Whoosh of the Week #7
Electrification and Carbon-neutrality is just getting better...
The weeks are not boring - the intensity and speed of business innovation, product deployment, project progress and the future of mobility is so immense, here are some snippets since the last “Whoosh”:
Polestar 3 to be produced in the United States
The next Polestar vehicle is about to be revealed and production is to start in 20221 - it is a SUV and the production will be contracted to Volvo (both under Geely). Volvo invests $118 million in their South Carolina facilities2.
EV-readiness chart - VW and Volvo leading the pack
A big spread between 10 ranked incumbent OEMs in Europe3. Soft commitments not strong enough. Will this kill some of the companies, time will tell. See also previous articles on “The Death of the ICE Age…”4.
Polestar intensifies own sustainability strategy
With a foot on the gas pedal, Polestar announced joining both the Exponential Roadmap Initiative and UN Race to Zero5. Serious commitments for a better planet!
Future Volvo’s built with fossil-free steel
SSAB’s Hybrit initiative, one of the first to produce carbon-free steel (see earlier “Joules”6 news letter), has got Volvo to invest and commit to being the first OEM as user by 2026. Great move!7
BEVs with lowest maintenance costs
Energy.gov have calculated the average maintenance costs for you, see the chart below:
Porsche Engineering opens 2nd location in Romania
An additional 50 new employees will be added to the existing 250, although in a different location8.
The next Astra revealed
And no surprise, another vehicle line going full-electric - the OPEL ASTRA9. Past generations I have had the chance to develop and work on, so I have some affection for it. More details to follow!
IN LOVE
I am in love - the Totem GT Electric with good looks and pretty nice specs10!
Chip Choke Chart
Plaid S dominates the hypercars
With excellent race driver Randy Pobst, the Tesla S Plaid dominates hypercars on the Laguna Seca - worthwhile to watch!11
About Car Design - is Simplicity best?
A talk with auto historian and designer Matteo Licata, with some stories down the memory lane to bring it to today and the future. Listen to the my See Beyond podcast12 featuring Matteo in S1E11. Also available on Spotify and Apple.
Matteo also has a fantastic YouTube channel, ROADSTER LIFE13. Not to be missed by car “fanatics”.
And let’s have a look at the Detroit scene…
1 - Muscle car goes electric
Dodge are not dodging for electrification - the next and fastest muscle car will go electric - will that be the new Charger…?14
2 - GM hikes EV investments
Up from $20 billion to $35 billion in the time frame to 2025. The race is on!
3- FORD BRONCO Celebration
And we need a video, Ford are doing so many exciting and right things, so here is a great video on the new Bronco:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/polestar-3-electric-performance-suv-manufactured-usa-andrew-lytheer/?trackingId=KaVXgbL1rAMPWxZU8BEQIQ%3D%3D
https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/en-us/media/pressreleases/283096/volvo-cars-expands-us-electrified-vehicle-production-in-south-carolina-with-new-118-million-investme?utm_campaign=NewsAlert_11786&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=media.volvocars.com
https://www.transportenvironment.org/press/volvo-and-vw-only-european-carmakers-track-electrify-time-study
https://mikacars.substack.com/p/the-death-of-the-ice-age-the-time
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/polestar-joins-exponential-roadmap-initiative-un-race-andrew-lytheer/?trackingId=RrePUaUmUezYVzpQzjaJog%3D%3D
https://energymika.substack.com/p/joules-of-the-week-2
https://www.ssab.com/news/2021/06/volvo-cars-is-first-carmaker-to-explore-fossilfree-steel-with-ssab
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2021/innovation/porsche-engineering-second-tech-location-timisoara-romania-24763.html
https://int-media.opel.com/en/06-08-new-opel-astra
https://www.totemautomobili.com/
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-plaid-dominates-hypercars-video/
https://mikatienhaara.substack.com/p/s1e11-car-design-is-simplicity-best
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDxu3JlOODRQR9ZMLRd6SGA
https://www.autoblog.com/2021/06/11/dodge-quickest-muscle-car-going-electric/