EV Brief 7/6/21 EV Brief 7/6/21

Daimler, Traton and Volvo jointly invest 500 million euros in heavy vehicle EV charging network

Three of Europe’s biggest truck manufacturers - Daimler Trucks, Traton and AB Volvo plan to invest 167 million euro each ($262 million AUD/$198 million USD) in a new joint venture business to develop a Europe-wide charging network for battery electric heavy vehicles.

Daimler’s e-Actros battery-electric rigid frame truck. Image: Daimler

The notion of electrified heavy vehicles scares many away from even discussing the transition away from polluting trucks; weight, cost, charging and range are all cited as insurmountable obstacles, and there aren’t many manufacturers with production-ready battery-electric models. Even Tesla’s much-lauded Tesla Semi is at least twelve months away.

This joint venture aims to address the issues of range anxiety and charging; according to Martin Daum, chief executive of Daimler Trucks, "The key ingredient in the future rolling-out of electric vehicles will be the infrastructure. It will be the big bottleneck"

The European Car Industry Association (ACEA) wants 50,000 heavy vehicle charge points across Europe by 2030, warning that a dense network of recharging sites in all EU member states is crucial to making road freight carbon neutral by 2050.

All three companies currently have electric trucks in development and are aiming for the joint venture company to be operational by 2022. The company will be headquartered in Amsterdam and lists an initial objective of installing 1,700 charging points within five years.

With time, it’s expected that other manufacturers will join the new joint venture. "In order to accelerate further, we need additional partners, additional networks, and public funds," AB Volvo CEO Martin Lundstedt said. "We will continue to be very fierce competitors. But we need a new platform to compete upon."

The ACEA is also a proponent of hydrogen fuel cell-powered transport and is working to set a target of installing 300 hydrogen refueling stations in the EU by 2025. Daimler, Toyota, Volvo, and Hyunda are among legacy automakers investing in fuel cell technology, and Hyundai is currently operating Xcient hydrogen fuel cell rigid body trucks in Switzerland.

Source: Reuters

Daimler has a diverse portfolio of brands, including Fuso and Freightliner. Image: Daimler

EV Brief 7/2/21 EV Brief 7/2/21

Hyundai's hydrogen-powered XCIENT test fleet surpasses 1 million kilometre milestone

Hyundai fleet of XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks has collectively exceeded 1 million kilometres of driving in 11 months of service in Switzerland. During that time, the fleet has reduced CO2 emissions by over an estimated 630 tons when compared to diesel-powered vehicles.

Hyundai’s 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell truck. Image: Hyundai

Hyundai has been testing hydrogen fuel cell technology for many years across all forms of transport from the Nexo passenger car we recently reviewed, to heavy vehicles. While we believe that battery electric passenger vehicles are superior to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the long term, hydrogen may play an increasingly larger role in transport and logistics.

Hyundai's fleet of XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks has collectively exceeded 1 million kilometres of driving in 11 months of service in Switzerland. During that time, the fleet has reduced CO2 emissions by over an estimated 630 tons when compared to diesel-powered vehicles according to the automaker. The 46 trucks in the fleet have been in the service of 25 Swiss companies in logistics, distribution, and supermarket fulfillment.

“Swiss transport and logistics companies are convinced that hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles have the greatest potential among various alternative energy vehicles. The member companies do not stop at simply introducing hydrogen fuel cell trucks. They have high expectations for the hydrogen energy source that holds great potential for the future and believe that hydrogen will be the key for transitioning to eco-friendly energy,” Jörg Ackermann, Chairman of the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association said. “Specifically, the biggest advantage of hydrogen energy is its excellent storability. This suggests that hydrogen will play an important role in the era of eco-friendly energy. Many distribution companies are already experiencing the benefits directly by using the XCIENT fuel cell trucks, and I think that if summer operation is completed successfully, the demand for the XCIENT fuel cell trucks will increase even more."

XCIENT is available in a 4x2 or 6x2 rigid body configurations.

The XCIENT range was launched in 2019, and the 2021 model features revised styling and performance improvements. The XCIENT is available in a 4x2 or 6x2 rigid body configuration. A total of 140 units of the 2021 model will be shipped to Switzerland by the end of this year, with 1,600 planned by 2025.

