Slate dropped a bombshell this week when it revealed both itself and its first model: a utilitarian electric pickup truck expected to cost under $20,000 after factoring in the federal tax credit for plug-in cars.
Cheap electric vehicles have been elusive for years, in part because EV batteries have historically been so expensive. So this truck could be a very big deal once production starts in late 2026—if Slate can avoid the pitfalls that tanked other EV startups.
Given the whole battery-cost hurdle, you might expect the startup’s pickup to use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells, a chemistry that’s gaining traction worldwide thanks to its lower cost. You’d be wrong. Slate is going with pricier and more typical nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries.
Photo by: Slate
Chris Barman, Slate’s CEO, told InsideEVs it came down to where the supply chains for these two chemistries are located. She explained it would’ve been challenging to comply with the EV tax credit’s battery-sourcing requirements while using LFP.
“We’ve gone with more of what’s in the mainstream right now and that many others in the industry are using. So we’re using more of what’s been scaled within the U.S.,” she said. “For LFP, most of those materials would come out of China or elsewhere.”
The $7,500 federal rebate for EV buyers is a key driver of Slate’s price proposition, especially given how bare-bones its truck is before options. (It sports crank windows, no radio and a 150-mile range.) But the incentive isn’t available for buyers of just any vehicle. EVs need to be produced in North America. Slate’s got that covered with a factory opening up somewhere in the Midwest.
Photo by: Slate
And the battery pack that powers a qualifying vehicle can’t use components or critical minerals that come from a “foreign entity of concern,” which is government-speak for adversaries like China. The rules, passed during the Biden administration, aim to spur more domestic EV and battery manufacturing, while also making the car industry less reliant on China. That country has a stranglehold on global battery production. By some estimates, it’s responsible for 98% of the world’s supply of active materials for LFP batteries.
On top of that, battery cells need to meet requirements for both their components and raw materials that get stricter each year throughout this decade. By 2029, 100% of a qualifying vehicle’s battery components must be made in North America. By 2027, 80% of an EV battery’s critical minerals must be recycled in North America, come from the U.S. or come from a country the U.S. has a free-trade agreement with.
Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs
It’s a lot to deal with. But Slate has the advantage of being able to spin up its supply chains with these rules already in place. As the requirements have tightened up, manufacturers with EVs already on the road have had to scramble to remain compliant, with some models losing tax-credit eligibility altogether.
Of course, there’s also no guarantee the EV tax credit will remain on the books much longer. President Trump and his allies in Congress have proposed killing the subsidy.
At the end of the day, Slate went with U.S.-made NMC cells from the South Korean battery manufacturer SK On. The automaker inked an initial deal to purchase 20 gigawatt-hours of battery cells through 2031. That adds up to around 380,000 of its 52.7-kilowatt-hour packs. (Slate will also offer a larger 84.3-kWh pack with extra range.)
Photo by: InsideEVs
Another reason Slate went with NMC was its superior energy density. LFP packs are durable, known for their fast-charging abilities and use cheaper raw materials. But an NMC pack that takes up the same amount of space will generally deliver more range.
Eric Keipper, Slate’s head of engineering, said the automaker could’ve managed the 150-mile range of its base vehicle with LFP cells. But energy density would’ve been a problem for the longer-range, 240-mile version. That makes sense, given that the Slate truck is pretty tiny and there’s only so much space in the floor for battery cells.
“We wouldn’t have necessarily been able to get the energy density with LFP. So that was one of the factors,” he told InsideEVs, when asked about the decision between the two chemistries. “But really it’s the availability in the United States.”
Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
Source link by Battery Tech – News and Trends | InsideEVs
Front shot of the Blazer EV SS in Radiant Red driving on a scenic road.
Chevrolet invited me to Charlotte to drive the new Blazer SS and tour some of their facilities in the area (they paid for my flights and hotel and food). I don’t accept invites for every car (since I just write part time), but since I was so impressed with the Equinox last year, as I wrote about here and here, I decided to go. I wasn’t disappointed.
Chevrolet has long been a name synonymous with American muscle and innovation in the automotive world. With the introduction of the 2025 Blazer EV SS, it seems they’re doubling down on that reputation, but this time, with a fully electric twist. As someone who’s been tracking the evolution of electric vehicles for years — ever since gas prices started pinching my wallet back in 2010 — I was eager to see if Chevy could bring the same level of excitement and performance to the EV space that they’ve brought to their gas-powered counterparts. The Blazer EV SS isn’t just another electric SUV; it’s a statement that Chevrolet is serious about competing in the high-performance EV segment.
A year ago, I wondered if Chevy was really committed to build EVs in volume, but the last year has convinced me they have the capacity to build a lot of EVs. Of course, Trump’s tariffs or a repeal of the federal tax credit could significantly hurt demand, but I can’t fault Chevrolet for Trump’s actions. Let’s dive into what makes this vehicle stand out, and why it might just be the SUV that gets traditional automakers back in the EV game, especially as many electric car fans have soured on Tesla due to Elon’s recent political involvement. I’m not upset with Elon’s DOGE work to reduce government waste, but I can see a lot of other people (rightly or wrongly) are very upset with Elon’s actions.
Performance: A New Benchmark for Chevy
Front 3/4 view of a Blazer EV SS in Radiant Red on a track.
Let’s start with the numbers, because when it comes to performance, numbers tell the story. The Blazer EV SS boasts an impressive 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, thanks to its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system (Chevrolet). This allows it to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds (I bested that as I will explain below), making it the quickest SS model Chevy has ever produced and besting the market leader Tesla Model Y performance by a tenth of a second. For context, that’s faster than many sports cars on the market today, let alone SUVs. It’s a staggering achievement for a vehicle that also offers practicality and comfort.
