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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 that is now named Mobility EVo. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
VW vs. Tesla
Volkswagen is confident it can sell more electric vehicles than Tesla by 2025. CEO Herbert Diess did admit the goal would be very difficult but remains assured. Logistically speaking, though, is this goal even possible?
By 2025, Tesla will most likely have a production capacity of 4 million EVs per year. This means that Volkswagen would have to increase its production from 400,000 to 4 million in just 3 years. Volkswagen’s upcoming electric vehicles will be significantly cheaper than Tesla’s EVs, which could increase Volkswagen’s sales. Elon Musk was recently quoted as saying that VW is making the most progress from an EV standpoint. Is he blowing smoke?
Scout Making a Comeback?
In more VW news, the automaker has confirmed plans to launch the all-electric Scout brand. Imagine the Rivian R1T or R1S, but at a lower price point. VW wants to launch the Scout SUV and truck in 2026 starting only in America. As of now, the company has not announced plans to launch EVs in other regions. Expect some prototypes to be unveiled next year.
Bridgestone’s Not Tired
Bridgestone’s most recent survey in the UK proves motorists are excitedly adopting electric vehicles. In March 2022, there were 39,315 new battery-electric registrations in the UK. To compare, 2019 only had 37,850 EVs registered for the entire year.
Of the 2,000 people surveyed, 67% planned to switch to electric vehicles. 47% of motorists want to save money on gas costs, while 56% are planning to switch because of EVs’ environmental benefits. 64% of people believe that the electric vehicle driving experience will be better than internal combustion engines.
Bridgestone is committed to EVs by improving its tire technology with its EV-specific tires that account for 11% of Bridgestone’s OE lineup. With its TECHSYN technology, Bridgestone can extend the life of a tire by up to 30%. Bridgestone is also committed to installing 3,500 charging points across Europe. Talk about walking the walk.
Battery Talk
CATL, the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer, is looking at South Carolina and Kentucky to build the company’s first factory in the United States. CATL serves BMW Group and Ford Motor Company.
BMW Group has assembly plants in SC, while Ford Motor Company has one in Kentucky. According to a source, if CATL were to produce in South Carolina, the goal is to start battery production in 2026. I went to school at the University of South Carolina, so I’m partial to SC. Make it happen CATL for the great people of SC.
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