Tag Archives: Electric vehicles

The government is investigating why Tesla drivers can play solitaire at the wheel

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is officially looking into the “driver distraction potential” of Tesla’s “Passenger Play” system, which drivers say allows them to play games while on the road. 

A spokesperson for NHTSA told Popular Science Wednesday it has now opened a “Preliminary Evaluation” to “evaluate the scenarios” in which Tesla drivers can interact with the gaming offerings available on the dashboard screen. The vehicles included in this investigation are Tesla Models 3, S, X, and Y from years 2017 through 2022. The Associated Press, which first reported on the NHTSA evaluation, says this equates to about 580,000 cars. 

According to a report from the New York Times on December 7, three new games were added to Tesla’s dashboard screens in a virtual update this summer, including solitaire, a “jet fighter game,” and a “conquest strategy game.” While more than a dozen games were previously available while the car was in park, this update also made games accessible when the vehicle was in drive. Before launching, the games ask for confirmation that the player is a passenger, not the driver, The Verge found, but the driver could still tap the confirmation button to proceed. 

The Times report cited Vince Patton, a Tesla owner who filed a complaint to NHTSA after discovering the feature and had safety concerns, as well as videos on YouTube that show how the system works. NHTSA confirmed to Popular Science that it received one owner complaint about the games. In the report from the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, there are no recorded incidents of crashes or injuries related to the game system’s use.

“NHTSA based its decision on reports that Tesla’s gameplay functionality is visible from the driver’s seat and can be enabled while driving the vehicle,” the NHTSA spokesperson said to Popular Science in an emailed statement about the agency’s choice to formally look into the issue. Previously, NHTSA told the Times it was “discussing the feature with the manufacturer.”

This probe comes less than two weeks after NHTSA told CNBC it was in communication with Tesla over an Autopilot glitch and as the agency continues to investigate multiple serious accidents involving Teslas hitting emergency vehicles while in Autopilot mode. The NHTSA spokesperson said that, as a reminder, there are no commercially available vehicles today that can totally drive themselves.

“Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all State laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles,” the spokesperson added. 

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Ford Partners with CARB to Secure Green EV Charging

Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. 

Ford debuts 2020 Escape PHEV
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.

With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.  

“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.

“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.” 

California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program. 

Ford green charging California graphic

Only green energy wanted 

The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.  

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, recently noted the ability of electric vehicles to limit emissions of greenhouse gases is blunted if the energy powering them comes from fossil fuels, such as oil. Other critics of EVs note EVs cannot deter climate change if they are dependent on electric grid powered by fossil fuels.  

Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said. 

CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States. 

Ford Sustainable Charging web page

Program uses a phone app to find green energy 

Under the program, owners of eligible plug-in electric vehicles connect to the program through the FordPass app. 

Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy. 

Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity. 

Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.

Lordstown Motors Sells Home to Foxconn

<img data-attachment-id="1766260" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/06/lordstown-deathwatch-another-unflattering-sec-filing-emerges/lordstown-factory-solar-array/" data-orig-file="http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/lordstown-motors-sells-home-to-foxconn-6.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,512" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Lordstown factory solar array" data-image-description="

Lordstown Motors

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The troubled Lordstown Motors has announced it will be selling its Ohio production facility to the Taiwanese Hon Hai Precision Industry, better known as Foxconn. But this is not a case of the prospective automaker offloading its assets so it can pay off its debts in full retreat. Instead, Lordstown has asserted this is a necessary partnership that will help guarantee it can still deliver the all-electric Endurance pickup truck.

Terms stipulate that Lordstown Motors will sell the sprawling factory to Foxconn for about $230 million. Two years ago, the site was purchased from General Motors for a very breezy $20 million after the Detroit-based manufacturer decided to abandon the Chevrolet Cruze. Foxconn will also be buying up $50 million worth of common stock and effectively take responsibility for production at Lordstown Assembly. However there is a laundry list of things that need to be done before pickup assembly is even an option. 

