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☆ Trump says Elon Musk 'never told me' he would pledge $45 million a month to campaign
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he campaigns in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. July 24, 2024. Donald Trump on Thursday said Elon Musk "never told me" he would pledge $45 million a month to support Trump's presidential bid, days after the Tesla and SpaceX CEO denied a report that he would do so. "Somebody told me he was going to give me 45 million [dollars] a month. I said, 'That sounds like a lot, even for Elon, that's a lot,'" the Republican presidential nominee said. But Musk "never told me he was giving [$45 million]," he said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Trump, Biden, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Musk, Joe Lonsdale, Jordan Peterson Organizations: SpaceX, Musk, Fox News, Elon, Republican, Democratic, Trump, Street Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina, U.S

☆ Ford thinks bigger is not always better
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

CEO Jim Farley told investors in an earnings call on Wednesday that when it comes to EVs, bigger is not always better — and said that the company's future would depend on its ability to build smaller, cheaper electric vehicles. Advertisement"In ICE [Internal Combustion Engine], a business we've been in for 120 years, the bigger the vehicle, the higher the margin," Farley said. The company continues to lose money on its electric vehicle business amid an industry-wide slowdown in demand for EVs. Ford has quietly created a secretive "skunkworks" team, reportedly based in California, to build this new platform. "We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles.

Persons: —, Tesla, Jim Farley, Farley, Ford Organizations: Service, EV, Business, Detroit, Tesla, Ford, Aspen Ideas Locations: California

☆ Ford plummets 18% after big 2nd-quarter earnings miss
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ford stock plunged Thursday as the automaker missed Wall Street's earnings estimates. The downbeat quarter was driven by high warranty costs and a $1.14 billion loss in its EV division. AdvertisementFord shares hit their lowest point since January after the carmaker's most recent earnings missed targets, sparking its steepest single-day loss since 2008. On Wednesday's earnings call, the carmaker reiterated its full-year profit guidance. Ford saw a $1.14 billion loss in its EV business as demand slows in the market.

Persons: —, Ford, Jim Farley, Farley, EVs Organizations: EV, Service, Bloomberg

☆ Many early-adopting EV owners around the world want to gas up again
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Kaya Ginsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Many U.S. EV owners, in particular, are having second thoughts. EV adoption has slowed in the U.S., even as the recent earnings and delivery reports from both GM and Ford showed sizable increases in EV sales. Ford said EV sales were up 60%, to nearly 24,000 units, but CEO Jim Farley described a "more realistic and sharpened" EV plan during its earnings call. Drury said that some distinctions are becoming clear between all EV owners and those who are most satisfied. As battery range and density increase, and EV charging infrastructure improves, and prices continue down, Brauer said the picture should brighten for EV sales.

Persons: Scott Olson, Ford, Jim Farley, Tesla, Mary Barra, Edmunds, EVs, Ivan Drury, it's, I'm, Drury, Karl Brauer, they're, Brauer, Barra Organizations: Getty, McKinsey, U.S, EV, GM, Ford, Gallup, CNBC, ICE Locations: Chicago , Illinois, ICEs, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Norway, France, Italy, South Korea, U.S, , California

☆ We're slashing our rating on Ford after the automaker's old issues come back to haunt it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

However, Ford went 0 for 2 on Wednesday as an old enemy in warranty expenses returned to bite the Blue Oval. And it's an even more unfortunate setback because Ford management said on its April earnings call that the company has made "real progress" on its goal of making better vehicles. The best story at Ford remains Ford Pro , the unit that houses the company's fleet and commercial vehicles. But last quarter management said the business was tracking toward the higher end of the range, and that no longer appears to be the case. The new Ford F-150 truck goes through the assembly line at the Ford Dearborn Plant on April 11, 2024 in Dearborn, Michigan.