But performance isn’t just about straight-line speed. The Blazer EV SS also delivers on handling and agility. With features like six available driving modes, including Sport and Snow, drivers can tailor the vehicle’s behavior to suit their needs. The Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode, exclusive to the SS trim, unlocks the full potential of the powertrain, delivering that exhilarating acceleration that EV enthusiasts crave. It’s clear that Chevy has taken notes from Tesla’s playbook, focusing on instant torque and seamless power delivery. I’ve argued before that legacy automakers need to step up their game to match Tesla’s performance edge , and it looks like Chevy is listening.
Range & Charging: Practicality Meets Performance
This is how I judge luggage room. I also like camping in EVs.
Despite its performance credentials, the Blazer EV SS doesn’t skimp on range. It offers an EPA-estimated 303 miles on a single charge, which is more than sufficient for most daily commutes and even longer trips, provided you plan your charging stops (GM Authority). For those who need to recharge quickly, the Blazer EV SS supports Level 2 fast charging at up to 11.5 kW, allowing for a full charge in just a few hours. Additionally, it has access to over 250,000 public chargers, including more than 20,000 Tesla Superchargers, thanks to Chevy’s partnership with Tesla. This is a game-changer for EV owners, as it provides a vast network of fast chargers that can significantly reduce range anxiety.
Another innovative feature is bidirectional charging, which allows the vehicle to act as a power source for your home or other devices. With the GM Energy PowerShift Charger and Vehicle-to-Home Enablement kit, you can use the Blazer EV SS to power your home during outages or even sell energy back to the grid, depending on your local regulations. This is especially appealing to me since I live in an area that loses power due to hurricanes every few years and this is much cheaper and better than buying a home battery. This not only adds practicality but also positions the Blazer EV SS as a forward-thinking vehicle for the future of energy. I’ve written before about this technology last year when I went to Detroit, and Chevy’s approach here is a step in the right direction.
Design & Features: Style Meets Substance
Close-up shot of the Blazer EV SS wheel.
Design-wise, the Blazer EV SS cuts a striking figure. It features a bold front fascia with eye-catching headlamps and a sleek profile that hints at its performance intentions. The SS trim adds unique touches like blacked-out accents and 22-inch wheels, giving it a sporty yet sophisticated look. Inside, it’s equipped with a 17.7-inch HD color touch-screen, Google built-in for a seamless infotainment experience, and Super Cruise driver assistance, which allows for hands-free driving on compatible roads.
The interior is spacious and well-appointed, with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. The second row can accommodate three passengers comfortably, and the cargo space is generous, with 64.2 cubic feet available when the rear seats are folded down. The materials used are of high quality, and the overall fit and finish are excellent, giving it a premium feel that rivals more expensive luxury SUVs. Special editions like the Midnight Edition and Sport Edition add further customization options, allowing buyers to personalize their Blazer EV SS to their taste.
Safety: A Top Priority
Front 3/4 view of the Blazer EV SS in Radiant Red parked on a track.
Safety is a top priority for any vehicle, and the Blazer EV SS doesn’t disappoint. It comes with over 15 standard safety features, including Chevy Safety Assist, which bundles Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist, and more. These features help to prevent accidents and protect occupants, making it one of the safest vehicles in its class. Additionally, the vehicle’s robust construction and advanced driver assistance systems provide peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike. In my review of the Chevy Equinox EV, I noted how its safety features set a high standard, and the Blazer EV SS appears to follow suit.
Pricing & Value: Competitive In A Crowded Market
Pricing for the Blazer EV SS starts at $61,095, which might seem steep at first glance. However, when you consider the performance, features, and technology on offer, it’s competitively priced against other high-performance EVs. For comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance was a great value at around $50,000 but isn’t available anymore. This new Model Y doesn’t yet offer a performance trim. The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT which we have written about here, another strong contender, starts at $59,995 but falls short in terms of size, power, and torque compared to the Blazer EV SS.
Moreover, the Blazer EV SS qualifies for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for eligible buyers, bringing the effective price down to around $53,595. This makes it more accessible to a wider range of consumers, especially those looking for a high-performance EV without breaking the bank. When you factor in the long-term savings on fuel and maintenance — EVs can save thousands over their lifetime, as I’ve noted in past articles like this one — the Blazer EV SS represents excellent value for money.
Market Context: Chevy’s Bold Move
It has the power! From Chevy’s Engineering PresentationIt can stop! From Chevy’s Engineering PresentationIt can turn! From Chevy’s Engineering PresentationI enjoyed the easy access to customize the power, feel, sound and stability control of the car. From Chevy’s Engineering PresentationI can confirm that you can get the tail to swag! From Chevy’s Engineering Presentation
In the crowded EV SUV market, the Blazer EV SS stands out for its blend of performance and practicality. Tesla’s Model Y Performance has been discontinued in the US, offering Chevy a market opportunity. On the other hand, the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is another strong contender, but the Blazer EV SS edges it out with more room, power, and torque. Chevrolet is positioning this vehicle not just as another EV, but as a performance icon, and that’s a bold move that could pay off.
Traditional automakers like Chevy have often been criticized for being slow to embrace EVs, but the Blazer EV SS shows that they’re catching up quickly. By electrifying the SS badge, Chevy is sending a message that electric vehicles can be just as exciting and capable as their gas-powered counterparts, if not more so. It’s exciting to see the EV landscape becoming more diverse and competitive, as it ultimately benefits consumers with more choices and better technology. I’ve written before about how legacy automakers need to innovate to stay relevant (CleanTechnica Toyota article), and Chevy’s efforts here are a step in the right direction.
