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☆ Auto execs are coming clean: EVs aren't working
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Alexa St. John | Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dealers have been warning of slowing EV demand for months. While GM's about-face was somewhat of a surprise to investors, the Detroit car company is not alone in this new view of the EV future. Just a few months after dealers have started coming forward to warn of slowing EV demand, manufacturers appear to be catching up to that reality. In July, the company extended its self-imposed deadline to hit annual electric vehicle production of 600,000 by a year, and abandoned a 2026 target to build 2 million EVs . In scrapping plans with GM to co-develop sub-$30,000 EVs, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe said the shifting EV environment was difficult to gauge.

Persons: Mercedes, —, Mary Barra, Bolt, GM doesn't, Tesla's Elon Musk, Harald Wilhelm, Mercedes isn't, Ford, Toshihiro Mibe, Mibe Organizations: EV, Dealers, Service, GM, Barra, Benz, Honda, Bloomberg Locations: Detroit

[1/2] United Auto Workers (UAW) union members picket outside Ford's Kentucky truck plant after going on strike in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. October 12, 2023. Total economic losses from the auto workers' strike have reached $9.3 billon, the Anderson Economic Group said earlier this week. Getting the deal ratified will be up to Fain and UAW leaders, and that is not assured. UAW workers at the company now called Stellantis rejected a proposal endorsed by UAW leaders in 2015. UAW leaders feared that the automakers would cut jobs at combustion engine factories and shift work to non-union joint venture battery plants or overseas suppliers.

Persons: Luke Sharrett, Shawn Fain, Ford, Sam Fiorani, Stellantis, Joe Biden, Fain, Donald Trump, Mrinmay Dey, Peter Henderson, Abhirup Roy, Shailesh Kuber, Sayantani Ghosh, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, REUTERS, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Stellantis, GM, AutoForecast Solutions, CNBC, Anderson Economic Group, Detroit, U.S, Republican, Mack, EV, Detroit Three, Toyota, Tesla, Hyundai, Thomson Locations: Ford's Kentucky, Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, Arlington , Texas, Kentucky, Sterling Heights , Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, United States, Bengaluru

Expectations for persistently higher interest rates has led companies to alter plans as they eye 2024 warily. "EV demand next year could be lower than expectations," Lee Chang-sil, chief financial officer at South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) said on Wednesday, due to global economic uncertainty. GM on Tuesday said it would focus near-term EV efforts on meeting demand rather than hitting specific volume targets. If interest rates remain high or if they go even higher, it's that much harder for people to buy the car." Like many other industrial firms, carmakers hedge against commodity price swings, and with EV demand slowing, raw material prices have softened, including those used heavily in batteries.

Persons: Tesla, Aly, Lee Chang, Mary Barra, Elon Musk, Nidec, China's CATL, Ben Klayman, David Gaffen, Eric Onstad, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Honda, EV, sil, South, LG Energy, General Motors, GM, Investors, Tech, Cox Automotive, European Union, Volkswagen, Fastmarkets, CME, U.S, Ford, EVs, Victoria Waldersee, Thomson Locations: Tesla China, Shanghai, China, KS, United States, Mexico, Detroit, New York, London, Berlin

☆ Toyota’s electric cars will adopt Tesla’s charging standard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Toyota has joined the growing list of automakers that have decided to switch to using Tesla’s charging standard. Beginning in 2025 all Toyota electric vehicles sold in the US will have charging ports designed to work with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), rather than the Combined Charging System plugs automakers in the US now use. Toyota’s announcement means that all of America’s best-selling automakers — Toyota ranks second only to General Motors in US sales — have agreed to switch to Tesla’s standard in the next few years. Tesla chief executive Elon Musk announced in November of last year that he was inviting other automakers and charging companies to adopt Tesla’s NACS. Major charging companies have announced they will offer both types of cables to service electric vehicles with either type of charging port.

