Grant Faulkner

While everyone is talking about Tesla’s Supercharge network, I’m watching General Motors. Last week GM’s CEO Mary Barra spoke at the Detroit Economic Club. She described EV adoption as a “once-in-a-generation type of transformation.” In this interview she discussed; - EV adoption challenges - Charging station partnerships - Charging infrastructure concerns - Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill funding GM views the lack of sufficient charging infrastructure in the US as a major challenge to mass EV adoption. Here's what they're doing about it; ​​- Investing $750M in charging infrastructure through various partnerships - Building 2,000 charging stalls nationwide with EVgo and Pilot Flying J   - Installing (with EVgo) an additional 3,250 stalls by 2025 (1,000+ already installed) - Installing 40,000 chargers at local dealers through the Dealer Community Charging Program While Tesla is dominant in the modern EV market, GM has been in the game for 20+ years -- they built the first mass-produced EV (the EV1) back in 1996. Expect to see GM continue to play an increasingly large role in charging infrastructure.

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Is the EV shift shifting? A recent study performed by EY forecasts that EVs will account for 50% of global sales by 2041 – two years later than the firm previously forecasted. As OEMs reshuffle product strategies to meet market demands, engineers throughout the automotive ecosystem must remain flexible to deliver these programs. And with continued pressure on product development, engineers are tasked to do more with less – less time and with less access to physical hardware and testing – while meeting increasingly strict performance, legislative and safety requirements. This is why we continue to see the rapid adoption of GT-SUITE – a powertrain-agnostic solution that allows organizations to learn more earlier, manage the complexities of reduced access to hardware and testing while remaining flexible across multiple propulsion systems – ICE, alternative fuels, hybrids, EVs and fuel cells. With more solutions than ever before, maybe it’s time for you to consider a shift to GT. Checkout our interactive automotive solutions today! https://lnkd.in/g5-XmNDP 

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This partnership between the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) symbolizes a significant step forward in addressing the automotive industry's pressing challenges. By pooling our expertise on sustainability, technology, and policy, we are not just reacting to current trends but shaping the future of transportation. This collaboration will catalyze groundbreaking innovations that not only lead to more sustainable automotive solutions but also set new benchmarks for driving transformative change.

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Californian drivers appear to be losing some enthusiasm for Tesla. A California Auto Outlook report shows year-over-year Tesla registrations are down again in the state. The report, published on Monday by the California New Car Dealers Association, summarizes first-quarter vehicle registration figures statewide. The report said Tesla saw a 7.8% dip in sales in California in the first quarter, down from 54,265 in the last quarter of 2023 to 50,025 in Q1. The drop follows last quarter's 9.8% decline. Read more in Business Insider https://lnkd.in/exaHWtm5

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The symbiotic relationship between #commericalvehicle #charging and #infrastructure and the direct correlation to the adoption of passenger #EVs in the US cannot be understated. Nor can be the need for private-public partnerships to make a nationwide #EV #chargingnetwork a reality. Benefits range from #zeroemissions to #manufacturingcompetitiveness on a global scale. This is what innovation in the future business #ecosystem of moving people and things looks like. 👀 👇

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One of the major tech goals of many automakers is to build a powerful and rugged #EV motor that does not use rare earth elements. Now, ZF Group claims to have done it, and I learned more about this achievement in a lengthy discussion with Otmar Scharrer. Such a motor could be a game changer because it would let these companies avoid the problems and risks of rare earths, including pollution caused by their mining and dependence on China, the source of around 95 percent of the world's rare earths. https://lnkd.in/eupP2cr7

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Learn how Honda optimizes vehicle shapes to reduce drag in our upcoming webinar. Key takeaways: reducing drag for energy efficiency, Honda's use of CFD, and cost-cutting strategies with GPU acceleration. Register now! https://ow.ly/j2wr50RzWo5 #webinar #GPUacceleration #automotiveengineering #aerodynamics

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Some automakers delaying EVs and focusing on PHEVs and hybrids. Yet, EV Q1 2024 sales are up 25% vs. Q1 2023 and global EV 2024 sales are projected to increase by 20% and significantly leap up in 2025. Many automakers have painted themselves in a corner, assuming a slump in EV demand attributable to high EV median prices and concern of insufficient charging infrastructure. There may have been a short-lived EV sales speed bump, but not a slump. Not taken into account by many automakers are Chinese EVs entering the North American and European markets are destined to lower EV median prices across the EV sector. A survey of Americans indicated 76% of those under 40 would be inclined to buy a more affordable priced Chinese EV. Equally important, much of North American EV and battery production capacity still under construction has curtailed availability of more affordable EV models. The Hyundai and Kia plant in Georgia will start production in October 2024, and other production launches are on the short-term horizon. The combination of more affordable prices; incrementally longer ranges; greater EV production capacity; 95% EV battery recyclability; technological battery advancements from less critical minerals to no critical minerals, along with better reliability; together with significant increases in the numbers of charging points, will ultimately confirm 2024 and 2025 sales growth projections, 20% and steep climbs, respectively, and beyond. https://lnkd.in/d9D7g7WS

