Addressing EV challenges

Issue #203, May 21, 2023

Desperate times need desperate measures. The electric vehicle (EV) situation is not desperate yet, but unique measures are taken to address the challenges faced. Leaders are getting into agreements with mineral-rich countries, but there is the issue of lack of adherence to environmental and labour standards. France is creating its 'Battery valley' to achieve economies of scale and a competitive advantage for this critical part. It is not just the availability of public charging stations matter but their reliability that is most important. Toyota continues to push for hybrid vehicles, saying even fast charging does not mean reliable public charging. Indian OEMs are moving towards lower-spec variants of EVs with smaller batteries, as the subsidy provided by the government may end. Here are some near-desperate measures taken by the industry to address EV challenges.

Oil carter to mineral monopoly

Leaders of the G7 nations gathered in Japan this week agree that the world’s reliance on China for more than 80 percent of processing of minerals leaves their nation’s vulnerable to political pressure from Beijing. China has a history of weaponizing supply chains in times of conflict. US officials have begun negotiating a series of agreements with other countries to expand America’s access to important minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel and graphite. But many mineral-rich nations have poor environmental and labor standards. - NY Times

France and its battery valley

Emmanuel Macron’s announcement last week that the Taiwanese battery maker ProLogium had chosen Dunkirk for its first foreign facility brings to four the number of giga factories planned in a corridor stretching about 60 miles inland from the port. State subsidies and industry backing pull in foreign investment as France creates its ‘Battery Valley’. Battery Valley has the support of the French president, who this week unveiled a raft of green measures and tax credits – including EV subsidies – aimed at attracting billions of euros in new investment to “reindustrialise” France, create jobs and increase manufacturing from 10% of the country’s economic output to 15%. - The Guardian

Why EV chargers don't work

A recent Boston Consulting Group survey found reliability to be the main criteria drivers in China use when choosing a public charging station, ranking it above speed, ease of use and price. There isn’t a single reason for EV charger failures. Some of the problems can be chalked up to a new technology going through the usual learning curve of improvements, exposed to the weather. There have been cycles of needed upgrades, such as replacing modems to deal with 5G wireless internet service. The myriad networks, retail outlets and garage owners who own the machines don’t always stay on top of maintenance. And chargers must communicate with a rapidly expanding variety of cars. - Automotive News

Toyota's hybrid approach

Toyota says the world isn’t ready for pure EVs. That premise is behind its push for plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs). PHEVs have a backup gas engine that powers the battery when the car runs out of juice. This obviates the need to rely on the public charging network. A Toyota document circulated to dealers claims that even with fast charging, the time it takes getting to an 80% charge can vary wildly. Toyota is offering a mix of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell electric cars to address the issue. - Forbes

Lower spec EVs

Leading electric two-wheeler players in India are understood to be rejigging their products, by launching lower-spec variants by reducing features and size of batteries, following the tapering down of subsidies by the Indian government, which will increase prices of their EV products this June onwards. - ET Auto