWA, May 29 (Reuters) - Canada's federal government and the Quebec province will each provide about C$150 million ($112 million) for a General Motors-POSCO Chemical (GM.N)(005490.KS) battery materials facility that is expected create about 200 jobs in the country, the Canadian industry ministry said on Monday. The U.S. carmaker and South Korea's POSCO outlined their plan last year to build the facility in Becancour, Quebec, to produce cathode active material (CAM) for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. CAM includes components like processed nickel, lithium and other materials that make up about 40% of the cost of a battery, the industry ministry said in a statement. "This investment in GM-POSCO's new facility in Becancour will help further position Quebec as a key hub in Canada's growing EV supply chain," Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said.

☆ GM will introduce an all-electric Cadillac Escalade 'IQ' later this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

GM's first all-electric Cadillac Escalade will be called the "Escalade IQ," which continues Cadillac's EV naming strategy that so far includes the Lyriq crossover and upcoming Celestiq ultra-luxury sedan. DETROIT – General Motors on Monday confirmed plans to introduce an all-electric version of its flagship Cadillac Escalade later this year. An electric Escalade was expected, as the company plans to fully convert Cadillac into an electric vehicle brand by 2030. The Cadillac Escalade IQ is anticipated to utilize GM's Ultium battery cells, motors and technologies, which the automaker is using to power and underpin its next-generation EVs. But just because it's called an Escalade doesn't necessarily mean it'll be identical to the brand's iconic internal combustion engine-powered SUV.

☆ Analysis: GM's 2025 EV output could be crimped by battery bottleneck
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have not changed our targets," GM spokesman Jim Cain said. Those targets include cumulative EV production of 400,000 from early 2022 through mid-2024, a revised goal that CEO Mary Barra reiterated earlier this year. "We believe GM’s targets are hittable despite hurdles to get there," Wedbush auto analyst Dan Ives said. GM has not issued specific North American EV production targets for 2024 and 2025. GM’s North American EV production targets beyond 2025 “will continue to push the limits” of its battery plants, according to AFS, including a recently announced fourth factory with new partner Samsung SDI (006400.KS) that isn’t expected to open until 2026.

☆ Why GM is killing the Chevy Bolt — America's cheapest EV — amid record sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In this article GM Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTA Chevrolet Bolt EUV on display at the New York Auto Show, April 13, 2022. Scott Mlyn | CNBCDETROIT — After years of lackluster performance and a fire-provoked recall, the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV was finally gaining traction for General Motors . The Bolt EV would start at $26,595, followed by the Bolt EUV at $28,195. A 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV caught fire at a home in Cherokee County, Georgia on Sept. 13, 2021, according to the local fire department. Cherokee County Fire DepartmentStill, GM touted the Bolt EV as proof of the concept for its electric-powered future.

☆ GM to end production of Chevrolet Bolt EV later this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A close-up view of the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle is seen at Stewart Chevrolet in Colma, California, U.S., October 3, 2017. "We have progressed so far that it's now time to plan to end the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EU production, which will happen at the very end of the year," GM CEO Mary Barra told investors on Tuesday. The Bolt, GM's first mass market EV, still accounts for more than 90% of all U.S. GM EV sales. The Bolt was preceded by the Chevrolet Volt -- a plug-in hybrid that GM ended production in 2019. The recall prompted GM to halt Bolt production and sales for more than six months.

☆ GM to end production of electric Chevy Bolt, its first mass-market EV, later this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Steve Fecht for ChevroletDETROIT – General Motors plans to stop production of its electric Chevrolet Bolt models by the end of this year, CEO Mary Barra told investors Tuesday when discussing the company's first-quarter earnings. The Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, a larger version of the car, make up the vast majority of the company's electric vehicle sales to date. General Motors CEO Mary Barra unveiled the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle during the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But Bolt sales never caught on as well as many executives hoped, as EV sales overall remained minuscule outside of Tesla . The Vermont State Police released this photo of the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV that caught fire on July 1, 2021 in the driveway of state Rep. Timothy Briglin, a Democrat.

☆ Chevrolet Bolt, GM’s first popular electric vehicle, ends production this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Chevrolet Bolt EV, General Motors first fully electric vehicle to be built and sold on a large scale, will go out of production by the end of this year. These new electric vehicles will be based GM’s new electric vehicle platform, Ultium, which is not used by the Bolt. The Bolt was, for a number of years, the best-selling electric vehicle in America that was not made by Tesla, although the gap was very wide. In all other respects, though, it was very similar to the Bolt EV, including the fact that it was available only with front-wheel-drive. To do that, GM engineers created a flexible electric vehicle architecture called Ultium that will be the basis of future GM vehicles.

☆ Get America's cheapest electric car while you still can
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Launched in 2016, the Bolt EV is the cheapest electric car in America. General Motors is axing the electric hatchback (and its SUV relative, the Bolt EUV) from its lineup this year, it announced Tuesday. The Chevrolet Bolt EV electric hatchback. The Bolt EV, which launched in 2016, is America's cheapest EV at $26,500 (or $19,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit). The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV.

DETROIT, April 21 (Reuters) - United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain said on Friday there is "no excuse" for Detroit's automakers to set up electric vehicle operations and ventures that are not unionized. Detroit automakers have set up several U.S. joint venture battery factories that are not covered by their current agreements with the UAW. Fain said workers at joint venture battery plants should earn higher wages than production workers at older Detroit Three factories. "I look forward to bring that work under the UAW," Fain said. The UAW president said workers displaced as factories dedicated to combustion vehicle technology lose work should have a right to get jobs at joint venture factories.

[1/2] The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. Many teem with lithium, calcium and other minerals, and DLE technologies aim to separate out the lithium and leave the rest. LITHIUM METAL FROM BRINEEnergyX has said its technology can make lithium metal directly from brine, a tantalizing prospect for GM that could let the automaker bypass lithium refining, which is widely seen as a key supply chain bottleneck. The EnergyX investment comes after GM in January agreed to pay $650 million to become the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO), which is developing the Thacker Pass clay lithium project in Nevada. "This GM investment will completely change the trajectory of EnergyX," said Teague Egan, the startup company's founder and chief executive.

☆ General Motors' U.S. sales jump 18% in the first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A GMC pickup truck is displayed for sale on a lot at a General Motors dealership on January 05, 2023 in Austin, Texas. General Motors said Monday that its first-quarter U.S. sales rose 18% from a year ago, to just over 600,000 vehicles delivered, as it continued its rebound from the supply chain problems that limited global auto production in 2021 and early 2022. Most of those electric vehicles were Chevrolet Bolts, but GM did sell 968 of its brand-new Cadillac Lyriq EVs, built on the company's next-generation Ultium EV architecture. GM has been working to ramp up its production of its Ultium-based electric vehicles, with new high-volume Ultium-based models including an electric Chevrolet Equinox crossover due later in 2023. The company's EV sales volumes are expected to ramp up sharply from there in 2024 and 2025.

☆ GM says it expects some EVs to receive $7,500 US tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) expects some electric vehicles (EVs) will qualify for $7,500 U.S. tax credits after stricter Treasury Department guidance takes effect April 18, the U.S. automaker said on Friday. The EV battery sourcing guidance issued on Friday triggers new requirements for critical minerals and battery components. GM currently also receives $7,500 tax credits for the Chevrolet Bolt and is eligible for $7,500 for the forthcoming 2024 model Chevrolet Silverado. Vehicles not eligible for consumer tax credits can qualify for clean commercial tax credits including in leasing. The government will publish by April 18 a revised list of qualifying models and tax credit amounts.

☆ Factbox: Insurers press carmakers for more help with EV batteries
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Many carmakers in turn say their EV battery packs are repairable, though few seem willing to share access to battery data. General Motors Co (GM.N) said its new Ultium batteries are designed to be repaired at the module level, which is "significantly less expensive than replacing the entire battery pack." It also allows third-party access to battery data. When asked about third-party data access, a spokesman said "Nissan dealers have all the training and special tools required to assure the quality or repair needs of EV batteries." Renault (RENA.PA) said modules in its EVs can be repaired at specially designated "battery centres," but did not respond to a question about third-party data access.

As part of this effort, White House officials said, they locked a commitment from Tesla to open thousands of its chargers to electric vehicles made by other manufacturers. Tesla has intended to open up its charging network in the US for years. But in one omission that will raise questions from staunch environmentalists, the new federally funded EV chargers will not necessarily be powered by clean energy sources. According to environmental impact research by Project Drawdown, compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, emissions drop by 50% when an electric vehicle's power is drawn from the conventional grid. During the briefing, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm emphasized that the President's goal is to get to a "fully clean electric grid" by 2035.

☆ Ford to recognize UAW 'card check' for new Michigan battery plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) has agreed to recognize the United Auto Workers (UAW) at a new planned Michigan battery plant if a majority of workers sign cards, the automaker and union said. Under the "card check" process, a majority of plant hourly workers could simply sign cards supporting the union, and once certified an election would not be necessary. In December, workers at a General Motors-LG Energy Solution (GM.N), (373220.KS) Ultium Cells battery cell factory in northeast Ohio overwhelmingly voted to join the UAW. Ultium had rejected the UAW's bid to use card check at the plant. Reporting by David Shepardson and Ben Klayman; Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ram reveals its electric truck and it looks just like the gas truck
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | Cnn Business | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

(CNN) Ram revealed the production version of its electric pickup in a Super Bowl commercial, and it turns out that it looks much like today's internal combustion powered Ram 1500 truck, instead of the futuristic concept unveiled just last month. But the Ram 1500 Rev, due out in late 2024, looks almost exactly like a gas-powered Ram 1500 pickup, except for its headlights and taillights. The Ram 1500 Revolution concept truck had an extra long cab containing a folding third row of seats, something not found in other trucks. That's a feature that will be available in General Motors' Chevrolet and GMC electric trucks which were revealed last year. The Ram 1500 Rev has distinct headlights and taillights from other Ram pickups.

☆ Ram reveals its electric truck during Super Bowl and it looks nothing like the concept
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Ram revealed the production version of its electric pickup in a Super Bowl commercial, and it turns out that it looks much like today’s internal combustion powered Ram 1500 truck, instead of the futuristic concept unveiled just last month. But the Ram Rev, due out in late 2024, looks almost exactly like the gas-powered Ram 1500 pickup except for its headlights and taillights. The Ram 1500 Revolution concept truck offered an extra long cab containing a third row of seats, something not found in other trucks. That’s a feature that will be available in General Motors’ Chevrolet and GMC electric trucks which were revealed last year. The Ram 1500 Rev has distinct headlights and taillights from other Ram pickups.

☆ It's time for automakers to take EV charging seriously or risk missing out
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They've depended on third-party charging firms like ChargePoint, EVgo, and Electrify America to provide EV buyers with public plugs. Many automakers even offer their EV customers free charging through partnerships with these networks. For EV buyers attracted to brands with free public charging deals, the promises don't always seem to live up to expectations. The argument could be made that a majority of EV charging can be done at home — but many prospective EV buyers live in multi-family buildings without access to a garage plug. Mercedes recently announced the launch of its own charging network in an attempt to catch up to Tesla.

Redwood Materials expects to draw down the first loan tranche later this year, Chief Executive JB Straubel said in an interview. The IRA rules are designed to shift the U.S. battery supply chain away from China, which currently produces 70% of batteries for electric vehicles. EXPANSION PLANSRedwood Materials, founded in 2017 by ex-Tesla executive Straubel, is on a path to become one of the world’s largest recyclers and re-manufacturers of battery materials, including copper, lithium, cobalt and nickel. Redwood Materials said it will supply copper foil from Nevada to Panasonic (6752.T) for battery cells produced at the Nevada Gigafactory that Panasonic jointly operates with Tesla. Redwood Materials has supply agreements with a number of manufacturers, including Ford, Toyota Motor (7203.T) and Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE).

SPRING HILL, Tenn./WASHINGTON Feb 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday that while inflation remained elevated, there were encouraging signs that supply-demand mismatches were easing in many sectors of the economy. The Fed's decided last Wednesday to moderate the pace of what had been a historically aggressive rate hike campaign to reduce high inflation. "It is true that interest rates have gone up and slowly, that raises the cost to the country and to the federal budget of interest on debt. Our future projections, have long assumed that interest rates would move back towards more normal levels," Yellen added on Wednesday. Inflation, based on the Fed's preferred measure, is running at more than double the target.

☆ Yellen touts battery investments in Tennessee after Biden speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen gives a speech after she visited the House of Slaves (Maison des Esclaves) at Goree Island off the coast of Dakar, Senegal January 21, 2023. "The Inflation Reduction Act is offering meaningful tax credits to spur clean energy investment and production. Importantly, the law deliberately encourages place-based investments," Yellen said in excerpts of remarks for delivery at the Ultium Cells plant. EUROPEAN COMPLAINTSBut European and Asian allies have complained that the Inflation Reduction Act's tax subsidies will pull green investments away from those regions toward the United States. Le Maire also said that U.S. rules on the tax credits, now being finalized by Yellen's staff, should be made available to a "maximum" of European components.

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