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Runtime: 10:20
0:00 GAC Develops Fast Charging PHEV
1:13 Car Buyers Less Likely to Purchase an EV
1:47 U.S. Faces EV Charger Shortage
2:36 Kia Delays EV9 Ramp-Up in The U.S.
4:02 German EV Sales Plunge 69% In August
4:37 EU Automakers Face €15 Billion In CO2 Fines
5:42 Italy Wants to Soften EU EV Sales Goals
6:20 Hybrids Boost Platinum Demand
7:06 Dodge Tests Axial Flux Motors in Racing
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GAC DEVELOPS FAST CHARGING PHEV
As we talk about all the time, electric vehicle sales are just not growing like they used to, which is having ripple effects across the industry. While a lot of the news is negative, one of the benefactors has been plug-in hybrids. Demand is up and they can be a nice bridge vehicle for anyone that’s worried about going fully electric. But one complaint I still sometimes hear is that PHEVs charge slow. And that’s true, compared to BEVs, which are capable of charging over 7-times faster in some cases. So, that means despite having a significantly smaller battery than an EV, a plug-in might still take about the same time charge or maybe even more. But China is starting to lead the charge for faster PHEV charging. Trumpchi, a brand owned by GAC, announced that it will launch a plug-in by the end of this year that can charge its battery to 80% in just 8 minutes. It says it will be the world’s first PHEV with 4C charging technology, which refers to the rate at which it can charge.
CAR BUYERS LESS LIKELY TO PURCHASE AN EV
We briefly mentioned people that are worried about going fully electric, well it turns out there’s more of them than there used to be. According to the EY Mobility Consumer Index, which surveyed 1,500 Americans, 34% planned on getting an EV with their next new vehicle purchase. But that’s down from 48% or a 14% drop in one year. While they’re less concerned about range than before, battery replacement costs and a lack of public charging are still issues for potential buyers.
U.S. FACES EV CHARGER SHORTAGE
The installation rate of public chargers is going up, but almost every state in the U.S. doesn’t have enough public charging to support the EVs currently on their roads. According to a report by Here Technologies and SBD Automotive, the optimal ratio of EVs to public chargers, on average, is 9-10 per state. We’re talking Level 2 chargers and higher. But only three states, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia have hit that ratio. As more public chargers come online, states like Connecticut, Maine and Wyoming will be the next to cross that ratio, while Oklahoma, Hawaii and New Jersey are the furthest away.
KIA DELAYS EV9 RAMP-UP IN THE U.S.
Kia is purposely holding back the EV9 in the U.S. But this has nothing to do with software or a slowdown in EV demand. It says it’s going to wait until next year to scale up production at the Hyundai’s Groups new plant in Georgia, so it can qualify for the full EV tax credit. It could start production now and only get half of the credit or $3,750, like Hyundai is doing with the IONIQ 5. But by waiting till next year, Kia will get locally sourced batteries from a partnership with LG, which will allow it to qualify for the full $7,500 at purchase. Even so, that hasn’t hurt EV9 sales too much in the U.S. So far this year Kia has sold nearly 14,000 examples and it was part of the reason it had its best month of sales ever.
GERMAN EV SALES PLUNGE 69% IN AUGUST
Germany saw a big drop in EV sales once again last month. According to Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority, just over 27,000 EVs were registered in August, down 69% from a year ago. That decrease follows a 37% slide in EV sales in July. A lot of it has to do with the German government phasing out purchase incentives for EVs at the beginning of the year. And it’s part of the reason it’s thinking of bringing them back. Overall, car sales were down about 28% last month in Germany.
EU AUTOMAKERS FACE €15 BILLION IN CO2 FINES
But it’s not just Germany that’s struggling to sell EVs, sales are slowing throughout Europe. And because of that, Renault CEO Luca de Meo says that automakers could face fines of 15 billion euros or $17 billion next year for not meeting CO2 targets. In 2025, the average emissions of new vehicles is 94 grams per kilometer, down from 116 g/km this year. If automakers go over that limit, they face fines of 95 euros for every gram over the target multiplied by every vehicle sold. So, you can see how it can ramp up quick. And De Meo says EV sales right now are about half of what automakers need to avoid being fined. De Meo is also president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, a group that represents most automakers in Europe. So, that’s why he’s concerned about other companies being fined and why he wants more flexibility from regulators.