Persons: FactSet ., Motors, Ford, Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas —, JD Power's, It's, Jim Farley, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Bill Pugliano Organizations: Ford, LSEG, FactSet, General Motors, Tesla, Ford Model, Revenue, Ford Pro, Super Duty, CNBC, Ford Dearborn Plant, Getty Locations: Ford, management's, Dearborn , Michigan

☆ Elon Musk is probably getting a little nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewTesla on Tuesday had a lackluster earnings report that revealed the electric vehicle maker once again missed investor expectations. And Elon Musk is probably a little nervous. Advertisement"I want to be clear that was in Tesla's interest, not contrary to Tesla's interest," Musk said. In Q2 earnings, Tesla reported a 7% decrease in year-over-year automotive revenue, which contributed to the company's diminished profits.

Persons: —, Tesla, Elon Musk, Musk, xAI, Gene Munster, Dan Coatsworth, AJ Bell, Musk's, doesn't, Coatsworth Organizations: Service, Business, Deepwater Asset Management, CNBC, Tesla, Reuters

☆ Elon Musk says a Trump presidency would be good for Tesla, but 'devastating' for its rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk was asked what would happen if Trump won the election and withdrew government support for EVs. He said it would be "devastating" for Tesla's rivals but would probably help Tesla "long term." Musk has been an outspoken supporter of Trump in recent weeks, despite his earlier criticism of EVs. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementElon Musk thinks a Trump presidency could be good for Tesla, but "devastating" for its rivals.

Persons: Elon Musk, Trump, Tesla, —, Elon, Musk, Joe Biden's Organizations: EVs, Trump, Service

☆ Tesla shareholders are pressing Musk to release new models
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla shareholders really want the company to release new vehicles. Elon Musk has teased a variety of new EVs, but it is unclear when they will be released. AdvertisementTesla shareholders want Elon Musk to roll out new vehicles. Retail investors are submitting questions in an anonymous Q&A forum for Elon Musk and other executives to answer in Tuesday's earnings call, and many of them are asking when Tesla plans to release new EVs. One shareholder requested updates on the status of a revamped Tesla Roadster, which Musk has teased will be a SpaceX-Tesla collaboration complete with rocket tech.

Persons: Q, Elon Musk, —, Elon, Tesla, Musk Organizations: Service, Elon, Tesla Roadster, SpaceX

☆ GM slows its EV plans again even as sales grow
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Barra's comments come a week after she raised concerns about GM hitting its North American EV production capacity target. The entire Buick brand has targeted being fully electric by 2030, as part of GM's plans to exclusively offer consumer EVs by 2035. GM previously announced plans for four of the multibillion-dollar plants in the U.S. by 2026. Barra on Tuesday said the company would grow cell production in a "meaningful cadence." GM CFO Paul Jacobson declined to discuss potential plans to delay or cancel the automaker's future EV battery cell plants, aside from the two facilities making cells in Ohio and Tennessee.

Persons: Motors, Mary Barra, Barra, Paul Jacobson, " Jacobson, EVs, Jacobson Organizations: DETROIT –, Buick, GM, American, Detroit, LG Energy, EV Locations: Detroit, DETROIT, U.S, Michigan, North America, Ohio, Tennessee

As Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues to make lofty promises about his company's future in autonomous driving and robotics, investors keep watching profit margins deteriorate. It's the fourth straight quarter of shrinkage. The company reported just $1.48 billion in net income on revenue of $25.5 billion, which included $890 million in regulatory credits. "Affordability remains top of mind for customers," said Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla's chief accounting officer, on the company's earnings call. Tesla began offering a five-year, zero interest loan offer to spur sales of its EVs in China in April.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Vaibhav Taneja Organizations: SpaceX, X Holdings Corp, Milken Institute's Global, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Nasdaq Locations: Beverly Hills , California, China, CnEVPost, Shanghai, Germany

☆ Rivian's CEO has a theory for the slowdown in EV growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The CEO said there's bias skewing conversations about EV growth and what's caused a slowdown. Tesla's Model Y remains the world's best-selling vehicle and the second most popular vehicle from the EV giant is the Model 3 sedan. "Maybe they wanted something that was a little bit bigger, but they got something that was more like the Model Y," Scaringe said. AdvertisementThe CEO said that similarly to the R1, Rivian's R2 is "very intentionally" "not trying all to be a Tesla Model Y." The model will cost $45,000, comparable to Tesla's Model Y, which starts at $43,000.

