NetZero Insider Weekly Intelligence Report: EVs & Transportation

Despite pushback from the auto industry, the Biden administration this week locked in steep new tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, EV batteries, aluminum, steel and critical minerals. The tariffs include a 100% duty on Chinese EVs and 25% fees on batteries, minerals, aluminum and steel.

The Biden administration argued that the move will help counteract Chinese state subsidies and boost the domestic supply chain, while industry groups — along with the Chinese government — argued that the tariffs will increase consumer costs while doing little to decrease China’s domination of the global market.

Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to limit tax credits for vehicles that use Chinese battery technology. However, the bill is unlikely to move beyond the House in the near term; it is opposed by the White House, and the Senate has not taken up the bill.

In other industry news, Kia CEO Ho-Sung Song said the company is aiming to roll out an entry-level EV costing about $22,000, hoping to lower the barrier to entry for buyers. The company’s new EV3 model costs about $42,300.

Also this past week, General Motors announced that it will soon start selling adapters that will allow its vehicles to use Tesla chargers. Tesla has the largest fast-charging network in the U.S., and the availability of adapters could significantly ease charging issues for drivers of GM vehicles.

The rollout of GM’s adapters was delayed by several months after Elon Musk fired nearly all the employees working on the company’s Supercharger network. Most vehicle manufacturers have agreed convert to building vehicles using Tesla’s charging technology in the long term.

In good news for vehicle safety, the auto industry appears to be making progress in limiting the risks of vehicle fires, according to reporting by WIRED. Some new battery chemistries favored by automakers are less susceptible to positive feedback loops that lead to self-sustaining fires, while other novel design features can also help limit these risks. Solid-state batteries, which have yet to be rolled out in commercial vehicles but have the potential to drastically increase vehicle range, are even less susceptible to catching fire.

To address the existing risks, firefighting organizations have begun to offer courses on combatting lithium-ion battery fires, and the European Union is planning to roll out regulations in 2027 requiring vehicle manufacturers to document where their batteries are made and how they are tested.

All that and more in this week’s Intelligence Report:

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Electric Vehicles
Heavy-duty Vehicles

Electric Vehicles

U.S.

AAA reports Low Demand, Falling Oil Costs Push Gas Prices Down, EV Charging Rates Inch Up

The national average for a gallon of gas kept up its torrid pace of decline, sinking six cents since last week to $3.24. The primary culprits behind the dip are low demand and falling oil costs. AAA

International

Biden imposes 100% tariffs on Chinese electric cars

Joe Biden has imposed steep tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods, despite Kamala Harris calling similar levies proposed by Donald Trump a "sales tax." The Telegraph

U.S.

Charging an EV in the city could get easier

More high-speed charging stations for electric vehicles will be available in urban parking garages under a deal to be announced today between BP Pulse and LAZ Parking, a leader in digital parking technology. Axios

International

China calls on US to axe tariff increases on EVs, solar cells and semiconductors

China is "strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed" to Washington's finalised plans to increase tariffs on a range of key Chinese industries, from electric vehicles and photovoltaic cells to semiconductors. South China Morning Post

International

Chinese EV Battery Maker, Energy Storage Firm Opens in Irvine

Rept Battero, the battery division of China's Tsingshan Holding Group, has opened its first U.S. office in Irvine, in the latest sign of Orange County as a center of EV and clean energy innovation. Orange County Business Journal

International

Chinese EVs in Britain could be 'weaponized,' think tank warns

Chinese electric vehicles being driven in Britain could be "weaponized" and should be banned from government use, a report has warned. The Telegraph

North Carolina

Electric vehicle chargers coming to NC counties with least EV registrations

Gov. Roy Cooper revealed that nine cities across North Carolina will receive $5.92 million in government funds to build electric vehicle charging stations. Most of the counties selected, however, maintain the lowest electric vehicle registrations in the state. Carolina Journal

International

EU plans Sept. 25 vote on raising tariffs on EVs from China, Bloomberg News reports

The EU is aiming to hold a vote on introducing definitive tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China on Sept. 25, according to people familiar with the plan. Bloomberg

Georgia

Georgia set out to be an EV hub. It now is, despite some speed bumps

The ups and downs of courting an emerging industry don't color how state leaders see the success of Georgia's "new industrial revolution." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

International

GM Electric Vehicles Gain Access to Tesla Chargers

After a delay of several months, General Motors said owners of its battery-powered models would now be able to use Tesla charging stations with adapters. The New York Times

International

Kia eyes even cheaper $22K entry-level EV and new brand-building Stinger GT-like model

Kia wants to change the game with a series of cheaper EVs set to hit the market. Several are already rolling out, like the new EV3, but Kia aims to lower the bar further with a new entry-level EV, starting around $22,200. On the other end of its EV lineup, Kia is eyeing a new Stinger GT-like model. Electrek

New Jersey

New Jersey EV drivers discovering $250 bill in the mail. Here's why

EV drivers who experienced sticker shock when they got their New Jersey vehicle registration renewal are not alone. New Jersey electric vehicle drivers now have to pay an annual electric vehicle fee in addition to the existing registration fee, said the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. North Jersey Media Group

U.S.

OPINION: If we stop making electric vehicles a political football, the market will grow faster

Americans are smart when it comes to making big purchases, and it's becoming increasingly obvious that EVs can be a smart choice for many consumers. Let's see what these cool new machines can do when they're not overloaded with political baggage, writes the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. Chicago Tribune

California

San Francisco and California are setting the bar for EV adoption

California's electric vehicle market is far more mature than those in other parts of the country, with San Francisco and other Bay Area cities leading the way. Axios

International

Second-hand electric car prices falling at faster and faster rate

Electric vehicles are losing value at an "unsustainable" rate as a slowdown in consumer demand sends used car prices tumbling, leasing companies have warned. The Telegraph

International

The Auto Industry Finally Has a Plan to Stop Electric Vehicle Fires

EVs can burn for days, firefighters have little or no training to deal with them, and conventional equipment isn't effective. But new technology is being developed that should make all the difference. WIRED

International

To Catch Up in EVs, Detroit Needs to Invite China In

There's lots Ford and GM could learn from the likes of BYD about building affordable electric cars. Bloomberg

International

US House Passes Bill Targeting Chinese EV Battery Tech

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would restrict electric vehicle tax credits for cars that use battery technology licensed from China, in a move that could mean trouble for plans by American car makers to work with Chinese firms to build batteries in the U.S. Silicon Republic

International

US locks in steep China tariff hikes, some industries warn of disruptions

The Biden administration on Friday locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100% duty on electric vehicles, to boost protections for strategic industries from China's state-driven industrial practices. Reuters

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Heavy-duty Vehicles

U.S.

Cybertruck just blew every other electric pickup out of the water -- but don't expect it to stay that way

Elon Musk's electric car company sold 5,175 Cybertrucks in July, according to vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility provided for Automotive News. The Cybertruck accounted for nearly half of all sales in the segment. Business Insider

U.S.

New Generation Postal Trucks May Look Goofy, But Mail Carriers Love Them

We love a good postal truck around here, and apparently the long-delayed, strangely designed electric postal trucks are pretty dang good, according to the mail carriers that use them every day. Jalopnik

U.S.

Tesla Cybertruck Owners Shocked That Tires Are Barely Lasting 6,000 Miles

Excessive tire wear is the condition suffered by performance cars and electric vehicles. Blame it on weight or power or both. Either way, this isn't new news. Yet, Tesla Cybertruck owners are crying foul when, after 6,000 miles, their Cyberbeasts have pigged out on most of the tire tread. The Drive

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