These 3 major automakers may team up to save themselves, build cheap EVs
Plan A isn’t working, so it’s time for Plan B. Three major legacy automakers are considering a creative approach to staying in the game amid fierce competition from Tesla and Chinese rivals – all in an effort to make cheap EVs, and a whole lot of them.
Volkswagen, Renault, and Stellantis are weighing possibly joining together to make cheaper electric vehicles – fearing it’s their only option. The urgency is growing as European automakers are being far outdistanced by BYD and Tesla. “A business-as-usual approach is a losing option,” reports Bloomberg. Hmm, didn’t anyone get the memo sooner?
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis told Automotive News Europe that there is a “perfect recognition that in the future, the companies which are not fit to face the Chinese competition will put themselves in trouble.”
Ideas on the table range from “pooling development resources to bundling businesses across European borders to better compete in the once-in-a-generation shift.” Whatever happens, it will happen soon, within months, the report said.
2024 has so far served up a series of obstacles impacting EV sales, and automakers are saying they have been woefully unprepared. Among the issues, some governments have reduced or dropped EV incentives, rental companies are scaling back on EVs, and anti-EV buzz is brewing during what will be a tense election year in the US and Europe. Even Tesla is feeling the burn at this point, with a 20% share low this year wiping out about $150 billion from its market capitalization, more than double VW’s value, Bloomberg writes.
Next challenge is tighter emissions rules coming into effect in the EU next year, meaning it’s do or die for automakers: make more BEVs or pay hefty fines. To get a sense of what’s possible, if not a worst-case scenario, VW could face fines of more €2 billion ($2.2 billion) if it doesn’t reduce fleet emissions, Bloomberg writes.
Meanwhile, BYD plans to show off its latest EVs at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, including a Mercedes G-Class rival luxury SUV – which is all rather anxiety-inducing among the Europeans.
Renault CEO Luca de Meo has suggested forming an “Airbus of autos” – which refers to the pooling of resources from Germany, France, Spain, and the UK to vie with Boeing – by bringing together three of Europe’s biggest automakers to build cheap EVs, and build them on a large scale.
Still, most analysts agree that 2024 will be a weird year, and that the “slump” in EV sales certainly won’t last – and that the biggest barrier is cost, with consumers needing to spend more on insurance in some cases, as much as twice as much in the UK, alongside higher upfront costs.
VW, Stellantis, and Renault are all (separately) working on new BEVs priced at €25,000 or less, while Mercedes and BMW plan to launch new EVs with improved technology by 2025. VW, which has been plagued with buggy EV software, may need the help more than anyone, despite its massive EV investment after the 2015 Dieselgate scandal.
Electrek’s Take
All roads seem to be leading to a big push from automakers to convince the EU to slow down its ramp-up to EVs, just as is potentially happening in the US – actions that will have a devastating impact on the climate. According to Bloomberg, the EU is already due to review the plans, with automakers getting their lobbyists ready for a fight soon after the European parliamentary elections in June.
Of course, automakers have failed to sort out a working plan in their EV transition, and that is falling on the backs of an entire industry that employs millions of people, and represents 7% of the entire EU economy. Companies such as supplier ZF Friedrichshafen has spent billions to prepare for EVs, but now may slash as much as 20% of its staff as automakers are pulling back on EV production. Meanwhile, thousands of other jobs – the good-paying kind with benefits and protections – are on the line, with Volkswagen cutting thousands of jobs in Germany to slash $11 billion in costs, and auto suppliers in the EU laying off tens of thousands of workers – just this week a major auto supplier for Tesla, VW, and Ford announced it was slashing 10,000 jobs. 2024 will be a bumpy year, indeed.
What about the US? Well, General Motors and Ford are both scaling back EV investments while also indicating that they are “open to partnerships with peers.” Of course, they have more time to play with than their European counterparts, especially if Biden shifts back the EV strategy in the coming months.
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Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to unveil the electric version of its best-selling SUV, the GLC, later this year. With its official debut just around the corner, Mercedes revealed a few new details, offering an exclusive first look at the new EV.
Mercedes offers an exclusive look at the new electric GLC
Although we got a sneak peek of the electric SUV in March during winter testing in Northern Sweden, Mercedes is giving us a better idea of what to expect.
“We’re not just introducing a new model – we’re electrifying our top seller,” Mercedes-Benz Group CEO, Ola Källenius, said on Thursday.
Mercedes promises the electric GLC “sets new standards” with a sleek new design, advanced tech, and its new MB.OS operating system.
The new GLC EV is an upgrade over the current model, offering significantly more space and improved ride quality. Since the wheelbase is 3.1″ longer than the current gas-powered SUV, the electric version has more legroom and headroom for front and rear passengers.
With all the seats folded, the electric SUV offers 61.4 cubic feet of space. The gas-powered model features up to 56.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Plus, you get an extra 4.5 cu ft of space in the trunk (front trunk).
Källenius said that with Mercedes’ new 800V electric architecture and latest batteries, the electric GLC can regain around 260 km (161 miles) WLTP range in just ten minutes. He added that DC fast charging at over 320 kW is possible.
