Consultancy: Three of Four New Vehicles Sold by 2030 Electrified
The feeling of optimism at the recent Battery Show was palpable as many of the record number of attendees were bullish about the prospects for not only batteries, but the vehicles they power. Keynote speaker Wolfgang Bernhart, a senior partner at Roland Berger, predicted BEVs could account for 38 percent of new-car demand in 2030, with the strongest growth being registered in Europe. Bernhart, who co-heads the consultancy’s advanced automotive and industrial technology group, raised cautionary flags regarding the global materials supply chain, but doesn’t see issues as insurmountable. By market, Bernhart — a veteran analyst with 25 years of experience – estimates BEVs could account for as much as 68 percent of European passenger-car sales in 2030, 45 percent in China and 36 percent in North America, reports Wards. In Europe, extrapolating from Roland Berger’s tables, BEV sales could reach 11.5 million units in 2030, up from 1.0 million units or 8 percent share in 2021, while in China and North America sales are projected to 15.1 million and 5.8 million units, respectively, up from 2021 totals of nearly 3 million and 0.5 million units. Click here for the full story.
U.S. Electric-Vehicle Tax Breaks Rile Asian, European Allies
The U.S.’s new tax-break scheme for electric vehicles has drawn angry responses from the country’s key allies in Asia, and Europe, highlighting a tension between government support for the domestic automobile industry and courting allies to counter China’s influence. The European Union, Japan, and South Korea say provisions in the U.S. legislation to promote clean energy, signed by President Biden discriminates against their auto makers and might violate WTO rules that bar treating imported products differently from domestic ones. The Wall Street Journal reports foreign officials warn that the change, which they say was introduced with little consultation with the U.S.’s trading partners, undermine Biden’s effort to improve economic ties with allies by sharing technology and building supply chains to better compete with China’s manufacturing clout. “Friendly nations are working together to strengthen supply chains as we speak,” Japan Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters recently. “This goes against that broad strategy.” Mr. Nishimura raised Japan’s concern with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on the sidelines of the first ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the core of Biden’s economic security strategy to engage with friendly nations in the region. Click here for the full story.
EVs Add to Electricity Demand, But Not as Much as You Might Think
California recently asked homeowners to reduce electricity consumption to help avoid blackouts as temperatures soared. The plea was effective, with consumers temporarily dialing back demand enough to keep the lights on across the state. Invariably, this was pounced on by critics as proof that California’s just-announced plan to phase out sales of new combustion vehicles by 2035 was doomed to fail. “How can the state electrify the vehicle fleet if it can barely keep the lights on?” By the end this year, there will be about 27 million plug-in passenger vehicles on the road globally. Based on average driving distances, vehicle efficiencies in different countries, segment sales, the split between full electrics and plug-in hybrids and a few of other factors, Bloomberg estimates that global electricity demand from these EVs will be around 60 terawatt-hours this year. How should we best think about that number? One way is to compare it to global electricity demand, which will be somewhere around 28,000 TWh this year, so EVs will add around 0.2 percent to the total. Looking at this another way, the global passenger EV fleet consumes a similar amount of electricity as Singapore. Click here for the full story.
Should EV Makers Partner with Miners to Secure Key Metals?
A key lithium producer in Australia, the world’s top supplier, is urging electric car manufacturers and battery makers to become its partners in new refinery projects, arguing their direct financial backing is vital to avoid shortfalls of the material that’s crucial to the clean energy transition. Pilbara Minerals Ltd. is seizing on a current rush by automakers to secure future supplies of battery materials by seeking new deals with customers to jointly develop refineries, CEO Dale Henderson said in an interview. “There’s certainly a level of desperation from some groups” who are end-users of lithium and seeking more access to output, he said. “If you believe the supply-demand outlook, there’s going to be a shortage, and the car companies who haven’t secured the supply chain are going to have a problem.” Lithium demand is forecast to almost triple by mid-decade from last year’s level, Automotive News reports. Prices hit a new record in China last month on increasing consumption, with automakers including BMW and General Motors among companies adding new supply agreements in recent weeks. Click here for the full story.
Confirmed: Electric Maserati GranCabrio Convertible Coming Next Year
Maserati recently unveiled the all-new GranTurismo, finally updating its beloved, if somewhat mediocre V8 grand tourer. And it has been quick to reveal that a convertible version, which will revive the GranCabrio nameplate, will arrive next year. The new GranTurismo comes powered by a twin-turbo V6 or batteries. The all-electric GranTurismo Folgore has 760 horsepower on tap and this is the variant that will have its roof removed according to Autocar. Carbuzz reports Maserati's head of global products, Massimo Capaldi, confirmed that a new, electric GranCabrio is on the way. Lovers of the Nettuno V6 need not be concerned, however, as the brand head also revealed that the car's existing six-cylinder choice would join the drop-top lineup in two trims. To sum up, that means two six-pot choices. The Modena trim, as we learned about during the coupe's debut, will make 490 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. A Trofeo version will produce 550 hp/479 lb-ft. We imagine the roadster will be slightly heavier than the coupe's 3,957-pound curb weight. Click here for the full story.
Around the Web
First Look: 2023 Lamborghini Urus S [The Detroit Bureau]
Global Plug-In Electric Car Sales Increased 60% in August 2022 [Inside EVs]
2023 Kia Rio Pricing Stays Under $20,000, One of America's Three Most Affordable Cars [Autoblog]
Lexus Returns as ‘Black Panther’ Sponsor — This Time to Plug an EV [Automotive News]
