Month: July 2023

Jul 11

Arnold Police seek man who allegedly fled from officers in stolen SUV

Arnold Police are trying to identify a man who reportedly was driving a stolen SUV in the city, failed to pull over for officers and fled from them. The suspect was last seen in the SUV, a black Nissan Rogue, headed south into Jefferson County, police reported.

At 10:04 a.m. July 2, police were alerted that the SUV was in the city after Flock license-plate reading cameras spotted it in the area around Jeffco and Starling Airport Road. The SUV had been reported stolen in St. Louis County on June 2, Arnold Police Lt. Jeremy Christopher said.

Officers saw the SUV at Jeffco and Michigan Avenue, and the driver allegedly would not pull over. Police tried to use spike strips to disable the SUV at Jeffco and Dohack Boulevard, but the attempt was unsuccessful and the man got away, Christopher said.

Jul 11

Rivian Stock Surges Nearly 90% in Two Weeks Amid Optimism and Short-Covering

Rivian’s Recent Performance Boost

Rivian Automotive, which made headlines with a blockbuster IPO in November 2021, saw its stock plummet to a low of $12.04 by April 2023 due to ongoing production and supply challenges. However, recent developments have sparked a dramatic turnaround. Rivian reported record-breaking Q2 2023 results, including 13,992 vehicles produced and 12,640 deliveries, and reaffirmed its annual production target of 50,000 units. This announcement has fueled a remarkable 90 percent surge in Rivian’s stock price over the past two weeks, closing at $25.51—almost doubling its price from late June.

Factors Driving the Stock’s Recovery

The stock’s recovery is bolstered not only by Rivian’s reaffirmed production goals but also by increased investor confidence and strategic short-covering. Wedbush Securities raised its price target for Rivian to $30, citing a positive shift in production outlook. Additionally, short interest in Rivian stands at 12.34% of the float, contributing to the stock’s rise as investors covering their short positions buy back shares. Enhanced options trading, including the purchase of “super short-dated calls,” has further driven up the stock’s value, reflecting growing optimism about Rivian’s future performance.

Jul 11

Electric Vehicle Inventory Swells: Why Are Dealerships Overwhelmed with EVs?

The Current EV Supply Dilemma

Despite a surge in electric vehicle (EV) models and the growing hype surrounding them, dealerships are grappling with unprecedented inventories of EVs, with some facing up to four months’ worth of stock. This paradox arises even as Tesla continues to drive significant EV sales, while many new and traditional automakers struggle to attract buyers. Data from the first half of 2023 shows that while Tesla leads in sales, other brands like Lucid, Hyundai, and Nissan have not seen similar success, leaving many EVs languishing on dealership lots.

The Impact of Excess Inventory and Rising Affordability

The current EV market sees a 350% year-over-year increase in supply, translating to a 92-day inventory surplus compared to the ideal 45-day level. Factors such as the loss of U.S. tax credits for certain models and the higher price point of EVs contribute to this glut. However, this oversupply could benefit potential buyers, offering more room for negotiation and the possibility of better deals, especially as used EVs become more prevalent and range anxiety continues to diminish.

Jul 11

Ample Shows off Its 2nd Generation Battery Swap Station

Ample, the EV battery swapping startup based in California, recently introduced its second-generation battery swap station and we were invited to the event to check it out.

The company has twelve of its first-generation battery swap stations operating in the Bay Area and two in Madrid, Spain. I was told that the stations they have in California perform hundreds of battery swaps every day in a pilot program with Ample’s partner Uber and have been in service since 2021.

Ample’s co-founders, John de Souza and Khaled Hassounah in front of one of the company’s first-generation battery swap stations.

The second generation battery swap station, introduced on May 15th, 2023, has a few notable improvements over gen-1.

First, and perhaps most important, the new station is said to cut the battery swap time in half, from ten minutes to five. Another huge improvement is the design. The new stations are pull-through layouts, allowing for easier exit from the site after the battery swap has been made.

Safety has also been improved because the second-gen stations allow the passengers to safely enter and exit the vehicle during the battery-swapping process, something they cannot do with the first version. That’s possible because the entire platform now lifts up for the swap instead of only the vehicle. The first generation station lifted the car up by the wheels, and passengers couldn’t safely get in or out during the process.