ITALY WANTS TO SOFTEN EU EV SALES GOALS
And de Meo has support from at least one country to soften Europe’s EV sales goals. The EU is planning to ban the sales of ICE vehicles in 2035. Regulators are expected to review that plan in 2026 but the Italian government is calling for the review to be held next year because it wants the ban changed due to the slowdown in EV sales. Italy says it’s not against EVs but wants to change the plan so countries can choose which technology they prefer to meet emission targets and have a more gradual phase out of ICE vehicles.
HYBRIDS BOOST PLATINUM DEMAND
And while sales of EVs have slowed, hybrid sales are surging. And because of that, demand for platinum and palladium, which are used in catalytic converters, is expected to grow in the coming years. When EV sales started to take off a couple of years ago, producers of the metals expected a big drop off in demand. But now that EV sales have weakened and hybrid sales are growing, demand for platinum and palladium is rising. Last year, ICE and hybrid sales were up 9% globally, which added 600,000 ounces in demand for platinum and palladium. And while demand for those metals is expected to decline in the long-term, analysts say hybrids could help sustain their market through the end of the decade.
DODGE TESTS AXIAL FLUX MOTORS IN RACING
Dodge is testing electric motor technology in racing that we’ve been hearing and talking about for years. It’s entering a car inspired by the Hornet into the Nitrocross Series that generates just over 1,000 horsepower from four axial flux motors. We have a couple of videos about axial flux motors if you’d like to learn more, but basically, they’re smaller, easier to make and put out the same or more power than typical electric motors. The Hornet race car will do 0-60 in a brain warping 1.4 seconds and pull nearly 2Gs while it’s doing it. We know suppliers like ZF are working on axial flux motors and Mercedes has talked about testing them for years, but it’s nice to see someone actually use them.
But that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for making Autoline a part of your day.
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“EU Automakers Face €15 Billion In CO2 Fines” You will never convince me that the global warming agenda isn’t a money-making scheme. If it was truly about the environment, you would set a standard and just tell automakers they cannot sell a vehicle that doesn’t meet that standard. Not Oh you can exceed it, and just pay this fine. Which they roll into the price of the vehicle so it’s no skin off their nose. It all comes back to the consumer, “us” we will pay more. It’s another tax on the public. A great way to generate another 15 Billion.
Off topic, sort of:
I finally got a chance to see and drive a new Prius. It drove well, much quicker and better handling that earlier Priuses. Also, it seemed quieter on acceleration than earlier Priuses, but it’s been a while since I’ve had one those. The downside is that, unlike my 2012 Prius, it has no spare tire. Also, the lane departure tug on the wheel defaults to “on” every time you start the car. The kind of strange display that you see by looking over, rather than through the wheel was ok, but I don’t quite see the point. I suppose it is to be “different.”
Kit- is the display centered making it easier to make RH and LH drive vehicles? What’s the city/Hwy mileage?
Just returned from a two weeks’ vacation. Has anything happened while I was out? 🙂
Lambo, I looked up the Prius interior because I wondered the same. It looks like the display is just really tall; I think Kit was saying it was odd because you look over the steering wheel instead of through it (not over to the center). They probably wanted it to be more of a heads-up display, without having to project it on the windsheild.
That website also said it had a combined 127 mpg-e and 600 mile range.
And, welcome back Wim!
Just flying back from an Everything Electric 3 day show in Vancouver. Sandy Munro was a real hit as you would imagine. Lots of EVs to test drive but unfortunately they wouldn’t let me near the Rolls Royce.
Saw the new Rivian R3. Cute.
I agree that allowing credits to be bought and sold and fines paid are not getting us where we want to be as fast as we should. On the other hand, if the rules changed that much, you’d kiss all U.S. OEMs goodbye and have to allow the Chinese in, which as Sandy points out will be within 5 years anyway.
Lambo, it’s in front of the driver. As Ukendoit said, maybe they did that as a simpler sort of headup display.
If I ever want to buy a new Prius, I’ll probably need to get on a “list” at a bunch of dealers. The one I drove was a white “Limited” with 4wd and a package or two, MSRP in high 30s. I’d want a red or blue FWD LE with few or no options. They just send what they want to dealers, and most of them are high trim, and white, black, or grey.