Persons: —, RJ Scaringe, haven't, Scaringe, Tesla, Rivian, It's Organizations: Service, Business, Tesla's, Tesla, EV

☆ Tesla set to report second-quarter earnings after the bell Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla is set to report second-quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday. Although Tesla reported vehicle deliveries of 443,956 in the second quarter, a 4.8% decline from the year-earlier period, those numbers were better than analysts had expected. But Musk and his stalwart Tesla bulls and broader fan base have ambitions for the EV maker beyond making and selling cars. In 2021, Musk also began to promise that Tesla would develop and produce humanoid robots capable of factory work, at least. Tesla "deliveries" are not an audited financial metric, but are the closest approximation to sales reported by the company.

Persons: Elon Musk, The Beverly Hilton, Tesla, Elon, Musk, Donald Trump, InsideEVs Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, The Beverly, LSEG, PAC, Trump, Republican, Pew Research, Democratic, Cox Automotive, Boring Company, X Corp, CNBC Pro Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Spotify, United Parcel Service, Pentair and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

United Parcel Service — The package delivery company plunged more than 12%, hitting a new 52-week low, after posting a miss on both top and bottom lines in the second quarter. Pentair beat expectations for the second quarter, posting earnings of $1.22 per share, excluding items, compared to the FactSet consensus estimate of $1.14 per share. NXP Semiconductors posted adjusted earnings of $3.20 per share, which was below the LSEG consensus estimate of $3.21 per share. Inter Parfums — The stock jumped more than 6% after the fragrance manufacturer posted record net sales for the second quarter. The regional bank earned $1.28 per share, above the consensus estimate of $1.10 a share from analysts polled by LSEG.

Persons: LSEG, MSCI, FactSet, Pentair, Danaher, Rainer Blair, Sherwin, Williams, Lockheed Martin, —, Alex Harring, Yun Li, Hakyung Kim Organizations: Spotify, United Parcel Service, UPS, Revenue, NXP, Crown Holdings, Inter, Comcast —, LSEG, General Motors, Buick, GE Aerospace, Lockheed, Comcast, CNBC Locations: U.S, Michigan

☆ Tesla profits plunge compared to last year
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Telsa profits plunged more than 40% compared to a year ago, a steeper drop than expected for the company that has been facing a tougher environment for electric vehicle sales. Tesla reported it earned adjusted income of $1.8 billiion in the quarter, or 52 cents a share. Analysts had forecast earnings of 61 cents a share, which still would have been sharply lower than the 91 cents a share it earned a year earlier. It was the second straight quarter of year-over-year sales declines for the company, the first time it ever suffered consecutive quarters of declining sales volume. The company has become the most valuable automaker in the world in large part due to its growth rate of about 50% in some years.

Persons: Tesla, Edmunds, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Tesla Locations: New York, Tuesday’s

☆ 'Turnaround has begun': Wall Street is bullish on Tesla earnings as it looks toward Robotaxi reveal and full self-driving
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Wall Street analysts are bullish on updates about the firm's Robotaxi and FSD technology. Tesla's energy business could also be key to its long-term growth, strategists said. Investors now are eagerly waiting on key updates from the company, with all eyes on Tesla's Robotaxi Day in early October. The firm said it would continue to look out for updates on Tesla's Robotaxi and its more-affordable vehicle, which is expected to be released in the coming years. The firm maintained its three-star rating on Tesla stock and assigned a fair value of $200 per share, implying 20% downside.

Persons: —, eyeing, Elon, Tesla, Musk, hasn't, Tesla's, Garrett Nelson, Nelson, Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer, TSLA, Morningstar, Seth Goldstein, Goldstein Organizations: Wall Street, Service, EVs, Street, Wedbush Securities, Tesla Energy, Morningstar Locations: China

