Lithium prices have plunged due to slowing EV demand, potentially bringing EV and ICE vehicle cost parity sooner than expected. Hybrid owners report the highest satisfaction compared to EV and ICE drivers, thanks to fuel flexibility. Mazda’s US sales surge is driven by heavy incentives, raising concerns about profitability. Volkswagen revealed US pricing for the retro-styled ID Buzz electric van, starting at $61,500. Rivian plans a major plant expansion to boost production of its more affordable R2 model. The episode also covers new model launches from Volvo and GMC, plus Volkswagen’s use of humanoid robots in manufacturing.
Topics:lithium pricesev vs ice cost parityhybrid owner satisfactionmazda sales and incentivesvolkswagen id buzz pricingrivian plant expansionnew model launchesautomotive manufacturing robotsus vehicle incentiveschina-eu ev tariff tensions
- Lithium Prices Will Continue to Fall - Hybrid Owners More Satisfied Than ICE and EV Owners - Mazda Has U.S. Incentive Problem - U.S. Vehicle Incentives Climbing - China Ready to Retaliate Against EU Tariffs - Rivian Gets OK for Plant Expansion - VW I.D. BUZZ Starts at $61,500 - Volvo XC90 Getting Substantial Refresh - GMC Adds AT4 Trim to Yukon for 1st Time - Sierra EV Starts Hitting Customer Hands - FAW-VW Sign Deal for Humanoid Robots
".... And speaking of GMC, it just started delivering Sierra ev Denali pickups to customers. The limited Edition ..."
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Speaker 1: This was out Aligned Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. One of the biggest impacts
of the slowdown in EV demand has been to the prices of lithium, a key ingredient in batteries. It's down
roughly seventy percent in the last year, resulting in the very optimistic prediction from Goldman Sachs that evs and ices could reach cost parity as early as next year, and SQM, the second largest producer of lithium in the world, things prices will continue to fall for the rest of the year, possibly as much as twenty percent from current levels. The
company just reported its quarterly results, and while it posted record high sales volumes of the metal, it also reported a sixty three percent drop in revenue due to lithium's drop in value. One reason SQM might have posted record
high volumes of lithium is sales of other electrified vehicles that still need batteries are growing, especially extended range electrics and hybrids, and now that more drivers are getting behind the wheel of hybrids, they really seem to like them.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index automobile study, which randomly emailed a little over twelve thousand owners. Hybrid vehicles
had the highest satisfaction of any powertrain type. It says
hybrids scored higher because owners can easily get gas when needed, and that evs scored the lowest due to dependability concerns, potentially expensive repairs, and higher insurance. The study also looked
at satisfaction by brand, and Mercedes and Tesla tied at the top of the luxury list, and Toyota and Subaru tied for top mass market brands. Mazda's sales are tearing
it up in the US. According to Automotive News, they
were up thirty percent in July, the third consecutive month that sales were up. They were up thirteen percent so
far this year, outpacing the overall market, and sales are on pace for four hundred and fifty thousand units, which would be a record for Mazda in the US. However,
that growth is riding on the back of significant increases in vehicle incentives. In the second quarter of this year,
Mazda offered an average incentive of nearly twenty eight hundred dollars per vehicle. While that's less than the industry average.
It's up one hundred and ten percent from last year and almost four times the amount from two years ago.