Potential Drawbacks
Of course, no vehicle is perfect, and the Blazer EV SS has a few areas where it might fall short. One is its range compared to some competitors. While 303 miles is respectable, it’s less than what you get with the Tesla Model Y Long Range or the Lucid Air, which offer over 300 miles. However, for most buyers, 303 miles should be more than sufficient, especially since the vast majority of daily drives are well under that distance. Another consideration is the availability of charging stations in different regions, but with access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, this issue is largely mitigated.
While I was impressed with the driving of GM’s Super Cruise on the highways that you can use it, it still lags both Tesla’s standard autopilot and optional Full Self Driving (FSD), both in where it can be used and in what it does for you.
Another potential concern is reliability. GM faced software issues with the Blazer EV’s launch in 2023, which led to a stop-sale order as we detailed here. While they’ve since addressed these problems, it’s something to keep in mind. As with any new EV, long-term reliability will be critical, and Chevy will need to prove that the Blazer EV SS can stand the test of time.
Driving Impressions
I got to test the New Chevrolet Blazer SS with the Performance Pack (available at an amazingly inexpensive $400 upgrade) at some dedicated time on the private Charlotte Motor Speedway.
I started out testing the Wide Open Watts and Launch Mode and was able to beat the 3.4 second zero to 60 with a 3.2 second run! I’ve been in faster and slower EVs, but it was well controlled with no drama. Next, I was able to do several laps on the closed track (in Competitive Mode which means stability control is greatly reduced to allow more fun) following a lead car. I went into one hairpin turn a little too fast and the rear end came out a bit. Had I not corrected quickly, I would have spun out into the grass. That is a positive, not a negative. Way too many cars these days won’t let you have any fun. I haven’t turned off stability control in a Tesla, but without doing that or getting a model with Track Mode, you can’t really get them to oversteer.
I also got to test a Blazer SS without the Performance Pack for 2 hours on 3 different public environments.
On the interstate, I loved using the Super Cruise to just sit back and relax as the car drove me to the next turn.
In the city, I used the great acceleration, easy to use navigation, and good visibility to easily navigate the urban jungle of downtown Charlotte.
On the winding roads surrounding the city, I was able to enjoy the well-tuned handling and evaluate the ride on several different roads. I found the steering to be nimble and quick, but not so quick that it felt like a go kart (sometimes my Tesla Model Y steering feels a little too quick for a daily driver). On the rougher roads, the ride was well controlled and provided good feedback to the driver, but was a little noisier than I would like.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS is a bold statement from Chevrolet. It shows that they’re serious about competing in the EV space, not just with economy models, but with high-performance vehicles that can rival the best in the business. From its blistering acceleration to its impressive range and advanced features, the Blazer EV SS ticks all the boxes for what modern EV buyers are looking for. I loved the chance to test in on the track — it was an exciting experience! It was equally competent in everyday driving. It looks like it could be a winner. It’s clear that Chevy is making a strong case for itself in the EV market, and the Blazer EV SS might just be the vehicle that puts them on the map.
Disclosure: I am a shareholder in Tesla [TSLA], BYD [BYDDY], Nio [NIO], XPeng [XPEV], NextEra Energy [NEP], and several ARK ETFs. But I offer no investment advice of any sort here.
Failing to Yield and Other Reasons Why Motorcycle Accidents Happen
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Motorcycle accidents often result in severe injuries and sometimes fatalities. Although measures have been taken by the authorities in Phoenix and other big cities to improve road safety, motorcyclists are still in peril from careless drivers and dangerous road conditions.
Recovering damages for the victims of motorcycle accidents in Phoenix, for example, can become a complex legal battle. A skilled motorcycle accident lawyer in Phoenix is crucial for those seeking fair compensation. These legal professionals establish liability, gather evidence and negotiate with the insurance company for fair compensation.
Educating motorcyclists about some of the common causes of motorcycle accidents can help avoid accidents.
Failure to Yield to Motorcycles
Not yielding the right-of-way is one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. Drivers often do not spot motorcycles due to their small size, resulting in fatal collisions at intersections or when changing lanes. This mistake is particularly dangerous during heavy traffic hours or while making left turns or corner-turning on an oncoming motorcycle.
Distracted Driving
Driving while using smartphones, laptops, or in-car entertainment systems has become a major cause of accidents. An individual who is texting, adjusting the GPS, or being preoccupied with something else will not note the approaching motorcyclist, resulting in devastating collisions.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting, or riding between lanes, is a contentious topic. Although some states do not consider it illegal, it is risky as the motorcyclists are close to the larger vehicles. The slightest movement by the distracted driver can cause a serious accident.
Speeding and Reckless Driving
Speeding can result in reduced reaction time and increased severity of crashes. High-speed collisions result in life-threatening injuries, irrespective of whether it is a motorcyclist or another vehicle traveling.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains the foremost factor in many accidents. Substance abuse results in impaired judgment and reduced reaction times, resulting in accidents.
Poor Road Conditions
Poor road conditions like uneven pavement, potholes and debris also pose risks to motorcyclists when compared to larger vehicles. Motorcycles lack stability and are highly prone to losing control from hazardous road conditions.
Sudden Stops
Sudden stops cause deadly collisions for motorcyclists as they are not equipped with any safety harness or seat belts, and are likely to be thrown into the oncoming traffic.
Inexperience
Inexperience riding or lack of familiarity with a road are additional reasons for accidents. Some riders hop on their bikes with very little understanding or experience with the motorcycle or route.
Weather
Weather can cause accidents, and planning your commute to counter that would help in reducing the risks from reduced visibility, decreased road grip or icy roads.
Motorcycle Safety Measures
Precautions motorcyclists can take to prevent or reduce accidents are:
Protective Gears: Wearing helmets, gloves, jackets and protective pants helps reduce the severity of injuries in accidents.
Defensive Riding: Vigilant riders anticipate potential hazards such as a lack of visibility and drive correspondingly.
