VW battery gigafactory, Bolt EV reductions, Toyota EV tax credit score phaseout: The Week in Reverse

Which automaker beat Tesla up to now this 12 months in EV gross sales, in line with some reviews this previous week?

Which firm confirmed that it has 1,000 battery swapping stations?

This is our look again on the Week In Reverse—proper right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending July 8, 2022.

This week, Toyota confirmed that it’s delivered the 200,000 qualifying automobiles that may set off a phaseout interval for the EV tax credit score for Toyota and Lexus. That means the $7,500 tax credit score patrons can declare for fashions just like the BZ4X electrical automotive and RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid will drop to $3,750 on October 1.

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV

In a transfer that’s particularly uncommon within the auto trade—particularly in such a vendor’s market—GM has issued a retroactive low cost for Chevy Bolt EV and EUV fashions that had been purchased new in 2022. That contains a few $6,000 low cost on the 2022 Bolt EV or EUV, an quantity that parallels the low cost given to the lineup for 2023.

Volkswagen on Thursday formally broke floor on its first EV battery cell “gigafactory”—one in every of six such factories for Europe, with the potential for North American battery factories sooner or later.

Volkswagen Salzgitter EV cell manufacturing unit groundbreaking

BYD is again within the high spot in EV gross sales, some enterprise publications reported earlier this week; however that’s solely true when you see plug-in hybrids as EVs. Apples-to-apples, Tesla’s nonetheless on high—though Volkswagen stays within the passing lane.

Fisker has requested for a further $5,000 from reservation-holders who wish to lock in one of many 5,000 spots for the $68,999 Ocean One launch version—the primary fashions within the lineup attributable to be made beginning this November. Amid some confusion over the extra funds, Fisker clarified to Green Car Reports that it’s an precise down cost on the car—though the $37,499 Ocean Sport to comply with is not going to be topic to the additional up entrance.

2023 Fisker Ocean

As a part of its Power Day, Nio revealed that it’s accomplished its 1,000th battery swapping station, and it confirmed that 500-kw DC fast-chargers will quickly be deployed for China and Europe. It additionally has plans for a mass-market model that may use Nio’s personal 800-volt battery packs.

China’s GAC has revealed a “super iron” LFP battery that provides a 20% enhance in vitality density by quantity versus current LFP cells. Could it assist the chemistry break by way of to new merchandise and markets?

Jaguar is planning to fully revamp its lineup with a trio of electrical luxurious crossovers attributable to begin arriving in 2025, in line with a latest report citing trade intelligence. It’s a part of a shift that may make the model extra unique and upmarket.

2022 Jaguar I-Pace

Toyota and Panasonic are leaders in solid-state battery patents, discovered Nikkei this week. Although we warning that the tally of patents is not any indication they’re nearer in bringing the tech to manufacturing. If something, it’s a reminder that Toyota has been taking a look at solid-state tech for a very long time, because the Nineteen Nineties.

In a brand new survey, Consumer Reports discovered better willpower from consumers to make their subsequent car an EV. Although about the identical proportion of Americans had been EV-interested as two years in the past, 14% stated that they might “undoubtedly purchase or lease an EV in 2022—versus simply 4% in 2020.

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

A research from the telematics and fleet analytics firm Geotab checked out real-world information from 91,000 fleet automobiles and located that 76% of vans may very well be changed by totally electrical pickups, whereas even given at present’s usually increased preliminary price, 45% might go electrical at an ownership-cost benefit.

Are EV costs so excessive that they’re not sustainable for the market? Executives all through the trade have hinted that we’re going to hit some form of market correction quickly, however one took it a step additional, saying that if EVs don’t get cheaper “the market will collapse.”

Tesla Model S electric-car street journey, Route 66 Museum, Elk City, Oklahoma [photo: David Noland]

And in line with an evaluation aggregating thousands and thousands of used-car gross sales, the strongest progress of electrified automobiles has been in rural America, not within the city and suburban coastal areas seen as early adopter hubs.

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