on Batteries, Porsche decals, IRA EV money, EV payback, Lambo's 2022, Mercedes, E-Ray

Something About the Ram 1500 Revolution Concept for the Eagle-Eyed

While the specific information regarding the Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept unveiled at CES is still limited, in the Stellantis exhibit area there was a battery enclosure in the STLA Frame platform visible.

A customized version of the Pentatonic Battery System from Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG.

The unit is said to be up to 60% lighter than metal alternatives—it a thermoplastic composite—and provides simplified manufacturing operations as the materials and structural reinforcements are integrated in the injection or compression molding process, thereby reducing secondary operations.

Also Worth Noting. . .

If you look very closely at the section that’s cut away you may be able to discern the word Factorial on that metallic pouch.

That’s as in Factorial Energy, a company that has a joint collaboration agreement with Stellantis.*

Also at CES in the Stellantis expo space Factorial announced its first 100 Amp-hour battery cell.

Factorial is developing solid-state batteries. The Woburn, MA-based company** has developed a proprietary quasi-solid electrolyte material said to facilitate safe and reliable cell performance. It works at room temperature.

Factorial says that its batteries can provide up to 50% longer range per charge.

Or as Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares puts it of the 100-Ah battery that was in his company’s booth:

“The solid-state battery is expected to deliver up to 30% higher energy density compared to conventional lithium ion, which could enable an even longer driving range or less weight. ‘More with less’ is the way to lead the way the world moves.”

And speaking of more with less, Factorial says that its batteries can be produced using the majority of the existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment, which is an important factor regarding the investments already made in capital equipment by a growing number of battery producers.

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*It also has agreements with Mercedes and Hyundai.

**While you might think about Woburn’s proximity to MIT,  it turns out that Siyu Huang, founder and CEO of Factorial Energy, received her MS, PhD, and MBA degrees. . .from Cornell.

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How Porsche 911 Racing Enthusiasts Can Trick Out Their Cars

While we’ve looked at Audi’s participation in the 2023 Dakar Rally (see the last item, below), its cross-country market rival Porsche is taking a nostalgic look at its participation on rallies of yore. . . and thinks that current 911 owners will have the same sort of warm feelings.

In 1971 a Porsche factory team participated in the event run 3,100 miles in Kenya.

• The 911 S model came in fifth.

The 1974 in the East African Safari Rally consisted of three sections, each measuring from 900 to 1,255 miles. 99 cars started the race. Only 16 finished.

One of them was a 911 Carrera 2.7 RS.

• It finished second.

Then in 1978 two 911 SCs were custom built for the rally in Kenya.

• One of the cars finished second and the other fourth.

Here’s the unusual part:

Porsche is offering decal sets from the factory for each of these years. Full-size decals.

The decals for the 1971 and 1974 cars cost $5,260 each.

The 1978 car’s decals (based on the car that came in second) can be ordered as an option from the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur for $7,510.

Here’s something to consider:

Porsche offers additional-cost metallic paint colors for 911s that sticker at $840.

Also in the paint box there are several “Special Colors” for $3,270.

Given that the decals cost more than optional paint, people must really like those decals.

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If You Build It. . .(You’ll Make Some Money)

Kristen Dziczek, Policy Advisor, Regional Analysis, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, made an interesting point at the 27^th Annual Automotive Insights Symposium that is often overlooked when the EV-related aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act are discussed.

Mainly people talk about the financial benefits to the consumers of vehicles. According to Kelley Blue Book, in December auto incentives were 2.7% of the average transaction price (ATP).

To put that into context: pre-COVID December 2019 saw average incentive packages at 10.9% of ATP.

So the government incentivization could go a long way to getting more Mustang Mach-Es and the like into garages because those incentive packages are rather anemic.

This Is Different

Dziczek pointed out that there are some serious incentives on the manufacturing side, too.

As in manufacturing tax credits:

• $35/kWh for battery cells produced
• $10/kWh for battery modules
• 10% of cost for critical materials

And there are:

• Domestic manufacturing conversion grants for re-equipping or expanding existing plants or establishing a new U.S. factory for electrified vehicles.
• Advanced energy product credits for establishing, expanding or re-equipping plants for EV vehicles, batteries or fuel cell equipment
• And direct loans for expanding or establishing U.S. factories for low or zero-green house gas emitting vehicles or components.