Following Traffic Laws: Following speed limits, using signals, and avoiding aggressive driving can help avoid collisions.
Using Reflective Clothing and Headlights: Enhanced visibility helps reduce the risk of being unnoticed.
Legal Rights of Motorcycle Accident Victims
Motorcyclists are entitled to compensation from accidents where they are not at fault, such as medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and numerous other losses. A motorcycle accident claim helps victims recover damages and hold negligent drivers accountable for their actions.
Understanding the underlying causes of the accident and being proactive in taking measures can help motorcyclists and other drivers reduce accidents and create a safe road for everyone.
The post Two-Wheel Tips: Know What Can Cause Motorcycle Accidents first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.
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Author Karthik Kumar
#TwoWheel #Tips #Motorcycle #Accidents
Capable of delivering up to 1,200 kW of power to get electric commercial trucks back on the road in minutes, the new ABB MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System is part of an ecosystem of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that ABB’s bringing to this year’s ACT Expo.
ABB E-mobility is using the annual clean trucking conference to showcase the expansion of its EVSE portfolio with three all-new charger families: the field-upgradable A200/300 All-in-One chargers, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty vehicles shown (above), and the ChargeDock Dispenser for flexible depot charging.
The company said its new product platform was built by applying a computer system-style domain separation to charger design, fundamentally improving subsystem development and creating a clear path forward for site and system expansion. In other words, ABB is selling a system with both future-proofing and enhanced dependability baked in.
“We have built a system by logically separating a charger into four distinct subsystems … each functioning as an independent subsystem,” explains Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “Unlike conventional chargers, where a user interface failure can disable the entire system, our architecture ensures charging continues even if the screen or payment system encounters issues. Moreover, we can improve each subsystem at its own pace without having to change the entire system.”
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The parts of ABB’s new EVSE portfolio that have been made public so far have already been recognized for design excellence, with the A400 winning the iF Gold Award and both the A400 and C50 receiving Red Dot Design Awards.
New ABB chargers seem pretty, good
ABB’s good-looking family; via ABB.
ABB says the systemic separation of its EVSE enhances both reliability and quality, while making deployed chargers easier to diagnose and repair, in less time. Each of the chargers’ subsystems can be tested, diagnosed, and replaced independently, allowing for quick on-site repairs and update cycles tailored to the speed of each systems’ innovation. The result is 99% uptime and a more future-proof product.
“The EV charging landscape is evolving beyond point products for specific use cases,” continued Halbherr. “By implementing this modular approach with the majority of our R&D focused on modular platforms rather than one-off products … it reduces supply chain risks, while accelerating development cycles and enabling deeper collaboration with critical suppliers.”
Key markets ABB is chasing
HVC 360 Charge Dock Dispenser depot deployment; via ABB.
PUBLIC CHARGING – with the award winning A400 being the optimal fit for high power charging from highway corridors to urban locations, the latest additions to the A-Series All-in-One chargers offer a field-upgradable architecture allowing operators to start with the A200 (200kW) with the option to upgrade to 300kW or 400kW as demand grows. This approach offers scalability and protects customer investment, leading to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings over 10 years.
PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FLEET – the new Charge Dock Dispenser – in combination with the already in market available HVC 360 – simplifies depot charging with a versatile solution that supports pantograph-, roof-, and pedestal charging options with up to 360kW of shared power and 150m/490 ft installation flexibility between cabinet and dispensers. The dispenser maintains up to 500A output.
HEAVY TRUCKS – building the matching charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles and fleets represents a critical innovation frontier on our journey to electrify transportation. Following extensive collaboration with industry-leading truck OEMs, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System delivers up to 1,200kW of continuous power — 20% more energy transfer than 1MW systems — providing heavy-duty vehicles with purpose-built single-outlet design for the energy they need during mandatory driver breaks. To support other use cases, such as CCS truck charging, a dual CCS and MCS option will also be available.
RETAIL – the award winning C50 Compact Charger complements the family as the slimmest charger in its category at just 9.3 inches depth, optimized for convenient charging during typical one-hour retail experiences. With its large touch display, the C50 takes the award-winning A400 experience even further — setting a new standard for consumer experience and very neatly echoing our own take on that “Goldilocks” timing zone for commercial charging.
ABB says that the result of its new approach are chargers that offer 99% plus uptime — a crucial statistic for commercial charging operations and a key factor to ensuring customer satisfaction. The new ABB E-mobility EVSE product family will be on display for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) in Anaheim, California next week, then again at Power2Drive in Munich, Germany, from May 7-9.
Electrek’s Take
ACT Expo test drives; by the author.
The ACT Expo is one of – if not the most important sustainable trucking event in North America, featuring all the big names in heavy trucks, construction equipment, material handling, infrastructure – even Tier 1 suppliers. Mostly, though, it’s many fleet buyers’ only chance to test drive these zero emission trucks before writing a big PO (which just makes it even more important).
Electrek will be there again this year, and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from press events and product reveals as it happens.
SOURCE | IMAGES: ABB E-mobility.
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Author Jo Borrás
#ABB #bringing #modular #truck #chargers #ACT #Expo
UK solid-state battery technology developer Ilika has verified the high performance of its Goliath batteries manufactured via an industrially scaled process at The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.
This confirms the battery is on track on its route to market, the company said.
The announcement follows Ilika’s announcement in February reporting large-scale preparation of the Goliath electrolyte and coating of its composite electrolyte-electrode. Ilika has used these materials to build a batch of solid-state 10 Ah prototype cells.
Analysis of the performance of these cells indicated that the scaled manufacturing process at UKBIC resulted in a higher manufacturing yield and delivered higher-performing cells than cells made with similar starting materials on Ilika’s pilot line. This resulted from enhanced handling robustness after coating and fewer defects from the drying process. The superior performance was measured as higher battery capacity under rapid charging protocols, Ilika said.