The duo have yet to formalize their agreement as to how the Endurance will be assembled (with Foxconn presumed to take the lead) or collaborate with the relevant suppliers so that production can be maintained. They will also need to assemble the vehicles that will be used for the testing, validation, and verification, in order they can get the necessary regulatory approvals for moving forward.

Foxconn is assumed to be jumping in because it’s a multinational entity with trillions in revenue and ties dispersed across the technology sector and eager to expand into vehicle production. Some of its biggest clients have included Amazon, Apple, BlackBerry, Cisco, Dell, Fisker, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Toshiba, Vizio, and Xiaomi. Globally, Foxconn has more than a million employees and it remains the largest employer in mainland China by far.

Despite the prospective automaker having gotten itself into trouble of late (not that Foxconn is lacking in terms of scandal), news of the deal caused Lordstown shares to increase by as much as 12 percent on Thursday evening. Bloomberg reported that the stock climbed by 8.4 percent during regular hours, closing at $7.98.

From Bloomberg:

The accord gives both companies something they badly need. Lordstown Motors gets a partner that will hasten the startup’s move into large-scale production, which will help lower the high costs required to make EVs. Foxconn gets a plant in North America where it can build its open-source electric vehicle platform and do contract manufacturing for partners like Fisker Inc.

“It’s less about a facility sale than a strategic partnership,” Lordstown Motors Chief Executive Officer Dan Ninivaggi said in an interview. “You have to find a way to get scale in the auto industry. Foxconn has a vision. They’ve got enormous capabilities in manufacturing and they will be able to fill that plant faster than we could.”

Foxconn’s manufacturing prowess is irrefutable and it’s likely the firm was responsible for manufacturing at least one gaming console, computer, or cell phone you’ve previously owned. It also appears to be getting the better deal here since Lordstown had grown vocally desperate over the summer. Finances had reached a point where the company no longer knew if it would be able to reach the production phase and it is currently under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice over its deal to go public — in addition to some allegedly false or misleading statements made by former management, including company founder and ex-CEO Steve Burns.

While the partnership does provide the cash-strapped EV startup with more funding, Foxconn now owns its only manufacturing facility and has the ability to jumpstart vehicle production ahead of plans to assist Fisker (likely using the same facility).

On a longer timeline, this could bode similarly well for Apple’s sporadic interest in building an automobile. But it’s a little early to presume anything right now. We’ll be impressed if Lordstown Motors manages to adhere to its promise of delivering its pickup within the first half of 2022.

<img data-attachment-id="1766264" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/06/lordstown-deathwatch-another-unflattering-sec-filing-emerges/lordstown-motors-endurance-prototype/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Lordstown-Motors-Endurance-prototype.jpg" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Lordstown Motors Endurance prototype" data-image-description="

Lordstown Motors

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[Image: Lordstown Motors]

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Volkswagen Group: Audi Employs Ken Block, Porsche Making 718 Electric

<img data-attachment-id="1774616" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/audi-block/" data-orig-file="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Audi-Block-e1632344516704.png" data-orig-size="2867,1674" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Audi Block" data-image-description="

Audi

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Despite being the target of a German lawsuit accusing the manufacturer of not being green enough, Volkswagen Group is probably the legacy automaker touting the merits of electrification with the most enthusiasm. While undoubtedly influenced by the diesel emissions catastrophe that cheesed off every regulator in the Western world, its brand has actively been delivering EVs and praising alternative energy automobiles whenever possible.

There was more of that this week. Porsche has reportedly decided to make the 718 to be an all-electric model by 2025 and Audi recently announced that it’s employing rally icon and Hoonigan founder Ken Block (who broke with the Ford Motor Co. earlier this year) to develop EVs.

