How Trump’s tariffs are killing ‘Made in America’ mopeds
It’s taken a while, but most Americans have finally come to realize that the new tariffs imposed on imported goods are in fact paid by US companies, not the countries where they are manufactured. What many still don’t realize, though, is how those same tariffs are actually crushing the American manufacturing they were ostensibly designed to promote.
It might sound counterintuitive. Even if misguided, the Trump administration’s tariffs are intended to encourage manufacturing in the US instead of sending those manufacturing jobs overseas.
The problem is that the tariffs often have the exact opposite effect. Take the nascent electric moped and light e-motorcycle manufacturing industry in the US, for example. Such 30-40 mph (48-64 km/h) electric mopeds offer street-legal rides that are significantly more affordable than larger motorcycles. These light electric motorbikes and e-mopeds are easier to produce than larger flagship street bikes, but still require specialized skills and significant investment in manufacturing capabilities.
Companies like Spark Cycleworks in Cincinnati, Ohio, have spent years making those investments, helping the company produce nearly 600 electric mopeds in its small US-based factory. However, despite building its vehicles in the US with American labor, the company is still feeling the crushing weight of tariffs that threaten its future.
The problem is that despite manufacturing occurring in the US, there is no domestic supply chain for many of the materials used in the mopeds.
Components like batteries, controllers, motors, and other critical parts are all produced in Asia – many of them in China. Spark Cycleworks Matt Schell explained that there’s simply no alternative and that such components are a huge part of the cost of production.
“Those components make about 50% of the cost of producing that bike and there’s no other option,” said Schell. “I’ve got nowhere else to go. I have to account for the tariffs on those parts.”
One of his last containers was hit with higher 45% tariffs after the initial wave of Trump tariffs, and the next container with his batteries will now see 145% tariffs.
While some might suggest that US manufacturers should just switch to producing components like battery packs locally, even these components are made with imported subcomponents.
“There are no domestic options for our motors, our controllers, and our batteries. We can make batteries by hand in the US, but all of those cells are going to be imported. So it doesn’t matter if we make the batteries here, they’re still going to get that tariff,” Schell added.
Spark Cycleworks’ electric mopeds were previously priced at around US $4,500 but Schell says that the new tariffs will force the price up to around $7,000. With that pricing uncertainty scaring off consumers, the company hasn’t sold a single bike in around five weeks.
via: WFSB
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Greenworks’ latest 60V cordless chainsaw delivers performance that rivals many gas models, but without the harmful emissions or annoying pull cord. Whether dropping saplings, pruning thick limbs, or clearing up trails after a storm, this battery-powered tool is ready to work.
First released at last year’s CES show in Las Vegas, Greenworks’ 60V li-ion battery packs enough power for 100 clean cuts of the saw’s 16″ blade, and its lightweight, 12.5 lb. frame, tool-less chain tensioner, and automatic oiling system come together for convenient maintenance and easy-to-control power.
When it’s time to get to work, the chainsaw’s brushless electric motor can spin the chain at more than 10,000 rpm with (the company claims) about 20% more torque than a 42cc gas chainsaw for fast, confident cuts through hard woods while keeping noise and vibration to a minimum.
That low-noise and fume-free operation makes Greenworks’ chainsaws an upgrade for both the operator and the neighborhood.
Greenworks’ 60- and 80-volt batteries aren’t just for chainsaws, either. Greenworks’ batteries can power more than 75 indoor and outdoor products – including hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, even riding lawn mowers, and the STEALTH fat-tire electric mini-motorcycle that made its debut earlier this year.
“Greenworks is proud to offer comprehensive battery-powered solutions for everyone, from homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts to major commercial landscaping contractors,” Klaus Hahn, Greenworks’ President, explained at its launch. “These innovations further our company’s vision of building a more powerful future with clean energy, and they illustrate our tagline ‘Life. Powered. By Greenworks.’”
Greenworks 60V chainsaw specs
- up to 100 cuts on a single charge with the included 2.5Ah battery on 4×4 wood
- 20% more torque and faster cutting than a 42cc gas chainsaw
- no prime, no choke, no pull with no aggravating pull cord
- 2.0 kW (2.7 hp) max output
- brushless motor provides more power, longer run-times, and extended life
The Greenworks 60V 16″ brushless cordless chainsaw, a 2.5Ah battery, and charger are available online for $299.99 – but it’s on sale for “just” $189.99 (or $192.49, with the 18″ arm) on Amazon through September 18th.
If you needed another reason to check it out, the company claims using the electric chainsaw instead of a gas unit saves as much carbon emissions as driving 11,000 miles.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Greenworks, via 9to5Toys.
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Heavy mineral and metals mining is one of the dirtiest industries on the planet, but Chinese equipment giant XCMG doesn’t think it has to stay that way. To prove it, the company has unveiled a sweeping pledge to electrify and decarbonize mining — and they’re dragging over 100 global partners with them.
Along with with 107 global industry partners from 26 countries, Chinese equipment brand XCMG has issued a Joint Declaration on Global Zero-Carbon Smart Mining, aiming to electrify, automate, and otherwise decarbonize international mining. The pledge addresses 12 key areas including electrification, autonomous operation, net-zero emissions, circular economy, technology sharing, international cooperation, and smarter maintenance strategies.
“As a global leader in zero-carbon smart mining solutions, XCMG is committed to addressing industry bottlenecks through integrating new energy equipment, intelligent control systems and full-lifecycle services,” said Yang Dongsheng, chairman of XCMG Group. “We have resolved the four core challenges of energy infrastructure, new energy equipment portfolios, smart mining management systems and financial support, aiming to help our customers achieving both business growth and environmental wins.”
It’s always great to see efforts like this to decarbonize. But those efforts mean millions of new equipment assets to replace the millions of existing diesel assets deployed currently.
As luck would have it, XCMG is perfectly positioned to offer those zero-emissions equipment assets. The company says it has, “the complete mining equipment solutions for open-pit and underground mines, as well as its smart construction ecosystem.”
XCMG will sell you the future, today
Multinational mining companies like Fortescue are saving up to $400 million per year on fuel costs alone with the few assets its electrified (or repowered) already, there are more than environmental reasons to push for a coalition like this — especially if you’re XCMG, whose BYD-developed battery swap technology puts them a step or three ahead of even the excellent equipment options from Volvo CE.
With a strong hand in the autonomous haul truck race and ultra-competitive pricing to back their electric plays, it seems like XCMG is about to get serious as it expands its reach into the Western world. It’s no wonder the legacy brands are running scared and hiding behind the bogus “messy middle” propaganda!
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG, via Construction Briefing.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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