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☆ Electric vehicle sales hit a tipping point in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Bloomberg includes plug-in hybrids in its count of “electric vehicles,” but a large majority are purely battery-powered models. It’s unclear exactly why 5% seems to mark the point where EV sales really take off. The Mustang Mach-E, which hit the market in in 2021, was the first electric vehicle to take a notable chunk of Tesla’s still-dominant EV market share. The act, passed this year, changes the rules around which electric vehicles are eligible for consumer tax credits. Given their popularity and already high sales, incentive rules could help push EV sales significantly higher.

☆ I've tested 19 different electric cars — and while I love the technology, I wouldn't buy one yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Testing well over a dozen new electric cars has convinced me that I want one someday. New electric cars are too expensiveThe Tesla Model Y costs close to $70,000. Tim Levin/InsiderPeople who are unwilling or unable to shell out for a new car buy used. But the market for electric cars is so young — and they're so pricy to begin with — that there aren't all that many appealing secondhand options in my budget. Tim Levin/InsiderUnderdeveloped charging infrastructure is widely cited as one of the top reasons more people don't buy more electric cars.

☆ Many laid-off tech workers are bouncing back stronger than ever. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I'm almost certain that this prescient verse was talking about how over half the tech workers who got laid off recently are now earning more than what they made before, according to new analysis. Laid-off tech workers are actually finding jobs quickly. Because tech workers are typically college-educated, with specialized skills in high demand across many industries, their chances of finding new jobs are pretty good in any economy. But right now, those odds are unusually good — and many tech workers are bouncing back stronger than ever. Even though tech companies are doing terribly right now, a lot of businesses in other industries are fine.

☆ A globally critical chip firm is driving a wedge between the U.S. and Netherlands over China tech policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. has been putting pressure on the Netherlands to block exports to China of high-tech semiconductor equipment. The Netherlands is home to ASML, one of the most important companies in the global semiconductor supply chain. Instead, it makes and sells $200 million extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines to semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan's TSMC. ASML has not been able to ship an EUV machine to China since 2019 due to various Dutch export restrictions, according to a company spokesperson. According to a Reuters report from 2020, the Dutch government withdrew ASML's license to export its EUV machines to China after extensive lobbying from the U.S. government.

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle is on display at the Tesla auto store on September 22, 2022 in Santa Monica, California. The data firm found that Tesla's market share of new registered electric vehicles in the U.S. stood at 65% through the third quarter, down from 71% last year and 79% in 2020. S&P forecasts Tesla's EV market share will decline to less than 20% by 2025, with the number of EV models expected to grow from 48 today to 159 by then. A drop in Tesla's U.S. market share was expected, but the rate of the decline could be concerning for investors in Elon Musk's autos and energy company. "Given that consumer choice and consumer interest in EVs are growing, Tesla's ability to retain a dominant market share will be challenged going forward."

REUTERS/Florence Lo/IllustrationTAIPEI, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has decried "rumours" about the risk of investing in the island's key semiconductor industry, saying the government was working hard to ensure such investments continued. But the Chinese military's menacing of the island to assert Beijing's sovereignty claims, especially after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August, is causing the chip industry to rethink the risk over Taiwan. Meeting Frederic Schneider-Maunoury, chief operations officer of ASML Holding NV (ASML.AS), a key equipment supplier to chip companies like TSMC, Tsai praised the European company for its commitment to investing in Taiwan. "I believe that this also discredits rumours of excessive speculation about Taiwan's risk," she added. Tsai said that investing in Taiwan was "definitely a very correct direction" and the government will continue to provide support.

☆ U.S. memory chip maker Micron ships latest DRAM chip to smartphone partners
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 1 (Reuters) - U.S.-based memory chip maker Micron Technology Inc (MU.O) on Tuesday said it started shipping samples of its most advanced DRAM chip based on the LPDDR5X, low-power double data rate 5X, standard to smartphone makers to test out. The latest DRAM chip was made using Micron’s most cutting-edge manufacturing technology, referred to as 1-beta. DRAM chips are memory chips that lose the memory when the power is off, while NAND chips store memory regardless of power. The 1-beta manufacturing technology further shrinks the 1-alpha technology, although Micron didn’t say by how much. Micron said it was able to get to the 1-beta manufacturing technology without using the expensive extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography tools, which are used in the latest processor chips in top-end smartphones.

☆ The Chevy Bolt’s huge sales prove America is craving a cheap electric car
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Bolt EV and its new, more SUV-like sibling the Bolt EUV had record sales in the third quarter of the year with 14,000 being delivered to customers. Prices for the new Bolt EUV, which is taller and roomier, dropped to a base of about $28,200, $6,300 less than before. The 2023 Bolt EV now has a starting price of $25,600 and, for the Bolt EUV, $27,200. The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is a taller, roomier version of the Bolt EV electric hatchback. Like many electric cars, it can be driven “one pedal” style, with the car braking gently as the accelerator pedal is lifted.