☆ Tesla reports second-quarter earnings on Tuesday and investors want a robotaxi update
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla will report second-quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday. The company's vehicle deliveries report on July 2 was better than analysts feared, but still represented a decline from the previous year. Retail investors who submitted questions via the Say Technologies platform ahead of time are hoping for answers about the company's delayed plan to unveil its CyberCab, a "dedicated robotaxi" and its progress on self-driving technology in general. Retail investors who submitted questions via the Say Technologies platform ahead of time are hoping for answers about the company's delayed plan to unveil its CyberCab, a "dedicated robotaxi" and its progress on self-driving technology. Investors also submitted questions via Say Technologies about Tesla's progress developing humanoid robotics that the company aims to put to work in its factories.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, LSEG, They're, Donald Trump, Vance, Trump, Musk, Optimus Organizations: Say, Republican, Reuters, Car Dealers Association, Investors, Technologies Locations: Monterrey, Mexico, California

☆ Trump says he loves Elon Musk even though he never heard of the $45 million-a-month donation plan from the billionaire
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewDuring a rally in Michigan on Saturday, Donald Trump had high praise for Elon Musk, calling the Tesla CEO a "great" and "brilliant guy." Musk came out with an endorsement of Trump on July 13, the day of the assassination attempt. "I read — I didn't even know this, he didn't even tell me about it, but he gives me $45 million a month," Trump said. Related storiesDuring the Saturday rally, Trump said he thinks electric cars are "incredible, but they're not for everybody." It will only help Tesla," Musk said on X on July 16.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Musk, Trump, Elon, DJT, they're, Biden, Tesla Organizations: Service, Trump, Street, Business, Environmental Protection Agency, Twitter Locations: Michigan

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy EV makers are investing in the new manufacturing method of gigacastingAutomakers are seeking new manufacturing methods that can help achieve the goal of producing cheap EVs profitably. One technique is called gigacasting or megacasting where high pressure molds are used to form molten aluminum into large parts. Electric car maker Tesla is credited with pioneering the method, and some rivals also are stepping up investments. CNBC spoke with experts, including Volvo Cars' chief product and strategy officer, Erik Severinson, about that company's plans in this area.

Persons: Tesla, Erik Severinson Organizations: CNBC, Volvo Cars

☆ Why Tesla’s big bet on gigacasting has other EV makers reimagining their factories
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Robert Ferris | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Gigacasting is a form of die-casting — pouring materials like molten aluminum into large molds to form parts. For example, the front and rear portions of the early Model 3 chassis each contained more than 70 parts, according to Tesla. Reducing weight ultimately means more range for the customer, and substituting one large megacast for dozens of stamped parts reduces labor and boosts production, he said. Severinson views repair as a solvable challenge: "There is a solution to repairing also a casted rear floor," he said. Burns and Volk say that might be a sign that the company is hitting some technical limits.

Persons: Elon Musk, Shea Burns, AlixPartners, Tesla, Musk, Erik Severinson, Burns, Wolfram Volk, Volk, Lars Moravy Organizations: Toyota, Ford Motor, General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan, Volvo, Technical University of Munich, BMW, Volkswagen Locations: American, Germany

☆ Here's what a Trump victory could mean for the entire EV industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewDonald Trump has been an outspoken critic of EVs — and that could spell trouble for America's electric vehicle industry. AdvertisementMusk also reportedly played a part in Trump choosing Ohio senator JD Vance, an even fiercer critic of electric vehicles, as his vice president. Subsidy fearsThe potential loss of the $7,500 tax credit has already sparked concern in the EV industry. "If we see that tax credit cut, then EVs start looking insurmountably expensive for most consumers," he said. "They're already making money building electric vehicles, and the incentive just helps boost volume rather than boosting profits," he added.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, EVs, Elon, Trump, Trump's, Musk, JD Vance, Vance, Biden, Tesla, Jon McNeill, Dylan Khoo, Sam Fiorani, Khoo, Elon Musk's, Dan Ives, Ives, Tesla's Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, PAC, Ohio, US, Motors, CNBC, ABI Research, Global, AutoForecast Solutions, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wedbush Securities, EV Locations: Trump, Communist China, China

☆ Volvo Cars jumps 7% after reporting a record core operating profit
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Volvo Cars rose sharply on Thursday after the company reported a jump in annual operating profit for the second quarter. Core operating profit for the quarter came in at 8.2 billion Swedish kronor ($776 million), 28% higher than in the same quarter a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Volvo Cars' revenue dipped slightly in the second quarter, coming in at 101.5 billion Swedish kronor from 102.2 billion Swedish kronor over the same period of last year. In the first quarter of 2024, Volvo Cars had reported a 2% year-on-year decline in revenue. First-quarter operating profit had come in at 6.8 billion Swedish kronor, while retail car sales amounted to 182,687.