“This data set confirms the suitability of Ilika’s Goliath process for gigafactory deployment. Following the announcement in the 2024 Autumn Statement from the UK Government of further support for the electrification of the automotive sector, we look forward to further opportunities to benefit from accessing the expertise of UKBIC,” said Ilika’s CEO, Graeme Purdy.
In October 2023, the company received grant support from the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) through an 18-month, £2.7-million collaboration program code-named Project SiSTEM, to scale up its solid-state battery production capability. The program partnered Ilika with Mpac, a global supplier of packaging and assembly automation, UKBIC and Agratas, the global battery business of Indian conglomerate Tata.
Project SiSTEM has now ended and the associated delivery of a 1.5 MWh solid-state battery assembly line from Mpac is planned for the second half of this year. The assembly line will be capable of producing Ilika’s Goliath prototype large-format pouch cells for automotive original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers.
As electric and gas bills rise across the country, a poll released today finds that an overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. are concerned about growing energy costs — and experiencing greater financial stress because of them.
In a nationwide survey of about 2,000 adults, conducted by the consumer education nonprofit PowerLines and the polling company Ipsos in late March, 73% of respondents reported feeling concerned about rising utility bills. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed billpayers said they have seen their gas and electric bills rise over the last year, and 63% reported feeling more stressed as a result of energy costs. The results held consistent across the political spectrum, with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike expressing similar levels of concern.
The findings arrive as the Trump administration’s continued attacks on clean energy — and its support for coal and other fossil fuels — threaten to raise utility bills even higher, according to energy experts.
“Bottom line is, American energy consumers are hurting and they’re stressed out,” Charles Hua, executive director of PowerLines, said of the survey’s findings.
Yet according to the poll, most Americans aren’t familiar with the state entities in charge of regulating energy utilities and setting those prices: public utility commissions. That’s a problem, said Hua, because a lack of public participation prevents consumer interests from being fully considered when state regulators receive and approve rate-hike requests from utilities.
In the survey, 60% of respondents said they aren’t familiar with the state or local authority that oversees gas and electric bills. Around 90% of people couldn’t name their public utility commission as the correct regulatory body.
Meanwhile, these relatively unknown regulators have approved ballooning utility cost increases in recent years. In 2022, state utility regulators collectively approved $4.4 billion in bill increases; in 2023, they approved $9.7 billion. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, gas and electric utilities requested or received rate hikes totalling about $20 billion. Residential electricity costs have grown by nearly 30% since 2021, while gas prices have risen by 40% since 2019, far outpacing inflation, according to a separate report released today by PowerLines.
Utilities have spent increasing amounts of money to replace aging infrastructure and repair or harden the grid after storms, wildfires, and other disasters made more likely by climate change. State rules guarantee investor-owned utilities a rate of return on those investments, creating a financial incentive to overspend on grid infrastructure that some researchers have estimated costs consumers billions of dollars each year. Volatility in global gas markets has also contributed to rising gas bills.
The Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution supplies a lot of power to a lot of electric vehicles. But these days, the company’s North American president and chief strategy officer, Bob Lee, has steamships on his mind.
“Pretend it’s 1875,” Lee told InsideEVs at the New York Auto Show last week. “Sailboats have been crossing the Atlantic for a couple of centuries. Years earlier, the first steamships crossed, and they’d take longer than the sailships. But the writing is on the wall. Nobody is investing in better sails.”
Lee said that nautical metaphor is one he’s been touting a lot lately, as the automotive industry struggles with its own steamship moment: electrification. Many car companies are slowing down their once-aggressive electric-vehicle goals as sales continue to grow, but not at the warp-speed pace they predicted.
Meanwhile, the United States—the world’s second-largest car market—is now hitting reverse on its previous climate goals, its investments in clean energy and its policies that were both pushing and supporting a mostly-electric future for its car sector.
LG Chem to Establish Largest Cathode Plant in US (in Tennessee) for EV Batteries
It’s a tough time to be in the battery business. But Lee warns that backtracking too much will simply mean that the U.S. and its automotive industry will simply be left behind by new players who figure out how to make this technology cheaper and better.
If the U.S. does go down such a path, “We lose the auto industry,” said Lee, a longtime technology executive with two decades’ experience in the battery space.
“If [America] decides not to do EVs, if we decide we’re going back to internal combustion, and the rest of the world is moving on to cleaner things, what is the rest of the world going to buy?,” he said. “If we’re not the ones out there investing and building that next technology, then I think the risk is serious.”
To be clear, a slowdown in the EV sector is a serious risk to LG Energy Solution’s bottom line, too. The company supplies batteries to a variety of automakers in the U.S., including General Motors, Honda, Hyundai Motor Group and Toyota. The company has bet big on this, and any pullback will hurt it.
Lee said that LG has eight planned battery plants in North America, seven of which are in the U.S. Three are currently producing batteries. It has slowed down on some investments, temporarily pausing an Arizona plant last summer. But the company is also buying out GM’s stake in what was to be a joint venture plant in Michigan once called Ultium Cells LLC.
“There are two plants that are going into production within the next year, and then we have three that’s probably the following year after that,” Lee said. “We’re working very closely with our customers to ramp up production in a very smart way, so that we’re not overextending ourselves.”
LG Energy Solution batteries
Avoiding that outcome does depend on EV demand, which itself depends on a lot of other factors. Right now, President Donald Trump’s administration is reversing most of the pro-EV policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden. That includes seeking an end to the EV tax credits, cutting investments in charging infrastructure and rolling back fuel economy and emissions rules that were pushing the auto industry to go more electric.