Audi announced Block’s involvement on Tuesday by simultaneously releasing a video and interview. The video is about what you’d expect and the interview feels about as organic as a cube of polyethylene. Block is supposed to be joining the company to help develop electric cars but there isn’t much in the way of details in the interview. Instead, it served as a vehicle for the professional driver to praise Audi products (perhaps genuinely) and discuss how it shouldn’t matter what’s beneath the hood so long as the car goes fast.

In case you’ve never seen one of his videos, Ken Block likes to go fast and he mentions it with the frequency and subtlety of Sonic the Hedgehog throughout the release. As I’ve never witnessed him being verbose, this was likely the most authentic aspect of the interview. But the rest was sprinkled with enough corporate buzz terms to make it feel like he may have been coached by his new employer.

“By testing electric cars in different contexts, we want to showcase mobility and electrification in new and entertaining ways. Audi has done an incredible job of driving their vehicles into the future,” Block stated. “Hopefully, I can pick up on that and have a lot of fun with it at the same time. Audi technology has always had a huge impact on me. In the 1980s, the brand used to dominate one of my all-time favorite sports events — the World Rally Championship — in a way that truly inspired me. Over the years, I’ve always had a real fan’s appreciation for what Audi achieved in racing way back when, right up to modern-day motorsport. I have always been very impressed with their progressiveness and the fact that they are constantly looking ahead.”

This led to a statement on humanity and the ways we all need to live to create a progressive, pro-mobility future. But the overall gist from Ken’s discussion is that electric vehicles are part of that and everyone needs to get on board.

<img data-attachment-id="1774614" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/block-audi-2/" data-orig-file="http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-5.jpg" data-orig-size="768,471" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Block Audi 2" data-image-description="

Audi

” data-medium-file=”http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-4.jpg” data-large-file=”http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1774614″ src=”http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”374″ srcset=”http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric.jpg 610w, http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-3.jpg 75w, http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-4.jpg 450w, http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-5.jpg 768w, http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-6.jpg 120w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the sound of combustion engines, especially the five-cylinder that Audi is so famous for,” he said. “That’s what I grew up with. Even so, I welcome change and whatever might make me go faster. Of course, I’ll miss the sound of the engine, but there are other ways to enjoy new technology and its sounds. The view that combustion engines are the answer because something would be missing without that growl is wrong. I have kids who haven’t grown up with those sounds for the past thirty or fifty years as I have and don’t care about them. They’re used to the idea that there are combustion engines and electric motors, each with their own sounds. To them, both are cool. We older people need to change our attitude and learn that the lack of a sound can also be very cool.”

What does all of this mean? Well, other than the fact that Audi is now paying Ken Block to say things, we’re not absolutely certain. The manufacturer has been extremely cagey on the details, only admitting that the Hoonigan executive will be helping to deliver “exclusive joint projects in the field of electric mobility” and already drove the classic Sport Quattro S1, V8 Quattro DTM, Audi RS E-Tron GT, and E-Tron Vision Gran Turismo prototype.

My guess is that this results in another gymkhana video where Block pilots an Audi-branded vehicle through tight spaces at unadvisable speeds. Perhaps there will even be a few new electrified products from the manufacturer with Ken’s signature on them — though his sitting through an entire development phase seems unlikely.

Meanwhile, Porsche is supposedly already working on a new EV that will end up replacing one of its best models. According to Car and Driver, the 718 will become a totally battery-electric vehicle for the 2025 model year. The outlet said that it ended months of speculation after Porsche unveiled the Mission R Concept (pictured) at the Munich auto show. It’s the correct shape and size to replace the 718 and will reportedly serve as the template for its successor.

<img data-attachment-id="1774610" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/porsche-mission-r-concept/" data-orig-file="http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-11.jpg" data-orig-size="980,653" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Porsche Mission R Concept" data-image-description="

Porsche

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From Car and Driver:

We haven’t seen the interior yet, but we are assured it will be the brand’s most futuristic yet, more forward-looking than the Taycan and a massive leap from the conservatively styled current 718 cockpit. In designing the user interface, Porsche is keeping the customer base in mind: In China, the most important market, the average age of a 718 buyer is just 31. We are told, “This will be the most modern Porsche.”