Ample’s 2nd-generation battery swap station features a pull-through design

Ample has taken a different approach than others currently offering battery swap services. That’s because they don’t swap out a single, large battery pack. Instead, Ample swaps out individual battery modules and can change the number of modules it replaces for each swap. For instance, a customer may only need 30 kWh of battery for the work week but then wants a 90 kWh pack for longer drives on the weekends.

Interestingly, Ample says its battery swap architecture allows the company to offer battery swap as an option for any existing and future EV, without forcing the manufacturer to reengineer its vehicle. Personally, I need to have a better understanding of how that will work before I fully believe it. For instance, how does the vehicle’s battery thermal management system integrate into Ample’s battery pack and modules?

The company also tells us it’s currently in talks with five major automakers to offer a battery lease option through Ample and that they will soon have announcements on that front. Currently, only Fisker has committed to offering Ample’s battery leasing and swap model and will offer it to customers in the first quarter of 2024.Ample Aims To Spread A Battery Swapping System For All EVs

Ample’s swappable battery modules

We don’t have any information on what Ample plans to charge as a monthly leasing fee, but there will be multiple options based on the size of the pack and the time of day that the customer wants the swap to occur. Customers won’t have to pay upfront for the battery, which will mean the initial cost of the vehicle will be substantially less.

Personally, I can see how this will work well for fleets and car-sharing services that need their vehicles to operate for the majority of the day. But in order for battery swap to work for regular customers, the battery swap stations need to be ubiquitous – and that would mean an enormous investment, likely in the billions.

Ample’s battery swap stations are built in the company’s California facility and are delivered to the site in three sections, allowing easy and quick setup. I was also told a single battery swap station only requires a 100-kW electric service, which is drastically less electricity demand than a typical DC fast charge site. That will allow the company to set up its stations quickly with utility interconnect much less challenging than it is to install a row of 350 kW DC fast chargers.

Ample has announced the first installation of its 2nd-gen swap stations will be in Tokyo, Japan, and will happen towards the end of this year. They also have plans to install about a dozen of them in Spain as well as in the US.

We’re in the process of arranging to have one of Ample’s founders make an appearance on the InsideEVs podcast, which is recorded live every Friday at 9:30 am Eastern, So if you’re interested in this topic, tune into the show and post your questions and comments.

Jul 11

Republican Proposals Aim To Derail The Pentagon’s Electric Vehicle Push

New GOP proposals aim to restrict the US Army from obtaining combat and non-combat EVs.

The Pentagon’s push to electrify the US Arny’s fleet can encounter major hurdles in the near future. A new report reveals contents from several GOP proposals that aim to restrict electric vehicle research and development for the US armed forces.

Under President Biden, the military is looking to adopt EVs into its fleet, but Republicans’ proposed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could hinder these efforts, reported The Washington Post.

The amendment by Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania includes defunding developments in “electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging, or photovoltaic technology.”

Perry also aims to restrict the use of critical minerals for manufacturing EV batteries. Additionally, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert has proposed “termination of contracts for electric non-tactical vehicles.”

The House might vote on the NDAA this week, but it’s unclear whether the amendments will garner enough support, or pass the chamber. But conservatives’ influence over the House Rules Committee might impact the success of the amendments.

Militaries are among the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, and the Pentagon is the world’s largest institutional consumer of oil.

Last year, the US Army Climate Strategy listed the hazards of continued use of fossil fuels in war zones and the possible solutions. Climate change-fuelled natural disasters can increase the frequency of crisis deployments, disrupt operations, and jeopardize soldiers’ health.

To counter the dangers, the army plans to field an all-electric non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2035, and fully electric tactical vehicles by 2050. The plan also includes providing green electricity for army installations by 2030 and charging infrastructure on all Department of Defense (DoD) installations.

A June 2023 report by the Institute for Energy Research suggests that the disadvantages of EVs on the battlefield far outweigh the benefits at the moment.

A 50-ton combat vehicle would require a 17-megawatt charger to recharge within 15 minutes, and if the charging station is fossil fuel dependent, it would consume 1200 gallons of diesel per hour.

Even though EVs can be stealthy on the battlefield, they can generate electromagnetic fields for enemies to detect using sensory equipment. Hence, electrification may only be practical for support vehicles, as per the report.

Some automakers have already joined the DoD’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Last month, General Motors Defense revealed its Electric Military Concept Vehicle (EMCV) for the US Army’s electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (eLRV) program. The EMCV is based on the Hummer EV and uses GM’s Ultium battery and architecture.

Jul 11

Chevy Pulls the Plug on Affordable Silverado EV Work Truck

Chevrolet made waves with the Silverado EV RST First Edition. However, there was another important model that was set to make its debut in 2023, and that was the entry-level WT, or work truck, aimed at fleet customers.

Chevrolet had high hopes that this truck would be the vehicle that introduces electrification into fleets. It was to be similar to the consumer-level Silverado EV, but there were to be several differences for the fleet vehicle. However, those plans were canceled. In this article, we will look at the cancelation and some plausible reasons for it.

Chevy’s plans for a more affordable Silverado EV work truck

The Chevy Silverado EV WT was going to share the same Ultium platform with a 24-module battery pack with the rest of the Silverado EV lineup and was going to offer the same estimated range. Like the Silverado EV RST, the WT would have had a two-motor setup, but the output would have dropped from 664 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque in the RST to 510 horsepower and 615 lb-ft. Most importantly, it was going to be offered at an affordable $39,900.

The focus would have been on fleet customers, so the crew cab-only Silverado EV WT interior would have been rather plain in its all-black colorway. An 11-inch center screen would have replaced the 17-inch screen that is currently on the RST, while the reconfigurable driver’s display would have shrunk down to 7 inches from the 8-inch screen found in the RST. The WT would also have had a durable metal roof instead of a glass roof.

An uncertain future for the Silverado EV

According to GM Authority, the Chevy Silverado EV will now start in the $50,000 range, likely offering up a lightly equipped work truck variant, perhaps a 2WT model, as the entry-level model.

This new entry-level trim is expected to slot in under the 4WT and 3WT already announced, arriving after the 4WT and 3WT officially launch. The main difference between these two is that the 4WT has a larger battery and an EPA range rating of 450 miles per charge and the 3WT will have a rating close to 400 miles.

For reference, the first Chevy Silverado EV out of the gate is 4WT, followed by the 3WT. Just like the original Silverado EV WT, the 3WT and 4WT are only available to fleet customers. The good news is that if you’re getting either of the two WT variants, both models are eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit of the Inflation Reduction Act since they still cost under $80,000.

Possible reasons for the canceled plans

One of the reasons the plans were canceled was likely due to the inability to bring it in for an affordable price. During a media first drive event of the Silverado EV, Chevrolet representatives told InsideEVs that the $39,900 Silverado EV WT won’t be offered anymore, but at the same time promised that they would offer “competitively-priced” variants starting in 2024.

This means that you are now left with just two trims of the Silverado EV WT with the base price now climbing to $74,800.

Simply put, a $74,800 fleet vehicle is simply too expensive for most businesses. Here is a rundown of the other models available and their cost:

  • Silverado EV 3WT: $74,800 (Available after the 4WT’s launch)
  • Silverado EV 4WT: $79,800 (Already available)
  • Silverado RST: $106,895 (Available this Fall)

The price increase isn’t shocking because the EV industry as a whole has been under pressure to increase prices over the past three years.

Jul 11

KTM Unveils New Macina Revelator SX Prime Electric Road Bike

For-sport e-bikes aren’t exactly a new thing. For several years now, bike manufacturers have been supercharging non-electric bikes with electric motors to provide extra range and more enjoyable performance. A lot of these fancy performance-oriented e-bikes are based on existing non-electric models, and thanks to the sophisticated tech thrown into them, provide a seamless and engaging riding experience.

KTM is a brand you may be familiar with from the world of motorcycles. The Austrian brand has decades of experience making some of the winningest motorbikes in the world of motorsports, as well as some thoroughly impressive motorbikes for the street. The brand also has a division specializing in bicycles, and has just released its newest road e-bike, the Macina Revelator SX Prime. While the name is indeed a mouthful and seems perfectly at home in a future iteration of the Transformers movies, its goal is actually pretty simple: provide engaging on-road performance in a lightweight package.

