AD #3071 – Free2move Adds Ami To DC Fleet; Ford & BMW Invest in Solid State Batteries; VW Plans to Make Own AV Chips

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

FORD & BMW INVEST IN SOLID STATE BATTERIES
Solid state batteries offer a number of benefits, like more safety and longer life and now Ford, BMW and Volta Technologies are part of a $130 million investment in Solid Power, a company that makes solid-state batteries for EVs. As part of the investment Ford and BMW are now equal equity owners and representatives from each company will join Solid Power’s board. BMW and Ford will receive 100 ampere hour cells for testing and vehicle integration starts in 2022. Ford has a separate joint development agreement with Solid Power to develop and test its own specific battery cell design. BMW says it plans to have a solid-state prototype by 2025 and to start selling EVs equipped with them by the end of the decade.

TSMC CATCHING UP WITH CHIP DEMAND
TSMC, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, says it could meet automakers’ demand for microprocessors by the end of June. Even so, it will only meet the minimum needs, and says the chip shortage will go on for months. Speaking on the television program “60 Minutes”, the chairman of TSMC said his company first heard of the shortage last December and started making more chips. But he said there’s at least a 7 to 8-month lag time because the automotive supply chain is so complex.

 

UAW SAYS EV SUBSIDIES SHOULD ONLY BE FOR U.S. MADE VEHICLES
As we reported last week, the United Auto Workers union came out against GM making EVs in Mexico. And now it’s ramping up its criticism. The UAW is calling for EV subsidies in the U.S. to be applied only to vehicles made in the U.S. In a statement, UAW vice president Terry Dittes (Dit-ess) said, “Taxpayer money should not go to companies that utilize labor outside the U.S. while benefiting from American government subsidies.” At least one U.S. representative in Congress, Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, is calling for the same thing. President Biden, who enjoys strong labor support, may be sympathetic to the call. But Reuters reports the White House has not responded yet. The National Auto Dealers Association, which represents all foreign brands, will likely oppose anything like this. Even so, it could find wide bi-partisan support. No doubt we’ll learn more as the week develops.

SUBARU CREATES PET ACCESSORIES FOR ITS VEHICLES
I don’t think there’s another automaker with a closer connection to pets than Subaru. I mean they’re literally a part of its development process. Every new Subaru that’s not the BRZ was designed to carry a certain size dog crate. And now it’s offering exclusive pet accessories for its vehicles. There’s 11 items in all, which range from seat covers to walking ramps and there’s even harnesses to keep them safe. Pricing ranges from about $35 up to $300 for the ramp. 

BOSCH, SHELL & VW DEVELOP LOW-CARBON GASOLINE
As we’ve said, the problem with internal combustion engines isn’t the engines. It’s the carbon in the fuel they burn. That’s why there’s an effort to develop renewable fuels. And now Bosch, Shell and Volkswagen have announced they’ve created a low-carbon gasoline called Blue Gasoline, which can be used in all gasoline engines and contains up to 33% renewables. That translates to a well-to-wheel reduction in carbon-emissions of at least 20% per kilometer driven. In a fleet of 1,000 VW Golf VIII’s with a 1.5L engine, it could save more than 230 metric tons of CO2 per year, assuming they drive 10,000 kilometers or about 6,200 miles. The companies plan to start making the fuel available at regular gas stations this year, beginning in Germany. Bosch will also make the fuel available at its company filling stations.

VW PLANS TO MAKE OWN AV CHIPS
Volkswagen wants more autonomy when it comes to its autonomous cars. CEO Herbert Diess told German publication Handelsblatt that VW will design its own high-performance chips for AVs. And while it will have a supplier make the chips, VW hopes to own some of the patents. The advantage is that it grants more control over how the system is developed and implemented over time, rather than relying on someone else’s process and timeline. Companies like Apple and Tesla have used the same approach to their benefit. 

FREE2MOVE ADDS CITROEN AMI TO DC FLEET
Citroen’s tiny electric vehicle, the Ami, is coming to the U.S. No, you won’t be able to buy it. It’s being added to Free2Move’s car-sharing fleet in Washington D.C. Free2Move is Stellantis’s mobility brand and Citroen is part of the Stellantis Group. Free2Move posted this image to its LinkedIn page which shows a silhouette of the Ami and the caption “Something big is coming to Washington DC…” And of course, that’s a joke about the Ami’s size. It’s technically a quadricycle, less than 8-feet in length and only has a top speed of 28 MPH. It’s equipped with a 5.5 kWh battery which provides about 45 miles of range. Free2Move hasn’t revealed how much it will cost to rent it but in France, it costs 0.26 euros per minute or about 31 cents plus a 10 euro a month subscription fee.

But that’s a wrap for today. Thanks for watching and you’ll find us right here again tomorrow.