Persons: Toyota's, NATHAN LEACH, Elon Musk, Ford, Tesla, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, Toyota, — Toyota, General Motors, GM, Benz, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, EV, CCS, Ford, Chrysler, Fiat, Volkswagen, Mazda, Subaru Locations: EVs, America

☆ It could take a decade for other automakers to catch Tesla — and none are 'leading contenders' just yet, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . EV sales are growing — they hit a record 300,000 sales in the US by Q3 — but it's happening at a less rapid pace than many in the industry were anticipating. Pricing, lacking infrastructure, and macroeconomic factors will continue to influence buyers' uptake of EVs other than Teslas, the Cloud Theory report said. As such, Cloud Theory experts say: "No company — not even Tesla — is guaranteed a seat at the head table."

Persons: Tesla, —, Theory, Elon, Rick Wainschel, It's Organizations: Service, Cox Automotive, Ford, Chevrolet, EV, Manhattan Locations: China

That adds to tech-related tensions between the West and China, which is one of Europe’s biggest trading partners and the world’s biggest auto market. Chinese EV makers are drawn to Europe because auto import tariffs are just 10% versus 27.5% in the U.S., independent auto analyst Matthias Schmidt said. MG — owned by SAIC Motor, China’s biggest automaker — is the largest Chinese EV player in Europe. One reason Chinese companies can offer high-quality cars at affordable prices stems from the rules to enter the Chinese market. Chinese EV makers, meanwhile, are trying to stand out in a crowded field.

Persons: Laima Springe, Janssen, “, ” Springe, I’m, ”, Matthias Schmidt, John Kirkwood, —, Kirkwood, Warren Buffett, Ursula von der Leyen, Alfa, China’s EVs, Carlos Tavares, we’re, Alexander Klose, ” Klose, Schmidt, Justin Nicholls, Nicholls Organizations: Volvo, Nissan, Skoda, Union, EV, Volkswagen Passat, Kia, MG, SAIC Motor, China’s, —, Lotus, Chinese Commerce Ministry, EU, World Trade Organization, Tesla’s, Peugeot, Citroen, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Global, Wall Motors Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, Europe, China, West, U.S, British, Western, France, Germany, Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai, Israel

☆ Gas prices are less of a factor behind consumers switching to EVs, Barclays says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Barclays study focuses on consumers purchasing Tesla EVs rather than other makes. "[I]n previous years, consumers who bought EVs were spending more on gas prior to their purchase than consumers in recent years," Zhu said. "This suggests that new EV buyers are willing to buy an EV even at lower levels of gas expenditure, and that EV demand will stay higher than before even if gas prices decline." "Our U.S. Barclays credit card data show consumers with lower gas expenditures are now more willing to buy EVs than previously," Zhu said. "In recent years, EV buyers were already spending less on gas prior to their EV purchase than EV buyers in previous years."

Persons: Joy Zhu, Tesla, Zhu, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Barclays, U.S, EV, Volkswagen, Volvo Locations: Germany

☆ Hyundai Motor to adopt Tesla EV-charging standard from 2024 in US
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) said on Thursday it has decided to adopt Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) electric vehicle (EV) charging technology in the United States and Canada. That will give Hyundai EVs with NACS ports access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the company said. Owners of existing and future Hyundai EVs with the current CCS will have access to the Tesla Supercharging Network starting in the first quarter of 2025. In June, Hyundai Motor said it would consider making its vehicles more readily compatible with the NACS charging system. Tesla's NACS is widely available, with the U.S. Department of Energy saying they make up about 60% of the fast chargers in the United States.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Tesla, Hyundai's, Elon, company's superchargers, Jose Munoz, NACS, Heekyong Yang, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Hyundai Kona, New York, REUTERS, Rights, Hyundai, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Motor's, Global, CCS, Tesla Supercharging Network, U.S . Department of Energy, Volkswagen, Kia Corp, BMW, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Rights SEOUL, KS, United States, Canada, Mexico

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Meta, Ford, Wingstop, American Express and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bank of America initiates Wingstop as buy Bank of America said shares of the wing restaurant company are attractive. " Bank of America downgrades Carrier to underperform from neutral Bank of America said it sees residential headwinds. "We are initiating on the Alternative Asset Management sector with a Market Overweight rating. Deutsche Bank initiates AIG as buy Deutsche Bank initiated the insurance company with a buy and says shares are de-risked. Bank of America reiterates American Express as a top pick Bank of America said the credit card company is its favorite idea in the sector. "

