11 Prime Cleantech Tales of the Week

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For this weekly publication, I’m highlighting 11 core tales that I believe stand out above the remainder. We cowl a lot cleantech information that it may be very onerous to distill or slender right down to crucial tales of the week, however the next 11 appear additional noteworthy and helpful (and, sure, I’m stuffing a number of CleanTechnica articles into a few of these particular person tales).

1. BYD is rising quick, via progress in China in addition to rising exports to increasingly more international locations. The corporate simply produced its 6 millionth plugin automobile, and that was solely 3 months after it produced its 5 millionth! The BYD ATTO 3 is now accessible in additional than 50 international locations, and a kind of is the Philippines, the place BYD simply arrived with a bang, getting ready 19 auto sellers for EVs and planning to roll out 100 charging stations nationwide. (BYD additionally has some sodium-ion battery plans underway that we might need to control.)

2. Cruise is collapsing on itself. Possibly it should bounce again, perhaps it gained’t. Cofounder and CEO Kyle Vogt resigned just lately, and cofounder and chief product officer Dan Kan resigned quickly after. One evaluation highlighted what might have been Cruise’s largest drawback — taking up an excessive amount of danger, or put in additional direct phrases, entering into too many accidents. One other evaluation narrowed in on transparency issues on the firm. Regardless of the largest points have been and are, it’s clear that Cruise has been collapsing on itself recently. Can it rebuild?

3. There’s loads of nonsense on YouTube. I suppose this isn’t information, however Jennifer Sensiba had an excellent piece displaying how a lot deceptive anti-EV nonsense is getting featured on YouTube today — and getting loads of views there. It’s regarding. What’s the answer? I don’t know — properly, except for liking and subscribing to our YouTube channel in order that extra folks see our EVObsession content material reasonably than that different dross.

4. EV charging stations should be comfy and interesting. Once more, this statement didn’t require Albert Einstein stage calculus to determine, however it’s one thing that hides in plain web site rather more than it ought to. We simply know and settle for that EV charging stations have boring, bland, barren designs. Jennifer factors out that some good structure might go a good distance in enhancing the enchantment, consolation, and security of EV charging stations. In our newest EVObsession present, I additionally notice the management from Fastned on this regard in addition to the challenges EV charging networks face in implementing such designs — lack of cash, briefly.

5. Volkswagen goes again to its roots — low cost vehicles. Volkswagen has had an fascinating evolution over the previous few many years. It tried to premium-ize itself in that point in an effort to compete extra within the higher half of the market the place revenue margins are significantly tasty. In our newest EVObsession episode, Jo Borras explains the Eighties and Nineties roots of that within the US. The issue Volkswagen has run into within the new EV period is that it hasn’t been on the forefront of software program or effectivity enhancements, and its gross sales have thus been weaker than focused. That’s particularly been the case within the crucial, dominant market of China. Volkswagen’s resolution — in China in addition to within the US and elsewhere — appears to be going again to its roots producing good vehicles at really extra inexpensive costs. The corporate is reportedly planning some extra inexpensive electrical vehicles that it hopes will increase its abroad gross sales once more.

6. The battery market is rising quickly. Worldwide, EV battery manufacturing capability grew 45% in Q3 2023 in comparison with the identical quarter of 2022. China continued to carry greater than 50% of that manufacturing capability (54%), however different markets within the prime 5 — the US, Germany, the UK, and France — are seeing a lot quicker capability progress. These subsequent 4 markets grew by about 50% 12 months over 12 months within the third quarter, whereas China grew by about 30% 12 months over 12 months.

7. US pro-EV insurance policies have pushed hundreds of jobs and a massive increase to the economic system. Many individuals don’t need to acknowledge this due to points they’ve or really feel they’ve with Joe Biden, however the EV progress his administration has stimulated is large and helps the US enormously. It’s additionally a aid, contemplating that the earlier 4 years included a number of assaults on the EV sector from the federal authorities.

8. The Cupra Born is a good, sporty EV. No, it’s not coming to the US, however it’s an excellent possibility in Europe and now Australia. David Waterworth bought critiques from two house owners, and I believe the story is price a learn for anybody inquisitive about this automobile. It’s additionally fascinating to me how they ended up within the Born.

9. McDonald’s is getting 2,000+ EV quick chargers in France, due to an initiative by EDF subsidiary IZIVIA. These 2,000+ quick chargers would “symbolize a rise of 25% within the current fleet of extremely charging stations” accessible to the general public in France.

10. Hyundai is surging ahead within the EV world. This is without doubt one of the most fun auto corporations to observe in the mean time with regards to electrical autos. It simply opened a “manufacturing facility of the long run” in Singapore, the place it’s already manufacturing the IONIQ 5 and the totally autonomous IONIQ 5 robotaxi. It is going to produce the hyper-efficient IONIQ 6 there subsequent. Total, Hyundai noticed a giant 18% model increase in 2023. Unquestionably, that’s properly deserved.

11. Hydrogen continues to get pushed for poor, illogical, counterproductive causes, together with for trucking in Europe. Michael Barnard intellectually wrestles with the ICCT on this right here, right here, right here, and right here. And if you already know Mike, you already know that he brings the receipts.

Additionally, we printed a vacation want e-book! I extremely advocate downloading it. (It gained’t chunk.)

That is a part of CleanTechnica’s weekly publication. Join the publication right here!