It seems like a lot of folks have a bone to pick with Rep. Joe Manchin [D-WV] who has just this week single-handedly “torpedoed” the Build Back Better bill. The BBB could have been the “the most significant climate legislation in US history,” Megan Mahajan, the manager of energy policy design at the think tank Energy Innovation, told PopSci in October. The plan would put billions of money into developing low-carbon energy technologies and building a national network for electric vehicles.
When this bill dies, so do the chances for the country to reach its lofty and aggressive climate change goals. “There’s still a yawning gap between where we are today and where we need to be to hit President Biden’s climate targets,” Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems engineer at Princeton University who has led an effort to model the effects of the bill on US-wide emissions, told the New York Times. “Without either this bill or a climate bill that’s similar in scope, it’s really hard to see how those goals will be met.”
Unsurprisingly, left-leaning members of the Democratic party and the president himself have voiced frustration with Manchin’s choice. But a more surprising group is speaking out against Manchin’s decision, too—coal miners, including some he represents.
The BBB, along with all of its proposed clean energy benefits, provides a significant boost to coal workers by extending fees paid by coal companies to fund treatments and benefits of workers suffering pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung, which affects thousands of miners across the country. According to the statement, without BBB, that fee will be chopped in half and put the burden of healthcare payments back on individuals and taxpayers. Further, the bill provides tax incentives for companies to build new business on coalfields to employ out-of-work miners.
Additionally, the BBB provides language that would help workers unionize. “This language is critical to any long-term ability to restore the right to organize in America in the face of ramped-up union-busting by employers,” Cecil Roberts, the union’s president, said in a statement. “But now there is no path forward for millions of workers to exercise their rights at work.”
UMWA already released a plan for the energy transition earlier this year stating that “change is coming, whether we seek it or not.” The coal industry saw employment losses of around 50 percent between 2011 and 2020, which will likely continue as the country moves toward a cleaner energy mix. Proposals that include supporting miners and their families by incentivizing alternative jobs in coal country are crucial in protecting these already vulnerable communities.
“We’re likely to lose coal jobs whether or not this bill passes,” Phil Smith, the chief lobbyist for UMWA, told the Washington Post. “If that’s the case, let’s figure out a way to provide as many jobs as possible for those who are going to lose.”
This story originally featured onNexus Media News, a nonprofit climate change news service.
On a sweltering morning in July of 2021, thousands of dead fish washed onto the northeastern shores of Pokegama Lake, 60 miles north of Minneapolis.
Deb Vermeersch, an official with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, was called in to investigate.
When she arrived, she saw a quarter-mile stretch of sand covered with the rotting carcass of walleye and Northern pike, which thrive in deep, cool waters, as well as crappies, sunfish and suckers—all warm water dwellers. “They were already pretty decomposed because of the warm water,” Vermeersch recalls.
Because so many different types of fish had died, Vermeersch and her colleagues knew it wasn’t a species-specific parasite, a common cause of fish kills. They zeroed in on the culprit: dangerously low oxygen levels.
Oxygen is disappearing in freshwater lakes at a rate nine times that of oceans due to a combination of pollution and warming waters, according to a study published in Nature earlier this year. Lakes like Pokegama are warming earlier in the spring and staying warm into autumn, fueling algae blooms, which thrive in warm waters, and threaten native fish.
Minnesota, with its 14,380 lakes and temperatures that have risen faster than the national average, is a unique laboratory for studying how climate change is affecting temperate-zone lakes around the world. The state sits at the intersection of four biomes––two distinct prairie ecosystems and two ecologically different forest systems. This means scientists here are able to study how lakes in different ecosystems fare on a warming planet, and look for ways to stave off the worst effects of climate change.
“If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species.“
“What’s going on at the surface is that warmer water holds less oxygen than cool water,” says Lesley Knoll, a University of Minnesota limnologist and one of the authors of the Nature report. She says that longer, hotter summers are interfering with two key processes that have historically kept lakes’ oxygen levels in check: mixing and stratification. In temperate climates, water at the surface of lakes mixes with deep waters in the spring and the fall, when both layers are similar in temperature. As the surface water warms during the summer, the water forms distinct layers based on temperature––cool water at the bottom, warm at the top. This is known as stratification. In the fall, when the surface waters cool again, the water mixes for a second time, replenishing oxygen in deeper waters. But as climate change makes surface water warmer, and keeps it warmer for longer, that mixing doesn’t happen when it should.
“As you have that stronger stratification, the water in the deep part of the lake is cut off from the oxygen at the top part of the lake. If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species,” says Kevin Rose, a biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and a coauthor of the Nature study.