Persons: Jim Rowan Organizations: Volvo, Global, U.S, Volvo Cars Locations: Shanghai, China, London

☆ Ford to spend $3 billion to expand large truck production to a plant previously set for EVs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

DETROIT – Ford Motor will expand production of its large Super Duty trucks to a Canadian plant that was previously set to be converted into an all-electric vehicle hub. The new plans include investing about $3 billion to expand Super Duty production, including $2.3 billion at Ford's Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada, Ford said Thursday. The remaining investment will be used to increase production at supporting facilities in the U.S. and Canada, the company said. Ford currently produces Super Duty trucks – the larger siblings of the F-150 full-size pickup used largely by commercial and business customers – at plants in Ohio and Kentucky. Ford said the Canadian plant, which is expected to come online in 2026, will add capacity of roughly 100,000 units annually.

Persons: Ford, Jim Farley Organizations: DETROIT, Ford, Kentucky, Plant, Ford Pro Locations: Canadian, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, U.S, Ohio, Kentucky

☆ What Americans say they want on climate versus what Biden and Trump are offering
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump couldn't be farther apart when it comes to climate action. Trump and his pick for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, are both climate deniers. By contrast, the Democrats unveiled a platform that said it would build on the Biden administration's unprecedented spending on renewable energy and the green workforce while cracking down on the oil-and-gas industry. The center conducted the survey with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. The majority of Americans support climate actionMaibach said the shift among Republicans shouldn't distract from the fact that the majority of Americans support many of Biden's climate policies.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump couldn't, Trump, isn't, Sen, JD Vance, pollsters, Edward Maibach, Maibach, shouldn't, Karoline Leavitt, Biden, Alec Tyson, Tyson, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Republican National Convention, Democrats, Biden, Business, America, George Mason University, Yale, GOP, Republicans, Pew Research Center, Pew, —, Trump, China Locations: Milwaukee, Ohio, China, Caribbean and Texas, America, Ukraine

☆ ‘Loophole’ may get you a $7,500 tax credit for leasing an EV, auto analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Maskot | Maskot | Getty ImagesBuying a new electric vehicle isn't the only way consumers can access a $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Perhaps the best known of them — the "new clean vehicle" tax credit — is a $7,500 tax break for consumers who buy a new EV. But many auto dealers are also passing along a $7,500 tax break to lessees, via a different (and, experts say, lesser-known) mechanism called the "qualified commercial clean vehicles" tax credit. This EV tax credit "leasing loophole" has likely been a key driver of increased leasing uptake in 2024, Barclays auto analysts said in an equity research note published in June. The $7,500 tax credit enables dealers to charge low monthly payments for leases, thereby helping "stoke demand" for EVs, Barclays wrote.

Persons: Joe Biden, —, Dealers aren't, Ingrid Malmgren, Hyundai Kia, Brian Moody, Autotrader, Moody, Malmgren Organizations: Maskot, Barclays, U.S . Treasury Department, Plug, stoke, EVs, Foreign, Toyota, Hyundai, EV, Consumers Locations: U.S, Asian, North America

☆ Starbucks could give a much-needed jolt to the EV market
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewMercedes-Benz is bringing its fast electric vehicle charging stations to 100 Starbucks locations. The charging stations will be accessible to all EV owners. But for EV owners, it's a major roadblock hindering widespread adoption. Related storiesA company spokesperson told Business Insider that by 2030, it hopes to lead the retail industry in decarbonization solutions. The Starbucks spokesperson said the coffee giant is continuing to learn how its customers interact with EV stations and exploring partnerships and areas that would benefit from similar routes.

Persons: —, it's, Simon, Mercedes, Michael Kobori Organizations: Service, Benz, EV, Starbucks, Business, McKinsey, Mercedes, Simon Properties, Volvo Locations: Coast, Canada, Mexico, Denver, Seattle

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