The Current News: Mar 26, 2022

Hello dear readers and riders! So how about those soaring gas prices? Yah, we don’t want to talk about them either. What we’d rather chat about is this week’s hot EV topics. With tons of new electric releases from leading luxury brands, a new plant that will support US battery production, and more, the first week of spring really packs an electrified punch. As always, drop us a line at stephanie@thevintagent.com if you see anything you’d like us to cover. Let’s roll.

  e-Bike Sales Are Surging

Remember how we said we didn’t want to discuss gas prices? We lied. The dramatic spike in gas prices has caused an epic explosion of e-Bike sales. Many e-Bike manufacturers, including Pedego Electric and VanMoof, have experienced record high sales for the last several weeks. EV sharing companies are also seeing an increasing demand for their services.

Michigan is Getting a Graphite Processing Factory

Graphex Group, a volume producer of spherical graphite for lithium-ion battery anodes, just entered into an exclusive non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a joint venture with Emerald Energy Solutions to build and operate a graphite processing plant in Warren, Michigan. The 150,000 square-foot factory will bring about 125 new jobs to the region and help support America’s EV battery production. Currently, the majority of graphite is being produced in China. Bringing the process and refinement of graphite to home soil is expected to alleviate supply chain issues.

New EV Releases from Leading Luxury Brands

Audi, Maserati, and Porsche, oh my! This week, tons of luxury brands unveiled new electric cars. Including:

Audi showcased its new A6 e-Tron concept at the Shanghai Auto Show. The car is a sneak peek of a new family of EVs built on a fresh EV platform co-developed by Porsche. Called the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), the platform will support midsized SUVs and sedans. The A6 concept features a 100kWh battery with a range of 435 miles. The car is promised to produce 469 ponies and 590 lb.-ft. of torque.

Maserati released new details about its electrified future this week during its earnings report. The company stated that they are on the path to being the first luxury brand to launch a 100% electric sports car. Dubbed the GranTurismo, the car will come to market next year and offer 1,200hp from three electric motors. The company aims to produce 100% electric versions of all their models by 2025.

Porsche is planning to bring an electric 718 to market in 2025, as well as an all-electric Macan.

BMW recently dropped a teaser image of their iX1 electric SUV, which will debut later this year. The vehicle is built on the FAAR platform and will offer 272 miles worth of range.

 

Is Can-Am Returning to Two Wheels?

Powersports giant, Can-Am, recently dropped new patents for an electric roadster and trailbike, as well as outlines for a retro model and cruiser. The patent shows a tubular frame housing the battery pack. Unlike the LiveWire platform, this one can be rotated to accommodate different configurations.

Washington Aims to Ban All Gas Cars

Washington – the state where we attempted to host Electric Revolution Live – just passed a bill to require all new light vehicles sold in the state to be electric. This will start with the 2030 model year. If passed, the bill would make exceptions for emergency vehicles and those weighing over 10,000 pounds.

Toyota Wants to Bring Charging Stations to the Masses

Toyota is partnering with Chargepoint to install EV charging stations in public places and residential homes. The at-home charging stations will come with a 23-foot cord and be able to charge a RAV4 Prime nine times faster than a standard outlet.