#ElectricVehicles

We posted yesterday about the J.D. Power survey which ranked electric vehicles based on the ownership experience. While that post detailed vehicles which sat atop the podium, we’ll now flip the script and write about models which brought up the rear.

Volkswagen is reportedly pausing plans to build a battery plant in Eastern Europe so it can prioritize construction in the United States. Though the situation could be more accurately described as VW notifying EU officials that the U.S. is offering an estimated €10 billion in US incentives as part of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

It’s not the first time something like this has happened. Volkswagen similarly delayed decisions on where to build a battery plant in December of 2022, telling EU leadership that the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia all looked good – but that it wanted to consider its options. This time around, it’s being a little clearer by stating that the U.S. is offering sweeter subsidies and tax incentives than what’s available to Europe.

Organizations like J.D. Power and their ilk seem to have been measuring customer satisfaction in the automotive segment ever since someone told Henry Ford he just might be onto something with his idea about assembly lines. It’s no different as we move into the EV age, with these types of surveys continuing to provide interesting insights into the minds of real-world people who have shelled out their own money for a new rig.

On Monday, Rivian announced a plan to sell $1.3 billion in bonds as a way to cope with rising production costs.

The news comes just days after the company addressed rumors that it might build as many as 62,000 vehicles through 2023. Despite credible reporting, Rivian said its official production forecast remains set at the original 50,000 electric vehicles by year’s end.

Mr. Guy wrote yesterday about how Ford F-150 Lightning owners are using their trucks for so-called "truck stuff" as much, if not more, than owners of internal-combustion engine F-150s are.

A frequent remark about EV pickups is an argument that thanks to the limitations of electric motors and their attendant batteries, trucks powered by electrons can’t do the same amount of work as their gas-powered twins.

Turns out, if Ford’s findings are any indication, some EV pickup owners are actually using their workhorses more frequently than ICE owners. 

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced an order for over 9,000 all-electric vans from the Ford Motor Company – presumably to help settle some of the drama surrounding the selected replacement for the venerable Grumman LLV.

Creating a bit of hype for the launch of their all-electric large crossover, Kia has dropped a teaser video for their upcoming EV9. If the shadowy images are any indication, there’s little chance of owners losing it in a parking lot.

The European Union is reportedly finding itself in a difficult position ahead of prospective bans on vehicles utilizing internal combustion engines. Germany has threatened to block the agreement, pulling what can only be described as the classic switcheroo in exchange for favorable conditions.

German manufacturers are attempting to market synthetic fuels as a viable and environmentally sound alternative to standard gasoline or diesel. Regulators influenced by the automotive sector are now pressing for the EU to make special exceptions for so-called “electrofuels” before the combustion ban can be finalized – with Italy likewise suggesting it would reject the emission rules everyone agreed to last year.

Alfa Romeo will reportedly be electrifying with Giulia sport sedan with the top-trim Quadrifoglio boasting 1,000 horsepower according to CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato.

Continuing the saga of hiccups with what is arguably Ford’s most important product in decades, Blue Oval suits are pulling the trigger on prolonging production downtime for one extra week in the wake of a battery fire earlier this year.

Alert readers may recall a series of hiccups that have befallen the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning so far this year, including a battery fire in a truck that was parked in a holding pen near company facilities. Ford is obviously working feverishly to fix any problems. One roadblock on the road to repair might involve words this author rarely gets to type: Industrial espionage.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced that Tesla will begin opening up portions of its proprietary charging network to all electric vehicles by the end of 2024. While the move could undermine one of the most desirable aspects of owning a Tesla, by forcing owners to share what’s likely to be the largest and most reliable charging network in the country, the EV purveyor isn’t coming away empty-handed. The arrangement comes under a new $7.5-billion federal program to electrify the nation's highways stemming from the $1-trillion infrastructure package signed in 2021.

With longtime CEO Akio Toyoda stepping down from Toyota Motor Corp, the business is reportedly about to shift targets and place a greater emphasis on battery-electric vehicles. However, there are a few caveats to that claim and the entire issue is mired in controversy, with entities clearly trying to pressure the Japanese automaker against doing things its own way.

Without the need for thousands of tiny explosions and burning liquid dinosaurs, electric vehicles are considerably quieter than those powered by internal combustion. Even so, EVs are required to make noise when traveling slowly, so they don’t surprise pedestrians. The rules cover vehicles manufactured since March 2021, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received a petition to extend the policy.