Mazda thinks new models and falling interest rates will reduce its need for incentives, but it finds itself in a similar position as Nissan was a few years ago, and Nissan's profits were just hammered in the US. But it's
not just Mazda relying on incentives. According to Kelly Bluebook,
in incentives in the US were just under three thousand, four hundred dollars on average in July, up six percent from June. That number equates to about seven percent of
the average transaction price for a new vehicle, which reached forty eight four hundred dollars last month. Last year, incentives
were four point four percent of the average transaction price, and for evs it was even higher, with incentives accounting for twelve percent of the average transaction price. In July,
the average price for a new EV was fifty six thousand, five hundred and twenty bucks, slightly higher than June, but one and a half percent below a year ago. Tensions
are rising between Europe and China over the EU's tarraf on Chinese made eves. Even though the EU issued an
updated draft yesterday that lowered the arras for automakers, it still said it believed Chinese EV's benefited from subsidies, so in retali China opened an anti subsidy investigation into dairy products imported from the EU. The China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers also issued a statement opposing the tariffs and said it could have a quote serious adverse impact on China's operations and investment in the EU. Another Chinese industry body
said the EU's tariffs lack objectivity and fairness and that it will defend the rights and interests of Chinese ev companies and automaker SEIIC says it may take legal action.
Speaker 2: There's nothing wrong with heavy metal hey light enough, but with world class composite material taging automotive technologies makes vehicles lighter, safer, and more eco friendly.
Speaker 1: Good news for Rivian. The town council for the city
of Normal, Illinois, where its current plant is located, voted in favor of the evy startup expanding the facility. Rivian
intends to add another one point one four million square foot building to the side of the current plant and to slightly expand the existing structure. The new building will
make the R two and will bring its total capacity to around two hundred and fifteen thousand units a year.
The R two is a very important vehicle for Rivian, with an estimated starting price around forty five thousand dollars, it's about half its current models, and it's expected to double the output of both of those vehicles combined. The
R two is scheduled to start production in twenty twenty six.
Volkswagen revealed US pricing and range for the ID Buzz.
The retro inspired electric van will go on sale later this year with a starting price around sixty one thousand, five hundred dollars. That's for the base pro S, which
only comes in rear wheel drive. Those models have an
ep estimated two hundred and thirty four miles of range.
The pro As Plus trim, which offers more features, starts just over sixty five grand for rear drive, and for all wheel drive versions they start at under seventy thousand bucks.
All wheel drive versions are rated at two hundred and thirty one miles of range, and the first edition, which is only available at launch, starts just over sixty seven thousand dollars with rear wheel drive and around seventy one thousand, five hundred bucks with all wheel drive, and all of those prices include destination charges. Valvo is also launching a
couple of new models. The all electric EX ninety SUV
is started to hit customer hands and on September fourth.
It says it will introduce a substantially refreshed and a new iteration of the hybrid XC ninety. Valva also says
there could be a surprise or two. GMC introduced a
refreshed version of the uk The exterior gets a slight update with unique grill patterns, liftgate badging, and animated headlights and tail lights. The interior features a new vertically mounted
sixteen point eight inch infotainment screen. For the first time,
the Yukon will be available with GMC's eighty four off row trim. It adds a front skid plate, twenty inch
wheels with all terrain tires, and adaptive air ride suspension that can raise the vehicle up to two inches. The
Yukon also gets new standard advanced safety tech and driver assistance features. Three power trains are available, a five point
three liter V eight with three hundred and fifty five horse power, a six point two liter V eight with four hundred and twenty horses or a three liter diesel with three hundred and five horse power. All engines are
madeed to a ten speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy and
pricing will be announced closer to the start of production later this year. And speaking of GMC, it just started
delivering Sierra ev Denali pickups to customers. The limited Edition
one models are now available, which offer a GM estimated four hundred and forty miles of range up to seven hundred and fifty four horse power in seven hundred and eighty five pound feet of torque. The Sierra ev Denali
Edition one starts just under one hundred grand excluding destination charges.
Volkswagen and its Chinese joint venture partner FAW are currently testing humanoid robots at one of their plants in China, and they must have been impressed enough because they've signed a cooperation agreement with the company that makes them, FAW.
Volkswagen and Ubtech will explore ways to integrate the robots, called walker s into automotive manufacturing sites. Right now, they're
using it for vehicle quality inspections, but they must want to grow beyond that, and that brings us to the end of today's show. Thanks for tuning in.
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