It’s worth noting that the European Parliament has backed low-carbon hydrogen and plans to significantly increase production over the coming decade but at this stage, there is still limited hydrogen production, storage and refueling capability in the EU. Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM) leases the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to commercial truck operators on a pay-per-use basis which includes the hydrogen supply as well. The benefit for commercial fleet customers is that there is no initial investment.

Hyundai Motor Company has set an annual sales goal of 110,000 fuel cell electric vehicles worldwide by 2025, under its ‘Strategy 2025’ plan. Meanwhile, the wider Hyundai Motor Group plans to ramp up production capacity for hydrogen-powered vehicles to 500,000 units by 2030.

We certainly welcome the decarbonisation of the transportation sector, but would like to see Hyundai developing its battery technology systems to integrate with its rigid body trucks.

EV Brief 5/29/21 EV Brief 5/29/21

Peugeot e-Boxer last-mile electric delivery van priced from £49,335 in UK

Peugeot has announced pricing for its e-Boxer electric van in the UK. Customers have the choice of panel van, window van, and chassis cab body styles, three wheelbase lengths depending on business needs, and two battery options:

Peugeot’s e-Boxer will start from £49,335 in the UK after the PiCG. Images: Peugeot

Panel Van L2H2 435 37kWh Auto Professional - £49,335 (After Plug-in Car Grant)

Panel Van L3H2 435 70kWh Auto Professional - £55,085

Panel Van L3H2 440 70kWh Auto Professional - £58,355

Panel Van L4H2 440 70kWh Auto Professional - £59,255

Window Van L4H2 440 70kWh Auto Professional - £59,750

Chassis Cab L3 435 70kWh Auto Professional - £52,010

Chassis Cab L3 440 70kWh Auto Professional - £55,280

The entry model offers a 37 kWh battery with a 73-mile (117km) range (WLTP). Buyers can option a larger 70kWh battery, which will provide 139 miles (224km) of range, and will cost an additional £5,750.

All models come with a 22kW Type 2 charging cable that is compatible with both single and three phase wallboxes. A full 0-100% charge using a 7.4kW single phase wallbox can be achieved in six hours on the 37kWh battery, and 12 hours on the 70kWh battery. The e-Boxer also supports DC rapid charging up to 50kW, allowing a 0-80% charge in just one hour. Both battery options are connected to a 90kW electric motor producing 350Nm of torque.

Peugeot’s e-Boxer will offer a choice of 117km or 224km range models.

While the vehicle range-to-price ratio may seem uneconomical, electric delivery vans are set to be common sights on our streets in response to strict environmental standards being introduced at all levels of government across the United States and Europe. Volta is aiming to bring a range of electric trucks to European streets by 2025, and Amazon/Rivian’s delivery van is currently testing across the United States.

The efficient and clean movement of freight within dense urban areas is a complex problem facing municipalities and planners alike, and short-range, zero-emissions vehicles are set to slash diesel usage and particulate matter. There is potential to quickly reduce fleet operating costs, as well as downtime due to mechanical issues. Electric vehicles also offer the ability to integrate smart software into the vehicle, to optimise delivery routes and minimise driver fatigue.

Peugeot’s e-Boxer is available to order now for European customers.

EV Brief 5/16/21 EV Brief 5/16/21

Volta Trucks amps up its electrification strategy with new electric trucks and market expansion

UK electric truck startup Volta Trucks has outlined a Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy, crucial to following through with its promise to decarbonise the logistics industry. With many European cities implementing low or zero-emission zones, Volta Trucks intends to be ahead of the curve by rolling out four fully electric commercial vehicles by 2025.

The Volta Zero is targeting London as an initial launch market. Images: Volta Trucks

Four battery-electric Volta Zero vehicles to be offered from 7.5 to 19 tonnes.

Volta Trucks projects volumes to exceed 27,000 units per year by 2025.
Market expansion via Europe-first city-specific strategy, with launch markets, expanded from London and Paris to include wider European cities.
Vehicle manufacturing strategy to locate facilities close to core markets.
Volta Trucks lays out its Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy with a road map to 2025.

