Bill Ford

There's a good coverage of the interview I gave SAE International in anticipation of my talk at #WCX in #Detroit last week. We discuss how traditional and new automotive companies are different but also beginning to learn from one another. In that interview I also point out that established automakers are exceedingly practiced at R&D, design, engineering, manufacturing and distribution, a process that is sometimes overlooked, dismissed, ignored by newcomers. And I also explain that newcomers are diving headfirst into the digital world, and with software, they can innovate much more quickly because coding something new goes much faster than building new hardware. Read the article under the link below and let me know what you think. #automotive #engineering #mobility #electricvehicles #automateddriving #detroit #siliconvalley https://lnkd.in/eSC5zfRD

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Volkswagen Group and Rivian Announce Plans for Joint Venture to Create Industry-Leading Vehicle Software Technology. Volkswagen Group and Rivian intend to enter a joint venture to create next generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) architectures to be used in both companies’ future electric vehicles. Volkswagen Group to invest an initial $1 billion in Rivian, with up to $4 billion in planned additional investment for a total expected deal size of $5 billion Joint venture is expected to build on Rivian’s industry-leading software and electrical architecture to create best-in-class software-defined vehicle technology platform. The partnership is anticipated to accelerate the development of software for Rivian and Volkswagen Group. It is expected to allow both companies to combine their complementary strengths and lower cost per vehicle by increasing scale and speeding up innovation globally. Rivian’s proven in-market zonal hardware design and integrated technology platform are expected to serve as the foundation for future SDV development in the JV that will be applied to both companies’ vehicles. Rivian plans to contribute its electrical architecture expertise and is expected to license existing intellectual property rights to the joint venture. Both companies aim to launch vehicles benefitting from the technology created within the joint venture in the second half of the decade. In the short term, the joint venture is expected to enable Volkswagen Group to utilize Rivian’s existing electrical architecture and software platform. The partnership’s ambition is to accelerate Volkswagen Group’s SDV plans and transition to a pure zonal architecture. Each company will continue to separately operate their respective vehicle businesses. Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group said: “Our customers benefit from the targeted partnership with Rivian to create a leading technology architecture. Through our cooperation, we will bring the best solutions to our vehicles faster and at lower cost. We are also acting in the best interest of our strong brands, which will inspire with their iconic products. The partnership fits seamlessly with our existing software strategy, our products, and partnerships. We are strengthening our technology profile and our competitiveness." RJ Scaringe, Founder and CEO of Rivian said: “We’re very excited to be partnering with Volkswagen Group. Since the earliest days of Rivian, we have been focused on developing highly differentiated technology, and it’s exciting that one of the world’s largest and most respected automotive companies has recognized this. Not only is this partnership expected to bring our software and associated zonal architecture to an even broader market through Volkswagen Group’s global reach, but this partnership also is expected to help secure our capital needs for substantial growth..” #partnership #softwareinvestment #jointventure #softwarestrategy #technology #industryleadingvehiclesoftware

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𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 Most automotive people know about the 100 percent tariffs of Chinese EVs by the Biden Administration, but there are also tariffs on #EV batteries and battery materials:  As noted on this White House Fact Sheet, the tariff rate on lithium-ion EV batteries will increase from 7.5%% to 25% in 2024, while the tariff rate on lithium-ion non-EV #batteries will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate on battery parts will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2024. The tariff rate on natural graphite and permanent magnets will increase from zero to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate for certain other critical minerals will increase from zero to 25% in 2024.  All of these tariffs are designed to provide the US the time it will take to develop its EV industry within North America and with its preferred trading partners.  With the large lead #China has on the rest of the world in battery technology, materials, and processing, it is estimated that the US will need nearly 10 years to catch up.  The tricky part will be that China will not stand still.  It will continue its R&D to develop EVs and batteries that will dominate in the interim.  We are seeing the EU struggle to manage China’s exporting of EVs that are now 20 percent of EU EV sales.  China may decide to build plants in the EU, but it is unclear if they then will have the cost advantage they have now, though they may still have the technical advantage.  We shall see.  This Analysis is part of our EV Evolutions project that tracks policy, technology, and sales in China, the US, and the EU. 