And that’s all before the tariffs, which Lee said “kind of hit everything” in the entire sector. In March, Lee told The Detroit News that those, too, will affect the timelines of battery plant investments. (“Overall, the auto industry right now is not in a position to make big investment decisions,” he told the newspaper.)
Lee told InsideEVs that gutting the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s signature climate investment legislation, “is going to potentially impact us,” and so LG is talking to both the Trump White House and members of Congress to “influence that discussion the right way.”
In doing so, LG will join a slew of automakers and elected officials looking to protect billions in EV-related investments and tens of thousands of jobs across America, primarily in red and purple states. At the grand opening of Hyundai’s new EV plant near Savannah, Georgia, one GOP congressman also told InsideEVs he hoped not to see the EV tax credit system get completely gutted.
But Lee also noted that investments in battery plants don’t have to be part of partisan politics; after all, Lee said, LG opened its first U.S. battery plant in 2011 under the Obama administration and announced many more projects during Trump’s first term.
“The overall focus on trying to produce here in the U.S. We agree with that, right?” Lee said. “I think having less dependency on China, we agree with that. So actually, you know, as far as the Trump administration, it’s not like we are against any of their aspirations.
“If we put out faster [EVs] that are cheaper and that last longer, then there’s going to be a natural transition,” he added. “This is really the primary focus for us right now, trying to get to more affordable vehicles. We’re working on new chemistries, new formats to really try to drive down battery prices.”
But with the White House now focused on driving up U.S. auto exports, then the car companies that operate here need to make EVs that can compete globally. And that’s where failing to make moves to incentivize an American battery sector as a matter of industrial policy, as China and South Korea have done, may come with steep price in the end.
“For us to put our head in the sand and say ‘We’re going to make the best internal combustion engines, we’re going to revert back,’ I just think we’re putting ourselves in a very bad place,” Lee said.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
Source link by Battery Tech – News and Trends | InsideEVs
One of the advantages of owning a Tesla compared to many other makes of electric vehicles is the ability to access home servicing. Tess (our Tesla) is coming up to 160,000 km driven over the past five and half years. The odometer tells me that we have driven 154,567 km actually. This will be the end of the warranty period for the drivetrain, so I thought it’s worth getting the car checked out. I don’t want to take the risk of the motor or battery failing as soon as the warranty finishes.
Having a Tesla technician service your car at home is wonderful. Photo courtesy Majella Waterworth
No, I don’t believe the oft repeated FUD that batteries have to be replaced at 160,000 km just because that is the length of the warranty. It could be a hangover from driving petrol cars for 50 years, or just that we still don’t know how long the average modern battery electric car will last. Or are we programmed to think we need a new car every 5 years? A year ago, we upgraded to Enhanced Autopilot — has this affected our range?
Majella used her magic app to book the appointment, and the technician arrived in his Model S. We had asked for a battery check-up, replacement of the air conditioner filters, and replacement of the wiper blades. We had already been notified by the screen icon that we should change the filters and also rotate the tyres. We also got the technician to check the brake fluid — it got a clean bill of health. As did the wiper blades.
Tesla battery state of health check. Photo courtesy Majella Waterworth.
I was concerned about battery degradation, as it appears that on the few occasions when we charge to 100%, we are not getting as much range as we used to. When we bought the car in 2019, a 100% charge would give us a displayed range of 325 km. After an over-the-air software update, the range went up to 345 km. The car is currently on charge to take it to 100% to determine exactly what range we now have. Then we will go for a drive so that we don’t leave it sitting on 100% for too long. … Okay, we’re done — the car made it to 309 km range at 100%.
As we sat on our back deck, sipping coffee and watching the cruise ships go by (we have a view of the bay), our hard-working technician carried out his tasks. He declared that the tyres weren’t worth rotating, as the back tyres were ready for replacement. That will be a job for our local mechanic. I try to give him some work. He used to make good money from us when we were driving 3 petrol cars. Not so much now that we just have the one car and it is electric.
Changing the air conditioning filters is a tough job. Photo courtesy Majella Waterworth.
As Majella was taking photos, the technician complimented her and the condition of the car after the years and km of driving. He sees a lot of cars, so that was a considered comment. Majella does a great job of keeping the car looking good. Not always an easy task when it is frequently used to transport our grandchildren.
I reached out to a few Australian Tesla Facebook groups to see if I was alone in wanting the car checked as it came out of warranty. Only one of my correspondents said that he had done so. Specifically, he was worried about the state of his suspension. It checked out well. I thought that that was a good call, as we had had two ball joints replaced in the first few years — one under warranty and one without. “I got Tesla to do an ‘end of warranty health check service report at just under 80,000 km, a small bump on the steering wheel was found and reported. The wheel was replaced under warranty. It was a very good experience.”
Others Tesla drivers with high mileages chimed in to let us know how far they had driven, trouble free, in their Model S’s. One had done 410,000 km, another 200,000, with no problems to report. I have written previously about Uber drivers who have clocked up massive numbers of kilometres in their electric cars. Nathan Merrit of Ride4U tells me he is now above 351,000 km on his 2021 Model 3.
Probably the most interesting comment was: “My experience is that Tesla warranty is too damn short compared to every other car.” I asked: “How long would you like? The MG is ten years. Any others you can think of?”
The valid response was: “If they are confident in their product and are more reliable with less moving parts as they say, why not give a 10 year warranty? Tesla should double the longest ICE warranty considering there is practically a 1 piece motor. Most petrol and diesel cars have a much better warranty.” I asked for an example and was offered the “Mazda ICE — 5 years unlimited km bumper to bumper, extendable by invitation by dealer.”