Announcing the company’s Road-to-Zero Emissions strategy, Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, Essa Al-Saleh, said:

"We have seen huge success since launching the 16-tonne Volta Zero in September 2020. We have significant tail winds with zero emission large commercial vehicles, thanks to forthcoming legislation changes that are driving demand, as well as many customers with uncompromising sustainability agendas wanting to purchase the most environmentally focused vehicles for their fleets. This has created a very strong order book that encourages us to rapidly accelerate our plans.

Volta Trucks will introduce its brand with the 16-tonne Volta Zero, expected to commence production late in 2021, followed by 19-tonne and 12-tonne variants in 2023. According to Volta, the most affordable of the range, a 7.5-tonne model, is currently in the early design development phase and will enter production in late-2024.

Volta Trucks plans to revolutionise logistics fleets with the Zero.

Volta Trucks will adopt a network manufacturing strategy, planning a number of assembly facilities distributed across its key markets with a view to minimising unnecessary transportation and cost. Volta Trucks is currently engaged in the ‘expressions of interest’ phase of the repurposing of Nissan’s former factory in Barcelona. Ultimately, Volta Trucks is considering a number of additional manufacturing locations across Europe, North America and Asia, to be able to achieve a significant volume ramp up from launch.

Volta Trucks announced last year a large purchase of 1,000 full-electric large commercial vehicles by Petit Forestier, Europe’s largest refrigerated commercial rental fleet. The company holds over $260 million USD in orders as of January 2021.

The company also plans to revolutionise commercial logistics fleets, by offering a Truck as a Service ("TaaS") option for fleet managers to accelerate the electrification of their fleets, while paying a single, monthly fee for a vehicle inclusive of servicing, insurance and maintenance.

EV Brief 5/7/21 EV Brief 5/7/21

Chinese Automaker NIO plans to sell electric vehicles in Europe from 2022: First stop Norway

Chinese premium electric vehicle manufacturer NIO has announced that it is rolling out the brand to European customers, starting with Norway. From 2022, Norwegian customers will have access to NIO’s high-speed Supercharger network, the NIO Power Swap technology and NIO House incorporating the brand experience with servicing facilities.

NIO announces expansion into Norway with ES8 SUV

In a smooth Silicon Valley-esque online launch, Chinese premium electric vehicle manufacturer NIO has announced that it is rolling out the brand to European customers, starting with Norway. From 2022, Norwegian customers will have access to NIO’s high-speed Supercharger network, the NIO Power Swap technology and NIO House incorporating the brand experience with servicing facilities.

The flagship ES8 SUV will be the first vehicle available to Norwegian customers, with deliveries commencing in September this year. Offering a WLTP range of 500km from its 100 kWh battery, the full-size SUV sports dual motors, with 405 kW (540 PS) and 725 Nm (535 lb ft). Orders open for the ES8 in July 2021.

A concept rendering of NIO’s planned European service centers. Image: NIO

NIO House and Battery Charging

NIO has commenced construction on its ‘NIO House’, dubbed the meeting place for NIO users. NIO has already hired its core team of local experts, and the 2000 square metre NIO House in the centre of Oslo is designed as a brand showcase and service centre. NIO plans four additional facilities in 2022, in Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Kristansand.

In addition, NIO intends to bring its Power Swap technology to Europe, which enables vehicle batteries to be exchanged at automated facilities within three minutes. The company claims four battery swap stations will be operational before the close of 2021. It’s unclear if NIO will introduce its Battery as a Service plan to European customers; currently, owners in China are able to pay a reduced upfront cost for their vehicle, but leasing the battery as a separate package.

NIO will also be rolling out its own Supercharger network at busy sites along popular routes, and will bring an AC home charging solution to market for European customers in 2022.

2022 will bring the NIO to five additional European markets, and will also see the launch of the ET7 sedan later in the year.

Watch the replay of the press conference below.

EV Brief 4/4/21 EV Brief 4/4/21

Meet the Dacia Spring - an electric crossover you can purchase in Europe for a ridiculous price

If one needed proof that European manufacturers are getting serious about decarbonising their passenger car fleets, look no further than the Dacia Spring.

DaciaSpringElectric(8).jpg — The Dacia Spring is the cheapest BEV on sale in Europe

If one needed proof that European manufacturers are getting serious about decarbonising their passenger car fleets, look no further than the Dacia Spring. A Romanian manufacturer dating from 1966, Automobile Dacia is now wholly-owned by Groupe Renault, and produces a number of passenger and commercial vehicles with an emphasis on practicality and price.

