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The heads of BMW, Volkswagen, and Renault have spoken out against European Union’s emission targets in recent days, arguing that the phase-out rules put too much pressure on the industry and that consumers aren’t buying EVs fast enough. Next year, the policy will tighten ahead of the full ban of gas and diesel cars in 2035, leaving automakers to pay steep fines if they fall short.

In 2025, the EU will require a 25% reduction of fleet emissions from new passenger cars sold in Europe, compared to 2021 figures – and legacy automakers are not happy about that, arguing that basing their entire industry on the whims of consumers’ desire (or not) to buy EVs isn’t fair.

Failure to comply with the new rules will come at a cost, a €95 ($102) fine for every vehicle registered in the EU, multiplied annually by each CO2 g/km above the target.

“We believe a comprehensive review of CO2 fleet legislation in the EU is essential,” BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said yesterday, as reported in Automotive News Europe.

Interestingly, BMW has already said it has reduced its own CO2 emissions fleet to an average 20% below the European target for 2023. Zipse also said the company was on track to hit 2025 targets as well – last year, 15% of BMW’s sales were BEVs, with a target for 20% in 2025. The company estimated 50% BEV sales by 2030 worldwide, and possibly higher in Europe, he said.

Still, Zipse is urging the EU to turn down the pressure. “By the end of 2025 the world will note that it’s not that easy,” he added, speaking at the automaker’s annual results conference. “By then the pressure then will be significant for the European automotive industry.”

“Something that’s not taken into account that it’s the free decision of millions of customers,” Zipse said. “It’s not just like the energy infrastructure where you can switch something off and then something else happens automatically.”

Last week, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume said: “It does not make sense that the industry has to pay penalties when the framework conditions for the EV ramp up are not in place.” Renault CEO Luca de Meo chimed in too this week, asking for a call for review in an open letter to EU legislators published this week.

Electrek’s Take

Automakers are, to no surprise, talking out of both sides of their mouths here. And the 2035 ICE car ban is facing some serious heat ahead of June’s European election, as momentum for reversing the ban is growing, and lawmakers who take office after the election could easily water down the policy.

As for the automakers, just last month, ACEA, Europe’s automakers association, headed by de Meo, said that it is not pushing back and is all in with the EV future, with de Meo adding that the auto industry wants no part in arguing “against the regulation.” “We are not contesting 2035,” said de Meo. “Now we must get down to it.” He added that the upcoming ban target of 2035 “is potentially feasible, but the right conditions must be put in place.”

Those conditions usually mean consumers opting for European cars over Chinese ones, as European automakers face immense pressure from cheaper, high-quality Chinese brands arriving by the shipload. Automakers have been urging for more government incentives and investment in charging infrastructure to help nudge higher EV adoption rates. 2024 brought an end, or a radical reduction, in many EU incentive programs. Creative solutions are certainly on the table:  Volkswagen and Renault are negotiating jointly making a sub-€20,000 ($21,600) EV.

De Meo also argued that European automakers are under pressure from all sides, with the need to invest in new technologies and retrain the workforce to avoid mass layoffs, to managing the price of raw materials such as lithium. “China rules, the U.S. stimulates and Europe regulates,” he wrote in the public letter, which also called for a 10-year “Marshall Plan” fund that could replace older cars with newer, cleaner ones while redistributing funds across Europe based on each country’s capacity. He said this plan could save 1 million tons of CO2 by the end of the decade, according to Automotive News Europe.

Last year, the EU agreed to watering down a European Commission ruling on Euro 7 vehicle emissions after major pushback from automakers and eight countries, including France, that made the argument that the changes could divert investments from EVs.

As in the US, the European Union faces a volatile election year. In any case, EU has said that it will review the CO2 policy again in 2026 to see how things are going. If the policy does weather the storm this year, European automakers can still produce internal combustion engines even after 2035, as long as they are exported and sold outside of the EU.