Sports-car fans have been concerned that an electric 718 could become excessively heavy; a Taycan, after all, comes in between 4,568 pounds for the entry-level model with the small battery and 5,199 pounds for the Turbo S Cross Turismo, despite its not-exactly-spacious package. The 718, on the other hand, will be almost a miracle of lightweight technology: The internal target weight is under 3,650 pounds.

Weight is one thing but the car also needs to be useable. If the Porsche Taycan taught us anything, it’s that diminished range can severely undermine what’s an otherwise desirable automobile. We’re also slightly concerned that future 718 models won’t be a cost-conscious alternative to the 911, but its main competition. The iconic 911 is said to remain internal-combustion-focused until at least 2030. Though an all-electric 718 will probably be able to match its acceleration before the speedometer reaches blistering speeds. Assuming there remains a divide between EV and ICE fans, this might not be a big issue and the same goes if Porsche can keep pricing below the $83,000 it charges for the Taycan.

However, it doesn’t really matter what the consumer wants or what it’s going to cost. Europe’s restrictive Euro 7 regulations have effectively painted all manufacturers into a corner. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has claimed the proposed rules would basically kill their ability to continue developing internal-combustion engines, especially since regulators are considering real-world emission monitoring over the entire lifetime of a vehicle. Assuming Porsche still wants to build high-performance vehicles with juicy spec sheets inside the EU, they’ll have to be electric.

<img data-attachment-id="1774612" data-permalink="https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric/porsche-mission-r-concept-rear/" data-orig-file="http://lntransportation.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/volkswagen-group-audi-employs-ken-block-porsche-making-718-electric-16.jpg" data-orig-size="980,653" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Porsche Mission R concept rear" data-image-description="

Porsche

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[Images: Volkswagen Group]

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Electrify America Gives EV Shoppers a Reason to Look at Volvos: Free Charging

For those looking to buy an electric vehicle, it’s a good time to be in the market as there are a variety of incentives available. Electrify America’s offering the latest with 250 kWh of complementary charging for new 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge and the coming 2022 C40 Recharge buyers.

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge - side parked
The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is being produced in Ghent, Belgium, like the XC40 Recharge — gets 250 kWh of free charging too.

The program only applies to the first owners of the vehicles. Once owners have chewed through their free allotment, they’ll automatically be eligible for Electrify America’s Pass+, which gives them lower rates and a membership paid by Volvo for one year.

“Increasing access to fast and reliable charging is critical to the adoption of battery electric vehicles,” said Anders Gustafsson, president and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “Our collaboration with Electrify America ensures our drivers will be able to enjoy the benefits of an electric car whether they are taking short trips or long journeys.”

Free juice is one of the go-to moves to entice potential BEVs owners buy a particular electric vehicle these days. Even the popular Ford Mustang Mach-E, which is reportedly responsible for stealing 10% of Tesla Inc.’s marketshare, came with a deal.

New owners once got 250 kilowatt hours of free charging through FordPass Rewards at Electrify America fast-charging stations. It’s not just Ford. General Motors has turned to petro-giant Shell to help buyers of BEVs like the Chevrolet Bolt charge up using renewable energy.

The program allows owners to charge up overnight — when demand on the grid is normally low — at no cost using renewable energy. The new partners also plan to provide energy at reduced rates to GM suppliers. Initially, the program will be limited to Texas, but the plan is to expand to other markets “in the future,” they said in a statement.

Ford Mustang Mach-E owners once received 250 kWh of complimentary charging through FordPass Rewards at Electrify America stations.

Cash rebates haven’t cut it

In the past, cash rebates or special low interest rates have been used to entice buyers into a specific vehicle, but not so with EVs. Makers have seized upon range anxiety fears to get attention by offering no-cost EV charging.