The price of the Dacia Spring varies by country; in Germany it lists for €20,490, in the UK for £14,500 and in Romania for €18,100. Factor in electric vehicle/environmental grants available, and those numbers drop to €10,920 (€-9,570) in Germany, £12,000 (-£2,500) in the UK, and €8,100 (€-10,000) in Romania. Yes, with a generous state grant for environmental vehicles in Romania under the Rabla Plus (Clunker Plus) scheme, this Dacia costs less than some two-wheeled vehicles.

So what’s under the skin? There’s a 33 kW (45 PS) front-mounted electric motor with 125 Nm (92 lb ft) of torque, a 26.8 kWh battery and a compact crossover body that seats five. Before you start decrying the range and performance of those specifications, there’s one more number to consider: Curb weight. At 921 kg (2,030 lb) The Dacia Spring is incredibly light for an electric car, and therefore provides acceptable performance for a city car, and provides a useful range of 225 km (139 miles) on the WLTP combined cycle. That’s perfectly fine for a few days driving around town.

We believe that the future of electric vehicles may look something like the Dacia Spring. It will require a mindset-shift in consumers, but we will no longer be looking for a one-car-fits-all solution, and the Dacia spring is a perfect city car/car-share prospect. The nature of electrification and battery technology means that less mass simply means greater efficiency and range, and therefore a market will emerge for smaller, lighter (and cheaper) BEVs that are designed exclusively for commuting. According to the European Parliament Resolution on Sustainable Urban Mobility, by 2050, 82 percent of Europeans will commute outside an area in which they live (though this may change post COVID-19). Obviously, public transport is key to moving greater numbers of people more efficiently, but Europeans—and Australians and Americans—love their cars, and cheap, efficient urban commuter vehicles will be key to the phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles this decade.

EV Brief 3/20/21 EV Brief 3/20/21

Porsche aims for faster charging, higher energy density batteries and own fast charging network

As part of the Volkswagen Group’s inaugural Battery Day presentation, Porsche revealed continuing research and development into high performance battery and charging technologies, including the replacement of graphite with silicone in battery cell anodes.

Battery Technology

"The battery cell is the combustion chamber of tomorrow," says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. "Our electrified high-performance sports and racing cars place the highest demands on battery technology. To meet these demands, Porsche needs special high-performance cells. Silicon has big potential."

Porsche’s Performance Battery Plus and 800V architecture as fitted to the Taycan Turbo.

An EV battery is made up of a few core components: the anode, cathode, separator, electrolyte, and one positive and one negative current collectors. Lithium ions are stored across both the cathode and anode, and the electrolyte carries these positively charged ions from the cathode to the anode during charging, and from the anode to the cathode during discharge (driving).

Porsche is looking at new battery cell chemistries to allow efficient operation in extreme temperatures, and to improve reliability and longevity in DC rapid charging. Porsche states that new batteries will begin testing in limited-production road vehicles and within their customer motorsport program. Porsche has also outlined a desire to ensure that there is a “completely European production chain for high-performance batteries”, implying a geopolitical need to avoid any reliance on dominant South Korean and Chinese cell providers LG Chem and CATL.

Battery modules in the Performance Battery Plus.

Porsche’s Own Charging Network

Porsche also announced plans to roll out a DC fast-charging network across important European autobahns, highways and motorways. Clearly looking to imitate Tesla’s Supercharger network—at least on a small scale—which provides industry-leading convenience and ease of use for Tesla owners, Porsche’s charging stations will feature six to twelve charging points, from 350kW and up.

The DC chargers at Porsche’s Leipzig customer centre could be a model for the company’s future highway chargers.

According to Blume, "An important prerequisite for electromobility is fast and convenient charging. That is why we are currently working on the details of a concept for our own fast-charging stations. We will select attractive locations for these in order to offer our customers the most comfortable and fastest long-distance travel experience possible."

Exact locations are not known at this stage, and plans outside Europe seem unlikely, but Porsche plans self-service lounge facilities with smartphone app access for its customers. These Porsche charging stations should complement the Ionity network nicely, and you can bet that the charging sites will feature Porsche’s usual high-end techno-minimalist look and feel. As the brand expands its electric offerings beyond the Taycan to the Macan and potentially the Cayenne by 2025, this rollout should quell future customers’ concerns about range anxiety, at least in Europe.

