09 June 2020 | Million Mile Tesla Battery Is Now 'Ready to Produce'
'One Million Mile' Electric Car Battery Is Now 'Ready to Produce' | Ford Reveals Escape PHEV Price, Range And More For U.S. | Volkswagen replaces Diess with Ralf Brandstätter for the VW brand | China's BYD in talks to supply JLR from UK battery plant |Wireless Charging Update | All-new Fiat 500 electric now available to order | Mercedes GLA 250 e 2020 review | China’s EV market is recovering | Would you swap to an electric car if they were £6,000 cheaper?
Show #804
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Tuesday 9th June 2020. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.
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Welcome to a new EXECUTIVE PRODUCER via Patreon RICHARD LUPINSKY
'ONE MILLION MILE' ELECTRIC CAR BATTERY IS NOW 'READY TO PRODUCE'
"The leadership of a Tesla technology partner in China that is helping to develop a "one million mile" battery says the company is now "ready to produce." Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), has said the Ningde-based manufacturing firm has the capability of making a battery pack that can last for about 16 years, powering an electric vehicle for 1.24 million miles." writes Newsweek: "According to the SCMP, CATL signed a two-year contract to supply batteries to Tesla in February this year, and its technology is set to be incorporated into the Model 3 range of vehicles being made at Musk's new gigafactory located in Shanghai."
On Elon: "We're getting along well and he's a fun guy. He's talking about cost all day long, and I'm making sure we have the solutions."
FORD REVEALS ESCAPE PHEV PRICE, RANGE AND MORE FOR U.S.
"Ford announced its first new plug-in hybrid model in the U.S. market, the Ford Escape PHEV, which earlier was launched in Europe as Ford Kuga PHEV. The Escape PHEV might be one of the top-selling plug-in hybrids and a major competitor to the Toyota RAV4 Prime. It will start at less than $35,000 (MSRP), before destination charge and an eligible federal tax credit of probably over $6,700." says InsideEVs: " The EPA-estimated all-electric range will be about 37 miles (59.5 km) so really not bad, although the RAV4 Prime is able to go up to 42 miles (67.6 km). The battery pack (14.4 kWh) is installed under the second-row seats."
Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product development and purchasing officer said: “The original Ford Escape was the world’s first hybrid SUV and the all-new Ford Escape plug-in hybrid represents how far we’ve come in technology and efficiency. The all-new Escape plug-in has more power and more passenger space than the Fusion Energi plug-in, as well as four times the cargo volume behind its second-row seats. Escape also has an additional 11 miles of all-electric driving range before it uses a drop of gas.”
https://insideevs.com/news/427357/ford-escape-phev-price-range-us/
VOLKSWAGEN REPLACES DIESS WITH RALF BRANDSTÄTTER FOR THE VW BRAND
"Ralf Brandstätter is the Volkswagen brand's new CEO as a promotion over his previous role as the marque's chief operating officer. He takes over the role from Herbert Diess who is currently the CEO of both the VW brand and VW Group as a whole. " reports Motor1.com: "The company's board positions this change as letting Diess put a greater emphasis on running the business, rather than splitting his focus between two roles. The shakeup comes amid VW having some problems in Europe. The company had to halt deliveries of the new Golf because of an issue with the software for the emergency call function – a mandated feature in Europe. The problem affected around 15,000 cars that the automaker had already delivered to customers. There are also rumors about problems with the software suite in the company's forthcoming ID.3 electric car. The exact nature of the issue isn't clear, but elements within the system are allegedly not able to communicate correctly. There are reportedly over 10,000 technicians working to solve the problem."
Spiegel.de reports (Google Translate from German): "There is also a problem with the electric ID.3, with which VW wants to build a Golf successor in the mass market and establish an E series with billions of dollars in investment. The model from the Zwickau plant, which is to be ordered from mid-June, will initially only come with a slimmed-down range of functions. Reason: software delays."
CHINA'S BYD IN TALKS TO SUPPLY JLR FROM UK BATERY PLANT
"Chinese EV and battery specialist BYD is in talks with Jaguar Land Rover to supply automotive batteries from a UK plant, a source with knowledge of the situation said." writes Automotive News Europe: "JLR CEO Ralf Speth has previously said the UK needs its own battery cell production, but operated independently of JLR. The UK would be BYD’s first European battery cell factory but the company is also looking at other European locations, the source said. JLR currently sells the Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover, which is built by Magna Steyr in Austria. It plans to produce a full-electric version of the Jaguar XJ sedan at its Castle Bromwich factory in England."
https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/chinas-byd-talks-supply-jlr-uk-battery-plant
WIRELESS CHARGING UPDATE
"Wireless parking places, if they work well with a variety of vehicles, are primed to be part of the gold rush. WiTricity's charging coils, which China chose for its national wireless standard in May, can reach parked electric sports cars and SUVs alike with clearance ranging from 4 in.–10 in." says CNBC: "Charging vehicles in motion is on the table with existing technology too, since the distance between a car's carriage and the road stays fairly constant. Fellow wireless charging company Qualcomm Halo, which WiTricity acquired last year, has built a 300-ft test track in France that can charge cars driving at highway speeds. And Israeli start-up Electreon is electrifying short stretches of road in Israel and Sweden. If automakers can settle on one standard technology, omnipresent, automatic charging stations would let electric vehicles go farther on smaller batteries, reminiscent of Tesla's imagined fuel-free planes. Hands-free charging also will grow more essential if cars get more autonomous, since they won't be able to plug themselves in."