Persons: Stifel, Wedbush, Morgan Stanley, Ford, CARR, Parker, ITW, Raymond James downgrades Clorox, Raymond James, CLX, Johnson, Wolfe, Bernstein, Chubb Organizations: BMO, Sinclair, Oculis, Citizens, CIT Group, Bank, JPMorgan, Barclays, Meta, Bank of America, Ford, General Motors, GM, UAW, of America, Nvidia, ISI, RBC, Johnson, Pharma, KKR, Alternative, Management, Asset Management, CART, Deutsche Bank, AIG, Citi, O'Reilly Automotive, O'Reilly, American Express Locations: CY24, U.S

☆ Hyundai and Kia to adopt Tesla's EV charging tech next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Laya Neelakandan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hyundai Motor and Kia announced Thursday they will soon adopt Tesla's electric vehicle charging system, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024 in the United States. Hyundai and Kia join others like Ford and General Motors to integrate the Tesla charging ports, called North American Charging Standard, into their electric vehicles, allowing drivers to use any Tesla charging stations. The charging tech has gained steam in recent months toward becoming a unified charging standard among electric vehicle makers. "Our collaboration with Tesla marks another milestone in our commitment to delivering exceptional EV experiences to our customers," said José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai. Additionally, owners of current Hyundai and Kia electric vehicle models will be able to access Tesla Superchargers using adapters beginning in the first quarter of 2025.

Persons: Tesla, José Muñoz, Mary Barra Organizations: Hyundai Motor, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, General Motors, South Korean, Hyundai EV Locations: United States, U.S, Canada, Mexico, North America

☆ AOC says she'll trade in her Tesla for a union-made EV. Her options are slim.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to trade in her Tesla for a union-made electric vehicle. In an interview on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, AOC was asked why she bought a Tesla rather than a union-made electric vehicle. AOC only has 2 real choicesThat leaves AOC choosing between the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, a hatchback and a small SUV, respectively. The Chevrolet Bolt EV electric hatchback. ChevroletI think the winner here is the Bolt EV, since it offers just a bit more range than the EUV.

Persons: Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Tesla, —, Elon Musk, Cadillac, it's, Ram, Bolt EUV, I'd, Bolt Organizations: Service, Democrat, Ford, General Motors, United Auto Workers, Ford's, Hummer EV, GMC, Volkswagen, Lucid Motors, Chrysler, Chevrolet Bolt, Chevrolet Locations: Alexandria, New York, Washington, DC, New York City, Mexico

☆ Going beyond Tesla: ETF bets solely on electric vehicle makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Natalie Zhang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Defiance ETFs runs the Solactive Pure U.S. Electric Vehicle ETF — which is also known as the Pure EV Index fund. Tesla is the top holding for many electric vehicles ETFs after gaining more than 98% so far this year. Other EV ETFs including Global X autonomous & electric vehicles ETF and KraneShares Electric Vehicles & Future Mobility ETF have holdings in companies that produce EV components or are tech-related. However, the Pure EV Index fund is composed of only the five largest market-cap EV makers: Tesla , Nio , Rivian, Li Auto and Xpeng . The Pure EV Index fund's total net assets are currently $5.1 million.

Persons: It's, Sylvia Jablonski, CNBC's, Tesla, Li Auto, Jablonski Organizations: Electric, ETF, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Global, KraneShares Electric Vehicles, Future Mobility

☆ UAW strike could buy GM time to address nagging EV issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The company delivered just 1,348 Lyriqs and 47 Hummers in the second quarter, far below expectations, in part because of issues with battery module assembly. A longer strike could help GM address and potentially resolve some of those ongoing issues in its EV and battery operations, according to Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. "A production stoppage could allow GM to solve bottlenecks,” Fiorani said. Wedbush auto analyst Daniel Ives said the strike was "a potential nightmare situation" for GM given it comes exactly at a key period of ironing out EV issues. In addition, the UAW strike in the United States could affect the flow of critical auto parts to GM operations in Canada and Mexico, which would hamper EV production there, Rinna said.

