AD #3510 – Mercedes Goes Puff Crazy; Massive Lithium Find in India; NIO to Build Budget EVs

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

NIO TO BUILD BUDGET EVs
Chinese automaker NIO makes some pretty impressive cars, priced from $50,000 to $90,000. But now it’s going to develop what it calls budget EVs and is building a new assembly plant in China to export them to Europe. They could go on sale next year. NIO is also one of the pioneers in battery swapping and plans to build 1,000 more swapping stations in China this year, which is more than double its previous plans. The new stations will mostly go in the country’s third- and fourth-tier cities. By the end of the year, NIO will have around 2,300 swapping stations in China. And battery swapping for budget cars with small batteries could give NIO a real competitive advantage.

EU CAR SALES START THE YEAR STRONG
Despite a war in Ukraine, soaring inflation and an energy crisis triggered by banning Russian oil and gas, things are looking up for the European auto industry. Car sales were up strong in January. Automakers sold more than 760,000 vehicles, a gain of 11%. However you should know, that’s compared to last year, the weakest January on record. Sales of electrified vehicles continue to grow. BEVs accounted for 9.5% market share in January, hybrids were at 26% and plug-ins were just over 7%. Gasoline powered vehicles are still the most popular powertrain type and posted a sales gain last month, bringing their total market share to nearly 38%. Diesels on the other hand dropped in sales and now only account for 16% of the market.

JLR EXPANDING AV R&D
Volkswagen and Ford recently gave up developing autonomous cars with Argo AI. But Jaguar Land Rover is expanding its AV research in Europe. It’s opening three new tech hubs to develop autonomous technology. They’ll be located in Germany, Italy and Spain and employ around 100 engineers. The new R&D centers are part of JLR’s partnership with chip maker NVIDIA, which was formed last year to develop automated driving systems and artificial intelligence. The new tech hubs are in addition to the six JLR already operates in the U.S., Hungary, Ireland, UK, China and India.

 

GM DEFENSE LANDS ANOTHER CONTRACT
GM Defense, which is a subsidiary of GM, has been on a tear lately. Last June, it announced plans to expand into Canada and created a new international unit to make defense vehicles for foreign countries. In August, it partnered with the German defense company Rheinmetall to compete in a Tactical Truck program for the U.S. Army, worth around $5 billion. And now it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tawazun Council, which is an entity of the UAE Government, to develop future mobility products and power solutions. That includes technology like integrated vehicles, fuel cells, power generators, autonomy and connectivity, which will be used to support military, security and government customers from the UAE. GM Defense has a goal to generate $1 billion in revenue a year by the end of the decade.

CADILLAC UPDATES XT4
Speaking of GM, Cadillac is giving its smallest crossover, the XT4, a slight refresh. Both the rear and front styling were updated, but the bigger change goes to the front fascia, which is more in line with the XT6 and Lyriq. And the same could be said of the interior. Its new 33-inch display screen was inspired by the one in the Lyriq. Other upgrades include a new sound system, wheel options and interior trim and color choices. Sales of the refreshed XT4 start this summer.

 

MERCEDES GOES PUFF CRAZY
Here’s a question that nobody probably ever asked until recently, but what do you get when you mix a Mercedes G-Wagen with the classic Moncler puffer jacket? This is the interpretation of the two iconic luxury brands, an art piece they call, PROJECT MONDO G. To be honest, part of me wants to laugh and the other part would love to roll up to the valet at some swanky restaurant, hop out and toss ‘em the keys like this was just my everyday. I love the absurdity of it. And this thing is big. It’s basically a 2-door G-Class with giant, chrome puffy wheels and a top put on it. The main body actually looks like it was mostly made from clay and we see design details from both classic and modern G’s. This should be used as a show car by both brands so hopefully you’ll get to see it in person one day.

 

 

MASSIVE LITHIUM FIND IN INDIA
The EV revolution isn’t going to go anywhere if automakers can’t get the raw materials they need to make batteries. That has kicked off a global frenzy to lock down a steady source of supplies. And automakers are doing something different. They’re buying raw materials directly from mining companies instead of going through intermediaries. Tesla locked up a deal with three Australian mining companies. They’ll supply graphite for battery anodes. Stellantis also has a deal with Australian companies to get cobalt. General Motors recently signed a deal with an American company to jointly mine lithium in Nevada. In fact, GM actually became a part owner in the company, Lithium Americas. All this frenzy in finding new sources of raw materials led to a discovery in India this month of a massive lithium deposit. India could potentially become the 6th largest supplier of lithium in the world. The other countries with the largest deposits are Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, the United States and Australia.

 

GETTING A NEW GENERATION TO RESTORE CLASSIC CARS
Almost anywhere you go there is a shortage of well trained car techs. And that’s especially true when it comes to mechanics, upholsterers and engineers who know how to repair and maintain classic cars. So an organization called the Piston Foundation is directing charitable giving from car enthusiasts into apprenticeships to get a new generation of people interested and trained in restoring classic cars. And they’re looking for your help. You can donate to the cause, or sponsor a scholarship or even donate your time and expertise. We’ve got a link in today’s transcript and description box or you can just do a search for the Piston Foundation.

But that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for joining us.