The new KTM Macina Revelator SX Prime features a complete carbon frame that is both lightweight and robust. It has the powerful Bosch Performance Line SX Motor, which is particularly built for lightweight e-bikes. The highest speed is limited to 15.5 miles per hour according to European laws. A Bosch CompactTube 400-Watt-hour battery powers the bike, providing a dependable and efficient energy source. It is also compatible with the Bosch PowerMore 250 Range Extender for increased range, giving riders even more freedom and flexibility.

The Macina Revelator SX Prime has a built-in Classified hub, which provides a broad range of gear ratios for improved performance. Alongside this, the Shimano 105 Di2 R7150-12 shadow rear derailleur ensures smooth, accurate shifting. The Bosch Mini Remote Dropbar allows riders to easily regulate the degree of assistance, giving them fast access to power options. The bike is also compatible with the Bosch eBike Flow app, which allows users to fine-tune settings and personalize their riding experience.

Aside from its impressive specs, the Macina Revelator SX Prime includes a Revelator Premium Carbon F15 suspension fork, which provides improved shock absorption and a smoother ride. Shimano 105 R7170 hydraulic disc brakes provide accurate and consistent stopping power in a variety of settings. When the pedals are removed, the carbon-framed e-bike weighs only 13.3 kilograms. The KTM Macina Revelator SX Prime e-bike will cost €7,899 (equal to $8,600 USD) when it is released in 2024.

Jul 11

BMW Group Doubles All-Electric Vehicle Sales in Q2 2023

Record-Breaking EV Sales

In the second quarter of 2023, BMW Group achieved a remarkable milestone, with all-electric vehicle (BEV) sales more than doubling to 88,289 units, marking a 117% increase from the previous year. This surge brought the BEV share of BMW Group’s total vehicle sales to a historic high of 14.1%. This robust growth underscores the company’s successful strategy and timely product launches, which have clearly resonated with consumers.

Strategic Shifts and Future Plans

Despite the impressive BEV figures, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have seen a decline, with sales falling 14% compared to the previous year. However, overall, plug-in vehicles now make up 21.5% of BMW Group’s total sales, reflecting a significant shift towards electrification. Looking ahead, BMW plans to further boost its all-electric lineup, with ambitious targets to have at least 20% of new vehicles fully electric by 2024, advancing to 33% by 2026.

Jul 11

Ford SUV Doors Under Scrutiny for Potential Safety Hazard

Investigation Details

Ford is facing a fresh probe from U.S. auto safety regulators due to reports that the front doors of certain Ford Escape models may unexpectedly open while driving. This investigation follows a recent recall and involves 118 complaints concerning 2020 and 2021 Ford Escape vehicles. The issue seems linked to potential failures in the door’s check arm bracket, which could result in the doors either not closing properly or opening unintentionally during operation.

Impact and Current Status

The investigation has flagged about 346,071 Ford Escape vehicles that might be affected by this problem, with 25 complaints reporting injuries and one instance of minor property damage. While Ford has yet to address the issue publicly, it’s clear that the malfunction could pose significant safety risks. This development adds to ongoing concerns about the safety and reliability of Ford’s recent vehicle models, following a previous recall due to engine defects.

Jul 11

Catastrophic Accident in Rancho Palos Verdes Results in Fatality

Overview of the Incident

The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to a harrowing scene in Rancho Palos Verdes where an SUV was reported to have careened off a cliff. This grave incident, which unfolded near 25 Via del Cielo at approximately 2:40 p.m., sadly resulted in at least one confirmed fatality.

Ongoing Rescue Operations

In the aftermath of the tragic accident, rescue personnel are scouring the crash site for potential survivors. The rugged terrain poses significant challenges to the rescue efforts, complicating the search for any other individuals who may have been in the vehicle during the accident.

Community Response and Preventative Action

The grave incident underscores the inherent risks associated with navigating the picturesque yet treacherous roadways of Rancho Palos Verdes. In response, local authorities are expected to review and potentially strengthen safety protocols to help avert similar tragedies in the future. The local community is in mourning, grappling with the shock and sorrow brought on by this tragic event.