Knoll, Rose and a team of 43 other researchers studied 400 temperate lakes from around the world. They found that, on average, surface waters warmed by 7 degrees Fahrenheit and have lost roughly 5 percent of oxygen since 1980; deep waters, which haven’t warmed much, have still lost an average of almost 20 percent of their oxygen. (Thanks to the state’s long-held lake monitoring programs, almost a quarter the lakes in the study were in Minnesota.)
Warming lakes emit methane
Fish kills aren’t the only reason scientists are concerned about lakes losing oxygen. In extreme cases, when deep waters go completely void of oxygen, something else happens: Methane-emitting bacteria begin to thrive.
“As lakes warm, they will produce more methane and most of that has to do with stratification,” says James Cotner, a limnologist at the University of Minnesota.
Lakes normally emit carbon dioxide as a natural part of breaking down the trees, plants and animals that decay in them, but plants in and around fresh water also absorb it, making healthy lakes carbon sinks.
Lakes have historically emitted methane, too––about 10 to 20 percent of the world’s emissions––but the prospect of them releasing more of the greenhouse gas has Cotner and his colleagues alarmed. Methane is about 25 times more potent than CO2 when it comes to trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
Cotner is leading a team of researchers who are studying what conditions allow methane-emitting bacteria to prosper in lakes and how conservationists can respond.
“The key questions are understanding how much and when carbon dioxide and methane are emitted from lakes, and what are the key variables that can tell how much will be emitted. Certainly, oxygen is a big part of that, but stratification and warming also plays a role,” says Cotner.
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Pollution plays a big role
It’s not just longer, hotter summers that are causing lakes to lose their oxygen. Polluted agricultural runoff (pesticides and fertilizers) and logging have long plagued Minnesota’s lakes. It’s a problem that’s getting worse worldwide as climate change pushes agriculture further away from the equator and into new territory, says Heather Baird, an official with Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.
In northern Minnesota, potatoes now grow where pine forests have thrived for years. Phosphorus, a common fertilizer, now runs off from the soil into the region’s lakes, Baird says. Though small amounts of phosphorus occur naturally in lake ecosystems, too much of it feeds harmful algae blooms.
Those blooms, which thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water, set off a chain of events that remove oxygen from deep lake waters.
“When phosphorus builds in lakes and creates algae blooms, those blooms eventually die. As they do, they sink. Deeper down, bacteria break down the algae, using up the remaining oxygen at those lower depths,” said Baird.
A quarter of Minnesota lakes now have phosphorus levels that are so high that the state advises against swimming, fishing or boating in them. Fueled by these nutrients, algae blooms take over, covering the lake in sometimes toxic residue that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water, as was the case in Pokegama Lake earlier this year. The protists choke out aquatic life, especially fish that thrive in cold, deep waters. This is all exacerbated by warming air temperatures.
The 75 percent rule
Researchers and conservationists in Minnesota are now studying the best ways to protect temperate-climate lakes from the worst effects of climate change. They have found that preserving 75 percent of deep-water lakes’ watersheds appear to keep fish stocks healthy.
“Having a forested watershed helps keep better water quality by filtering out nutrients, which in turn can buffer against the impacts of climate change, to a point,” Knoll said. However, she added, as temperatures continue to rise, “that 75 percent may not be high enough anymore.”
Knoll and state conservationists are focusing their research and efforts on deep, cool lakes that have a better chance of staying oxygenated than warmer, shallower lakes, like Pokegama.
Vermeersch, the Minnesota fisheries supervisor, said it’s unclear what this will mean for the future of lakes like Pokegama. “Hopefully it’s not going to be a linear thing,” she said, adding that fish kills are “probably going to happen more often,” depending on a combination of factors. “When you get lakes like Pokegama that are shallow and already impaired, I think we are going to see more and more conditions like this.”
Correction (December 23, 2021): The story previously identified the wrong Pokegama Lake in Minnesota. The one that experienced the fish kill in July is 60 miles away from Minneapolis, not 140 miles away.
As part of a $37 billion program, General Motors plans to bring at least 30 battery-electric vehicles to market by mid-decade — but it is expanding its electrification strategy to power up pretty much anything “already on the road,” as well as on the water, it announced on Wednesday.
GM looking to electrify “everything,” including offering conversion kits as well as packages for vehicles like this jet tug.
The largest of the Detroit automakers’ Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate systems will allow owners to swap out their conventional gas engines in classic vehicles like the Camaro and E-10 pickup for battery-drive technology. GM also is looking to power up cargo tractors and other airport gear, while also working up ways to bring electric propulsion to the marine industry.
“GM has an established strategy, network of integrators and co-development agreements to apply an extensive array of components and solutions to a broad range of customers and use cases,” said Travis Hester, GM vice president of Electric Vehicle Growth Operations, in a statement Wednesday.