The GLC 400 4MATIC with EQ Technology will arrive with impressive towing capability of up to 5,291 lbs. In comparison, the Tesla Model Y can only tow up to 3,500 lbs.
Added features, such as ESP trailer stabilization and trailer maneuvering assistant, make it even easier to tow with optimized stability and control.
Källenius also teased the new electric GLC design, calling it the start of a “new era” and “a new face of the brand as the first in a family of upcoming vehicles.”
The inside is just as impressive, providing a holistic experience. A “majestically floating next generation MBUX Hyperscreen” is optional, providing a spatial experience powered by the new MB.OS supercomputer.
Mercedes will unveil the new electric GLC at the 2025 International Motor Show in Munich on September 7, 2025.
Although official range figures will be revealed at the event, according to Car and Driver, which tested a prototype model, Mercedes said it expects the new GLC to provide a WLTP range of just over 400 miles, or slightly more than 300 miles on the EPA scale, from a 94.5 kWh battery.
Prices will also be announced in due time, but given that the current GLC 350e 4MATIC PHEV starts at $59,900 in the US, you can expect the electric model to be priced slightly higher, at around $65,000.
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Tesla (TSLA) announced its 2025 annual shareholders meeting at the very last minute, and it pushed it all the way to November, the latest it has ever held the meeting.
Tesla generally holds its annual meeting in the summer and announces it way ahead of time.
Today, the automaker announced that the meeting will be held on November 6:
The board of directors (the “Board”) of Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) has designated November 6, 2025 as the date of Tesla’s 2025 annual meeting of shareholders (the “2025 Annual Meeting”).
This is highly unusual for Tesla. Here are the dates of Tesla’s last 5 annual meetings:
- 2020: September 22, 2020
- 2021: October 7, 2021
- 2022: August 4, 2022
- 2023: May 16, 2023
- 2024: June 13, 2024
At those meetings, shareholders vote on several matters, including the reelection of directors and shareholders’ proposals.
Tesla has not released any yet, but they are expected to be in the upcoming proxy statement, which Tesla should release in the coming weeks.
Why does Tesla need more time?
Electrek’s Take
I think Tesla is working on some proposals that are going to take time to put together and then to sell to shareholders – hence why the meeting is set for November.
There are two suspects: a new CEO compensation package for Musk or a merger/acquisition of xAI.
It could also be both, but I think that would be harder to swallow for some shareholders as both initiatives have a clear aim of giving Musk a bigger stake in Tesla.
I think sane investors should not want that, but Tesla shareholders don’t fit in that category. Much of Tesla’s value is attached to Musk’s lies and ridiculous predictions. The value will have to come down to reality at some point, but they are a bunch of gamblers who are enjoying the ride in the meantime.
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A three-row electric SUV for less than $30,000? Sign me up. NIO (NYSE: NIO) opened pre-orders for the new Onvo L90 on Thursday, starting from 193,900 yuan, or about $27,000.
NIO kicks off Onvo L90 pre-orders in China
NIO claims the Onvo L90 is the lightest full-size three-row SUV in its class, with a curb weight just under 5,000 lbs (2,250 kg). In comparison, the Lucid Gravity has a curb weight of 5,966 lbs (2,712 kg).
The new flagship model is designed as a family-friendly SUV, offering ample interior space and advanced technology.
At 5,145 mm long, 1,998 mm wide, and 1,766 mm tall, the Onvo L90 is slightly bigger than the Lucid Gravity. In China, it will go head-to-head with higher-end electric SUVs like Li Auto’s L9.
However, the L9 is an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) and starts at around 409,800 yuan ($57,000), more than double the price of the Onvo L90.
The low price of 193,900 yuan ($27,000) applies only to those who rent the battery. Nio’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) costs 899 yuan ($125) a month. With the battery included, the Onvo L90 still starts at just 279,900 yuan ($39,000).
Nio’s new electric SUV is offered in six and seven-seat configurations. The interior features a massive 17.2″ floating infotainment screen at the center.
Other interior highlights include a three-zone climate control system, massage, heating, and ventilation for every seat, as well as an additional entertainment screen for rear passengers. And like many new vehicles in China nowadays, it even comes with a built-in refrigerator.
Powered by an 85 kWh battery, the Onvo L90 offers a CLTC range of 605 km (367 miles). It’s also based on NIO’s next-gen 900V platform, unlocking class-leading energy consumption of just 14.5 kWh per 100 km.
Buyers can choose from single and all-wheel-drive powertrains. The AWD version boasts up to 590 hp (440 kW), good for a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint in just 4.7 seconds.
NIO is offering an incentive for early pre-order holders. Those who place an order with a 2,000 yuan deposit will receive a 5,000 yuan credit off the vehicle and an extra 5,000 yuan for optional features and more. Nio plans to begin delivering Onvo L90 to customers, starting on August 1.
The L90 is the second Onvo-branded EV to arrive in China, following the smaller L60, launched last September.
Source: CarNewsChina, NIO Onvo
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