🗲Watt a Car

This week, I spoke with a new EV owner who had recently purchased a Tesla. When I asked what influenced his decision, he cited the recent price drops. It appears that Tesla has reduced prices again for the sixth time this year….

If you like the newsletter, send it to a friend who may also be into EVs. Show us some love.  

“I find it a lot healthier for me to be someplace where I can go outside in my bare feet.”

– James Taylor

White House Quiz

What is the name of the call to action from The White House related to transitioning to EVs? 

1. Get Juiced
2. The EV Ramp-Up Challenge
3. The EV Fast Program
4. The EV Acceleration Challenge

Click here for the answer and more details.

Poll

On Tuesday's poll, the Rivian R1T emerged as the winner, securing 45.83% of the votes while the Hummer EV came in second. Surprisingly, the Lightning didn't receive any picks. Sad day.  

@ Scott, I agree.  The Rivian is definitely more of a lifestyle brand.  I still like our Lightning though.  Come on, that frunk is awesome.

@Audi3.2, agreed about the Rivian.  The Cybertruck looks like it’s from another planet.  I kind of like it.

World Premier of the ID.7

Volkswagen introduces the new ID.7, its first global electric model for the upper mid-size class, featuring a range of up to 435 miles, a powerful 210 kW motor, and a spacious, high-quality interior. Designed for long-distance travel, the ID.7 is almost five meters long and offers premium technologies, including a new operating and display concept. 

The ID.7 is set to launch in Europe and China this year, with a North American release in 2024. By 2026, Volkswagen aims to offer the widest electric range among manufacturers in Europe, with the goal of an 80% electric car share by 2030 and producing only electric vehicles in Europe from 2033.

Highlights

• New Volkswagen ID.7 with up to a 435-mile range
• Charging capacity of up to 200 kW
• Launching in Europe and China this year
• Launching in North America in 2024
• Volkswagen aims for an 80% electric car share in Europe by 2030 and to produce only electric vehicles in Europe from 2033

Free Rivian Merch 

It’s almost over. We will pick a winner at the end of April. The winner gets to pick out any single item on Rivian’s Gear Shop for up to $50. To be entered, all you have to do is:

1. Make sure you are subscribed to the newsletter
2. Forward the newsletter to two friends and have them subscribe.  

In Other EV News

• Polestar has unveiled its new electric performance SUV coupé, the Polestar 4, featuring a focus on aerodynamics, a spacious interior, and a top speed of 155 mph. The vehicle boasts a range of up to 373 miles (WLTP), bi-directional charging capability, and supports up to 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging.
• JLR announced plans to accelerate its transition to become a leading modern luxury car manufacturer by turning its Halewood plant in the UK into an all-electric production facility.  JLR's Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton, UK, will shift to electric drive unit and battery pack production.
• Cirba Solutions announced a $300 million investment into a lithium-ion EV battery recycling facility in South Carolina, aiming to create a sustainable closed-loop battery supply chain. This flagship facility located in the US, “Battery Belt”, will process end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap to extract critical materials, providing enough recycled materials to power over 500,000 EV batteries annually.
• New Jersey's Charge Up program, which offers residents up to $4,000 when purchasing or leasing electric vehicles, has been temporarily paused due to depleted funds from the high demand.
• The Volkswagen Group is investing €1 billion in a new development, innovation, and procurement center in Hefei, China, with the aim of aligning with Chinese customer preferences and reducing development times by 30%. The new company, called 100%TechCo, will combine R&D and procurement, integrate local suppliers early in the development process, and employ over 2,000 staff, launching in 2024.
• Unveiling its autonomous driving and BEV roadmap, Li Auto targets 100-city coverage for its Li AD Max 3.0 system by the end of 2023 and introduces an 800-volt fast charging solution, enabling a 10-minute charge for a 400 km driving range.

Energized- Ned’s Corner

I energized two new DC chargers from two different OEMs in under 24 hours at the charge lab last week, which was really neat! Moving our input power from hard-wired to receptacle connected made change-outs in the lab much faster. It's nice to have a plan work out as hoped! I switched from one charger energized to another in under 23 seconds earlier today! Yes, I timed myself.

Click here to read the whole article from Ned and make sure to follow him on LinkedIn.  

About Ned

Ned is an EV professional with experience with chargers from 1 to 500kW and EVs ranging from unicycles to buses and class 8 trucks. An EV owner since 2014, he is currently a Technical Solutions Manager with Electrada. He develops and refines charging solutions for fleets using his engineering experience to drive for high uptime, reliability, and efficiency.

100 Year Old Electric Tractor