The carmaker estimates there’s a “total addressable market” for swapping conventional drive systems for battery power that could approach $20 billion by 2030.
“As companies across many industries look to reduce their environmental impact, GM is uniquely positioned to serve as a leader not only through exciting new EVs across our brands, but through additional technology applications,” said Hester, “and we look forward to bringing customers — existing and new — along with us on our zero-emissions journey.”
Chevrolet showcased a 1977 K5 Blazer converted to all-electric propulsion at SEMA360 in 2020.
Converting to electric
Demand for conversion technology is already on the rise. There’s been a flood of startups converting classic vehicles, including vintage Camaros, Porsches, Volkswagens and Land Rovers, to run on battery power.
GM targeted the conversion market with the launch of the eCOPO Camaro project car at the SEMA Show several years back, and has revealed other project cars like Project X and the 1977 K-5 Blazer. It is getting ready to provide what are essentially plug-and-play packages, like the Cruise eCrate and Electric Connect, to simplify the process. The goal is to allow owners and conversion companies to make a swap with a minimum of effort.
The Detroit automaker isn’t the only one sensing an opportunity here, however. Ford recently demonstrated the potential for its own Mach-E crate motors, which, as the name implies, uses hardware and software borrowed from its Mustang Mach-E battery-electric SUV. The conversion package can be plugged into classic products such as a 1978 Ford F-100 pickup. Volkswagen and Tesla have also gotten into the game, the latter automaker’s electric drive technology used by one conversion fan on a Rolls-Royce once owned by Johnny Cash.
Multiple applications for electric motors
But GM’s strategy isn’t limited to road-going vehicles.
It’s teaming up with Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., a Textron subsidiary, to power up ground support equipment like the cargo and baggage tractors, belt loaders and Tug equipment found at commercial airports. Electrifying those vehicles promises to reduce emissions, as well as operating costs, while improving reliability, experts claim.
Commercial fleets, in general are showing strong interest in making the switch to battery power. GM this month began delivering the first of its BrightDrop delivery vans, joining competitors like Ford and Rivian in a market that could rapidly grow this decade, according to industry forecasts.
The opportunity to electrify isn’t limited to ground vehicles, however. A number of manufacturers are looking at ways to harness battery and hydrogen fuel-cell technology for other transportation and cargo applications. Rolls-Royce recently set a speed record with an aircraft outfitted with one of its drive systems. Airbus just released plans for a hydrogen turbofan system.
GM sees big opportunities coming in the marine world. It recently announced a strategic investment in the Seattle-based Pure Watercraft. The move, the automaker said, “represents an opportunity to bring EV technology to the marine industry and help preserve enjoyment of the outdoors for future generations. Together, the two companies will develop and commercialize battery electric watercraft, to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.”
GM also has been exploring ways to electrify the rails. Last June it announced another partnership with Wabtec, one of the largest providers of freight locomotives. Under a non-binding agreement, the automaker will provide both battery and hydrogen fuel-cell systems for prototypes like the Wabtec FLXdrive. Eventually, the technology could replace the conventional diesel-hybrid systems that dominate the rails today.
Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.
With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.
“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.
“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.”
California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program.
Only green energy wanted
The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.
Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said.
CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States.
Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy.
Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity.
Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.
The new Mitsubishi Outlander already has proven to be one of the most important products the long-struggling automaker has launched in its bid to become relevant to U.S. motorists again. Now, Mitsubishi is hoping to gain even more traction with the upcoming launch of a plug-in hybrid version.
The gas-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander made its debut in February.
The Japanese automaker claims it will yield more range than the old Outlander PHEV, at an estimated 87 km, or nearly 55 miles, per charge — though that’s using the global WLTP test cycle and will likely come down once the American version is tested by the EPA.
“With low (carbon dioxide) emissions and environmental impact from manufacturing and use,” said Takao Kato, MMC’s president and CEO, “the all-new Outlander PHEV model can be considered the best solution for carbon neutrality today.”
Updated, upgraded drivetrain
The Outlander was first introduced in 2001 and, with the fourth generation, it has become a core part of the brand, accounting for about 20% of its global volume. The first plug-in hybrid version was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It produced a combined 197 horsepower by pairing a 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine with twin 60-kilowatt electric motors drawing power from a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
The new Outlander PHEV gets numerous powertrain upgrades, though the automaker isn’t releasing hard specs yet. In a statement announcing the new vehicle it said the plug-in gets “an increase of around 40% in the output of the front and rear motors and drive battery.” The lithium-ion pack, it did note, jumps to 20 kWh. The gas engine, added a spokesman, is a “slightly updated” version of the old PHEV’s 2.4-liter package.
