Lithium Deposit In Nevada Could Be World’s Largest

The Chinese were way ahead of the rest of the world when it came to recognizing the value of lithium. While most nations slept, China was busy identifying lithium deposits around the world and either buying them or negotiating deals with those who may not have fully appreciated lithium’s value.

It incentivized others to seek alternatives. New companies sprang up to extract lithium from salt brine, especially in the Salton Sea area of California. But these are years away from being able to supply America’s and the world’s needs.

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EU May Impose Tariffs on Chinese EVs

In her annual State of The EU address on Sept. 13, 2023, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested that Chinese manufacturers are dumping Chinese EVs on EU customers that are priced below what domestic manufacturers charge.

She suggested that the root cause of the problem is the heavy subsidies provided to Chinese automakers by the central government — subsidies that allow them to sell Chinese EVs at artificially low prices to the detriment of domestic companies. If so, she warned the EU would consider imposing new tariffs on Chinese cars to level the playing field.

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DataPoint: North America Production of Scooters              

197,500 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Scooters expected to be produced in North America in 2023.

Scooters are motorized 2-wheeled vehicles used primarily for recreational.

Production climbed sharply in 2022, increasing by 24,686 units, or 14.6%, from 2021. We expect production to climb in 2023 as well, growing by about 3,725 units or 2%.

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The Hydrogen Stream: Hydrogen Buses Less Efficient than Battery Models

Eurac Research scientists have analyzed data from 21 fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) and battery electric buses (BEB) in Italy, comparing efficiency, consumption, temperature sensitivity, distances, and cost, and they discovered that Hydrogen buses’ tank-to-wheel (TTW) efficiency is lower than battery electric buses, indicating higher consumption variation for BEBs.

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Sany MOTA Launches Battery Rental Business.

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

The Sany Group has taken a major step in the electrification of the heavy truck market segment with the launch on Aug. 30, 2023, of Sany Magic Tower Energy Co., Ltd. The business plan includes battery sales, battery parts sales, new energy vehicle waste power battery recycling and cascade utilization, artificial intelligence basic software development, data processing and storage support services.

The blue ocean market of new energy heavy-duty trucks is about to experience explosive growth. “Blue ocean” refers to a business approach that focuses on creating a new, uncontested market space rather than competing in an existing market, which is often saturated and competitive. In a blue ocean, the competition is irrelevant because the brand or company is establishing a market where none existed before or is radically differentiating itself in an existing market.

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Ridesharing Giant Gojek Converting Vehicles To EVs

SOUTHEAST ASIA: INDONESIA REPORT

Indonesian ridesharing giant Gojek plans to convert all its motorcycles to EVs by 2030. The adoption of EV motorcycles is now in full swing in Indonesia, the largest motorcycle market in Southeast Asia with annual sales of more than 5 million units.

Gojek, the country’s leading ridesharing and delivery company, is said to have over 2 million registered riders, including both motorcycles and cars. The full conversion to EV bikes is expected to contribute significantly to the Indonesian government’s goal of 9 million EV bikes by 2030.

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Korean Battery Companies Increase Sales Significantly

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT

The consolidated financial results for the April-June period of the three major Korean battery companies show significant sales growth. LG Energy Solution’s sales grew 73% y/y and operating profit was 2.4x y/y. SK On’s sales grew 2.9x y/y due to the expansion of EV production. Samsung SDI’s sales grew 23% y/y.

LG Energy, the world’s second largest automotive battery maker, posted a 73% y/y increase in sales to KRW 8.774 trillion (approximately $6.6 billion) and a 2.4x y/y increase in operating profit to KRW 461 billion (approximately $340 million), while its joint production with GM of the U.S., which will begin operations in 2022, also contributed to the continued growth in sales and profit.

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Japan Sets Target of 300,000 EV Chargers by 2030

FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has released draft guidelines for the installation of EV chargers, with a target of 300,000 units by 2030. This is double the previous target of 150,000 units and 10X higher than the current number of installations. The company is calling for the installation of chargers in commercial facilities.

The draft guidelines also call on operators to improve the speed of charging and the convenience of operation. To achieve decarbonization, the government is pushing to expand the installation of rechargers, which had only about 30,000 units as of March 2023.

The installation target includes 270,000 regular chargers at commercial facilities and 30,000 fast chargers on highways. The introduction of a new charging method called “plug-and-charge” will also be encouraged. This is a system in which vehicles can be authenticated and charged simply by plugging them into the charger; it has been adopted by Tesla in the United States. The system eliminates the need to hold a membership card over the charger or use a smartphone app to authenticate personal information.

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Bus Sector Bounces Back: EVs Fuel Post-Covid Growth

Aditya Kondejkar

OEMs increasing their focus on the Bus sector to drive growth in the post-Covid period.

Ashok Leyland. One of India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, Ashok Leyland has announced plans to invest ₹1,000 crore in setting up an integrated commercial vehicle (CV) and electric bus (e-bus) manufacturing plant in Uttar Pradesh. This plant is expected to have a planned production capacity of 2,500 buses annually, with the potential for expansion to 5,000 buses per year.

This significant investment is a strategic move for the company and carries several implications and opportunities. This critical analysis examines the key aspects of this investment decision.

“Contingent on market adoption and demand of alternative fuel vehicles in the state, Ashok Leyland intends to invest up to ₹1,000 crore in this new facility over the next few years,” says Shenu Agarwal, Ashok Leyland MD & CEO.

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