If that doesn’t help kickstart a transformation, there probably won’t be much of one.

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If You Buy a Car Today Will You Own It in 2031?

Peter DeLongchamps is Senior Vice President, Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public Affairs, Group 1 Automotive.

Group 1 Automotive is a global automotive retailer with 203 dealerships, 273 franchises, 47 collision centers, and 35 brands. Its primary footprint is in the U.S., where there are 148 dealerships.

Presumably that breadth of sales had more than a little something to do with DeLongchamps being invited to make a presentation at the aforementioned Chicago Fed symposium.

They symposium, by the way, had as its title: “Making the Shift: Electric Vehicles and their Impact on Sticker Prices and Automotive Jobs.”

Surprise: True Cost

DeLongchamps presented data that may be surprising to EV proponents who talk about how much more cost effective EVs are compared with vehicles still running gasoline-powered engines.

He compared entry-level and luxury sedans, ICE and BEV and determined their “true cost comparison.”

For the entry-sedans there a 2023 Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD and a 2023 Toyota Camry AWD XLE/XSE.

Taking into account vehicle cost and operating cost, the breakeven point for the Model 3 is ~8.75 years.

As in, only after that period of time will the owner of a Model 3 gain a cost advantage over that Camry buyer.

For the luxury cars there are a 2023 Tesla Model S and a 2023 Lexus LS 500 AWD.

The break-even for the Tesla: ~9.25 years.

(Admittedly the calculations were made before Tesla started behaving like a traditional OEM and cut prices, so there could be some differences. Maybe you’d only have to own the vehicles until 2030.)

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Lambo’s 2022 Numbers

Periodically there are industrial machinery auctions. This allows companies to offload some of their used gear to acquire new.

Should you be the sort of person who buys used assembly automation and the like and should you happen to notice the words Sant'Agata Bolognese associated with something that is going to go on the block, you probably want it.

That is, Sant'Agata Bolognese is where the Automobili Lamborghini factory is located.

It announced that in 2022 it had record sales, a 10% increase over its sales in 2021.

Globally it sold 9,233 vehicles:

• 753 Aventador
• 3,113 Huracán
• 5,367 Urus

Odds are, the equipment hasn’t had a whole lot of stress.

In addition to which. . .

Also in 2022 Lamborghini was named “Italy Top Employer.”

It was the ninth year running that is received that honor.

Which brings us back to the 9,233 vehicles produced during the year.

To put it into some context, know that in the fourth quarter of 2022 GM sold 9,130 Corvettes.

9,233 – 9,130 = 103

Seems like Sant'Agata Bolognese would be the place to work.

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Mercedes Says “Charge!”

Back in November, Tesla announced:

“With more than a decade of use and 20 billion EV charging miles to its name, the Tesla charging connector is the most proven in North America, offering AC charging and up to 1 MW DC charging in one slim package. It has no moving parts, is half the size, and twice as powerful as Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors.

“In pursuit of our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, today we are opening our EV connector design to the world. We invite charging network operators and vehicle manufacturers to put the Tesla charging connector and charge port, now called the North American Charging Standard (NACS), on their equipment and vehicles. NACS is the most common charging standard in North America: NACS vehicles outnumber CCS two-to-one, and Tesla's Supercharging network has 60% more NACS posts than all the CCS-equipped networks combined.”

One of the reasons for the tremendous comparative popularity of Teslas is the Supercharger network.

And that is not an anecdotal claim (although there are plenty of anecdotes in support of it and plenty of those who throw considerable. . .shade at other charging networks):

• According to the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, the Tesla Supercharger ranks #1 among DC fast chargers.

It scored 739 points on a 1,000-point scale.

ChargePoint came in second. . .at 644.

A non-trivial delta.

Which probably underscores Telsa’s naming its charging connector and port the “Standard.”

A Mercedes Experience

Unlike Tesla, other OEMs have been relying on partnerships with charging providers.

But Mercedes has decided that if someone is going to buy a Mercedes EV, then there should be a Mercedes network of chargers.

Mercedes chief technology officer Markus Schäfer announced that the company has started a Mercedes-Benz branded charging network in North America that will be completed by 2027.

The network will include more than 400 hubs that will offer more than 2,500 high-power chargers (up to 350 kW).