The new Outlander plug-in hybrid will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2022.
Mitsubishi also revealed, “The power drive unit for the front motor is newly equipped with a booster function which bolsters driving force by raising the supply of voltage to the front motor while simultaneously improving electricity consumption by raising the efficiency of the generator.”
Third row added
The automaker also took steps to downsize some of the hardware, notably the rear motor and control unit. As a result, the new plug-in will gain room for a third row yielding space for seven occupants.
The drive system now will allow One-Pedal Driving, as well, a feature that effectively allows motorists to minimize the need to jump from throttle to brake when driving in light to moderate traffic. That feature was found to be extremely popular with EV owners, according to the recent J.D. Power Technology Experience Index.
With only modest tweaks, the plug-in adopts the same exterior and interior design as the gas-powered Outlander. The overall strategy is based on a concept dubbed “I-Fu-Do-Do,” which means “authentic” and “majestic” in Japanese.
New design
The new Outlander PHEV is expected to travel more than 55 miles in electric-only mode.
The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander adopted a new styling language called “Dynamic Shield.” Up front, it features a more upright nose with a pinched, dual-level grille and stacked headlamps. From the side, the SUV features a more deeply sculpted silhouette with a bit of a floating roof element.
The automaker clearly wanted to give the new Outlander a more solid and robust look, with such touches as 20-inch wheels and tires and what it calls the Hexagon Guard rear end.
The new SUV grew larger in virtually all dimensions, the width expanding by 2 inches. That means the cabin of the new Outlander is both wider and more spacious than the outgoing model, Mitsubishi adopting more upscale materials and features like tri-zone climate controls, real aluminum panels and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
The gas-powered Outlander is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 that bumped up power by 8.9 percent. At the same time, it reduced fuel consumption by 2.6 percent.
Pricing TBD
Many of the features from the current model are expected to carry over into the PHEV, though Mitsubishi hasn’t provided specific details. The gas model offers Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist. A Multiview camera system helps drivers see what’s around the vehicle, whether on-road or off. Other features for the new Mitsubishi Outlander include a power-operated panoramic roof and an electrically operated tailgate that can be opened with a kick of the foot under the rear bumper.
Pricing for the gas model starts at $25,795 — plus $1,195 in delivery fees. Pricing for the PHEV is expected to run higher, though the numbers won’t be released until closer to sales launch. That holds for a variety of other specs, including U.S. range, power and performance.
“Sales will commence in Japan on Dec. 16, followed by Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2022 and North America in the second half of 2022,” Mitsubishi said in a statement. While it did not offer specifics, that would suggest that the Outlander PHEV will be marketed as a 2023 model in the U.S.
When the Mercedes-Benz EQS rolls into showrooms later this month it will become the luxury brand’s first all-electric vehicle targeting the U.S. market. But it certainly won’t be the last. If anything, Mercedes plans to roll out a broad line-up of battery-powered products, from the little EQB crossover to an all-electric version of the big G-Class SUV.
Mercedes-Benz Cars CEO Ola Källenius is leading the company through one of its biggest transitions in its history. He talks with TDB.
Until a few years ago, Mercedes put its primary focus on diesel, but it changed direction in the wake of an embarrassing emissions scandal — and in the face of increasingly stringent global emissions standards. By 2025, the goal is to have plug-in hybrid and all-electric models account for 50% of the company’s worldwide sales. By 2030, CEO Ola Källenius announced in July, the target is 100% BEVs “where market conditions allow.”
The Swedish-born executive — the first non-German to helm Mercedes since it was founded — is a true believer in electrification, as he made clear during a virtual interview with TheDetroitBureau.com and a handful of other journalists.
TheDetroitBureau: From your perspective, how has the (industry’s) approach to electrification changed? It appears things are ramping up at a faster and faster pace. Why is that happening?
Källenius: If we look back in history, when one technology replaced another … for the longest time, it seems like nothing is happening. Then, it happens all at once and the whole market flips. It goes very fast. If you miss that point that can be very unfortunate for your business with the development cycles we have in the auto industry. From the first stroke of a pen to have the first vehicles from a completely new architecture (is) usually a four- or five-year process. So, we are now upping the bet.
TDB: But why such a big investment?
Källenius: I’m ever so slightly biased but I think the EQS is a phenomenal vehicle and can imagine what the electric car will look like 10 years from now. I think there’s optimism in terms of the technology, with better energy density on the battery side. Cost are scaling (down) and we’re pushing to an inflection point where the new technology will be superior to what we have now.
Källenius with an assortment of new and upcoming EVs and PHEVs.
Drivers of change and acceptance
TDB: Is the shift being driven by new regulations?
