10 things eft’s been reading this week
The big boys are about to turn up
I know, I know – you’ve heard about Telsa a thousand times this month, but indulge me for a minute here as we need to mention Mr Musk’s ubiquitous company again. We have talked about the vulnerabilities of his company before and he has certainly seemed under pressure recently, making some slightly erratic comments and appearances. However, if he thinks the going is tough now, he’s in for a shock as the big boys are powering up and entering the electric vehicle market. These global players have deeper pockets and higher profitability than Tesla. In this week’s 10 things, we have a look at the big production shifts planned in the near future and because there is so much happening in this field, I’ve gone for a bit more than 10 things – well 15! Sometimes you have to treat yourself!
Volkswagen group plans to build 10 million e-cars in first wave. [Reuters]
Audi launches electric SUV in Tesla's backyard, with assist from Amazon. [Reuters]
The arrival of the Germans into the market is also likely to be sped up by the increased scrutiny being put on diesel vehicles and emission standards, with more fines potentially on the way: BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen face EU diesel emissions probe. [BBC]
The truck market is also hotting up with major players and start-ups moving towards full-scale commercial production: Volvo unveils new autonomous electric trucks. [eyefortransport]
Truck Makers Move Closer to Commercial Electric Vehicles. [Transport Topics]
Hyundai lifts lid on its electric truck ambitions. [ATN]
MAN delivers electric truck eTGM to nine customers. [electrive.com]
Magtec and Paneltex 7.5-tonne electric truck ready for series production. [Motor Transport]
Your UPS deliveries may soon arrive in electric trucks. [Fast Company]
That’s not to say Tesla are out of it yet: Tesla Semi receives order of 30 more electric trucks from Walmart. [Electrek]
The New Tesla Semi Electric Truck: A Pre-Production Review. [Interesting Engineering]
However, Tesla, and even the established giants, need to consider China’s efforts in electric vehicles: Why the future of electric cars lies in China. [Financial Times]
Only BMW Comes Close to China’s Electric-Vehicle Heavyweights. [Bloomberg]
And finally, there is one more trick card in the deck – hydrogen. Can this fuel get established in the race for fossil alternatives? Japan and Korea think so: The Fuel Musk Called Stupid Seeks Another Shot at Green-Car Race. [Bloomberg]
Gov't endorses hydrogen economy. [Korea Times]