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🗞 Hot off the press: Our new Global Automaker Rating is out. While my #ICCT colleagues developed a single scale for evaluating 21 #car OEMs, IMHO the beauty of this study is in the detailed insights of the 10 metrics used for each #OEM: 💹 ZEV sales share 🚗 ZEV class coverage 🔋 Energy consumption 🔌 Charging speed 📏 Driving range 🌬 Renewable energy in production ♻ Battery recycle/ repurpose 🎯 ZEV target 💰 ZEV investment 🤑 Executive compensation

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IIHS, who has been instrumental in pushing for vehicle automation assessment, weighs in on the state of safety of the industry. It's not great. Please read the entire article. But a few selected quotes: - "Unfortunately, nobody knows whether either of these technologies — the partial automation available to consumers or the driverless vehicle fleets deployed on a more limited basis — are safe." - "Automation has the potential to reduce or eliminate human mistakes and enhance safety, but we have yet to find consistent evidence that existing automated systems make driving safer. " - "Nobody should be surprised that drivers are misusing these systems." - "The issue is further complicated when automated vehicle companies are not transparent or truthful." - "Beyond this weak reporting requirement, NHTSA has yet to issue any regulations to ensure driving automation systems are safe. Instead, it has limited itself to what the senators called “after-the-fact responses” — investigating defects and recalling vehicles that already have a safety problem." I'm glad to hear such an influential organization calling the industry and regulators out on their need to get more serious about safety for automated driving features (automated lane centering and beyond). At this point it seems we'll need a US Congressional mandate to give NHTSA the political air cover and impetus they need push beyond the current situation, with the recent letter from six senators just being the opening salvo. David Kidd, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / Highway Loss Data Institute

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With a clear business model Autonomous Trucks taking a step toward full autonomy.

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The future of connected vehicles is here. Connectivity is evolving from mere crash response to proactive collision avoidance, and HAAS Alert is at the forefront of this industry revolution. For my contacts in the USA, if you are visiting AutoTech in Detroit, you can find HAAS Alert at Booth #609 and see how Safety Cloud® keeps drivers safe on the road and incorporated into OEMs like Stellantis and navigation systems such as Waze. #RoadSafety #AutomotiveInnovation #ConnectedVehicles #VehicleSafety #Automotive #AutoTech #Detroit #SafetyCloud #V2X

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There has been a clear market signal on increased interest in #hybrid vehicles in the U.S. Paul Thomas writes in Automotive News today about the need for powertrain options to support trucks that "work." He highlights how the industry can work together to provide consumer options like #PHEV and serial hybrids while continuing on the path to #electrification and reducing emissions. #mobility #likeaBosch #boschemployee https://bit.ly/49PFysI (subscription required)

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Interesting take from Ford and GM on what the "technology bridge" looks like until zero emission technologies are more commercially viable. I also think we have to help define zero emissions. Well to wheel emissions should be more important than tailpipe. Regardless, a long way to go and as a country we will need a combination of everything available from propane, natural gas, hybrid to BEV. There is no single solution.

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The Automotive edition of our 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing report is here! Hear from Automotive manufacturers across the globe on the technology that's driving the most ROI, how they are overcoming industry obstacles and more. Download now. https://lnkd.in/eceCiHUC ​

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To #simulate at the speed of #design is what it takes to become truly efficient in #productdevelopment. When applied early in the development cycle, #simulation (#CAE, #FEA) technologies can rapidly accelerate the creation of high-performance, profitable products. However, choosing and implementing the right simulation solution effectively can be challenging when you have limited resources. To learn more about efficient simulation technologies and what #digitaltwins have to do with it read this Wevolver article and register for the "Simulate at the Speed of Design" virtual global event hosted by Altair. #altairevent #onlyforward #digitaltwin https://lnkd.in/ejSSbND9

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The news on the #ElectricVehicle transition focuses on last month's sales, but misses where it's going. Todd Lassa of Autoweek discusses what's happening a down the road as #automakers deal with continuing demand for the #internalcombustionengine. Getting these buyers to switch to #electricvehicles is not as easy as manufacturers thought it would be. Is this rerouted path a better road? AutoForecast Solutions LLC #AFSMonthly

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The challenge of recycling EV batteries remains a critical concern for the automotive industry. With leading companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Toyota taking significant steps towards establishing sustainable, closed-loop systems for battery lifecycle management, the push towards a circular economy in automotive manufacturing gains momentum. However, as startups like Redwood show, overcoming the reliance on mined resources is an ongoing struggle, highlighting the need for innovation and regulation in battery recycling. #ADAS #Calibrations

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