Photo: BMW

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Save $729 on Hiboy’s Step-Thru e-bike at $850, Greenworks and WORX 1-day electric tool sales, and more

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May 1, 2024

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Save 9 on Hiboy's Step-Thru e-bike at 0, Greenworks and WORX 1-day electric tool sales, and more

Today’s Green Deals feature more limited-time discounts than ever before, headlined by Hiboy’s latest sale that is taking up to $729 off EVs and bundles, led by the EX6 Step-Thru Fat-Tire e-bike at $850. It is joined by three tool-specific 1-day Best Buy deals, with the biggest of them being the Greenworks 80V 18-inch Cordless Electric Chainsaw dropping to a new $250 low, as well as the return of the NIU BQi-C3 Pro e-bike to its $1,300 low. Plus all of the other days’ Green Deals that are still going.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Hiboy EX6 Step-Thru Fat-Tire e-bike falls to $850

Hiboy has taken up to $729 off a selection of its EV models for the foreseeable future, with a few bundle options available as well. The biggest of these deals is on the EX6 Step-thru Fat-Tire e-bike for $849.99 shipped. Down from a $1,579 price tag, this bike saw few discounts during 2023 outside of holiday sales like Black Friday where it first fell to the former $900 all-time low. In the new year we’ve already seen it drop further to the new $800 low back in March, with today’s deal coming in as a slightly lesser 46% markdown that gives you $729 in savings and lands at the second-lowest price we have tracked. The Hiboy EX6 Step-Thru e-bike comes equipped with a 500W Brushless Geared Motor alongside a removable 48V waterproof battery to reach top speeds of 25 MPH for up to 75 miles on a single six to seven-hour charge. Sporting an ergonomic riding design, it features 20-inch all-terrain fat-tires in conjunction with a hydraulic suspension fork for a smooth ride wherever you go. It also has an integrated rear cargo rack, fenders over both wheels, dual disc brakes, an LCD display, a bright headlight, a 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, and three riding modes. Hiboy is also offering two EX6 e-bikes at a discounted rate of $1,660, down from $3,160.

Greenworks 80V 18-inch electric chainsaw hits $250 low

For today only, Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 80V 18-Inch Cordless Electric Chainsaw with 4.0Ah battery for $249.99 shipped. Down from a $400 price tag, this particular combo of tool and battery saw very few discounts over 2023, as opposed to its tool-only counterpart. Since the new year began we’ve already seen two previous one-day discounts, the first of which brought costs down to $297 and the second took things further to $280. Today’s deal continues the trend as a greater 38% markdown that beats our previous mention by $30, giving you a solid $150 in savings and landing as a new all-time low. Equipped with a 18-inch bar and chain, as well as a 4.0Ah battery and rapid-charger, this chainsaw allows up to 270 cuts on 4×4 lumber on a single charge. The brushless motor also has “twice the torque of its brushed counterparts,” and its automatic oiler will ensure an evenly lubricated chain and increased productivity. There is no need to struggle with starter ropes as its been replaced with a simple and easy push button start. Also includes charger and scabbard.

Best Buy has a few more tool-related deals of the day, offering a Greenworks 18-inch replacement bar and chain for the above chainsaw at $9.99 shipped, down from $40. This is a massive 75% markdown that is the lowest price we could find, giving you a great chance to snag these backup parts for next to nothing. Best Buy has also listed the WORX 4V 3-Speed Screwdriver for $24, down from $50. Weighing only 1.5 pounds, this device applies 300 RPM of no-load speed for a max hard torque of 44 inch-pounds and a max soft torque of 22 inch-pounds – all at the press of a button, making it useful in tighter spaces.

NIU BQi-C3 Pro e-bike parked next to stone bench with woman sitting, within post for Hiboy Ex6 Step-Thru e-bike

NIU BQi-C3 Pro e-bike returns to $1,300 low for today only

Today only, Best Buy is once again offering the NIU BQi-C3 Pro e-bike for $1,299.99 shipped. Down from its usual $2,200 price tag, in the new year we’ve seen three previous 1-day sales like this; one back on Valentine’s Day, where it fell to $1,500 and twice in April, where it returned to $1,300 for the first time since Labor Day sales. Today’s deal comes in as another repeat 41% markdown off the going rate and lands as a return to the all-time low. You can learn more about this e-bike by heading below the fold or by reading through our hands-on review.