The “free juice” push isn’t a recent phenomenon. Nissan’s offered it sporadically on its Leaf EV for several years. Ford offered the incentive on its C-Max five years ago too. Recently General Motors jumped on the bandwagon.

GM looked to attract buyers by making it easier to charge up at home and on the road, setting up alliances with more than a half-dozen public charging companies, including Blink Charging, ChargePoint, EV Connect, EVgo, FLO and SemaConnect, as well as Greenlots. The latter company was acquired by Shell in 2019.

Of course, Tesla really started the whole “free charging” by offering it for a lifetime to early owners of its vehicles through its proprietary SuperCharger network.

General Motors and Shell are working together to offer renewable energy solutions to GM’s customers in Texas. The program includes current offerings that can help expand access to renewable energy for GM’s customers and suppliers. Coming this summer, owners of electric vehicles from GM brands will have the opportunity to select home energy plans that include the option for free overnight hours of EV charging.
General Motors and Shell are working together to offer renewable energy solutions to GM’s customers in Texas.

Working with automakers

EVgo’s worked with Nissan on to make charging easier, including working with the Japanese automaker to add 2,000 charging stations to its network in the last six years, including a series of nine fast-charging stations stretching across a 500-mile stretch of I-95 between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Electrify America offered special pricing for Kia Niro EV owners last year. The “Kia Select” program offered a flat rate of 35 cents per-minute charging for current Kia Niro EV drivers, designed specifically for the unique DC charging characteristics of the model. The program also waives session fees and has no subscription fees for participants.

It is owned by Volkswagen, which formed the company as part of its dieselgate scandal settlement a few years back. It just recently announced plans to double its current electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the United States and Canada with more than 1,800 fast charging stations and 10,000 individual chargers installed by the end of 2025. 

The expansion will increase the deployment of 150 and 350 kilowatt chargers – the fastest speed available today – and help pave the way for more electric vehicles in North America, according to Electrify America officials.

John Cooper Works Mini EV or the Evolution of Small Appliances?

John Cooper Works Mini

John Cooper Works Mini and electrification, do they go together? Do buyers who pay a premium for the JCW brand want or need an electric version?

John Cooper Works Mini

Does the evolution of the Mini model range and parent corporation BMW’s ongoing expansion of electric mobility offer anything new for enthusiasts and loyal owners of the John Cooper Works brand? Driving enjoyment being the raison d’être for JCW, does this mean that extreme performance and genuine driving enjoyment will be available with electric drive as well as combustion engines? Will this open up new possibilities for future Mini vehicle architecture? John Cooper Works Mini

If you ask Mini, they’ll tell you all about what they’ve accomplished in electric mobility. They referenced the Mini Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid’s miserly combined fuel and power consumption, as the rationale that led to electrification of 5 percent of the brand. With the launch of the all-electric Mini Cooper SE, 10 percent of all Minis were now plug-ins. Based on just 10 percent and not considering the 90 percent still gas-powered, Mini said in a press release that they are preparing to press on in the development of John Cooper Works EV models.

John Cooper Works Mini

“With the Mini Electric, we’ve shown how well brand-typical driving enjoyment and electric mobility can be combined,” said Bernd Körber, head of the Mini brand. “Now it’s time to translate the passion for performance of the John Cooper Works brand to electromobility. That’s why we’re working to develop concepts for electric John Cooper Works models.”

John Cooper Works Mini

The current focus on the development of a Mini John Cooper Works EV demonstrates just how important electric mobility is in terms of BMW’s future direction, a goal of sustainability, if not performance and passion.

John Cooper Works Mini

“John Cooper Works models with conventional combustion engines will still continue to have an important role to play, to make sure we’re addressing the wishes and needs of performance enthusiasts all around the world,” said Bernd Körber. “With this new focus on electric performance, we’re also creating the opportunity to sharpen the distinctive profile of the John Cooper Works brand more than ever before.”

