Audi considers first US production plant so its EVs qualify for tax credits
German automaker and VW Group subsidiary Audi is flirting with the idea of implementing EV production on US soil, so its vehicles can once again qualify for federal tax credits under new terms outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act. Audi CEO Markus Duesmann recently shared a couple of possibilities Audi is considering in a potential move to the states.
Audi’s e-tron lineup of electric vehicles has long held a comfortable position as one of the most diverse in the industry. It has continued to expand since its initial launch in 2018. We have since seen an e-tron GT, e-tron S, and Q4 e-tron, to name a few, plus several additional models in the works – not to mention Audi’s growing conceptual lineup of über-innovative EV designs.
Alongside PHEV versions of some vehicles, some Audis qualified for federal tax credits… that is until President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, laying out much stricter qualification terms that were more beneficial to US supply chains.
Those terms kicked in on January 1, 2023, and as a result, only one new Audi EV purchase currently qualifies for federal tax credits, and it’s a plug-in. Last fall, we first covered word that Audi was considering its first-ever production footprint in the US in order to play ball with the IRA terms.
At the time, Chief Technical Officer Oliver Hoffman anticipated the IRA would have a “huge impact” on Audi’s North American strategy and that the German automaker was, in fact, considering building its first US EV production facility, adding a decision could come in 2023.
Most recently, Audi’s CEO has shared a similar sentiment and even thrown out an additional business pivot that would bring Audi EV production to the US more quickly.
Audi could begin US EV production sooner with VW Group
During a recent interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Audi CEO Markus Duesmann said that the stricter terms in place under the new Inflation Reduction Act have made the prospect of implementing EV production in the US “very attractive.” Automotive News Europe later confirmed these comments.
While the company’s CTO originally said Audi executives were mulling a new EV facility in the States, Duesmann relayed that it is merely one option being considered. Another option is to collaborate with its parent company Volkswagen Group, which already has production footprints in the US and is working to erect more.
Earlier today, we covered news that Volkswagen’s reborn Scout brand of EVs will be built in the United States at a new pending factory. The exact location is yet to be determined, but Automobilwoche, which reported the news, stated the new US facility will also be used for Audi EV production. According to the Audi CEO, however, a decision has not yet been made:
Both are possible. But the probability that we do it within the group is high.
High probability, indeed. It simply makes more sense. Being part of a major automotive conglomerate like Volkswagen Group does have its advantages. In addition to being assembled in North America, Audi’s EVs must acquire and assemble a majority of battery materials on the continent or through a free-trade partner. However, those terms in the IRA are currently not being enforced until the US Dept. of Treasury shares its battery guidance, expected sometime next month.
Volkswagen Group currently has ID.4 EV assembly in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and two plants in Mexico; it is in the process of revamping to build EV motors and other components by 2025. The Group has already inked deals in Canada for local battery materials as well. Audi, too, has a production footprint in Mexico, where it builds the Q5.
This will certainly be a story to keep an eye on as US EV production from Audi feels imminent.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
National Grid Renewables has broken ground on its 100 MW Apple River Solar Project in Polk County, Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin solar farm, which will use US-made First Solar Series 6 Plus bifacial modules, will be constructed by The Boldt Company, creating 150 construction and service jobs. Apple River Solar will generate over $36 million in direct economic benefits over its first 20 years.
Once it comes online in late 2025, Apple River Solar will supply clean energy to Xcel Energy, which serves customers throughout the Upper Midwest. According to National Grid Renewables, the solar farm will generate enough energy to power around 26,000 homes annually. It will also offset about 129,900 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year – equivalent to taking 30,900 cars off the road.
“We are excited to see this project begin as it underscores our dedication to delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers,” said Karl Hoesly, President, Xcel Energy-Wisconsin and Michigan. “This project is an important step in those goals while bringing significant economic benefits to Polk County and the local townships.”
Electrek reported in February that Xcel Energy, Minnesota’s largest utility, expects to cut more than 80% – and possibly up to 88% – of its emissions by 2030, putting it on track to hit Minnesota’s goal of net zero by 2040. It also says it’s on track to achieve its clean energy goals for all the Upper Midwest states it serves – Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Michigan.
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to 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. They have 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 you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla has announced that it will finally deliver 500 kW charging as it is about to install its long-awaited V4 Supercharger cabinets.