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ZF and Foxconn Close on JV for Passenger Car Chassis Systems, Accelerating Strategic Innovation. https://lnkd.in/gcfcHifx 鴻海精密工業股份有限公司 #ZF #Foxconn #JointVenture #AutomotiveIndustry #ChassisSystems #Innovation #Partnership #GlobalExpansion #Mobility #Engineering #SupplyChain #Technology #BusinessGrowth #Manufacturing #StrategicPartnership

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New leadership, major investments, and cutting-edge technology are transforming the Motor City into a hub for electric and autonomous vehicles. Dive into this case study to see how Detroit is driving forward with innovation and resilience. https://lnkd.in/g2h8FY7z

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As we transition from ICE vehicles to EVs, the need for high-tech talent is becoming increasingly urgent, not just in Michigan, but across the globe. A panel session at the Mackinac Policy Conference examined perspectives from industry, academia, and national workforce organizations on developing a qualified workforce to support the EV ecosystem in Michigan.

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💯💯𝐄𝐕 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐀 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧💯💯 🚙 Electric vehicles (#EVs) are gaining traction, but concerns about charging infrastructure reliability persist. 😓 This recent conversation hosted by the Detroit Economic Club with General Motors Chair & CEO, Mary Barra, demonstrates that OEMs are taking charger reliability seriously. 🧐 At WattsUp, we are at the forefront of this needed reliability transformation. 🔋 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: • 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: We detect anomalies that indicate impending failure, allowing operators to get ahead of the problem. 𝐆𝐨𝐭 '𝐞𝐦! • 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: We eliminate bottlenecks associated with user dependent intervention and scheduling. 𝐖𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝. • 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬: Our solution minimizes charger downtime and reduces the amount of OpEx needed to maintain #EVSEs. 𝐆𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲! Have some ideas for how the charging experience and charger reliability can improve? We want to hear from you! Drop a comment below. 💚 https://lnkd.in/gu_pjRrD

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The National Technical Committee of Auto Standardization (SAC/TC114) is soliciting opinions on the recommended national standard Recovery of Traction Battery Used in Electric Vehicle — Echelon Use — Part 5: Battery Design Guide for Echelon Use (Draft for Comments). The deadline for submitting comments is set for 10 July, 2024. As new energy vehicles in the Chinese market gradually enter the retirement phase, retired batteries can still meet the requirements for various echelon (secondary) uses, such as in low-speed electric vehicles, as backup power source for telecommunication base stations, and in electrical energy storage. However, issues arise in these echelon uses because the design of power batteries originally did not consider end-of-life applications in terms of materials, structure, and interfaces. This results in challenges in disassembling retired batteries, barriers to their secondary use, or complex and costly processes, thus hindering the development of the secondary use industry and leading to wastage of resources and energy. https://lnkd.in/gjhSVZYW

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The National Technical Committee of Auto Standardization (SAC/TC114) is soliciting opinions on the recommended national standard Recovery of Traction Battery Used in Electric Vehicle — Echelon Use — Part 5: Battery Design Guide for Echelon Use (Draft for Comments). The deadline for submitting comments is set for 10 July, 2024. As new energy vehicles in the Chinese market gradually enter the retirement phase, retired batteries can still meet the requirements for various echelon (secondary) uses, such as in low-speed electric vehicles, as backup power source for telecommunication base stations, and in electrical energy storage. However, issues arise in these echelon uses because the design of power batteries originally did not consider end-of-life applications in terms of materials, structure, and interfaces. This results in challenges in disassembling retired batteries, barriers to their secondary use, or complex and costly processes, thus hindering the development of the secondary use industry and leading to wastage of resources and energy. https://lnkd.in/gjhSVZYW

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The National Technical Committee of Auto Standardization (SAC/TC114) is soliciting opinions on the recommended national standard Recovery of Traction Battery Used in Electric Vehicle — Echelon Use — Part 5: Battery Design Guide for Echelon Use (Draft for Comments). The deadline for submitting comments is set for 10 July, 2024. As new energy vehicles in the Chinese market gradually enter the retirement phase, retired batteries can still meet the requirements for various echelon (secondary) uses, such as in low-speed electric vehicles, as backup power source for telecommunication base stations, and in electrical energy storage. However, issues arise in these echelon uses because the design of power batteries originally did not consider end-of-life applications in terms of materials, structure, and interfaces. This results in challenges in disassembling retired batteries, barriers to their secondary use, or complex and costly processes, thus hindering the development of the secondary use industry and leading to wastage of resources and energy. https://lnkd.in/gjhSVZYW

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We love this perspective from Steve Taylor at ChargeCorps on how other automakers are responding to the ever-growing EV market. We'll be watching General Motors and other key players in the EV market like Hyundai Motor Company (현대자동차), Cadillac, and Rivian. #electricvehicles #evcharging

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