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  • Writer's pictureAddionics

Addweekly - ESSENTIAL WEEKLY NEWS on batteries and EVs by Addionics (11 - 20 March)

1. Tesla (model 3 takes over Europe, increases model 3 range through software update, unveils model Y, unveils design of Gigafactory, electric pickup truck teaser, CATl denies possible partnership with Tesla, 75% electric car sales are Teslas in U.S.)

- "A few weeks after its arrival on the old continent, the Tesla Model 3 is already becoming the best-selling electric car in several European markets.

It has now been a month since Tesla officially started Model 3 deliveries in Europe and the automaker has already delivery thousands of units in Several markets." (read more)


- " As promised during the launch of the base Model 3, Tesla has started pushing a new software update that is boosting the Model 3’s range by 15 miles.

Musk claims:“We do find ways over time and have done this many times in the past where we are able to improve the efficiency of say the drive inverter or the motor or we get a bit more comfortable with how much energy you can extract safely from the battery pack without causing it long term harm.” " (read more)


- Probably the biggest event for Tesla this week was their famous model Y unveiling. It resembled the model 3 a lot, just SUV style. This surprised most people - the resemblance to the model 3 and nothing that was extraordinary presented by CEO Musk. However, model Y unveiling was supposed to just be their last electric model of their production line S3XY (S, X, 3 and finally Y), the mass production SUV version. If people were expecting crazy things out of this unveiling, its because we have been exposed to some crazy things in the past like the falcon wing doors on the model X or crazy reveals of the roadster with insane specs. The bigger picture is Tesla revealing their mass market SUV which will start production late this year and start deliveries next year with 300 miles at a rather low cost. This is actually more important than crazy reveals such as falcon wing doors and crazy roadsters because this will serve the larger dominant vehicle market of SUVs (type of xar with most sales) and it is a competitive vehicle reaching the market next year. (read more & read more)


- " At the Model Y unveiling event last night, Tesla also unveiled the final design of Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai and CEO Elon Musk announced some ambitious capacity for the factory.


Musk said during the event: “Things are moving fast. This will actually be, once complete, the equivalent of our Fremont factory plus our Nevada battery gigafactory combined. It’s integrating the two, which kind of make sense.” - integration of battery cell and full vehicle production into the same factory. (read more)


- "Wedbush Securities got in-depth tours of Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 in Nevada and Fremont factory in California. They came out of it with some interesting insights, including that Model Y could result in higher profits as soon as 2020." "It was jaw-dropping in how efficient that process has now become in the tent," Dan Ives told Markets Insider, referring to the Model 3 sedans being produced underneath a giant tent at the Fremont factory. "This is not a company that's slowing down production." (read more & read more) - Elon Musk has released the first teaser image of Tesla’s electric pickup truck, which he describes as a ‘cyberpunk’ truck and inspired by Blade Runner."


At the model Y unveiling event, "Tesla reportedly flashed an image on the main screen as everyone was heading in the back of the room for the Model Y test rides.

It was rumored to be a teaser for the electric pickup, which Musk has now confirmed" posting the picture on twitter. (read more & read more)


- CATL denied their possible tie with Tesla - it hasn’t reached intent of cooperation or signed any business agreement with Tesla, the company said in a statement on March 12. (read more)


2. Fisker 40000$ electric long range SUV unveil - model Y competitor?

- "Fisker, a new electric car startup founded by famed designer Henrik Fisker, is going to unveil a new ~$40,000 all-electric car, according to the CEO. "

- This vehicle will be a "sub-$40,000 electric SUV with 300 miles of range."