The NIU BQI-C3 Pro comes equipped with a 750W peak-rated rear hub motor alongside dual 48V 10.0Ah batteries that propel the bike up to 28 MPH for up to 90 miles on a single charge. It fully recharges from empty in just five hours, and settings can be monitored and controlled via the companion app thanks to NIU’s smart control technology that has been carried over to this model from its popular lines of electric scooters. It also comes with plenty of extra features that enhance the riding experience like a kickstand, the integrated rear cargo rack, fenders for both wheels, an LED headlight and taillight, puncture-resistant tires, internally routed wiring, IP65 waterproof rating for the motor, IP67 waterproof rating for the battery, and a 3.5-inch TFT color display that gives you real-time readouts of both individual battery levels, distance, travel times, speed, and more.

Spring e-bike deals!

Jackery explorer 500 portable power station sitting on table with other electrical devices, within post for Hiboy EX6 Step-Thru e-bike

Other new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Toyota goes large on hydrogen with new US headquarters

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May 1, 2024

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Toyota goes large on hydrogen with new US headquarters

Toyota hydrogen headquarters
Photo: Toyota Motor North America

Toyota today announced that it’s turning its R&D office in Los Angeles into its new North American hydrogen headquarters. 

Toyota’s North American hydrogen headquarters

Toyota says its “H2HQ” will drive its North American-led hydrogen initiatives and help localize global hydrogen-related technologies and products. That will include both light-duty and heavy-duty fuel cell applications, stationary fuel cell power generation, and port vehicle applications.

President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, Ted Ogawa, said, “Renaming this facility as North American hydrogen headquarters represents our leadership in fuel cell development, creating real-world products to help reduce carbon emissions.”

The LA R&D center played a large part in launching the light-duty fuel cell vehicle Mirai in 2015. It hosts Toyota’s largest dynamometer (1.2 MW), has a scalable test bench for stationary applications, and it also already has a hydrogen fueling station for light- and heavy-duty vehicles.

Toyota is building a microgrid at H2HQ that will allow it to operate off-grid. The microgrid includes 230 kW of solar, a 1 MW stationary proton exchange membrane fuel cell generator, 325 kW solid oxide fuel cell, and a 500 kWh battery storage system. The system is expected to come online by 2026.

Electrek’s Take

I get Toyota wanting to do R&D on heavy-duty fuel cell applications, stationery fuel cell power generation, and port vehicle applications. Microgrid R&D is also intriguing.

But hydrogen light-duty vehicles, nope. It just doesn’t seem like a good use of their time, money, and resources.

To fill up a hydrogen light-duty car, you go to hydrogen stations, which, so far, get 95% of their hydrogen from polluting methane.

If fuel cell vehicles were fueled by green hydrogen, they would be cleaner. But unlike charging EVs on home solar, you can’t set up a hydrogen electrolysis machine in your garage.

Plus, hydrogen stations are rare – California is the only US state with a network of retail hydrogen stations. So you can forget road trips.

However, I am curious to see what else comes out of H2HQ, and I will keep an eye on its projects.

Read more: Toyota to invest $1.3B to build EVs at its Kentucky plant

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Elon Musk is throwing his weight around Tesla, comes in like a wrecking ball

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May 1, 2024

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Elon Musk is throwing his weight around Tesla, comes in like a wrecking ball

Elon Musk wrecking ball

We are getting more information on the ongoing layoffs at Tesla. Several employees describe the situation as Elon Musk “throwing his weight around” to solidify his status after being mostly absent over the last year.

But he is coming in like a dangerous wrecking ball.

Sources familiar with the matter told Electrek that Musk was not as frequently present at Tesla as he used to be over the last year and since his acquisition of Twitter.

That has changed over the last few weeks.

Musk is now all over Tesla or at least, his presence is being felt everywhere at Tesla.

It started with the first wave of layoffs two weeks ago. Musk announced that Tesla would be laying off about 10% of its workforce and used his usual excuse of growing the headcount too fast, resulting in hiring inefficiencies with duplicate jobs.

However, when we first heard about those plans a day prior, we heard that the layoffs could be closer to 20% of the workforce.