Lambo, I think the fines were intended as an incentive for compliance and not a tax to pass 0n to customers. That’s why I believe law makers give them lead time for compliance years in advance, with incremental advances. While I understand hybrid are more appealing to buyers, but depending on who you listen to, hybrids are the worst of both worlds. People say that ICE vehicles add to green house gases and others say, when you look at where the battery minerals are mined, they’re assembly and they are as bad as IVE vehicles! But if ICE engines are bad and the batteries are bad, hybrids have both, so wouldn’t that make them worst? Just a thought.
I am one who would like to one day purchase an EV, but they are now too expensive and to be honest, I’m waiting on solid state batteries! Solid state batteries hold the promise of longer range, with fewer batteries and less weight and less to no possibility of thermal run away. IMHO, while we may see a few inexpensive EVs from legacy OEMs over the next couple of years, they may not really be in full force until the beginning of the next decade. With a lower starting price, I wouldn’t be surprised if US automakers were less resistant to vehicles from China coming to this market. While Tesla’s have certainly proved themselves and as great as their products are, I believe I would have a little more confidence in and inexperience BEV from one of the legacy OEMs, then one of the startups.
wmb, anyone who would say that hybrids are “the worst of both worlds” is, as we say, full of it. A hybrid Highlander gets from ~15 to 40% better mpg than a non-hybrid Highlander, depending on the type of driving, but the 1.9 kWh battery is tiny compared to the one in a BEV.
A number of things combined are causing EU car companies to not meet CO2 targets. Lack of EV sales is part of it, but also fewer diesels than in the past are being sold. Also, while they don’t dominate the market like in the US, there are more tall, and therefore thirstier vehicles than in the past.
Kit
I don’t mean to offend or imply that there is any truth to the matter, but when you listen to what is said by members of each camp (ICE vehicles with their evil tail pipe emissions, but EVs are claimed to imitate just as much during their construction), many say that hybrids are the better compromise. Yet, wouldn’t that mean that you now have a vehicle with better emissions, but all the bad that the two groups claim? While hybrids do have fewer emissions, that does not change how the battery minerals were mined and the heavy equipment used to get them. While ICE emissions are taken only at the vehicles tailpipe, an EVs is tracked throughout the vehicle and its components supply chain, where they are assembled and how its electrical power is produced! If there was going to be a honest comparison of the two, shouldn’t it track the ICE vehicle the same? Where and how the fuel it uses was mined, then shipped to its various ports, where the vehicle’s materials and components were produced, the factory it was assembled in. Then examine and compare the end results of the two types of vehicles holistically. I don’t doubt that hybrids are better with emissions then ICE vehicles and are a bridge to full EVs as some has suggested. Yet, with them carrying two powertrains, wouldn’t that also mean that they have the same negatives that some claim that each type of power plant possesses too? Just a thought.
wmb,
My main point is that the battery in the largish Highlander hybrid is 1/50 the size as the one in many BEVs, and is even smaller in other hybrids, like Accord and Camry.
I’ve been resistant to traditional hybrids simple because you are complicating the vehicle with two systems to achieve a slightly better city MPG while most of my driving is hwy. Weight has always been a major concern for automakers and having duplicate powertrains and a heavy battery seems to conflict with that target. So not only weight but the complexity and cost of two powertrains. However, with the newer direction of an electric motor for propulsion and ICE generator for extended range you eliminate the transmission and reduce some of the complexity. Plus you gain the advantages EVs have which is significant torque even at low speeds. HEV’s seem to have lots of potential especially as the motors and batteries get better. I would also assume meeting emissions on an engine that runs at a specific Rpm has to be easier to tune and build for longevity. I’m actually excited to see what comes out in the next few years as I believe HEVs have lots of advantages over everything else.
Lambo, the better of today’s hybrids get MUCH better city mpg, and significantly better highway mpg than non-hybrids.
The transmission of most Toyota hybrids, and some others, including Maverick hybrid, is much simpler than a regular automatic transmission. It is, basically, gear reduction, with an extra differential to split power between the ICE, a motor-generator, and the wheels.
Time will tell how “extended range” EVs, also known as series hybrids turn out, but the few examples so far are gas hogs on the highway when running on gas. If motors and generators can reach 98% efficiency, that will change. Time will tell.
Regular hybrids don’t add much weight. A Camry hybrid is only 165 pounds heavier than a non-hybrid 4 cylinder Camry.