Battery-powered tools and appliances being what they are, I’ll keep my corded DeWalt drill and rotary saw. It’s frustrating having to wait for cordless tools to power up again. I wonder if John Cooper Works EV owners will feel the same?

[ Images: Mini]

Batteries Not Included: Nio Ready to Lease EV Power Packs

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Michael Vi/Shutterstock

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Chinese automaker Nio is planning to allow customers to lease vehicle batteries independently from the cars themselves, and has involved Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) in the venture.

Considering EVs are useless without their battery, leasing an essential component seems to serve little purpose on its face. But Nio intends to sell its ES6 crossover for 273,600 yuan ($39,500) in China with the option to lease the battery for 980 yuan a month. Customers can also choose to purchase the entire vehicle outright for 343,600 yuan ($49,600) if they haven’t tricked themselves into believing a better battery is less than a year away.

This is a weird one, because the stated purpose is to lower the vehicle’s upfront costs. But it’s just a paperweight without an energy source, forcing customers to lease the power pack if they want to use the vehicle — and at no small cost. The companies announced the new program in Beijing on Thursday with Nio CEO William Li stating his company plans to enter Europe in the second half of 2021. Hopefully they’ll be dumb enough to accept the batteries-as-a-service premise.

The “as a service” suffix is one we’ve seen attached to numerous industries in the 21st century as technology and greed collide. Effectively, it means taking anything you could have paid for once and transforming it into an endless cycle of regular payments via a subscription service. While it makes sense in some instances (streaming services, cable), it’s often a predatory business tactic designed to weasel more money out of the customer —  and it’s creeping into the automotive realm.

The video game industry is probably the best example of this doubled-edged sword, if only because it has had more time to develop there.

Games traditionally sold via physical retailers can now be downloaded online, often with routine (often mandatory) updates to change the software. This gives publishers the ability to offer new content in exchange for rolling fees. But the act has rubbed the gaming community the wrong way, as many AAA tiles now incorporate microtransactions and paywalls where none previously existed. As the car becomes more connected, we’re seeing the same happen within the automotive community. Companies are now examining ways to sell more features (sometimes entire vehicles) using the subscription model.

While we’ve seen other Chinese EV firms toying with ways to swap battery packs, like BAIC Motor Corp. Nio appears to be the only brand considering extending the service beyond commercial fleets. The new joint venture, titled Wuhan Weineng Battery Asset Management, will handle all aspects of handling batteries for customers once the cells leave CATL’s factories and will be working exclusively on Nio vehicles. Automotive News reports Wuhan Weineng is interested in taking on additional partners eventually, however.

From AN:

The new venture, which will handle leasing, charging, maintenance and upgrades of batteries separate from its cars, will be part owned by Nio and battery giant CATL. Other investors are Guotai Junan Financial Products Co. and the government-backed Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Investment Group.

The four owners will each invest an initial 200 million yuan ($28.9 million) into the venture, called Wuhan Weineng Battery Asset Management Co. More investors are in the process of participating, Li said.

Shanghai-based Nio, which this year received a municipal government cash injection and credit facilities from local banks, reported a positive gross margin for the first time in the second quarter. Its sleek ES8 and ES6 utility vehicles are attracting buyers as the coronavirus pandemic eases in China, helping Nio’s stock price more than triple this year.

Its sales have been weak, however. China’s battery market cratered after the nation withdrew subsidies. Nio didn’t even manage to reach 20,000 deliveries through the first half of 2020. But it’s assumed that EV sales will continue to rise, especially now that China has reintroduced new perks for those buying new-energy vehicles.

Currently, Nio only sells its products within the confines of China and believes volume will increase as it enters more markets. Europe is on the docket for next year, with an Asian expansion expected to follow in 2022. Ideally, Nio said it wanted to be seen as a global automaker before 2024.

[Images: Michael Vi/Shutterstock]