Persons: Jennifer Granholm, Jonathan Ernst, GlobalData, Mary Barra, Rory Harvey, Hummer, Sam Fiorani, Fiorani, GM's Barra, Bill Rinna, Daniel Ives, Ives, Rinna, GM’s Ramos, Paul Lienert, Deepa Babington Organizations: U.S . Energy, Washington Auto, REUTERS, Rights, General Motors, Ford Motor, UAW, Ford, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, GM, GMC, AutoForecast Solutions, EV, Chevrolet Blazer, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Canada, Mexico, Ingersoll, Detroit

Still, it could hurt perceptions of Chinese EV makers as they expand abroad, Bernstein analysts said in a client note. Nio and Geely declined to comment on the EU probe, while BYD, Xpeng and SAIC did not respond to requests for comment. Shares in European carmakers were also among the biggest fallers on the euro zone stock index (.STOXXE50) in early trading. STRAINED RELATIONSThe anti-subsidy probe, initiated unusually by the European Commission and not from any industry complaint, comes amid broader diplomatic strains between the EU and China. It accounted for 40.25% of EV exports from China between January and April 2023.

Persons: Annegret, Ursula von der Leyen, Bernstein, BYD, CATL, Cui Dongshu, EVs, Donny Kwok, Brenda Goh, Ryan Woo, Anne Marie Roantree, Tom Hogue, Jamie Freed, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, China, EV, EU, European, Ministry of Commerce, Eurasian Group, Reuters Graphics, Reuters Graphics Hong Kong, HK, Geely, SAIC, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes, European Commission, China Passenger Car Association, EVs, for Strategic, Internal Studies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Europe, China, SHANGHAI, BEIJING, Beijing, EU, Brussels, Southeast Asia, Reuters Graphics Hong, Shanghai, Xpeng, Shenzhen, SZ, Moscow, Russian, Ukraine, U.S, Hong Kong

Analysts said the probe could slow capacity expansion and the capital spending cycle of China's battery suppliers, although the move should not pose a big downside risk for Chinese EVs. Hong Kong shares of market leader BYD fell more than 3%. Nio and Geely declined to comment on the EU probe, while BYD, Xpeng and SAIC did not respond to requests for comment. GROWING MARKET SHAREEU officials believe Chinese EVs are undercutting the prices of local models by about 20% in the European market, piling pressure on European automakers to produce lower-cost electric vehicles. It accounted for 40.25% of EV exports from China between January and April 2023, up from 36.5% in 2022.

Persons: Angelika Warmuth, Ursula von der Leyen, BYD, CATL, der Leyen, Li Qiang, Cui Dongshu, EVs, Donny Kwok, Brenda Goh, Ryan Woo, Anne Marie Roantree, Tom Hogue, Jamie Freed Organizations: BYD Company, REUTERS, China, EV, European Commission, EU . European, Analysts, HK, Geely, SAIC, EU, Chamber of Commerce, China Passenger Car Association, Center, Strategic, Internal Studies, Volvo, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Europe, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Xpeng, Shenzhen, SZ, China, Moscow, Russian, Ukraine, New Delhi, Brussels, U.S

☆ Head of Chinese auto industry group urges EU be objective on China EVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Sept 14 (Reuters) - China's electric vehicle (EV) industrial chain is highly competitive, Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association, said on Thursday, urging the EU to take an objective view of the industry's development. Cui made the comments in a post on his own WeChat account, responding to an EU anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs. The EU could not arbitrarily use unilateral economic or trade tools to prevent development of EV products in Europe or increase their operating costs, Cui wrote. The price of China-made cars exported to Europe is generally almost double the domestic price, he said, adding that China's strong EV exports is not the outcome of hefty state subsidies. Reporting by Qiaoyi Li and Brenda Goh; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Cui Dongshu, Cui, Qiaoyi Li, Brenda Goh, Kim Coghill Organizations: China Passenger Car Association, EU, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, EU, Europe, China