The rollout of Supercharger V4 has been a strange one, to say the least.
Tesla has been deploying the new charging stations for two years and calling them “Supercharger V4”, but it has only been deploying the charging stalls.
Supercharger stations are made of two main parts: the stalls, which are where the charging cable is located, and the cabinets, which are generally located further back and include all the power electronics.
For all these new “Supercharger V4”, Tesla was actually using Supercharger V3 cabinets. This has been limiting the power output of the charging stations to 250 kW – although
Today, Tesla officially announced its “V4 Cabinet”, which the automaker claims will enable of “delivering up to 500kW for cars and 1.2MW for Semi.”
Here are the main features of the V4 Cabinet as per Tesla:
- Faster charging: Supports 400V-1000V vehicle architectures, including 30% faster charging for Cybertruck. S3XY vehicles enjoy 250kW charge rates they already experience on V3 Cabinet — charging up to 200 miles in 15 minutes.
- Faster deployments: V4 Cabinet powers 8 posts, 2X the stalls per cabinet. Lower footprint and complexity = more sites coming online faster.
- Next-generation hardware: Cutting-edge power electronics designed to be the most reliable on the planet, with 3X power density enabling higher throughput with lower costs.
Tesla reports that its first sites with the new V4 Cabinets are going into permitting now. The company expects its first sites to open next year.
We recently reported about Tesla’s new Oasis Supercharger project, which includes larger solar arrays and battery packs to operate the charging station mostly off-grid.
Early in the deployment of the Supercharger network, Tesla promised to add solar arrays and batteries to all Supercharger stations, and Musk even said that most stations would be able to operate off-grid.
While Tesla did add solar and batteries to a few stations, the vast majority of them don’t have their own power system or have only minimal solar canopies.
Back in 2016, I asked Musk about this, and he said that it would now happen as Tesla had the “pieces now in place” with Supercharger V3, Powerpack V2, and SolarCity:
It took about 8 years, but it sounds like the pieces are now getting actually in place with Supercharger V4, Megapacks, and this new Oasis project.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai has a new secret weapon it’s about ready to unleash. To revamp the brand in China and counter BYD’s surge, Hyundai is launching a new AI-powered EV next year. The new model will be Hyundai’s first dedicated electric car for the world’s largest EV market.
With the help of Haomo, a Chinese autonomous startup, Hyundai will launch its first EV equipped with generative AI. It will also be its first model designed specifically for China.
A Hyundai Motor official said (via The Korea Herald) the company is “working to load the software” onto the new EV model, “which will be released in the Chinese market next year.” The spokesperson added, “The level of autonomous driving is somewhere between 2 and 2.5.”
In comparison, Tesla’s Autopilot is considered a level 2 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the SAE scale (0 to 5), meaning it offers limited hands-free features.
With Autopilot, you still have to keep your eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel, or the system will notify you and eventually disengage.
Haomo’s system, DriveGPT, unveiled last spring, takes inspiration from the OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT.
The system can continuously update in real-time to optimize decision-making by absorbing traffic data patterns. According to Haomo, DriveGPT is used in around 20 models as it looks to play a bigger role in China.
Hyundai hopes new AI-powered EV boosts sales in China
Electric vehicle sales continue surging in China. According to Rho Motion, China set another EV sales record last month with 1.2 million units sold, up 50% from October 2023.
Over 8.4 million EVs were sold in China in the first ten months of 2024, a notable 38% increase from last year.
BYD continues to dominate its home market. According to Autovista24, BYD accounted for 32.9% of all PHEV and EV (NEV) sales in China through September, with over half of the top 20 best-selling EV models.
Tesla was second with a 6.5% share of the market, but keep in mind these numbers only include plug-in models (PHEV).
Like most foreign automakers, Hyundai is struggling to keep up with the influx of low-cost electric models in China. Beijing Hyundai’s sales have been slipping since 2017. Through September, Korean automaker’s share of the Chinese market fell to just 1.2%.
Last month, Hyundai opened its first overseas digital R&D center in China to help kick off its return to the region.
According to local reports, Hyundai is partnering with other local tech companies like Thundersoft, a smart cockpit provider, and others in China to power up its next-gen EVs
With its first AI-powered EV launching next year, Hyundai hopes to turn things around in the region quickly. The new model will be one of five to launch in China through 2026.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway