U.S. delivers angry rebuke of massive OPEC+ production cut — and it could backfire for Saudi Arabia
Energy analysts believe the deep production cuts could yet backfire for OPEC kingpin and U.S. ally Saudi Arabia.
Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images
The White House angrily pushed back at OPEC+ after the oil producer group announced its largest supply cut since 2020, lashing out at what President Joe Biden’s administration described as a “shortsighted” decision that came despite U.S. pressure to pump more to help the global economy.
Energy analysts believe the deep production cuts could yet backfire for OPEC kingpin and U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, particularly as Biden hinted Congress would soon seek to rein in the Middle East-dominated group’s influence over energy prices.
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OPEC and non-OPEC allies, a group often referred to as OPEC+, agreed on Wednesday to reduce oil production by 2 million barrels per day from November. The move is designed to spur a recovery in oil prices, which had fallen to roughly $80 a barrel from more than $120 in early June.
International benchmark Brent crude futures traded at $93.53 a barrel during Thursday morning deals in London, up around 0.2%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures, meanwhile, stood at $87.83, almost 0.1% higher.
The U.S. had repeatedly called on the energy alliance, which includes Russia, to pump more to lower fuel prices ahead of midterm elections next month.
In a statement, the White House said Biden was “disappointed by the shortsighted decision by OPEC+ to cut production quotas while the global economy is dealing with the continued negative impact of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.”
It added that Biden had directed the Department of Energy to release another 10 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve next month.
“In light of today’s action, the Biden Administration will also consult with Congress on additional tools and authorities to reduce OPEC’s control over energy prices,” the White House said.
Today’s dog whistle may be interpreted as a sign that the President will not necessarily stand in the way of a floor vote on the bill that would declare OPEC a cartel and subject the members to Sherman anti-trust legislation.
Helima Croft
RBC Capital Markets
Strategists led by Helima Croft at RBC Capital Markets said that while the U.S. signaled further Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases were in the offing, they were unlikely to see another blockbuster release in the near term.
“A more clear risk, in our view, is the introduction of US product export restrictions in a rising retail gasoline price environment,” analysts at RBC Capital Markets said.
“Congressional action on NOPEC legislation also looks like a credible outcome in light of the NSC statement about working with Congress to reduce OPEC’s overall influence on the oil market. White House opposition to NOPEC has served as a restraining influence on Congressional leaders,” they continued.
“Today’s dog whistle may be interpreted as a sign that the President will not necessarily stand in the way of a floor vote on the bill that would declare OPEC a cartel and subject the members to Sherman anti-trust legislation.”
What is NOPEC?
The No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels, or NOPEC, bill is designed to protect U.S. consumers and businesses from artificial oil spikes.
The U.S. legislation, which passed a Senate committee in early May but has not yet been signed into law, could expose OPEC countries and partners to lawsuits for orchestrating supply cuts that raise global crude prices.
To take effect, the bill would need to be passed by the full Senate and the House, before being signed into law by the president.
Top OPEC ministers have previously criticized the NOPEC bill, warning the U.S. legislation would bring greater chaos to energy markets.
Speaking at a news conference in Vienna, Austria, on Wednesday, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said, “We will continuously prove that OPEC+ is here not only to stay but here to stay as a moderating force to bring about stability.”
OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais also defended the group’s decision to impose deep output cuts, saying the alliance was seeking to provide “security [and] stability to the energy markets.”
Asked by CNBC’s Hadley Gamble whether OPEC+ was doing so at a price, Al Ghais replied: “Everything has a price. Energy security has a price as well.”
OPEC+ decision ‘cannot stand’
Energy analysts said the actual impact of the group’s supply cuts for November was likely to be limited, with unilateral reductions by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait likely to do the main job.
What’s more, analysts said it is currently difficult for OPEC+ to form a view more than a month or two into the future as the energy market faces the uncertainty of more European sanctions on non-OPEC producer Russia — including on shipping insurance, price caps and reduced petroleum imports.
Oil prices have fallen to roughly $80 from over $120 in early June amid growing fears about the prospect of a global economic recession.
Bloomberg | Getty Images
Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Chile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Washington has made its views clear to OPEC members.
Asked whether he was specifically disappointed with U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, Blinken replied, “We have a multiplicity of interests with regard to Saudi Arabia and I think the President laid those out during his trip.”
These include improving relations between Arab countries and Israel, Yemen and working closely with Riyadh to try to continue the truce, Blinken said.
“But we are working every single day to make sure to the best of our ability that, again, energy supply from wherever is actually meeting demand in order to ensure that energy is on the market and that prices are kept low.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said via Twitter: “OPEC’s decision to cutback on production is a blatant attempt to increase gas prices at the pump that cannot stand.”
“We must end OPEC’s illegal price-fixing cartel, eliminate military assistance to Saudi Arabia, and move aggressively to renewable energy,” he added.
Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
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![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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The HD arm of Hyundai has just released the first official images of the new, battery-electric HX19e mini excavator – the first ever production electric excavator from the global South Korean manufacturer.
The HX19e will be the first all-electric asset to enter series production at Hyundai Construction Equipment, with manufacturing set to begin this April.
The new HX19e will be offered with either a 32 kWh or 40 kWh li-ion battery pack – which, according to Hyundai, is nearly double the capacity offered by its nearest competitor (pretty sure that’s not correct –Ed.). The 40kWh battery allows for up to 6 hours and 40 minutes of continuous operation between charges, with a break time top-up on delivering full shift usability.
Those batteries send power to a 13 kW (17.5 hp) electric motor that drives an open-center hydraulic system. Hyundai claims the system delivers job site performance that is at least equal to, if not better than, that of its diesel-powered HX19A mini excavator.
To that end, the Hyundai XH19e offers the same 16 kN bucket breakout force and a slightly higher 9.4 kN (just over 2100 lb-ft) dipper arm breakout force. The maximum digging depth is 7.6 feet, and the maximum digging reach is 12.9 feet. Hyundai will offer the new electric excavator with just four selectable options:
- enclosed cab vs. open canopy
- 32 or 40 kWh battery capacity
All HX19es will ship with a high standard specification that includes safety valves on the main boom, dipper arm, and dozer blade hydraulic cylinders, as well as two-way auxiliary hydraulic piping allows the machine to be used with a range of commercially available implements. The hydraulics needed to operate a quick coupler, LED booms lights, rotating beacons, an MP3 radio with USB connectivity, and an operator’s seat with mechanical suspension are also standard.
Like its counterparts at Volvo CE, the new Hyundai excavator uses automotive-style charging ports to take advantage of existing infrastructure at fleet depots and public charging stations. More detailed specifications, dimensions, and pricing should be announced by bauma.
Electrek’s Take
The ability to operate indoors, underground, or in environments like zoos and hospitals were keeping noise levels down is of critical importance to the success of an operation makes electric equipment assets like these coming from Hyundai a must-have for fleet operators and construction crews that hope to remain competitive in the face of ever-increasing noise regulations. The fact that these are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to operate is just icing on that cake.
SOURCE | IMAGES: HD Hyundai; via Construction Index, Equipment World.
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