Category: Electric cars

China’s New Energy Vehicle ‘Star’ Company Goes Bankrupt Despite Hefty Subsidies

Yangtze River Automobile Group, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, recently declared bankruptcy. The company was once called Asia’s largest new energy vehicle manufacturer, and had acquired land in several big cities to build its manufacturing bases. However, it went bankrupt at a time when the EV industry is thriving. Insiders told Chinese media that…


Electric Car Drivers: Why You Might Not Be Pumped Over Privacy-Jolting Mileage Taxes

The environmental impact of electric cars may still be unknown, but leaders are growing concerned about the threat they pose to the financing of the nation’s highway system. Because freeways and bridges are funded, in large part, through federal and state taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, the battery-powered future will test whether roads can…


Bloody Batteries: China’s Exploitation of Congolese Children for Cobalt in Electric Car Batteries

Mining companies backed by the Chinese regime are using Congolese children to mine cobalt, a key component in electric car batteries. Are American carmakers helping China to exploit African children? China dominates the world’s cobalt processing. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are unsafe working conditions, pay of less than $1 a day, injuries,…


Toyota, Subaru Shares Drop on ‘Embarrassing’ Recalls of First EVs

TOKYO—Toyota Motor shares slipped after it recalled some of its first mass-made all-electric cars, launched two months ago, because of a risk of wheels coming loose, a setback to its ambitions to electrify its model range. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker by sales, said on Thursday it would recall 2,700 bZ4X SUVs globally. Subaru Corp,…


Electric Car Sales Soared During Supply Chain Crisis: Report

IRVINE, Calif.—Sales of electric cars surged to a record level in the fourth quarter of 2021, defying industry-wide inventory constrains and overall slow sales of new cars, according to a report released on Jan. 28 by Irvine-based Kelley Blue Book. According to the report, almost 148,000 electric vehicles sales occurred in 2021’s fourth quarter, a…


Europe’s Carmakers Face Raw Material Bottleneck for EV Batteries

FRANKFURT—Major carmakers like Volkswagen, Daimler, and Stellantis have been racing to secure battery cell supplies in Europe, but may face a bigger challenge as they seek to go electric—finding enough battery raw materials. Failure to obtain adequate supplies of lithium, nickel, manganese or cobalt could slow the shift to electric vehicles (EVs), make those vehicles…


Ford Joint Venture Partner SK Sees US Battery Shortage Persisting Until 2025

SAN FRANCISCO—Ford Motor Co.’s battery joint venture partner, Korea’s SK Innovation, expects the U.S. vehicle industry to face a battery supply shortage until 2025 because of the long lead times to build production facilities, top SK executives told Reuters. SK Innovation’s battery unit, SK On, is also considering developing lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP), which…


Electric Vehicles Will Usher in New Pennsylvania Regulations

News Analysis  Ready or not, the pressure for companies and individuals to adopt electric transportation is lurching forward along with new regulations that will likely be felt by all. The future of electric vehicles in Pennsylvania was the topic of several discussions at the statehouse Monday. At the same time, Congress is debating a federal…


Mercedes-Benz Hits Accelerator in E-Car Race With Tesla

LONDON—Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler plans to invest more than 40 billion euros ($47 billion) by 2030 to be ready to take on Tesla in an all-electric car market, but warned the shift in technology would lead to job cuts. Outlining its strategy for an electric future, the inventor of the modern motor car said on Thursday…


Back to the Past: Electric Cars in Australia

Commentary Some residents who live in my neighbourhood regularly organise a party, which is usually held on the grassy verge of the street opposite the house of one of the participants. The purpose of the party is to socialise, exchange information, and promote camaraderie. When I last attended this party, a resident proudly arrived in…