The discussion covers recent changes in US EV tax credit rules easing battery material sourcing restrictions, helping more EVs qualify for incentives. The UAW ratified a major contract with Daimler Truck, boosting wages and supporting unionization efforts. Chinese automakers continue to dominate global sales, while EV adoption in the US and China is slowing gasoline demand growth. France is aggressively raising EV sales targets and encouraging local production, despite limiting subsidies for high-carbon footprint imports. The US government is funding suppliers to aid their EV transition. Innovations in EV manufacturing and new Mercedes AMG convertible announcements round out the update.
Topics:ev tax credit changesuaw labor contractchinese automakers global salesgasoline demand trendsfrance ev sales targetsus supplier ev fundingev manufacturing innovationsmercedes amg convertible
- U.S. Updates EV Tax Credit Rules, More EVs Eligible - UAW Ratifies New Contract with Daimler Truck - Chinese Cars Account For 1/3rd Of Global Sales - EVs Put Dent in Gasoline Demand - France Boosts EV Sales Targets - France Says It Will Welcome BYD - U.S. Provides $100 Million To Small Auto Suppliers - Xiaomi Tweaks Gigacasting Production Process - Mercedes-AMG Introduces New Convertible
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This is Autolgne Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
One of the things the panel brought up on last week's Autoline After Hours is that there's still a lot of confusion and misinformation around electric vehicles in the US. One of the hardest parts to keep track of is EV tax incentives.
Part of the problem is that the rules are always changing, and now it's happening again. The Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service are relaxing some
of the requirements for sourcing of battery materials. They're now allowing automakers to use
graphite, electrolyte, salts, binders, and additives from foreign entities of concern like China and Russia. Automakers will have until twenty twenty seven to find another
source of those materials, which is going to allow more evs to remain eligible for tax credits. In the US, the UAWS scored another victory and contract
negotiations. It ratified a new labor contract with Daimler truck only after coming to
a tentative agreement late last month, right before a strike was set to kick off. Nearly ninety five percent of the seventy three hundred UAW workers voted in
favor of the new contract, which is very similar to what workers at the Detroit three got. It includes a twenty five percent wage increase over the four
year deal, with an immediate ten percent jump, as well as profit sharing and cost of living adjustments. Even the lowest paid workers will see an eight
dollars an hour raise, while some skilled trade workers will get a bump of more than seventeen dollars an hour. As you probably know, the UAW is
also trying to organize the non union car plants in the US. It already
won at VW and Tennessee next up as Mercedes Benz in Alabama next week, and stories like these should only help its efforts. Even though there was only
one Chinese automaker that cracked the top ten in global sales last month, Chinese cars accounted for one out of every three vehicles sold around the world. According
to the China Passenger Car Association, eight point one five million vehicles were sold globally last month, and Chinese models made up thirty three percent of those sales.
Jili was the top Chinese automaker at number ten, with a global market share of three and a half percent in March, and then four of the next seven automakers are Chinese, which helps explain why they account for so much volume. Overall. Toyota was the top automaker with over ten and a half
percent market share in March. And speaking of sales, thanks to more evs
in China and the US, gas lian demand growth could be cut in half this year. According to energy analytics firm Wood mackenzie, gas lian demand is
expected to rise three one hundred and forty thousand barrels per day this year compared to going up seven hundred thousand per day last year, which is going to be the lowest growth since twenty twenty. China's gas consumption is expected to grow
just one point three percent this year, or two million tons. Meanwhile,
gas consumption in the US is on the decline. Last year, it felt
a three hundred and seventy six million barrels per day, down from a peak of three hundred and ninety two million in twenty eighteen. What's more, gas
lean demand in the US is expected to be flat this year, and the analysts say the reason for the slowdown and gas demand is due to growing EV sales. In both the US and China. Keeping your heart racing in and
out of the gym, that's what really matters. Bridge don't potends to sport
as tires with a fifty thousand mile limited warranty. France's boosting its EV sales
targets. The government formed a pact with automakers, suppliers and unions to sell
eight hundred thousand pure electric vehicles a year by twenty twenty seven, which is a four fold increase. The deal boosts the target for electric light commercial vehicle
sales as well, to one hundred thousand a year, which would be six times more. The agreement also aims to build up the EV supply chain in
France, increase the number of charging stations, and provide EV sales subsidies and sticking with France for the moment, while the country has taken action to limit the sales of Chinese EV's in the country, France's finance minister says it's in favor of BYD opening a plant in the country and also added that quote the Chinese auto industry is welcome in France. Recently, France passed a law to
restrict subsidies for evs produced with a high carbon footprint, a move that excludes men any Chinese made models, and while the EU doesn't want Chinese made EV's ship to the region, it's okay with Chinese companies building assembly plants there because of all the jobs that they bring. The White House announced it's providing one
hundred million dollars to small and medium sized auto suppliers to help them in the transition to electric vehicles. Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Detroit today to announce
the funding. The money will go towards helping companies convert from manufacturing IC engine
parts to EV components and to help diversify their business. Suppliers, especially the
lower tiers, are under enormous financial pressure in the transition to evs, so it's good to see them get some relief. To help with the switch,
phone turned EV maker Jomi is copying Tesla's large castings, but with a little tweak. It's using an over nine thousand ton machine to make the rear cast
of its SU seven electric sedan, which eliminates seventy two other parts and pieces that would have been required to make that section. But Joemy also implemented a
three stage anti collision design. If one of the crush beams is damaged in
a load to medium speed collision, they can be replaced rather than possibly having to replace the whole casting. There's been a lot of concern and confusion about
having to replace entire castings in an accident, but it is possible to bend straightened weld in add reinforcement plates to these large castings. Another benefit of these
is the ability to automate more of the assembly process. Joemy says it will
have seven hundred robots in its factory. However, that will also have an
impact on its line speed. At full capacity, it says it will be
able to make a car every seventy six seconds, but that's about double Tesla and even the legacies are around a minute. Mercedes AMG is adding a second
convertible to its lineup. It already offers the AMG SL Roadster, and now
the AMG CL fifty three Cabriole is joining the portfolio. It features a forty
eight volt mild hybrid system that's combined with a three leader inline six cylinder engine and a nine speed automatic transmission, and that setup produces four hundred and forty three horse power and four hundred and thirteen pound feet of torque, which is fed to all four wheels. The interior is highlighted by a twelve point three
inch driver display and an eleven point nine inch center infotainment system. The AMG
CL fifty three convertible goes on sale in the US in the second half of the year, but pricing was not announced, and that brings us to the end of today's show. Thanks for making autoline a part of your day.
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