Knowing their efforts to continue to hype their 1 minute charging solid-state batteries and now teasing pictures of this new sub $40000 car branded as an SUV this could alert that they are trying to ride over the Tesla Model Y hype. (read more & read more & read more & read more & read more)


3. Ford teases new SUV that could compete with Tesla’s new model Y and invests $850 million on electrification plans

- " Ford is preparing to launch its first electric vehicle built to be electric from the ground up: a Mustang-inspired all-electric crossover, and now, the automaker is teasing it as a Tesla Model Y competitor. " (read more)


- " Ford announced new investments in its US facilities for future production of next-generation electric vehicles as well as Ford’s first autonomous vehicles: now the automaker also wants to bring some EV production to the US and it announced today that it will happen with a $850 million investment through 2023 at its Flat Rock (Mich.) Assembly Plant." (read more)


4. VW pushes forward in electrification (more announcements on accelerating electrification plans (& development of their electric MEB platform) (read more & read more & read more & read more & read more), new 2019 VW ID car for 30000$ available for preorders in May (read more & read more), VW threatens to exit important automaker lobbying group over electric vehicle policies (read more), however VW’s operating margin dropped (due to: new emissions testing, continued investments in EVs, dropping North American sales, and Chinese joint ventures) (read more)


5. Ford & VW e-mobility partnership on the horizon

- Bill Ford — chairman of Ford Motor Company and great-grandson of Henry Ford — has spoken out about the potential for a partnership with Volkswagen. He believes that the two companies are set up to succeed if a joint effort comes to be.

This was more for the AV (autonomous vehicles) than EV (electric vehicles( part of cooperation and partnerships but it is obvious that if they come together in whatever way they will work together towards electrification since both have strict goals in place already in that path.

- "Both Ford and VW have talked extensively about increased EV production pursuits and autonomous car for many years, but they’re equally pursuing a very slow and calculated path, with many announcements but not much to show. Hopefully, if the two automakers can team up, it will work to better push concepts, ideas, and plans to reality." (read more)


6. BMW & Daimler electric car platform sharing in discussion

- "A recent Autoblog report points to an upcoming joint effort between BMW and Daimler (Mercedes-Benz). The information suggests that the two are already discussing some level of cooperation in future electric vehicle development. More specifically, it appears the competing German automakers may come to an agreement regarding shared platforms for electric vehicles.  Obviously, this would be a move to position the two to better compete with EV front-runner Tesla." (read more & read more)


7. Porsche moves forward in electrification (Taycan reveal, $678 Million Investment for Macan)


8. Hyundai and Kia invested $300 million into Ola, one of India’s top electric ride sharing platforms - major step in electrification of India’s mobility space

- "Hyundai and Kia have invested $300 million in Ola, Uber’s main rival in India. The companies plan on building electric cars specifically for the Indian market." (read more)


9. 2 and 3 electric wheelers advancements for the roads (NIU doubles sales on electric sales (read more), Arcimoto unveils 3 wheeled EV for deliveries (read more), Harley Davidson to challenge Bird with new E-scooter (read more)


10. Lion launches new commercial all-electric class 8 delivery truck

- " The Lion Electric Co., a Quebec-based school bus maker mainly known for its electric buses, has unveiled this week a new all-electric class 8 truck and it will deliver emission-free booze." "The new model – Lion8 – is custom-built and engineered in Quebec. It can go up to 250 miles (400 km) when equipped with the 480 kWh battery pack supplied from LG Chem. The electric motor is rated for 350 kW. The first Lion8 was already pre-ordered and should be delivered in fall 2019 to Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ)." (the powerful Quebec Alcohol Corporation) (read more & read more)


11. Chinese buses are the main factor for decreasing oil demand


12. Canadians want majority new electric cars to be electric


13. Shell answering investors call with $33 trillion in assets to go greener, reducing carbon emissions, to invest more in clean energy production and storage


14. 24M unveils ‘Dual Electrolyte’ battery with higher energy density


15. Unveils, reveals, announcements and teasers on electric vehicles this week:

Model Y reveal (read above news), Fisker unveil (read above news), VW ID pre order start date revealed (opens up on 8th May), Arcimoto 3 wheeled delivery EV unveiled (read above news), Fisker teases 40000 electric SUV (read above news), Ford teases Mustang resembling SUV (read above news), Porsche new Taycan prototype reveal (teaser camouflaged images) (read more & read more), BYD e1 very small electric car (read more), Maserati Alfieri set to be revealed at the 2020 Geneva motor show announcement(read more), Karma’s Pininfarina teasers ahead of Shanghai 2019 motor show(read more)

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