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Nissan hits 1 million 🚀…

Yesterday, I had an amazing opportunity to tour the BMW facility in Spartanburg and see how they build the new XM hybrid. This is the first M model with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and it is a beast. It has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and an electric motor that together produce 644 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph. What a remarkable facility and incredible process to see how these vehicles are built. Pretty amazing!

To the news.

“Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.”

Charging

DC fast charging accounted for __% of public charging in Q1 2023?

15.9%
21.5%
31.8%
42.3%

Click here for the answer.

Top 10ish EV/AV News Stories (in 5 minutes or less)

GM CEO, Mary Barra, attributed the slow ramp-up of GM's new electric vehicles to a supplier of automation equipment leading to concerns about the company's ability to catch up to Tesla, despite positive quarterly results and plans to produce 100,000 vehicles in North America during the second half of the year. Oh, and the Bolt is back.
Electric vehicle charger operator EVCS plans to raise $125 million to expand its fast charger network and take advantage of the U.S. government's efforts to promote EV adoption.
Alef Aeronautics announced it has received 2,500 pre-orders worth $750 million in revenue for its electric flying car, including deposits from individuals and B2B agreements with businesses, indicating strong market demand for the new mode of transportation.
Owners of electric vehicles in Texas will be required to pay an additional fee of $200 annually for registration renewals and a $400 fee for new electric vehicle purchases during the initial two-year registration period, with the revenue going towards state highway funds for roadway construction and maintenance projects, starting September 1, 2023.
Achieving a significant milestone, Nissan has sold 1,000,000 all-electric vehicles globally since the introduction of the Leaf model in December 2010, with Europe leading in the number of electric Nissans sold.
Nissan plans to invest $663 million in Renault's electric vehicle and software entity, Ampere, and both companies will establish more equal cross-shareholdings in the French-Japanese auto alliance, aiming to end previous disparities and further collaboration.
Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc. is set to open its flagship Austin Space facility in 2024 on South Congress Avenue, offering a showroom with transparent facades, Level 2 EV charging, and access to the Lady Bird Lake trail connection.
Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, announced during the Q2 Earnings Call that the company is in early discussions with a major automaker to license its Full Self-Driving software.
MSU and the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center have partnered to launch a $9 million mobility research initiative to advance autonomous ground vehicle research, focusing on integrated communication and control systems for automated vehicles and their environments.
Stellantis and Samsung SDI have announced plans to establish a second battery manufacturing facility in the United States, under the existing StarPlus Energy joint venture, with production scheduled to start in 2027 and an initial annual capacity of 34 gigawatt-hours, aiming to support Stellantis' electrification plan and carbon neutrality commitment.
Two pieces of legislation are being considered by Congress that would increase the number of self-driving cars exempt from federal motor-vehicle safety standards, with one proposal aiming to raise the figure to 100,000 within four years and the other to 80,000 over an eight-year span.
CATL reported a 63% increase in quarterly profit due to rising global electric-vehicle sales and stable lithium prices, with record sales from top customer Tesla contributing to the company's growth.

Ned’s Corner

The Bolt is coming back! I am glad. It's a great vehicle for many purposes and, this is key- not huge and expensive. I have had a Bolt for 2 years and enjoyed its practicality, and not getting too upset when my kids stuff millions of crackers into the seats, like I might if it were a $60k car. It's a practical car for local and regional driving without the range anxiety of lower-range EVs.

The Bolt getting Ultium tech has the potential to lift its greatest handicap, that terribly slow 55kW DCFC. I have taken my Bolt on road trips of thousands of miles, and that is a test of patience. Getting triple digit charge speeds for the Bolt makes it an instant winner. Not just for the convenience of getting back on the road, but for avoiding impatient glares when I am charging by necessity at 23kW and an EV6 is waiting to charge at 230kW. Slow DC charging hogs infrastructure!

I did think the Bolt was gone for good since GM wanted the Orion plant production capacity for bigger EVs. I am pleased it's coming back and curious how this will play out. I wonder if the outcry from Bolt owners had anything to do with it?

Follow Ned here for more on his expert take on EVs.