Källenius: Partly, it is regulatory driven, but it’s through one common purpose we have as mankind, to solve the CO2 problem. It’s not going to go away. Climate change is real and the Paris Agreement is the right thing to do. It’s a Herculean task for humanity, a complete paradigm shift over to new energy sources. A company like Mercedes, in the luxury car (market), can be on the forefront of such a shift.
TDB: What is the key obstacle to consumer acceptance? Is it the lack of a solid charging infrastructure?
Källenius: Something that could make this happen a little faster or a little slower is the infrastructure. People aren’t going to (drive) less. In fact, we believe people are going to (drive) much more 10 years from now. So, here, industry and government need to work hand-in-hand to put in (a charging) infrastructure. The quicker that happens, the quicker the shift. In markets that don’t do this, it will be an obstacle that makes the transition to EVs go slower.
TDB: It certainly appears investors want automakers to shift to electric.
Källenius: Every conversation that we have with investors, even rating institutes like Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s, the financial markets have made up their minds. It’s going to be increasingly difficult to find capital to invest in (internal combustion) technology, and everybody is betting on the new technology so in a way the market economy and allocation of capital is pushing this forward.
The EQS is leading Mercedes move into the all-electric future, signifying the company’s commitment to that path.
New set of competitors
TDB: Not only do you have to compete with legacy automakers but you have to now start competing with this wave of EV startups, what’s the unique challenge there when it comes to competing with nascent EV makers? How do you compete with them?
Källenius: It’s natural that new players look at a market and enter and so the competitive intensity in this decade will likely be higher than what we have experienced in the past. We are taking the usual suspects seriously, as well as the new kids on the block. You cannot run around like a headless chicken chasing this that or the other company, you’ve got to know who you are. In this situation you cannot rest on your laurels, you have to look forward. So, what we need to do is to double down on technology, primarily electric drive and software and the connected vehicle and autonomous driving. But, at the same time, (we must) deliver what everybody expects from a Mercedes, you know this sublime ride and drive the equation to detail this superior aesthetic quality. If we hit the spot (and) deliver on both innovation and the luxury aspects of the Mercedes brand, that’s how we think we can win the competition.
TDB: You have been a powerhouse in the all-electric Formula-E series. What are your future plans?
Källenius: We won the championship this year and we’re going to have one more season, but beyond that season, we’re focusing everything on Formula One. We’re going to turn to synthetic fuels so we can run the whole race carbon neutral. I’ve been to a few Formula E races myself and enjoyed it as a racing fan, but if you would take one of those cars and go to Spa, you would maybe do a lap and a half and then it would be over. So for those who are, you know, hardcore racing fans at heart, you can’t replace (traditional racing cars with electric).
The new EQE is the battery-powered alternative to the marque’s classic E-Class sedan.
TDB: Can you talk about the role of electrification in motor sports?
Källenius: I actually had the privilege back in 2008 to develop the very first performance hybrid for Formula One. And now we are (more than) 10 years later, and you can’t win the world championship, unless you have the best performance hybrid system. And what we’re now launching in the AMG GT is the first road version of that technology. It will be on many of the AMG cars that we’re going to launch in the next two to three years. Formula One is the most sophisticated high performance Lab in the world.
TDB: This raises the subject of EV performance. It appears that one of the things drawing people to EVs is the great performance they offer.
Källenius: The great thing about an electric motor is that the torque is instantly available, and you have a lot of torque. So, at a red light, we all feel like we’re driving an AMG GT, right. You have this instant punch. Maybe you saw that we bought the UK company, Yasa, that is developing an electric motor with an absolutely phenomenal power-to-weight ratio. So there will be there will be a performance dimension beyond just being quick at the red light.
Advanced technology pros and cons
TDB: You’ve introduced the Hyperscreen in the EQS (which covers virtually the entire instrument panel with video screens). Do you think they’ll ever be a move back towards more simplification for an older demographic that can’t take advantage of most of what it can do?
Källenius said the the future of vehicles is going to look a lot more like the Hyperscreen than with knobs and buttons.
Källenius: I read an article the other day in a Swedish supercar magazine and the chief editor wrote an article where he says I hate screens. Give me the knobs back, the buttons and the knobs. But I’m afraid that’s probably not going to happen. And it’s not specifically tied to the electric car and we’re not doing some different level of digitization in our combustion based vehicles and our electric vehicles, per se. We need to make (technology) more intuitive and easy to use, but we’re not going back and put 50 different knobs and buttons in the car. I just don’t see that.
TDB: Who is the most difficult person to convince (about) electrification?
Källenius: People that buy a G Wagen, an S-Class, or maybe an E … they usually are technology and innovation-minded, and also appreciate luxury aesthetics. They are naturally going to drift to whatever is the next level technology. I think there is some skepticism, but I think it will recede.