I had a quick look at Google: Similar to the Mazda quoted above, the Toyota RAV 4 has a 5-year unlimited km warranty for the entire vehicle. The battery is covered for ten years unlimited km, “provided annual hybrid health inspections are completed.” Engine and drivetrain are covered for 7 years if properly serviced. The unlimited km is good. Perhaps Tesla should consider extending its warranty. Your thoughts?
In my search, I came across the servicing information for a Toyota RAV 4. The costs for a service at 160,000 km could be anywhere from $500 to $1000. Reading through the list of what gets done, it was obvious that most of the items would not apply to a BEV. We just don’t have the ‘bits’ — exhaust pipe, muffler, filters for fuel and oil, timing belt, spark plugs, etc.
BEVs are cost effective to service. Photo courtesy Majella Waterworth.
Another Facebook commentator was concerned about conflict of interest: “I like the idea of ‘someone’ doing a health check. But my worry with Tesla doing it is that it’s a bit like marking your own homework. They would be incentivised to say ‘no problem’ when there could be a problem, no? An independent doesn’t have to cover anything under warranty. No conflict of interest.”
Others thought it might be a good idea to get their cars checked as they were coming up to the warranty points.
Owning an electric car involves changing your mindset and becoming part of an ecosystem. The ecosystem is evolving and we are still learning what an electric car does, and how long it will last. One commentator said: “Wake me up when you get to half a million.” The conventional wisdom surrounding car durability in the ICE age is no longer valid. Over-the-air updates, mobile home servicing, and Superchargers make the Tesla experience smooth, convenient, and long lasting.
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Source link by CleanTechnica Reviews Archives
Author David Waterworth
#Tesla #Home #Service
ENFIELD, NORTHCAROLINA — When history buffs reenacted a Revolutionary War general’s visit to this tiny, rural North Carolina town in February, its top elected official was notably absent.
General Marquis de Lafayette may have helped liberate America from England, but over 240 years later his story has little relevance to Mayor Mondale Robinson.
“I find it extremely hard to be celebrating the Revolutionary War when people in Enfield — households of four people — are living on $24,000 a year,” said Robinson, sitting in his windowless office, sparsely decorated with small, framed photos of Black leaders. “I don’t know what freedom looks like, because you can’t tell me people in Enfield are free to live the way they want to.”
Robinson, who was elected in 2022, envisions a day when Black people in his community are able to live a life of pride, freedom, and economic stability. He believes clean energy will play a central role.
Alongside other community leaders and clean energy advocates, Robinson is planning a new solar farm that could meet most of Enfield’s electricity needs. He wants a modern substation to replace the town’s dilapidated one. And he aims to create a “storefront” for energy efficiency that could help residents reduce energy waste and their electric bills.
“We’re trying to be energy independent,” Robinson said. “Besides green energy being good for the environment, it’s also going to help our people … live a life with dignity. That includes the housing, the grid, figuring out how to do renewable energy in a way that is not just sustainable but also job-creating.”
Some formidable barriers stand in the way, from the Trump administration’s antipathy to clean energy and communities of color, to pockets of local opposition to the large solar farms that have become common across the region. But with money still flowing for now from Biden-era climate laws — which were intended to fund progress in historically disadvantaged communities like Enfield — Robinson and his fellow visionaries say their aspirations are within reach.
“[It’s] a place that has more than 260 sunny days per year on average,” said Robinson. “I’m super excited about what’s possible.”
(Binh Nguyen)
After leaving the “bleak reality” of his hometown, a political organizer returns
In many ways, Enfield typifies Eastern North Carolina and the rural South. Once a trading post for peanuts, tobacco, and other crops, the town’s commercial district, five miles east of Interstate 95, now stands nearly empty. Like much of the state, the town faces increasingly frequent natural disasters, like hurricanes. It’s devastatingly poor and overwhelmingly Black, home to many descendants of those who remained enslaved long after Lafayette’s victory tour.
Robinson grew up in Black Bottom, Enfield’s historically Black section. The neighborhood still has no sidewalks, and he says indoor plumbing wasn’t a given here until the 1990s. On a walk through town, he pointed out the shotgun home he lived in for a time as a child with his parents and some of his 12 siblings.
“I’m 45 years old,” he said. “I should not know what an outhouse is.”
When Robinson looks back on his childhood, he sees clearly how the lack of infrastructure and the quality of the environment impacted the health of those around him. Many of his schoolmates had ringworm, a result, he thinks, of poor sewer systems, water contamination upstream, or a combination of the two. Severe asthma, which can be triggered by air pollution, kept one brother in the hospital for most of 4th grade.
Dumpster diving for glass bottles and other recyclables as a teenager, Robinson found a copy of W.E.B. Du Bois’ “The Souls of Black Folk.” He must have read it four times cover to cover. The seminal essay collection helped Robinson draw the line between systemic racism and Black public health.
“My people suffer the most,” Robinson said. When America sneezes, he said, “Black people get a flu.”
In 1997, Robinson left “the bleak reality of Enfield” for a stint in the Marine Corps, then Livingstone College, a historically Black university in Salisbury, North Carolina. After graduating, he ran dozens of progressive political campaigns around the country and the world, from the Congo to Illinois.
In the lead-up to the 2020 elections, Robinson founded the Black Male Voter Project — aimed at communicating year-round, on- and off-season, with a demographic often taken for granted by the Democratic establishment.
“I wanted to do something for the brothers,” he said. “Maslow would say they would be on the bottom rung,” referencing the late American psychologist who conceptualized a hierarchy of needs to explain what motivates human behavior. “They don’t have their basic needs met.”
A constellation of political projects still occupies him. But he returned to North Carolina to run for mayor because he felt like a “fraud” for not organizing his people back home.
One of his first official acts: livestreaming the removal of a prominent Confederate monument in town. Any headwinds he’s facing over his clean energy vision are akin to the blowback he’s still experiencing over that day in 2022, Robinson said.