Sure enough, the layoffs are still ongoing.

Tesla started another wave of layoffs this week – including the entire charging organization.

Now, Electrek has learned that Musk also gutted Tesla’s cathode material manufacturing team in Texas.

It started with Anthony Thurston, Senior Manager, Cathode Materials & Manufacturing at Tesla, earlier this month, but Electrek has learned that Musk has now let go of most of the team.

Sources familiar with the matter describe a difficult situation at Tesla right now. Uncertainty, confusion, and frustration are the main feelings going around the offices.

Several sources confirmed that there are rumors around Tesla that the vehicle engineering and design departments are next.

During Tesla’s earnings call last week, Musk commented a bit more on the layoffs. This time, he said it was about “reorganizing” the company:

We’ve made some corrections along the way. But it is time to reorganize the company for the next phase of growth and you really need to reorganize it.

Analysts and Tesla fans are trying to understand the logic behind some of these moves and the firing of almost the entire charging organization, around 500 people, has been hard to understand for most people.

Musk said that Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network but with a focus on existing stations:

We reported that Tesla has already backed out of leases for new Supercharger stations.

Sources say that Tesla will have issues continuing to grow the network without the organization of Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s former head of charging.

In the past, Tesla rehired people it fired after realizing that it couldn’t get the work done without them.

This is raising questions about the logic behind some of the layoffs and their efficacy.

Sources familiar with the matter believe that some of the layoffs have nothing to do with hiring inefficiencies or restructuring, but rather with Musk throwing his weight around Tesla.

Two sources told Electrek that Tinucci was fighting back pressure from Musk to fire a bigger percentage of her team, and the CEO decided to let go of the entire team as an example.

Musk wrote in an email to executives on Sunday:

“Hopefully, these actions are making it clear that we need to be absolutely hard-core about headcount and cost reduction. While some on exec staff are taking this seriously, most are not yet doing so.”

The message is clear: fire people as many people as I’m asking, or you and your entire team will be gone.

Electrek’s Take

This is clearly about more than hiring inefficiency and restructuring. Musk is cleaning house. It could be that he has serious concerns about the economy and lack of reversal for Tesla’s sales in the short term, but he didn’t go into that in the earnings call last week.

It could be about more than that. I don’t know if I completely agree with the theory that Musk is securing his leadership position at Tesla, but it is a viable theory.

As I previously presented, the vote on his compensation package is turning into a vote of confidence in the CEO.

These layoffs are useful for him on that front. A lot of the leadership is gone. With every leader leaving, Musk becomes more needed at Tesla. Also, it doesn’t hurt that all these leaders are unloading their stocks, which won’t be voted against him.

However, it raises the question: is it actually good for Tesla?

The Supercharger team did something incredible: build the only successful and liked fast-charging network in North America, which is critical to EV adoption.

Firing the entire team because the head was pushing back on the number of layoffs is ridiculous, especially if the plan is still to grow the network. Tesla needs to grow the network since it is currently onboarding other automakers on it. Even if Tesla sees its own sales slowing down, the Supercharger network will need a capacity increase.

Everyone I talked to at Tesla says that it is a complete mess. Contractors for most ongoing Supercharger projects lost their point of contact at Tesla. Again, many suspect Tesla will try to rehire some of the workers fired.

Tesla has hiring inefficiencies leading to layoffs and layoffs inefficiencies leading to new hires.

It’s not a good look.

The only way I can get behind Musk on this is if Tesla’s financials are really in the dumpster. It doesn’t look that bad right now based on the financial statements, but it’s not impossible that Tesla has internal numbers, like orders coming in, that look awful.

Some of this reminds me of Tesla in 2019. Things were looking pretty good, but Tesla launched a huge cost-cutting effort. We later learned that Tesla was on the verge of bankruptcy because it didn’t anticipate how costly it would be to launch Model 3 in high volume in Europe.

The long transit time put a lot of financial pressure on Tesla, and the cost-cutting effort was intended to compensate for that – Musk didn’t communicate to shareholders until later.

Maybe there’s something similar going on that we don’t know about, but at the same time, Tesla is in a completely different situation right now, sitting on $27 billion in cash.

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