7 automakers unite 🌎…

Happy August.  That means school is starting soon.  For all you parents out there, we almost made it.  It’s cool to see the progress of EVs in the South.  Tesla chargers, Rivian Chargers, etc…

Now the news in 5 minutes or less.

Lost Time is never found again.

-Ben Franklin

Top 10ish EV/AV News Stories

1. Seven global automakers – BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, Stellantis NV – are forming a joint venture to establish an extensive high-powered charging network in North America, comprising at least 30,000 chargers.
2. Showcasing the all-new, fully electric Volvo EX30 for the first time in North America, Volvo Cars continues its aggressive shift towards becoming a fully electric automaker, offering customers the opportunity to reserve the 2025 Volvo EX30 starting at $34,950.
3. VinFast has broken ground at its electric vehicle manufacturing site in North Carolina’s Triangle Innovation Point, marking a significant milestone for the company’s global expansion and supply chain development in North America, with the $2 billion USD project set to produce VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9.
4. The Biden administration’s push for rapid EV adoption in the U.S. to meet proposed vehicle emissions standards creates a potential opening for budget-priced electric cars from Chinese brands like BYD, Xpeng Motors, and Li Auto.
5. Chinese electric vehicle maker Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology introduced its “Four Leaf Clover” architecture, featuring an integrated computing platform controlling all intelligent functions like autonomous driving and smart cockpit functions, intending to license the platform to other automakers.
6. Toyota is strengthening its development of electric vehicle technology in China to compete with local rivals and catch up in the growing EV market, focusing on a “multi-pathway” approach that includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, aiming to reduce manufacturing costs and improve competitiveness.
7. In Washington state, electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid sales have nearly doubled compared to the national average in the first five months of 2023.

For more Electric Vehicle News and Autonomous Vehicle News, check out the rest of the free newsletter.