“I’m getting pushback because I’m loud, and I’m a Black man, and I should know my place.”
A storage-equipped solar farm, such as this one envisioned by Vote Solar, could cover most of Enfield’s power needs and stabilize costs for customers. (Vote Solar)
Creating a solar-powered vision for an energy-independent Enfield
About 30 miles south of the Virginia border, in Halifax County, Enfield is in a part of the state largely untouched by Duke Energy’s grid and its monopoly. The town owns its electric utility, a holdover from when private electric providers couldn’t foresee profiting from serving far-flung hamlets of 2,000 people. Much of the area connects to a regional transmission organization called PJM Interconnection, in which wholesale electricity has long been bought and sold on a competitive market. That means independent power producers can enlist customers besides Duke, and they’ve already built scores of solar farms in the area, demonstrating the economic viability of the resource.
Those factors drew William Munn, regional director of the Carolinas for advocacy group Vote Solar, to Enfield.
“In late 2023, we were looking for communities to share the great news around the Inflation Reduction Act,” Munn said, referring to the 2022 climate spending law that includes incentives for historically disadvantaged towns.
The fact that the town owned its own utility was especially enticing. “If you have the political will,” Munn said, “you can do whatever you want, and that’s rare in this regulatory environment.”
The town’s atrocious energy burden is generating a lot of that will. Despite having small homes and even smaller incomes, Enfield households have average winter electric bills of $650 a month, according to the town finance director. That’s in part because much of the housing stock is old, poorly insulated, and inefficient.
“These are [800– to 1,200-square-foot] homes that have bills this high. These aren’t big homes,” said Reggie Bynum, Southeast community outreach director at the nonprofit Center for Energy Education, based up the road in Roanoke Rapids. “It’s old wiring; it’s old insulation. Weatherization needs are definitely there. These aren’t modern homes.”
Higher-than-average rates compound the problem. The town buys electricity from Halifax Electric Membership Corp., which in turn buys from the statewide association of electric cooperatives. The association owns some generating facilities but also buys wholesale power through PJM and from investor-owned utilities like Duke. In Raleigh, one of the wealthiest areas in the state, Duke charges 12 cents per kilowatt-hour. In Enfield, one of the poorest, the rate approaches 14 cents.
Enfield, North Carolina, Mayor Mondale Robinson stands amid the city’s aging electrical substation on March 4, 2025. (Elizabeth Ouzts)
A three- to five-megawatt solar farm on about 20 acres of land, backed up by a battery with a duration of four hours or more, could supply all of the town’s 1,200 electric meters, most of them residential. The move would likely cut rates, especially if government grants covered all or part of the approximately $10 million solar array and backup battery. All told, experts believe the generation system could pay for itself in about 15 years.
The town would remain connected to the surrounding grid during emergencies, Munn said, “but the most important part is that for 95% of the time, they are going to be drawing on their own battery bank and solar generation, and that’s going to stabilize the cost for the long term.”
Replacing the town’s dilapidated substation, which requires frequent repairs, is also a priority. Its wooden poles were erected in the middle of the last century, and its power lines have limited capacity — not enough to receive and transfer power from a five-megawatt solar farm, advocates say.
Six of the substation’s seven lines are at 2,400 volts, said Nick Jimenez, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “It’s so low that they don’t make equipment to fix that anymore.”
“It’s like having an antique car,” Robinson said. “Waiting on parts.”
Source link by Canary Media
Author Elizabeth Ouzts
#rural #N.C #mayor #betting #big #clean #energy #uplift #hometown
Volvo has unveiled an interesting energy storage system designed to meet your charging needs anywhere and anytime—even when the power grid is unavailable due to disruptions related to weather events or other disasters.
Volvo’s stationary battery is called the PU500 Battery Energy Storage System. As its name suggests, it can store up to 500 kWh of energy. According to the Swedish company’s energy division, this is more than enough to power homes, plants and even construction sites built to work in areas affected by natural disasters.
Photo by: Volvo
Volvo PU500 Energy Storage Unit
Or, if you want to stick to more pleasant subjects, just enough to power a concert or any entertainment show. And it could well be a godsend for electric vehicle drivers who find themselves far from a plug.
Charging At 240 kW
The PU500 can receive and supply power at speeds of up to 240 kW. That’s enough to charge most EVs in mere minutes, and the unit itself should be able to reach a full charge in a matter of hours.
Volvo FH Electric: the Swedish manufacturer’s electric truck
“With an integrated CCS2-type charger, the PU500 is designed to work with all electrical equipment on the market, regardless of the company that produces it,” said Niklas Thulin, stationary systems manager at Volvo Energy. “This ensures that any device, including electric cars, can be powered, greatly increasing the flexibility of our product.”
Charging Up To 20 EVs Per Day
And it’s meant for more than just one EV as well. Thanks to the presence of a large lithium-ion battery, the PU500 can recharge as many as 20 electric cars in a day. Alternatively, it can supply electrons to three electric trucks or even construction vehicles such as wheel loaders or other construction vehicles.
Photo by: Volvo
Volvo PU500 Energy Storage Unit
Volvo stressed the speeds at which it can deliver power. “The PU500 offers an impressive ability to recharge a heavy-duty truck in approximately 1.5 hours and can charge up to three electric heavy-duty trucks or 20 electric cars daily when fully charged, making it an essential asset for industries relying on electric vehicles,” the automaker said.
The Volvo PU500 is designed to be easily moved around in a truck. This way it can be easily installed anywhere, and once placed, it can start supplying electricity even if it’s placed in remote areas.
Volvo hasn’t yet said when the unit goes on sale, but did add that it will receive digital services to let users to monitor and schedule its charging operations.
Source link by Battery Tech – News and Trends | InsideEVs