Here are the big questions about the move, which led to a slide in shares of Chinese EV makers on Thursday:WHY EXPORT TO EUROPE AND HOW MUCH HAS IT GROWN? That is mainly due to Beijing's decade-old industry promotion policy of incentives and subsidies that enabled China to become the world's biggest EV market and control the global EV supply chain, including raw materials. The single largest exporter is Tesla, accounting for 40% of China's EV exports between January and April, U.S. thinktank the Center for Strategic and International Studies says. Chinese state subsidies for electric and hybrid vehicles totalled $57 billion between 2016 and 2022, consultants AlixPartners have estimated. It paid out nearly $15 billion to encourage EV purchases through 2021, China Merchants Bank International has estimated.

Persons: Annegret, Bill Russo, EVs, BYD, AlixPartners, Brenda Goh, Ellen Zhang, Miyoung Kim, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Commission, EV, EU, Volkswagen, Renault, BMW, WHO, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Volvo, SAIC's, MG, HK, China Merchants Bank International, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, China, Shanghai, Europe, United States, CHINA, Netherlands, Denmark

☆ China is bitter medicine for Europe’s EV pivot
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Neil Unmack | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

LONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China can offer a bitter medicine for Europe’s bold electric vehicle pivot. That has prompted carmakers to develop premium e-cars for richer punters, rather than mass market vehicles. More competition from Chinese carmakers should help bring down prices of electric vehicles in Europe. It will force Western players to keep cutting costs to avoid losing too much market share, boosting overall e-car adoption. Sales of EVs picked up in August, with Jefferies analysts estimating a total market share across Europe of 23%.

Persons: Oliver Zipse, Olaf Scholz, carmakers, Morgan Stanley, Encouragingly, BYD, ”, EVs, Lisa Jucca, Oliver Taslic, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Volkswagen, European Automobile Manufacturers ’ Association, HK, Norway, BMW, Reuters Graphics, Jato Dynamics, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, BYD, Renault, UBS reckons, Financial, Electric, European Union, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: China, Europe, Italy, Europe’s, Germany, Norway, Latvia, Bulgaria, Britain, Polo . China, Western, EU

☆ Wall Street analysts tore down a Chinese Tesla rival and say it's exactly why Elon Musk should be worried about China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese electric car maker BYD might be the closest thing to a true Tesla competitor. Experts say the auto company's Seal electric sedan is comparable to the Tesla Model 3. UBS analysts tore down the Seal and found it's a great Model 3 alternative for less. AdvertisementAdvertisementInterestingly, unlike Tesla, BYD seems to be steering clear from autonomous driving technology, and instead, is opting for a standard, Level 2, advanced driver assistance system. "Given the Chinese EV development cycle is still faster than that of the foreign brands, we believe Chinese brands' market share gains from foreign brands will be structural and continuous."

Persons: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Elon, Tesla, Li Auto, it's Organizations: Tesla, UBS, Service, EV, Tesla's, Getty Images Locations: Wall, Silicon, China, Europe, Munich, German

☆ 'It's a dealbreaker:' Some Tesla fans are complaining about the new Model 3's 'terrible' turn-signal buttons
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla fans have applauded the sedan's new looks and longer range. But some don't like that Tesla moved the turn signals to buttons on the steering wheel. Well, Elon Musk is reinventing Tesla's turn signals, and some fans of the company aren't too happy about it. But Tesla also said goodbye to the Model 3's steering-wheel stalks, a decision that's rattled some fans. The turn signals have been relocated to a pair of tiny buttons on the left side of the steering wheel.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, It's, I'm, Tesla Tesla Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during an event at the 2023 Munich Auto Show IAA Mobility, in Munich, Germany, September 5, 2023. The expansion will make range anxiety a thing of the past for EV drivers, he added. Europe's biggest economy has only 90,000 public charging points but is targeting 1 million by 2030 to boost EV take-up. Addressing the protests, Scholz said at the end of his tour: "Protests are part of public and democratic debate ... but it is a little anachronistic. On competition from China in EV production, Scholz said: "Competition should spur us on, not scare us.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Leonhard Simon, Scholz, Victoria Waldersee, Andreas Rinke, Jan Schwartz, Friederike Heine, Sarah Marsh, Miranda Murray, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, IAA, EV, Sporting, BMW, Mercedes, Benz, HK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Rights MUNICH, Europe, China, Japanese, Korea