Porsche Leipzig’s customer centre features 350 kW DC/22 kW AC charging.

EV Brief 11/19/20 EV Brief 11/19/20

US Big Corporates Push for Zero Emissions Vehicle Regulations

With a President-elect pledging to take meaningful action on climate change, Corporate America stands ready to act and take advantage of pro-renewables and clean-tech policies. The Zero Emissions Transport Association (ZETA) is a new federal coalition “advocating for national policies that will enable 100% electric vehicle sales throughout the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors by 2030."

Comprising some of America’s largest corporate entities ranging from Tesla and Rivian, through to Uber, conEdison and Duke Energy, ZETA wants to see the full adoption of electric vehicles to secure American global EV manufacturing leadership, and reduce carbon pollution and therefore, emissions.

Policy goals of ZETA include:

Expanded incentives, which means not only lifting the per-manufacturer cap on the $7,500 consumer tax credit, but also making it a "point of sale" rebate. Other goals include a program to incentivize trade-ins of fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

Federal emissions and efficiency performance standards that will send the "correct market signals" for faster electric vehicle deployment by the auto industry.
New federal infrastructure investments and support for domestic manufacturing, and support for local pro-electric vehicle policies.

According to Joe Britton, the Executive Director of ZETA, “Transportation is responsible for more carbon emissions than any other sector of the U.S. economy. By embracing EVs, federal policymakers can help drive innovation, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and improve air quality and public health.”

ZETA believes that consumer incentives drive adoption of new technology, and represent one real way to drive the shift to EVs in the US. Providing credits for older combustion engined vehicles will help to speed the transition, and will also boost domestic economic growth. ZETA hopes that a Biden administration would use policy mechanisms to encourage job creation in the EV manufacturing and supply chains. Biden has already stated that he wants the federal government to move towards a 100% clean energy fleet, and wants to work closely with state governors and mayors to roll-out 500,000 new public chaging stations by 2030.

Electric car sales are increasing in market share across the world, while conbustion-engined passenger car sales are slowing. This has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The overall market share of plug-in vehicles is still relatively small however, comprising 326,000 or 2% of the total market in the US in 2019, 564,206 or 3.6% of the total market in Europe, and 1,180,000 or 6.8% of the market in China.

For more information visit https://www.zeta2030.org/

Source: Axios

EV Brief 10/27/20 EV Brief 10/27/20

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot Citroën Merger Looks Set to Proceed

The European Commission looks set to approve the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Peugeot Société Anonyme (PSA) according to this report from Reuters. The US$38bn merger would create the worlds fourth largest auto manufacturing group, with a suite of brands including Fiat, Ferrari, Maserati, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Peugeot, Opel, Citroen DS and more.

One major sticking point for European regulators has been the estimated 35% market share of the European light van market by Stellantis. The company responded “To allay EU antitrust concerns, PSA has offered to strengthen Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp., with which it has a van joint venture, by ramping up production and selling it vans at close to cost price, people said. FCA and PSA will also allow their dealers in certain cities to repair rival brands.”

It’s expected that the merger will take 2-3 months to finalise, but should happen well before the offical February 2 2021 deadline.

Source: Reuters

Our opinion: COVID-19 has impacted carmakers significantly, with most revising down their unit sales figures for 2020 and their earnings estimates. FCA and PSA have a good foundation of EV research and development, as well as some good products on the market, but with consumers and government regulations alike demanding cleaner vehicles, billions of dollars will need to be spent by automakers over the coming 3-5 years to produce affordable electric vehicles.

The Volkswagen Group leads the way for legacy automakers in terms of EV R&D (partly due to penalties imposed as a result of the Dieselgate fiasco), and the ID.3 has received generally positive reviews since launch in Q2 2020. For other manufacturers to catch up to Volkswagen (let alone Tesla), It’s going to take a lot of money, and a merger of these two companies into Stellantis Group will allow for larger sharing of platform architecture and drivetrains, as well as manufacturing facilities. It may accelerate the electrification of all brands, and minimise the expensive purchase of regulatory credits to offset emissions from companies such as Tesla.