Mercedes uses the CCS connector like essentially all other EVs (with the exception of those using the North American Charging Standard).

Consequently other branded vehicles will be able to use the Mercedes network. But Mercedes owners will have capabilities like reserving a charger and having automatic authentication for charging.

However, Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG., said:

“Mercedes-Benz customers deserve a compelling charging experience that makes electric vehicle ownership and long-distance travel effortless and that’s why we are launching a global high-end charging network that will offer a charging experience to match the extraordinary Mercedes driving experience.”

Two other things:

1. Mercedes is working with a MN8 Energy, a leading solar, stationary power and renewable energy provider
2. The other partner is ChargePoint

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Safe As Bugattis?

• Carbon fiber. Check.
• High-strength steel. Check.
• Stainless steel. Check.
• Scratch-resistant coating. Check.
• Nappa leather. Check.
• Bugatti design. Check.

And here’s the thing:

“Buben&Zorweg shares our ethos of creating unique masterpieces. By working closely with their team for more than 18 months we have developed a range of limited edition high-security safes that embody the spirit of both of our brands. Timeless design, ultimate craftsmanship and technology that pushes boundaries.”-- Wiebke Ståhl, Managing Director at Bugatti International

Not a $3-million-plus supercar, but possibly where you can secure some of your valuables (if you can afford a $3-million-plus supercar).

A limited-edition safe. There are three models. 25 of each will be produced. Period.

Material & Milling

The safe door has a high-strength steel core. It is covered with carbon fiber. The four elements that adorn the door are stainless steel.

The handle—and were this not Bugatti we’d raise an eyebrow so high it would intersect with our elevated hairline—“requires over 3,000 milling steps to perfect.”

One Wonders. . .

Might not thieves take the safe along with its contents?

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Harley Is Building a Park in Milwaukee

Harley-Davidson is a classic company—both in age, turning 120, and in terms of the legendary motorcycles it has produced and continues to.

H-D HQ is in Milwaukee.

And needless to say, there is an adjacent parking lot.

But part of that lot is about to change.

The company undertaking a transformation of part of that parking into a public park.

The development is being done by Heatherwick Studio of London. It is the firm known for such projects as the Vessel in Hudson Yards, New York.

Thomas Heatherwick told Dezeen:

“We’re creating an interesting place that for 99 percent of the time will be for the people who work there and along with visitors wanting to see the original place where this incredible, world-famous organisation began.”

Why Is This Interesting?

The center of the park is a sunken, circular area 83 meters across designated “The Hub.”

According to Harley:

“Its circular layout is defined by a combination of motorcycle driveways and turning circles, parking bays, sidewalks, plants and seats, and 360-degree viewpoints.”

Motorcycle driveways and turning circles.

Harley hasn’t forgotten what got it to its 120^th birthday.

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2023 Genesis Electrified G80

When the Genesis brand came into existence in the U.S. market in 2016, it had two models. There was the G90, its flagship large sedan. And the G80, which it described as being a “mid-luxury sedan.” One of the things that was happening during that period of time (and which continues) is that there was a transition in the market from sedans to crossovers. But there were two cars in the Genesis lineup.

So it seems that what the folks at Genesis decided was that they had to do what it takes to make the products appealing to those who might have gone to another brand’s SUV. And they did.

With the second-generation G80*, which launched in 2020 as a model year 2021 vehicle, they even upped the ante, making this one of the most striking and well-executed sedans in the luxury segment. There are probably designers and engineers in Germany (probably those behind the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class) who are still shaking their heads in wonderment.

And while there were two powertrains on offer for the G80, Genesis decided to add something different: the Electrified G80.

While the term “electrified” is often used for hybrids, know that this model is a full battery electric vehicle.

Look At It (If You Can)

There’s a handsome, sophisticated exterior that has presence: You stop and look at it. As Genesis models are comparatively rare—and as of right now, the Electrified G80 is available only in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington—these sightings are all the more striking. The gasoline-powered G80 is available essentially everywhere. (But still in comparatively limited numbers: GoodCarBadCar.net has it that for 2022 there were 4,125 G80s sold in the U.S.)

And on that subject: The G80 started as a vehicle powered by an ICE. The engineering team essentially kept the car and added the electrification.

