Some people believe their cell phones are spying on them but still use them to do their banking, dating, and write poetry while waiting in the grocery store line. (Maybe that last one is just me…)
The White House is talking about protecting personal privacy by keeping Chinese-made software-defined vehicles out of the US, while some automakers just don’t want market disruption that cheap EVs would cause.
They also say people don’t want EVs enough for California and the 11 states following her lead to ban EVs. The truth is often in the boring middle of the more dramatic opinions you can find.
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The US is investigating whether Chinese vehicle imports, particularly "connected" and autonomous cars, pose national security risks due to their ability to collect sensitive data and be remotely controlled. The Commerce Department's investigation will determine the impact of these imports and lead to possible bans or regulations.
BYD says they don't actually want to play with the US anyway. While planning an annual 150K production plant in Mexico, they say they plan to expand into South America. All the same, calls to block low-cost Chinese imports are going around.
📈 At the time of writing, BYD Co Ltd is up 0.14% in the market.
Speaking of calls for regulations, with The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, major automakers are challenging California's ambitious plan to cease the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, adopted by 11 other states, due to doubts about its feasibility given current EV demand levels.
California Air Resources Board insists that the environmental and health benefits of transitioning to clean vehicles are a priority. The Federal government has set no end date for ICE tech, so the exact results of these bans and pushbacks are yet to be determined. But we will keep letting y'all know what's what.
Ford's adapter for Tesla Superchargers is available for order and free to current Ford customers until June 30, at which point it will cost $230.
Ford EV drivers in the US and Canada will more than double their access to fast chargers by using Tesla's network once the company ships them in late March following first come, first serve orders.
In addition to web orders, F-150 Lightning and Mach-E owners can reserve their adapters in Ford's app.
📈At the time of writing, Ford Motor Co is up 0.62% in the market, while Tesla Inc is down 1.07%. 📉
Renault is bringing back a classic model to revive a bygone era of its larger market share. The all-electric 5 E-Tech is a reinterpretation of the Renault 5, which they produced between 1972 and 1994.
The supermini was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show and used Ampere's B-segment EV platform, AmpR Small. It features a flat floor, an 8.33-foot wheelbase, and weighs just 3,300 lbs. Of course, it will have Vehicle-to-grid abilities. Less obvious is its $27K starting price. Without a doubt, it will be a European model with little chance of reaching Americans.
📉At the time of writing, Renault SA is down 0.41% in the market.
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What do you think? Would $15K EVs with a direct line to Bejing disrupt the US auto market, or do people simply not want EVs regardless of affordability?