☆ GM's plan to build 400,000 EVs in North America has been delayed by up to 6 months because it hasn't been able to make batteries fast enough
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Stephen Jones | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GM has delayed a plan to build 400,000 EVs in North America. CEO Mary Barra said Tuesday the launch of battery production had been slower than expected. Barra told investors in February that GM planned to make 400,000 EVs in North America through 2023, per Automotive News. Barra wants GM to build one million electric vehicles in North America by 2025. GM plans to open a second next year, and another in 2024.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a research note called the results a "major step in the right direction for the Detroit stalwart." GM reaffirmed its guidance for full-year net income of $9.6 billion to $11.2 billion, and full-year diluted earnings per share of $5.76 to $6.76. The automaker reported net income of $3.3 billion, compared with $2.4 billion a year earlier. The automaker said higher volume in the quarter drove a $5-billion gain, with higher prices contributing a $2.1 billion gain, offset by $3.6 billion in additional logistics costs. GM's China income climbed to $330 million, compared with $270 million a year earlier.

DETROIT, Oct 25 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) on Tuesday reported a higher quarterly profit, and reaffirmed its full-year outlook. The automaker reported net income of $3.3 billion, compared with $2.4 billion a year earlier. The automaker said higher volume in the quarter drove a $5 billion gain, with higher prices contributing a $2.1 billion gain, offset by $3.6 billion in additional logistics costs. GM said it has received 170,000 reservations for the new Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup, which arrives at U.S. dealers next spring. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Ben Klayman, Paul Lienert and Joseph White, Editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

DETROIT, Oct 25 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) shares rose almost 5% in premarket trade on Tuesday as the company reported a higher quarterly profit that beat analysts' estimates. GM reaffirmed its guidance for full-year net income of $9.6 billion to $11.2 billion, and full-year diluted earnings per share of $5.76 to $6.76. Diluted earnings per share in the third quarter of $2.25 topped estimates of $1.88. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe automaker reported net income of $3.3 billion, compared with $2.4 billion a year earlier. The automaker said higher volume in the quarter drove a $5 billion gain, with higher prices contributing a $2.1 billion gain, offset by $3.6 billion in additional logistics costs.

☆ ASML shrugs off slowdown, U.S. China sanctions, reports strong Q3
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Europe's largest technology company also said it did not expect a large impact from U.S. sanctions on China. This resulted in record bookings in the third quarter of around 8.9 billion euros," he said in a statement. ASML's backlog is now at 38 billion euros, and it is seeking to expand its own production capacity by 2025. ASML reported third-quarter net profit of 1.7 billion euros ($1.7 billion) on sales of 5.8 billion euros, beating analyst forecasts of profit of 1.42 billion euros and 5.41 billion euros in sales. ASML has been restricted by the Dutch government in shipping its best machines to China, due to U.S. diplomatic influence, since 2019.

☆ ASML reports strong Q3, says it is not hit by U.S. China sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

This resulted in record bookings in the third quarter of around 8.9 billion euros," he said. ASML's third-quarter net profit was 1.7 billion euros ($1.7 billion), on sales of 5.8 billion euros, beating analyst forecasts of profit of 1.42 billion euros, on sales of 5.41 billion euros. By comparison in the second quarter of 2022, ASML had income of 1.70 billion euros on sales of 5.78 billion euros. ASML has been restricted by the Dutch government in shipping its best machines to China, due to U.S. diplomatic influence, since 2019. "We can continue to ship non-EUV (less advanced) lithography tools out of Europe to China," the company said.

☆ Cadillac's new $300,000 electric car comes with 5 screens, futuristic looks, and 300 miles of range — see the Celestiq
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Cadillac Celestiq. The Cadillac Celestiq. The Cadillac Celestiq. The Cadillac Celestiq. The Cadillac Celestiq.

☆ How one GM auto plant's UAW union workforce is learning to make EVs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Orion plant, in operation since 1983, was beginning to transition from making a variety of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs. "We started slowly introducing the Bolt on the assembly line," he said, a process that can take up to a year while working out the bugs. There's specialized training required for all the assembly workers on how to deal with those potentially dangerous connections in a safe manner, he said. In essence, "it takes more of an electrician than it does a mechanic" to assemble an EV, Brown said.. The recently upgraded center houses manufacturing laboratory facilities that simulate steps along the assembly line, including robotics and sheet metal fabrication.

☆ Analysis: China faces its "Sputnik" moment as US export curbs deal a blow to its chip ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The measures are set to undermine China's efforts to develop its own chip industry aimed at reducing its reliance on foreign-made chips. These are the questions," says Marco Mezger, a consultant in Taiwan who tracks the global memory chip sector. Washington is also scrambling to tackle unintended consequences of its new export curbs, people familiar with the matter said. Hours before the new restriction took effect, South Korea's SK Hynix (000660.KS) said it got U.S. authorization to receive goods for its chip production facilities in China without additional licensing imposed by the new rules. Yet business at toolmaking firms servicing Chinese customers has already slowed dramatically, leaving their staff with little work to do but creating an opening for Chinese equipment makers seeking to catch up with western rivals, sources said.

☆ GM to sell up to 175,000 electric vehicles to Hertz through 2027
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

General Motors has agreed to sell up to 175,000 electric vehicles to Hertz Global over the next five years, the companies announced Tuesday. The deal calls for GM to start supplying electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV to the rental car giant starting the first quarter of next year. GM is the latest automaker to strike such an agreement with Hertz following Tesla and Polestar, a Volvo-backed electric vehicle startup. Hertz has made increasing its fleet of electric vehicles a priority following its emergence from bankruptcy less than a year ago. Hertz aims to have a quarter of its fleet be electric by the end of 2024, while GM has announced plans to exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035.

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