ALL-NEW FIAT 500 ELECTRIC NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER
The New Fiat 500 ‘la Prima’ hatchback makes its debut today following the successful unveiling of the New 500 ‘la Prima’ convertible in March. The New 500 ‘la Prima’ hatchback – including the fitment of the easyWallbox – is priced at £26,995, including PiCG. The lithium-ion batteries, with a capacity of 42kWh, give the New 500 a range of up to 199 miles in the WLTP cycle. To optimise charging time, the New 500 electric is equipped with an 85kW fast charge system. The New 500 also comes with a 11kW onboard AC charger. Sherpa mode optimises the available resources to reduce fuel consumption to a minimum - maximum speed is limited to 50mph; accelerator response is managed in order to reduce energy consumption; and deactivation of both the climate control system and heated seats. The electric motor has an output of 87kW, providing a maximum speed of 93mph (self-limited) and acceleration from zero to 62mph in 9 seconds and zero to 31mph in 3.1 seconds.
The New 500 electric is the first FCA car to be equipped with the new UConnect 5 infotainment system, the connected platform designed for the future. Developed with the idea of providing customers with a completely new user experience, UConnect 5 is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto operating systems and can be used in wireless mode.
My Remote: checks the battery charge level from a smartphone; schedule vehicle charging during the most convenient time periods; know the exact location of the car; lock and unlock the doors and set the climate control system.
MERCEDES GLA 250 E 2020 REVIEW
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 e Coupé, CLA 250 e Shooting Brake and B 250 e plug-in hybrids are available to order now. . The GLA with plug-in hybrid drive system will follow a few weeks later
"The new GLA 250 e is plug-in hybrid motoring at its best, and for many prospective buyers this could be the GLA to go for. Impressive all-electric running combines with surprisingly sporty yet economical hybrid drive when the petrol engine is brought into play." is how AutoExpress reviewed it: "Joining electrified versions of the latest CLA and CLA Shooting Brake in British Mercedes showrooms is the new GLA 250 e, which shapes up as a rival for plug-in hybrid versions of the latest BMW X1 and X2 and the Volvo XC40. Total system power stands at 215bhp and 450Nm, while the electric power is stored in a 15.6kWh battery. The GLA 250 e can recharge at 24kW."
38 miles on EV power, 86mph on the motor.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/gla/352426/new-mercedes-gla-250-e-2020-review
The Mercedes B 250 e is now on sale, with first deliveries expected in late summer. It is only available with AMG Line Executive equipment grade or higher, so prices start from £35,280.
CHINA’S EV MARKET IS RECOVERING
"In China, exactly 55,829 battery electric cars and 14,370 plug-in hybrids from local production were sold in May. The sales figures for so-called New Energy Vehicles were thus 25.8 per cent lower than in the same month last year, but 19.5 per cent higher than in April 2020." reports Chris Randall for electrive: "The best-selling electrified model in May was the Tesla Model 3: CPCA statistics show 11,095 units of the locally manufactured American electric sedan sold in China. That is a good three times as many as in April (3,635). However, sales of the Model 3 in April were also down sharply on March (10,160). Tesla itself probably contributed to the new high with a price reduction for the Model 3 Standard Range announced at the end of April. "
That price drop kept it in the window for Chinese subsidies.
And what about the Long Range RWD Model 3 they started delivering at the end of May?
David Leggett, Automotive Analyst at GlobalData: "This is the second consecutive monthly rise for the Chinese vehicle market, as it rebounds from sharp declines in the first quarter caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus. China was first into the COVID-19 crisis and first out of it, so developments in China’s economy are being watched very closely."
https://www.electrive.com/2020/06/09/chinas-ev-market-is-recovering-sowly/
WOULD YOU SWAP TO AN ELECTRIC CAR IF THEY WERE £6,000 CHEAPER?
Government could announce a scrappage scheme for only electric vehicles
Motorists who scrap an old petrol or diesel car would get £6,000 off a new EV
Plans could be announced next month, according to report from The Telegraph
It mirrors plans in Germany that are part of a €130bn Covid-19 stimulus package
EV buyers there will receive an industry and government-backed subsidy of €9k
"It could mean that the price of the British-build Nissan Leaf electric vehicle falls from £26,845 to just £20,845 and would see a new VW ID.3 zero-emission hatchback cost around the same as an entry-level petrol-powered Golf. The Prime Minister would also see the move as a positive break for UK manufacturing, with the popular Nissan Leaf build at the Japanese firm's factory in Sunderland and Mini's Plant Oxford producing the all-new Mini Electric." writes This Is Money: "The price of a Nissan Leaf would drop to around £20,000, which will be on par with the Nissan Qashqai, starting from £20,565 in the UK. The all-new £24,400 Mini Electric would fall to just £18,400 - a like-for-like fee as a petrol Mini Cooper. Tesla's most affordable Model 3 would decrease from around £40,000 to £34,000, around the same a a mid-spec BMW 3 Series saloon."
Read more here: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-8398385/Boris-Johnson-considering-slashing-prices-new-EVs-6-000.html
Add £3000 for the PiCG and that's £9000 off the price.
Fiona Howarth, chief executive at Octopus Electric Vehicles: "'Consumers who want to switch to greener driving can be put off by the more expensive initial outlay for an electric vehicle compared to petrol or diesel. But by reducing this cost, EVs will become more affordable and dramatically increase uptake. In 2019, around 100 people every day were losing their life due to poor air quality. The government can really make a difference and save lives by encouraging the switch to clean, electric cars."
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How far does a plug-in hybrid need to drive on EV power only?
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