TDB: What are you going to do about recyclability of materials?
Källenius: Next to the challenge of CO2 for us, as an industry, is the circular economy, what we call resource preservation. It’s hugely important. Our vehicles, already today, are 95% recyclable. That doesn’t mean we already use 95% of the material. But we put in in our books to raise the amount for every new vehicle, and for beyond the usual candidates like steel. Recycling has to get into the polymers and other things inside the battery cells, no doubt about it.
TDB: One last question. You have the new EQS sedan, but you’ll also have an EQS SUV next year. And the same with the EQE. Won’t that create some branding confusion?
Källenius: Yeah. There are probably PhD thesis documents in marketing talking about nomenclature on the part of Mercedes. When I was in marketing and sales we said let’s clean this up once and for all, and we thought we did. Could we have done a GL QS or something like that (instead of EQS SUV)? We thought it was so obvious when you see the vehicle, you know whether you’re buying an SUV or a sedan. But maybe we didn’t succeed.
The race to see what company would build the first battery-electric pickup for a customer is over and the winner is … Rivian. The startup began production the “Launch Edition” of its R1T pickup for buyers from its plant in Illinois today.
Rivian’s first production version of its R1T battery-electric pickup truck rolls off the line.
The first truck, an appropriately named Rivian Blue “Launch Edition” model, rolled off the line at the company’s facility, the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois while dozens of plant employees cheered.
“After months of building pre-production vehicles, this morning our first customer vehicle drove off our production line in Normal,” Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe tweeted. “Our team’s collective efforts have made this moment possible. Can’t wait to get these into the hands of our customers.”
Getting the first one off the line is a feat, but as the head of another EV maker famously noted, automobile “production is hard.” Scaringe and his group will be looking to avoid many of the same manufacturing issues the previously referenced CEO Elon Musk did. So difficult was the process, he described it as “production hell” at one point.
Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe drove the first Rivian Blue R1T off the production line at the company’s Normal, Illinois plant.
Despite the difficulties, Musk and Tesla are the best-selling EV company in the U.S. currently with the top two sellers, the Model Y and Model 3, outselling the next 10 EVs combined — twice. Tesla is currently the most valuable automaker in the world with a market cap hovering around $733.5 billion, with its stock price trading in the low $740 range.
Tesla’s market cap is almost 2.5 times greater than the next closest automaker, Toyota, which is at about $303.5 billion. Its stock is at about $180 a share in early morning trading today.
Rivian isn’t necessarily expecting to approach those numbers, but officials are trying to convince Wall Street investors the nascent EV maker — with vehicles it’s actually delivering, albeit slowly — could be worth as much as $80 billion as it moves toward its initial public offering, tentatively set for November.
Going public
Scaringe speaks to Rivian employees after the first customer-ready pickup debuts.
That number is a bit more than General Motors is worth, but only by a little at $74.4 billion. Ford is a bit further off the pace at $51 billion. By comparison, Fisker Inc., another startup, comes in at $3.9 billion. However, the most apt comparison is Lucid Motors, which currently boasts a market cap of $31.3 billion.
Lucid’s got some things going for it that Fisker does not, or at least, not yet. First is first vehicle, the Lucid Air is viewed by many as a real competitor to Tesla, in terms of performance. The company’s boasted for some time it expects its top-level vehicle, the Dream, to meet or surpass the performance metrics of Tesla’s top vehicle, the Model S Plaid.
Rivian’s got its own selling points, starting with an impressive group of companies that have already invested billions of dollars into the fledgling company, including Amazon and Ford.
The company is also expected to produce 100,000 battery-electric delivery vans for … Amazon. The vehicle, which the online retail giant helped to develop, is currently undergoing real world testing. There is no finite time frame for when it will begin production.
However, Rivian is already hunting for a place to build a second factory, which may suggest the time is getting very close. Early betting is on it joining Tesla in Texas, but no commitments have been confirmed by Rivian officials.
Tesla made its splash into the car world with the first Tesla Roadsters more than a decade ago, and now deliveries of the second-generation of the 2+2-seater are likely going to be pushed back to 2023.
CEO Elon Musk said the second-generation Roadster, when it comes out, will be the best sports car in the world.
CEO Elon Musk confirmed the new timeline via Twitter when asked about details of the Roadster, which was supposed to get a push toward production once the Model S Plaid hit the market.
“2021 has been the year of super crazy supply chain shortages, so it wouldn’t matter if we had 17 new products, as none would ship,” he tweeted. “Assuming 2022 is not mega drama, new Roadster should ship in 2023.”
Musk suggested earlier this year the already once-delayed 2+2-seater — it was originally slated to arrive last year — would arrive at the end of next summer. However, it appears the chip issue, which is expected to continue into next year, sunk the 2022 timeline.
Revised arrival time
Delayed due dates are nothing new to Musk, who’s cracked several jokes about missing his “overly ambitious” deadlines before. The Semi and the Cybertruck have also been pushed back at least once each, with some observers now expecting the latter to not arrive until 2023, though the official word, according to the configurator, is that it will arrive in 2022.
Part of the issue is that demand for the Model Y and Model 3 — Tesla’s best sellers — require the resources that could be used to bring the others to the market. Ensuring there is cash going into the corporate coffers is what makes the other vehicles possible, Musk has also noted in the past.
Tesla’s also not alone when it comes to supplier issues these days with GM, Ford, Stellantis, Honda, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and more all forced to shut down plants due to the shortage of chips.
In June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk hailed the new Model S Plaid as the fastest and safest car built today.
Happy campers once it arrives
Despite the delay, the Roadster — which at one point Musk said would use rockets borrowed from SpaceX — will be the fastest production car on the road, or so Musk claimed when he revealed the next-gen model.
“The new Tesla Roadster will be the fastest production car ever made. Period,” the South African-born entrepreneur declared in November 2017. “The purpose of this is to give a hardcore smackdown to the gasoline car.”
The title will remain in-house, at least of nothing changes. The Tesla Model S Plaid currently gets there in 1.99 seconds. The Roadster, Musk said, will do it in 1.9 seconds — unless the rockets come into play. He said at the time it will race from 0 to 100 mph in just 4.2 seconds, and top out at more than 250 mph.
Just as importantly, the $200K model will do all of that while getting more than 620 miles on a single charge — the distance between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Just four months after revealing its first all-electric model, Genesis has uncovered a second battery-electric vehicle, this time in crossover form.
The new Genesis GV60 is the brand’s second battery-electric offering. It uses the E-GMP platform from parent company Hyundai.
And unlike the Electrified G80 sedan, the Genesis GV60 crossover will ride on an all-new, dedicated EV architecture. The skateboard-style platform will underpin BEVs the luxury brand plans to bring to market in the future – along with all-electric models coming from mainstream brands Hyundai and Kia.
What Genesis has dubbed the “Crystal Sphere” is one of the more distinctive features on the GV70. The sphere-shaped knob will not only operate the GV60’s shift-by-wire system but also provide ambient lighting for the electric crossover’s interior.
The GV60 compact crossover employs features specially designed for the battery-electric vehicle.
That model is almost a technical afterthought, with Genesis engineers taking the old approach of squeezing batteries into vehicles wherever possible. Nonetheless, it’s expected to deliver as much as 310 miles of range per charge using the European WLTP standard, and about 250 using the U.S. EPA driving cycle.
Genesis isn’t saying much about the technical details of the GV60, other than noting it will share the E-GMP, or Electric-Global Modular Platform, that underpins upcoming products like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The key feature is the way batteries and motors are mounted below the load floor. That frees up space normally used for an engine compartment, allowing for more passenger and cargo space, despite a smaller vehicle footprint. It also lowers the center of gravity, helping improve handling.
The E-GMP was designed to permit multiple motor layouts and, in keeping with the brand’s general direction, it’s expected that the GV60 will offer all-wheel-drive using at least two motors, one on each axle.
Look for solid performance
Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.
In terms of performance, electric motors can deliver immediate, off-the-line torque, the electrified G80 rated at 4.9 seconds in the 0-60 sprint in Sport mode, Genesis previously said. Few would be surprised to see the GV60 hit 60 even more quickly.
The E-GMP architecture is also expected to be optimized for the sort of ride and handling Genesis buyers expect. By lowering the base of the grille, it will not only “emphasize the dynamic performance of the vehicle (but also) increase the cooling efficiency of the high-voltage batteries in the underbody,” Genesis said.
The crossover will pick up on key styling cues seen on current Genesis products, such as the signature “Crest Grille,” though it will be “wider and more athletic,” the company said in a statement released early Thursday from Seoul.
The GV60 also will pick up on the two-line quad headlamps used on current Genesis crosovers. But, viewed from the side, the new BEV will offer a more coupe-like profile. It also will adopt a clamshell-style hood that combines the fenders to reduce the number of body panel cut lines.
The interior design of GV60 takes on Genesis’ design ethos of the ‘Beauty of White Space,’ while seeking to create a spacious and comfortable interior.
Aerodynamics critical
Like many new BEVs, aerodynamics are key to the design, lowering wind resistance critical to maximizing range, as well as performance. That includes such details as the hideaway door handles that pop out as the driver approaches the GV60, as well as the fixed rear spoiler.
The interior is designed to take advantage of the freedom offered by the E-GMP platform. There will be no driveshaft hump, for one thing. Though specs have not yet been released, it’s quite likely the new battery-electric crossover will have class-above interior space.
The GV60’s dashboard is designed in a “wide slim shape” focusing on the high-tech look of the new offering.
The cabin features various elements that appear to float freely, including the center console upon which the Crystal Sphere is mounted. Describing it as “one of the most compelling design elements of the GV60,” Genesis noted, “When the vehicle is turned off, the Crystal Sphere provides ambient lighting, adding to the aesthetic of the driving experience. When you’re ready to drive, the sphere rotates and the SBW (the shift-by-wire system) appears, creating an indoor atmosphere of futuristic mobility.”
There will be widescreen displays replacing conventional analog gauges, as well as to operate the GV60’s infotainment system and vehicle controls.
2022 launch planned
Among the questions left for later, Genesis didn’t disclose the size of the GV60’s battery pack, its projected range or its charging time. But when the electrified G80 was launched, company officials indicated that future models would use a drive system that can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing the use of the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems the electric sedan can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes.
More details “will be announced in the coming months,” the Genesis statement said, with deliveries of the GV60 set to begin sometime next year.
The Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is one of the best deals on a used hybrid or EV for $20,000 or less.
With the prices of new vehicles rising across the board, potential EV or hybrid buyers looking for a deal need only wander over to the used car lot, says Kelley Blue Book. The website cobbled together what it views as some of its best deals on used electrified vehicles for less than $20K and $15K.
The average new vehicle sold for a little more than $42K in June and used vehicle prices topped $25,000 that month. Those numbers have been on the rise for all of 2021 and are unlikely to change anytime soon as the chip shortage is expected to continue through the end of the year.
So, if you want to save on gas and on the price of your EV or hybrid, “previously owned” is where its at, say the experts.
Finding a deal
“One of the most underrated deals is to buy a used hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric vehicle,” said Matt DeLorenzo, senior managing editor for Kelley Blue Book. “Alternative-power vehicles have been on the market for 20 years now, so these models are well-established and have proven reliability.
“There also are plenty of choices out there — an attractive option to consider, since currently there is a major shortage on new-car inventory across the board. Buyers of a used electrified vehicle certainly will save money at the pump, and some can even skip the gas station entirely.”
The 2018 Nissan Leaf can be had for less than $20K and offers a range of 151 miles.
Most of the best deals are on hybrids because they are far more prevalent than EVs, which until recently accounted less than 3% of all new vehicle sales. However, the vehicles making the lists are solid performers in terms of reliability and fuel economy.
Best deals under $20,000
Kelley Blue Book’s 10 Best Used Hybrids and EVs Under $20,000 for 2021 include:
2017 Toyota Prius: Fuel Economy: 52 mpg combined and a range of 588 miles
2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid: Fuel Economy (LE): 40 mpg combined and a range of 680 miles
2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 32 mpg combined and a range of 474 miles
2013 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 28 mpg combined and a range of 482 miles
2015 Honda Accord Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 47 mpg combined and a range of 602 miles
2015 Lexus ES 300h: Fuel Economy: 40 mpg combined and a range of 688 miles
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV: Fuel Economy: 119 MPGe combined and a range of 238 miles
2018 Nissan Leaf: Fuel Economy: 112 MPGe combined and a range of 151 miles
2017 Chevrolet Volt: Fuel Economy — first 53 miles: 106 MPGe combined; next 367 miles: 42 mpg combined and a range of 420 miles
2019 Kia Niro Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 49 mpg combined for a range of 583 miles
The 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid was named a best deal under $15K by KBB.com.
Best deals under $15K
Kelley Blue Book’s 10 Best Used Hybrids and EVs Under $15,000for 2021, including:
2015 Toyota Prius: Fuel Economy: 48 mpg combined and a range of 571 miles
2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 40 mpg combined and a range of 680 miles
2015 Honda Civic Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 44 mpg combined and a range of 581 miles
2015 Chevrolet Volt: Fuel Economy — first 38 miles: 98 MPGe combined; next 342 miles: 37 mpg combined and a range of 380 miles
2017 Nissan Leaf: Fuel Economy: 112 MPGe combined and a range of 107 miles
2014 Kia Optima Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 37 mpg combined and a range of 636 miles
2015 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 37 mpg combined and a range of 684 miles
2017 Toyota Prius C: Fuel Economy: 46 mpg combined and a range of 437 miles
2015 Ford Fusion: Fuel Economy: 41 mpg combined and a range of 554 miles
2016 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: Fuel Economy: 44 mpg combined and a range of 524 miles