A Renault wallbox charging station is used by a Renault Captur hybrid car at a dealership in Les Sorinieres, near Nantes, France, October 23, 2020. Chinese EV makers, including BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and Xpeng (9868.HK) are all targeting Europe's EV market, where sales soared nearly 55% to about 820,000 vehicles in the first seven months of 2023, making up about 13% of all car sales. The arrival of Chinese EV makers in Europe has raised concerns they will undercut local carmakers and dominate EV sales. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) will present its CLA compact class and BMW (BMWG.DE) its Neue Klasse, both of which target higher range and efficiency, while halving production costs. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) CEO Oliver Blume told reporters that through its partnerships in China, the carmaker aims to cut battery cell costs by 50%.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Fabian Brandt, Oliver Wyman, Gilles Le Borgne, Oliver Blume, " Blume, Nick Carey, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume, Christina Amann, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, China EV, Reuters, HK, Europe's EV, EV, Jato Dynamics, Benz, BMW, Klasse, Volkswagen, Greenpeace, Protesters, Thomson Locations: Les Sorinieres, Nantes, France, China, MUNICH, BYD, Europe, Munich, Asia

☆ BMW unveils Vision Neue Klasse concept car as it touts the dawn of a new EV era
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

German automaker BMW on Saturday launched a hotly anticipated electric concept car, saying the so-called "Vision Neue Klasse" represents the dawn of a new era for the company. BMW's latest design showcases a platform that will underpin the brand's next generation of electric vehicles. The first electric vehicles based on the Neue Klasse — or new class — architecture are set to enter production in 2025. That's the purpose of our show at the IAA," Zipse said. The Vision Neue Klasse is set to make its public debut in the coming days at the IAA motor show in Munich, which also serves as the headquarters of BMW.

Persons: Oliver Zipse, CNBC's Arabile, Zipse Organizations: BMW, Saturday, Neue Klasse, Neue, IAA Locations: circularity, Munich

Mercedes will also offer a lithium-iron-phosphate, or LFP, battery in the new CLA model lineup due to hit showrooms in early 2025, a first for any Mercedes EV, the CEO said in an interview. Mercedes will preview the future electric CLA with a prototype to be unveiled at the IAA auto show in Munich, Germany on Sunday. Getting more driving range using less energy from the battery is the key target for the German automaker's future EV development, Kaellenius said. Driving range remains a critical competitive benchmark in the EV market. Mercedes engineers have been testing ways to improve EV efficiency using long road trips in a prototype vehicle called the Vision EQXX.

Persons: Ola Kaellenius, Mercedes, Tesla, Kaellenius, Joe White, Susan Fenton Organizations: DETROIT, Benz, Reuters, EV, Tesla, Sunday, VW, Consumers, Thomson Locations: China, Munich, Germany, Europe, United States

REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The Biden administration is offering $12 billion in grants and loans for automakers and suppliers to retrofit their plants to produce electric and other advanced vehicles, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Thursday. "I don't know that this will have an impact on the collective bargaining," Granholm said, adding that the administration has spoken with automakers, auto workers, and communities. The administration will also offer $3.5 billion in funding to domestic battery manufacturers, Granholm said. For the advanced vehicles, $2 billion in grants will come from the Inflation Reduction Act which was passed by Democrats last year, and $10 billion in loans will derive from the Energy Department's Loans Program Office. Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington Editing by Bill Berkrot and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Energy Jennifer Granholm, Daniel Yergin, Callaghan O'Hare, Biden, Jennifer Granholm, Granholm, Joe Biden, Shawn Fain, Timothy Gardner, Bill Berkrot, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Energy, P Global, REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, Energy Department, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, Michigan, Michigan , Ohio , Illinois, Indiana, Belvidere , Illinois, Washington

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