Consequently, the size of the battery reduced the headroom, rear legroom and trunk volume compared to the ICE vehicle. (Of those, the last two are perhaps notable, as the rear legroom in the EV is 35.9 inches compared with the ICE’s 38.7 inches and the trunk volume is 10.8 cubic feet rather than 13.1 cubic feet.

After all, they had to put the 87.2-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery back somewhere, and because it is more sizable than a fuel tank, the space was absorbed.

What’s more, there happens to be a 136-kW motor at the rear of the car, which isn’t something that is on either the versions of the G80 with the 300-hp four or 375-hp six.

The Electrified G80 also has a 136-kW motor at the front. So that sums to 272 kW, which translates into 365 hp. Yes, this sedan moves with the authority that its exterior promises it should have.

Considering the Charge

The Genesis stats have the range at 282 miles. While charging is certainly a consideration for everyone who has an electric vehicle, odds are it is less of a concern for those who are going to get an Electrified G80: If you’re going to purchase a vehicle that stickers at just under $80,000, odds are you’re going to have a garage that you are going to put it in. And if you have a garage you are going to have it wired for charging. (And while on the subject of charging, on a Level 2 charger the battery goes from 10% to 100% in 7 hours, 22 minutes. On a DC fast charger (350 kW/800 V) it goes from 10% to 80% in 22 minutes. And if you’re using 110 V, plan on driving something else if you want a full charge, because that takes a little over three days (80 hours).)

All-In

The Electrified G80 comes in a mono-spec, which happens to be the Prestige package.

Which simply means that the car is loaded. (Going to the Genesis retail site I discovered that there are three options: a first-aid kit, rear bumper applique and wheel locks.)

One more thing about the Electrified G80 to put it in context. Although one could argue that it is simply a powertrain variant of the ICE versions of the G80, it was a finalist for the 2023 North American Car of the Year (NACTOY) award (along with the Acura Integra and the Nissan Z). While it didn’t win the award (the Acura Integra did), it is worth knowing that it bested seven other semifinalists—the BMW i4 eDrive40, Mercedes-Benz C Class Mercedes-Benz EQE Subaru WRX Toyota Crown, Toyota GR Corolla. . .and the Genesis G90.

The Electrified G80 was considered by the NACTOY jurors to be a vehicle with sufficient difference to compete.

Which is certainly a testimony to the goodness of the car.

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*There is also a second-gen G90, which went into production at the end of 2021. Think about that for a moment: two vehicles that didn’t get an industry-standard midcycle refresh after a few years in the market but a complete re-do.

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The Corvette E-Ray Is Electrified

As mentioned in the Electrified G80 piece above, “electrified” often means “hybrid.”

Earlier this week Chevrolet unveiled the 2024 Corvette E-Ray.

Although one might think “E = electric” for the E-Ray, that’s not the case.

“E = electrified.”

The E-Ray is a hybrid.

The E-Ray has a 6.2-liter LT2 small block V8. It produces 495-hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a MLH eight-speed dual clutch transmission.

However. . .

The propulsion system also features a 120-kW (160 hp) permanent magnet drive motor that powers the front wheels. It is powered by a 1.9-kWh lithium-ion battery.

The AWD car—which will be available as a removable roof coupe and hardtop convertible—has a system output of 655 hp.

This is not a plug-in hybrid. It is a full hybrid. (“HEV-Ray” probably doesn’t sound as good.)

The E-Ray offers “Stealth Mode.” Which means if the driver selects it at start up the car will operate on electricity only at speeds up to 45 mph “for a period of time.” The period isn’t specified. Probably not a long one. That battery isn’t particularly big.

Something to Know

The E-Ray is GM’s only hybrid in the U.S.

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And Finally This. . .

The Audi hybrid did not win the 2023 Dakar Rally.

The overall win went to Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel who piloted a Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ pickup to overall victory.

They won the rally by 1 hour, 20 minutes and 49 seconds.

The team also won the overall race last year.

What This Means for Toyota

Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation (and a race driver, to boot):

“On the long, tough roads of Dakar, it is very hard to win if you don't have a car that's not only easy to drive, but also reliable and durable.

“By continuing to challenge the Dakar, the GR Dakar Hilux T1+ will be refined into an ever-better car. Thank you for training Hilux!”

That’s right: It was a product development exercise.