This week, we have news on Saying Bye to the Bolt, Gravity Testing, Regen Options at Tesla, and Electrifying Honda: Our Top EV News for the week of Apr 28, 2023.
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Bio: John is the COO at EPG, a company focused on helping electric and autonomous vehicle companies hire the best talent. In addition to these services, EPG puts out an informative weekly newsletter dubbed Mobility EVo. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
Buy Bolt
GM plans to cease production of its Chevrolet Bolt EVs by the end of the year, despite record production and sales, according to CEO Mary Barra. The Bolt EV and EUV models have been GM's top-selling EVs, but use older battery technology compared to newer models like the GMC Hummer and Cadillac Lyriq.
The suburban Detroit plant that has produced Bolts since 2016 will be retooled to produce electric Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks next year. Although the Bolt was a significant achievement as the first affordable EV, it did not achieve the same sales success as Tesla's vehicles. GM is now focusing on releasing new EVs based on the Ultium platform, including the Silverado EV, Blazer EV, and Equinox EV.
Gravity Testing
Lucid Group has announced that its upcoming Gravity luxury electric SUV is now being tested on public roads across the US. The vehicle will offer seating for up to seven adults and feature a combination of spaciousness, performance, and driving range that is unmatched by any other electric SUV on the market.
Lucid's CEO, Peter Rawlinson, expressed excitement over the progress of the Gravity SUV and stated that it builds upon the company's achievements and drives advancements in its in-house technology. The Gravity will also introduce new Glass Cockpit high-resolution displays powered by Lucid's next-generation software interface, Lucid UX.
Tesla Regen and China
Tesla is bringing back the power of choice by reintroducing adjustable regenerative braking settings via an OTA software update. Drivers can now select between "standard" and "low" options to best suit their preferences and driving conditions. And the fun doesn't stop there!
Tesla is also expanding its Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot program to China, allowing select non-Tesla electric vehicles to access 10 Supercharging stations and 120 destination charging points for the first time. Get ready for a seamless and customizable driving experience with Tesla.
Electrifying Honda
Honda recently held a press briefing to discuss the progress they've made toward their business transformation and electrification goals. The executives focused on five key areas that Honda sees as critical for advancing mobility: carbon neutrality of power units, energy management systems, resource circulation, automated driving/advanced driver-assistance systems, and IoT/connected systems.
Honda has set a goal to have all its vehicle sales be EVs or FCEVs globally by 2040. The company plans to produce over 2 million EVs annually by 2030. In North America, the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX will be available for sale in 2024, with a mid-sized to large-sized EV based on Honda's dedicated EV platform to be introduced in 2025.
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