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Category: Electric Vehicles

Japan to make deal with Canada on EV supply chains

2023-09-20 /

CBC »

Japan’s minister of economy, trade and industry will be in Ottawa Thursday to sign a memorandum of cooperation on electric vehicle supply chains.

Yasutoshi Nishimura will be accompanied by a delegation of Japanese businesspeople representing its battery supply chain association (BASC) and corporations like Panasonic Energy, Asahi-Kasei, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo.

Japanese media reports previewing the trip over the past week suggested that in return for financial, scientific and technical help, the Canadian government intends to offer subsidies for new Japanese investments in this sector — similar to other electric vehicle battery deals struck in collaboration with the provincial governments of Ontario and Quebec.

The world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train, the Coradia iLint, is being tested in Quebec’s Charlevoix region

2023-07-23 /

France 24 »

Designed in France by rolling stock manufacturer Alstom, the zero-emissions train runs on electricity produced by mixing hydrogen with oxygen, meaning that moisture its only waste product. Alstom said Europe has already placed an order for 41 hydrogen trains.

 

Environnement : la locomotive à hydrogène vert à la conquête de l'Amérique • FRANCE 24

World's first hydrogen powered passenger train • FRANCE 24 English

Building a battery business is no easy task, even for VW

2023-06-22 /

Bloomberg »

The cell plants VW is setting up in Germany, Spain and Canada will underpin its shift away from the combustion engine. The automaker has earmarked €20 billion ($22 billion) worth of investment through 2030 to try and turn its one-year-old battery unit PowerCo into a behemoth with 20,000 workers and enough capacity for 3 million EVs a year. VW on Wednesday mapped out a renewed profit push, with Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz telling reporters the company remains open to eventually selling shares in PowerCo.

All this adds up to an unsubtle trend at Stellantis

2023-05-25 /

Bloomberg »

In Italy, Stellantis is cutting jobs and being accused of skimping on janitorial work. In the US, it’s offering buyouts to scores of staff and has idled a Jeep factory.

In Canada, the carmaker halted construction of a new battery facility, pending more government aid. And in the UK, it’s warned Parliament that post-Brexit trade rules and other issues could doom the country’s EV manufacturing prospects.

97% of Canadian EV drivers will purchase another when it comes time to replace their existing EV

2023-04-29 /
  • 89% enjoy driving their EV more than their ICE vehicle.

Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) »

The survey of over 16,000 EV owners from coast to coast found their top concern is the availability of public charging. More than four out of every 10 (44%) EV drivers say that this is a worry even after experiencing EV ownership. Significantly, EV owners say they spend 30% of their time charging outside the home. 

Further, a significant minority lack confidence in taking road trips in their EV. More than one-third of those surveyed (36%) don’t have the confidence to drive their EV on a long road trip, and most EV drivers (67%) still own a gas vehicle, which they are more likely to use for longer journeys. 

The survey asked respondents to rate their level of pre-purchase concern against their actual experience as EV drivers, in several categories. The survey found that while none of the concerns disappeared completely, they did significantly decline. Worries about range fell 37 percentage points to 30%, cold-weather performance concerns dropped 25 percentage points to 33%, and fears about battery degradation fell 41 percentage points to 13%. 

The survey also found satisfaction rates among EV drivers in Canada are extremely high. An overwhelming majority (97%) say they will purchase another EV when it comes time to replace their existing one. Almost nine in ten (89%) say they enjoy driving their EV more, 95% say their EV is more affordable, and 92% say their EV is a quieter ride than their gas vehicle. 

High purchase prices are stopping most Canadians from buying electric vehicles (EV)

2021-10-01 /

John Shmuel, BNN Bloomberg »

The survey, which was conducted by Leger Marketing earlier this month, asked 1,511 Canadians if they were planning to purchase a new electric vehicle in the near future. It found that just over one in four, or 26 per cent of Canadians, are planning to do so. On the other hand, 19 per cent of Canadians are planning to buy a gas/diesel/hybrid card for their next purchase.

Those who aren’t planning on buying an EV were asked what the biggest reason for their decision was. By far, it was the price of these vehicles: 31 per cent of this group cited cost as the main reason for not electrifying their ride. Another 59 per cent of respondents cited it as a concern, but not the main one. Other reasons for not wanting to buy an electric vehicle included lack of infrastructure (18 per cent), range concerns (16 per cent), and battery life and replacement (13 per cent).

What’s interesting is that it’s clear that government incentives for EVs are the most powerful tool right now to drive adoption. When asked if further government incentives would convince them to buy an electric vehicle, 78 per cent of those surveyed said yes.

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