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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a massive deal with German automaker Volkswagen Group to implement its first electric vehicle plant outside of Europe in the country. Canada has promised the group billions in matched subsidies offered by the US government to construct its massive new battery gigafactory north.

While it was still under the tutelage of ousted CEO Herbert Diess, Volkswagen Group publicly outlined plans for six new battery gigafactories throughout Europe this decade, including a site in Skellefteå, Sweden, through a joint venture with NorthVolt scheduled to open this year.

This past February, VW Group announced that its Seat sub-brand would be revamping its production facilities in Spain to include a new battery facility for other group EVs as well. With three battery plants under construction and four more planned, Volkswagen Group suddenly paused development to await the EU’s response to the US Inflation Reduction Act.

Volkswagen Group then turned its battery production focus to North America. This past December, new CEO Oliver Blume called Canada “one logical option.” By March, however, the US appeared to be the clear target for the Group as it shared it was anticipating claiming between $9.5-$10.5 billion in subsidies and loans from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) over the lifetime of its pending battery plant.

As a free trade partner with the US looking to stay relevant in a booming EV production landscape, Canada said, “Sorry, not so fast.” Canada’s industry minister was able to negotiate a deal with Volkswagen that matches those US subsidies in exchange for building the battery factory a bit further north.

Volkswagen battery plant
Volkswagen Group’s previous plans for battery plants in Europe, which will now be focused on Canada. / Credit: Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen battery deal helps Canada keep pace with IRA

In order to lure Volkswagen Group to Canada, the government has agreed to subsidies that could top CAD 13 billion ($9.7 billion) over the course of the next decade that the battery plant is in operation. When complete, the new facility will be operated under Volkswagen Group’s PowerCo business unit and could very well become the largest manufacturing site in the entire country.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s industry minister François-Philippe Champagne negotiated the landmark contract, which will not only provide annual production subsidies to Volkswagen but also includes a CAD 700 million ($517M) grant toward the battery factory’s capital cost.

According to government officials, these negotiated terms match what VW would have received in subsidies from the US government should it have chosen the states as its new home. What’s more clever is that the negotiated deal is proportional to the Inflation Reduction Act. If the US subsidies go away, so do Volkswagen’s in Canada. If they are reduced, Canada’s will too.

Despite losing the bid, the US is still home to ID.4 production at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant, which will soon be joined by a new production facility to build upcoming Scout brand EVs in South Carolina.

As a North American country and free trade partner with the US, battery packs assembled in Canada should still enable some level of federal tax credits on future Volkswagen EVs in the US under new terms outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act, including fresh battery guidance detailed by the US Department of Treasury earlier this month.

While not everyone in Canada is elated by the eleven-figure financial commitment to Volkswagen, the industry minister argues the economic value the automaker brings to the country and its supply chain is worth far more than the subsidies. Champagne and his colleagues believe that to protect Canada’s position in automotive production, especially as it goes all-electric, the country must transcend the role as a mere source of critical minerals and become a genuine contributor to advanced EV manufacturing and zero emissions technology.

Being about two hours northeast of an automotive mecca like Detroit should help, as that’s where Volkswagen’s Canadian facility is being planned. It’s expected to have a footprint equivalent to 350 football fields and will create thousands of jobs in Ontario. Champagne stated that over the next 30 years, the Volkswagen battery plant is expected to generate over CAD 200 billion in value for Canada. If true, this deal could end up being worth tenfold in the long term.

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Toyota funded climate deniers and Fred says Elon fudged the FSD numbers

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Toyota funded climate deniers and Fred says Elon fudged the FSD numbers

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we look into a new study revealing that Toyota outspends all other automakers when it comes to funding climate change denying politicians and Fred accuses Elon of misrepresenting the data behind Full Self Driving (again).

We’ve also got word that the recently redesigned Tesla Model Y is being built in Giga Berlin, Hyundai’s electrified lineup is leading a record export year for the brand, and a new study says cleantech investments will beat out conventional energy production for the first time in 2025.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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Amazon places its largest-ever order for electric semi trucks

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Amazon places its largest-ever order for electric semi trucks

Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).

Amazon’s new electric semi trucks

These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations. 

The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.

Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.

The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.

Sustainable delivery across Europe

In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.

By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.

Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.

Electrek’s Take

Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.

In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.

Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”

Read more: It begins: Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck enters production


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Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]

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Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]

If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.

Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model

Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.

The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.

Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.

The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.

Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.

New-Genesis-GV60-EV
The updated Genesis GV60 (Source: Genesis)

The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.

After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.

The updated interior of the Genesis GV60 in blue (Source: HealerTV)

A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.

Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.

Genesis GV60 update first look (Source: HealerTV)

In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.

The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.

2025 Genesis GV60 trim Range
(EPA-est)
Starting Price*
Standard RWD 294 miles $52,350
Standard AWD 264 miles $55,850
Advanced AWD 248 miles $60,900
Performance AWD 235 miles $69,900
2025 Genesis GV60 prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,350 destination fee)

Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.

What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.

Ready to check out the electric luxury SUV for yourself? With the 2025 models here, Genesis is offering clearance prices on the 2024 lineup while they are still in stock. You can use our link to find offers on 2024 and 2025 Genesis GV60 models at a dealer near you today.

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