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☆ Polestar’s new SUV has no back window
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The Polestar 4 is a “coupe-shaped” SUV, with a rear roof that slopes down rather than having a flat back end. These cameras provide a better view than one could get using the inside rear view mirror, anyway, especially in an SUV. Beside that, many vehicles also have camera-based rear view mirrors inside the cabin instead of just the regular reflecting mirror. That way, the rear view “mirror” always has a clear view, even if there are tall passengers or cargo in the back. The Polestar’s 4’s moonroof stretches farther back than it could if there were a back window, giving those in the back a better look at the sky.

☆ Some electric vehicles from BMW, Nissan, Hyundai and Volkswagen will no longer get federal tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Brown | AFP | Getty ImagesFewer electric vehicles now qualify for federal tax credits after the Biden administration this week unveiled stricter rules for battery sources that will prioritize domestically manufactured models. The new list published by the Treasury Department includes 16 U.S. manufactured models from Ford , General Motors , Tesla and Stellantis . Ten of the models on the new list will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit, with the rest qualifying for half that amount. Vehicles losing credits include those from BMW, Hyundai, Nissan, Rivian , Volkswagen and Volvo Cars. The bill set various manufacturing requirements for new all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

☆ Lincoln’s new SUV will be imported from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

General Motors’ Buick Envision SUV is produced in China and Volvo’s S90 full-sized sedan is also imported from China. The current generation Nautilus is already produced in China for that market, where the Lincoln brand is popular. The new Lincoln Nautilus will have a large cabin-wide display screen. LincolnThe timing of Ford’s decision to build the Nautilus in China comes at a delicate moment, amid heightened tensions between the US and China. LincolnIn the design and marketing of its vehicles, Lincoln has in recent years emphasized quiet and relaxation rather than performance.

☆ Fewer cars qualify for $7,500 EV tax credit. Here are 2 alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A $4,000 tax credit for used EVswatch nowThe Inflation Reduction Act also created a tax credit for consumers who buy used electric or fuel-cell vehicles. The tax break for used cars, which took effect this year, is worth $4,000 or 30% of the sale price, whichever is less. Those income limits are "much lower" than the one that applies to the $7,500 tax credit for new vehicles, said Katherine Breaks, a managing director in KPMG's tax credit and energy advisory services group. "If I don't have $4,000 of tax liability, what's the tax credit worth to me? A tax break for leased EVsAlternatively, consumers also appear poised to get a tax break worth up to $7,500 for leasing new electric passenger vehicles.

☆ VW, Rivian, Nissan, BMW lose access to US EV tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury said on Monday that Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Rivian, Hyundai and Volvo electric vehicles will lose access to a $7,500 tax credit under new rules for battery sourcing. VW said it was "fairly optimistic" the ID.4 SUV will qualify for the tax credit. Treasury also disclosed General Motors Co (GM.N) electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit. GM said earlier it expected at least some of its EVs would qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the new rules, including the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq and forthcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV. Treasury in December said EVs ineligible for the $7,500 consumer tax credit could qualify for a commercial leasing $7,500 credit.

☆ VW, Rivian, Nissan, BMW lose access to U.S. EV tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury said Monday that Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Rivian, Hyundai and Volvo electric vehicles will lose access to a $7,500 tax credit under new battery sourcing rules. Treasury also disclosed General Motors (GM.N) electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit. GM said earlier it expected at least some of its EVS would qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the new rules, including the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq and forthcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV. Earlier, Ford Motor (F.N) and Chrysler-parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI) said most of their electric and PHEV models would see tax credits halved to $3,750 on April 18. Treasury in December said EVs ineligible for the $7,500 consumer tax credit could qualify for a commercial leasing $7,500 credit.

☆ Hydrogen, fully electric, or both? Heavy-duty trucking has some big decisions to make
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In Sept. 2022, it said it would begin testing fuel cell electric trucks in what it called "commercial traffic" from 2025. It's therefore no surprise that alongside hydrogen, battery electric vehicles are also being considered for trucking. Other companies like Scania and DAF are also operating in the battery electric space. "Which zero-emission technology out of battery electric and hydrogen will prevail in the long-haul segment is less certain," T&E adds. Within the EU, for example, efforts are being made to create the conditions that would enable hydrogen trucks to travel long distances.

☆ How Electrifying Everything Became a Key Climate Solution
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Nadja Popovich | Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

Water heating Air conditioning Space heating Refrigeration Washing and dry. Refrigeration Air conditioning 16% electric Water heating 99% Refrigeration Air conditioning Residential Cooking Space heating Refrigeration Other 96% Lighting and electronics Lighting and elec. Cooking 2021 Current Electricity Use Electricity as percent of total energy consumed in 2021 36% Water heating Space heating Washing and dry. Cooking 2050 Net Zero Pathway Electricity as percent of total energy consumed in a high-electrification scenario Water heating Space heating 63% Washing and dry. Air conditioning Refrigeration Other Air conditioning Water heating 99% Refrigeration Space heating 96% Other Lighting and electronics Lighting and elec.

☆ China's Didi Global to roll out self-developed robotaxis by 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company said that it is collaborating with multiple new energy carmakers in China on developing robotaxis. "We hope they can enter Didi's network and provide services by 2025," Didi Autonomous Driving COO Meng Xing said at a company event that was livestreamed online. He also showed off a robotaxi concept car called "Didi Neuron", with robotic arms that can help passengers pick up luggage. Didi allows users in some parts of Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou to hail self-driving cars through its main app. Swedish carmaker Volvo, owned by Geely (GEELY.UL), supplies Didi's self-driving fleet.

☆ Mercedes posts rise in Q1 sales boosted by EVs, premium cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 12 (Reuters) - Mercedes-Benz Group (MBGn.DE) sales rose moderately in the first quarter of the year, boosted by electric vehicles (EV) and premium cars, the German carmaker said on Wednesday. Worldwide sales increased 3% to 503,500 vehicles, with Europe posting the strongest growth at 8%. The firm saw the biggest sales plunge in the rest of the world that includes all of the regions except Europe, Asia and North America. EVs were the main growth driver in the quarter, with sales almost doubling to 51,600 units. Sales in the Mercedes-Benz Vans division grew 12% in the quarter, reaching 98,900 - its best first-quarter result ever.

☆ Truck maker Volvo posts record Q1 as sales, margins beat forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Its adjusted operating profit rose 45% to 18.4 billion Swedish crowns ($1.76 billion) for the January-March quarter, well above the 12.9 billion expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv Eikon. Volvo's preliminary net sales for the quarter rose to 131.4 billion crowns from 105.3 billion and topped the 118.6 billion expected by analysts. Net sales in the truck segment rose to 89.6 billion crowns from 69.6 billion, beating a forecast of 79.7 billion. The division's operating profit jumped to 12.7 billion from 8.7 billion while analysts expected a decline to 8.4 billion. ($1 = 10.4303 Swedish crowns)Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by Sonali Paul and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Truck maker Volvo posts record Q1 as sales and margins rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, April 12 (Reuters) - Truck maker AB Volvo (VOLVb.ST) reported record first-quarter profits as revenue and margins rose, a preliminary filing showed late on Tuesday, in a sign the Swedish company had begun to overcome bottlenecks and inflation that hampered the industry. The group's adjusted January-March operating profit rose 45% year-on-year to 18.4 billion Swedish crowns ($1.76 billion), exceeding the mean expectation of 12.9 billion crowns in a Refinitiv poll of analysts. Volvo's preliminary net sales for the quarter stood at 131.4 billion crowns, up from 105.3 billion a year ago, while analysts on average predicted 118.6 billion according to the poll. The company's adjusted operating margin rose to 14.0% from 12.0% a year ago, and earnings at the group's two major divisions, truck making and construction equipment, both showed progress compared to the same quarter of 2022. ($1 = 10.4303 Swedish crowns)Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Truck maker Volvo posts record Q1 profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Volvo AB FollowOSLO, April 12 (Reuters) - Truck maker AB Volvo (VOLVb.ST) reported record first-quarter profits as revenue and margins rose, a preliminary filing showed late on Tuesday, in a sign the Swedish company had begun to overcome bottlenecks and inflation that hampered the industry. The group's adjusted January-March operating profit rose 45% year-on-year to 18.4 billion Swedish crowns ($1.76 billion), exceeding the mean expectation of 12.9 billion crowns in a Refinitiv poll of analysts. ($1 = 10.4303 Swedish crowns)Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ High-tech French army truck maker sees demand for low-tech artillery components
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Clotaire Achi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The logo of Arquus, a unit of Volvo AB, is pictured at the production plant in Limoges, France, April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit TessierLIMOGES, France, April 7 (Reuters) - French armoured truck maker Arquus, specialised in manufacturing high-tech off-road military vehicles, has gone back to producing more low-tech undercarriages for howitzers as the ground war in Ukraine boosts demand for artillery. Arquus Chief Executive Emmanuel Levacher told Reuters that the firm had stopped producing the undercarriages because until recently there was no more demand. "There could be even higher demand, particularly for export, which motivated us to relaunch production here in Limoges," he said. Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu has asked French military equipment makers to scale up capacities to "war-time mode" and has pledged to repatriate some previously outsourced activities.

☆ Goldman Sachs just turned bearish on BMW and others — and Tesla could be to blame
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Goldman Sachs has warned that European automakers are at risk of losing market share to Tesla and Chinese firms. The Wall Street investment bank said the transition toward battery electric vehicles in Europe could spark swings in some share prices. Europe's incumbent mass-market brands accounted for 72% of sales last year, Goldman Sachs analysts said. Chinese electric car maker Nio announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Hungary last year. The change in regulation allowing for e-Fuel — a synthetic drop-in replacement for gasoline — also has the potential to de-risk companies and brands, according to Goldman Sachs.

☆ Volvo Car's sales up 8% in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, April 5 (Reuters) - Sweden-based Volvo Car AB (VOLCARb.ST) said on Wednesday its sales increased by 8% year-on-year in March to 63,132 cars, helped mainly by the company's fully electric cars. Volvo Car, majority-owned by China's Geely Holding (0175.HK), said in a statement its fully electric models made up 41% of all its cars sold globally in the first three months of this year. In Europe, Volvo Car's fully electric models made up 62% of overall sales in the first three months of 2023. In February, the group's total car sales were up 22%, helped by a 187% month-on-month jump for its recharge models, with fully electric cars accounting for 19% of total sales. (This story has been refiled to say Volvo Car instead of Volvo Cars in paragraph 2)Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Essi LehtoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Used Tesla Model Y's are listed for 22% less than 3 years ago. Here are the EVs with the worst resale value.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Many car buyers wonder how electric cars will hold or lose their value over time. Here's which electric cars depreciated the most over the past three years. The average price of a used EV was about $32,750 in December, according to Recurrent's index of popular used EV models. Industry experts at iSeeCars.com pulled data on the average list price for several used electric cars that were 1 to 5 years old. Used Volvo XC40 Recharge SUVs in that age range saw the largest percent decrease in their average listing price since 2021 at a whopping 36%.

☆ Northvolt, a $12 billion startup founded by an ex-Tesla VP, thinks crushing and shredding old batteries is the way to make electric vehicles truly sustainable
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NorthvoltHow Northvolt's process worksNorthvolt's recycling process, which was dreamed up in 2018 and planned and tested in the following years, involves crushing, shredding, and filtering dismantled batteries. Northvolt is left with a black powder called black mass, which contains nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium. Once Northvolt's latest venture, Revolt Ett, is up and running at full capacity, it's expected to recycle 125,000 tons of battery materials each year. Cylindrical cells; shredded pieces of steel, copper, aluminium, plastic, and black mass from mechanical recycling; black mass; and a mix of nickel, manganese, and cobalt sulfates. The Hydrovolt pilot runs Northvolt's recycling process up to the black-mass stage.

☆ China's Meizu unveils first smartphones since deal with Geely founder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A company run by Geely Chairman Eric Li took a majority stake in Meizu last year, making the Volvo owner the first established carmaker to enter the premium smartphone sector. He later named the company Xingji Meizu, with the brand as its smartphone arm. Other tech-auto partnerships in China include Huawei Technologies (HWT.UL), whose Harmony operating system powers Seres cars. Meizu, a two-decade-old Chinese consumer electronics company, rose to prominence early in the 1ast decade as an up-and-coming Chinese Android. ($1 = 6.8766 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Josh Horwitz, Zhang Yan and Brenda GohOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here's how EV batteries can be given a second life
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Sydney Boyo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

China also accounts for over 70% of global EV battery production capacity, meaning the U.S. is heavily dependent on imports of batteries and battery minerals. It estimates that the lifetime of an EV battery is around 12 to 15 years in moderate climates. The company now has over 400 employees and offers what it calls a "one-stop solution" for used and faulty EV batteries. The company wouldn't disclose the number of battery packs it's capable of storing but said it handles on average 15 thousand battery packs and modules per month. "When I think about the future of EV battery recycling specifically, I see it as an increasingly competitive space," Malloy said.

The EU has progressively tightened limits since "Euro 1" in 1992. The Commission's proposal widens real-driving emissions (RDE) testing and adds continuous testing of emissions via an on-board monitoring system. Euro 7 would take effect in mid-2025 for cars and in mid-2027 for trucks and buses. The European Commission estimates Euro 7 could add up to 150 euros to car prices and 2,600 euros for trucks and buses. A Commission spokesperson declined to comment on executives' statements, but said Euro 7's real-driving emissions tests were important because of "scandals in the past about cheating devices".

☆ Kia just unveiled its Telluride-sized EV
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The big Kia Telluride SUV, with three roomy rows of seats, has been a major hit for the South Korean car brand. So, for those ready to switch to electric vehicles, KIa just unveiled its all-electric big SUV. The Kia EV9, like the Telluride, has lots of seats and they can also do some neat tricks. More powerful versions will also be available, including an all-wheel-drive version with two motors capable of a combined 282 kilowatts, or 378 horsepower. Kia’s two current electric models, the much smaller Kia Niro EV and EV6, start at about $41,000 and $50,000, respectively.

☆ A deadline looms for rules governing deep-sea mining, but a rushed decision may be risky
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Proponents say that deep-sea mining there is a less damaging way to gather metals like nickel, copper, manganese and cobalt. Opponents of deep-sea mining say there is not enough information to make that kind of decision. Critics of the idea of deep-sea mining have said the process is being rushed. That's what's behind the drive for diversity of supply on land-based mining, as well as exploration of alternatives such as deep-sea mining." Finding consensus for the Wild West of the seaOpponents of deep-sea mining want to tap the brakes.

☆ Luminar CFO defends lidar maker's pricing and revenue in the wake of a Goldman downgrade
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Mercedes-Benz van retrofitted with different types of lidar systems, including Luminar's Iris, to showcase the differences in the technologies. Lidar maker Luminar Technologies , stung by a recent Wall Street downgrade, is responding in an unusual way: taking its case directly to the shareholders. "We continue to see Luminar as one of a handful of leaders in the very competitive lidar industry," Delaney wrote. "'Premium pricing' isn't a theoretical concept we are forecasting, but an achievement we have already made in our major customer contracts," Fennimore wrote in the shareholder letter. And the second point Fennimore says Goldman missed: The time frame Delaney chose to compare Luminar's valuation against those of its rivals.

☆ EU was set to ban internal combustion engine cars. Then Germany suddenly changed its mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When EU lawmakers voted to ban the sale of new combustion engine cars in the bloc by 2035, it was a landmark victory for climate. With cars and vans responsible for around 15% of its total greenhouse gas emissions, a phase-out of polluting vehicles is a key part of EU climate policy. The law envisions a total ban on the sale of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2035. Germany is now pushing against the idea that all internal combustion engines must be banned. Other European countries, including Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, have joined Germany in demanding the exception.

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