G. David Felt

Seems at the Stellantis Feb 23rd 2022 yearly reporting live broadcast, they announced that Fiat would go pure electric in Europe starting 2027 with select markets having a few ICE / Hybrids left over but would be 100% electric sales only by 2030. Tried to look at the report on Stellantis, but they have not released the recording yet. Fiat Wants To Only Sell Electric Cars In Europe After 2027 (insideevs.com) Press Releases | Stellantis Seems Hybrid and Electric is the total focus on the Fiat Media Page. New 500 | Fiat | Stellantis

I understand the point your stating @balthazar as ICE will be around for a while. Yet as we move to a pure EV sale only by 2030-2035, trade school training will change and folks then that choose a career to be a mechanic will have less interest in ICE and especially carbureted auto's than EV. I would expect to see more and more ICE powertrains pulled and replaced by E-crate solutions. Just got my request to answer questions as GM plans their e-Crate powertrain roll out as well as installation into older ICE auto's. This I expect to happen faster than slower as we have already seen how the younger generations are taking to electronics with far less interest in older ICE type products. Heck even moving to electric yard tools is changing faster than the hell of owning ice power tools.

We have all been told, large-scale electric vehicle adoption can and will greatly reduce emissions from vehicle tailpipes giving us cleaner air. We have also been told by industry analysts that increased indirect emissions from electricity production and battery production that are not regulated by transport policies will offset the change from ICE to BEV having no affect. With these two statements in mind, a group from Yale SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT set out to study which statement is true, or truest in regard to the BEVs assembly and use in society. The OEM auto industry is right now in the midst of a major multi-billion-dollar investment of creating and building electric vehicles here in the U.S. and for global consumption with many of these auto companies stating by 2030 to end ICE auto's building and focus 100% on building and selling BEVs only worldwide. The Yale School of the Environment study has been published in Nature Communications. The study found that the total indirect emissions from electric vehicles pale in comparison to the indirect emissions from fossil fuel-powered vehicles. This is in addition to the direct emissions from combusting fossil fuels, either at the tailpipe for ICE vehicles or at the power plant smokestack for electricity generation, showing electric vehicles have a clear advantage emissions-wise over ICE vehicles. To quote Stephanie Weber, postdoctoral associate: “The surprising element was how much lower the emissions of electric vehicles were,” “The supply chain for combustion vehicles is just so dirty that electric vehicles can’t surpass them, even when you factor in indirect emissions.” Question one would ask, what is the major concern with electric vehicles? Answer, the electric vehicles supply chain, including the mining and processing of raw materials and the manufacturing of batteries is far from clean. Quote from the study on this: “So, if we priced the carbon embodied in these processes, the expectation is electric vehicles would be exorbitantly expensive. It turns out that’s not the case; if you level the playing field by also pricing the carbon in the fossil fuel vehicle supply chain, electric vehicle sales would actually increase.” Also, according to the press release from Yale, the study considered future technological change, such as decarbonization of the electricity supply and found this strengthened the result that electric vehicles dominate when indirect supply chain emissions are accounted for. The research team gathered data using a National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) created by the Energy Information Administration, which models the entire U.S. energy system using detailed information from the current domestic energy system and a forecast of the future of the electric system. Wolfram completed a life cycle assessment that provided outputs of indirect emissions, which were then plugged into the NEMS model to see how a carbon tax on these indirect emissions would change the behavior of consumers and manufacturers. Weber assisted in modifying the NEMS code. According to the Wolfram, the study shows that "the elephant in the room is the supply chain of fossil fuel-powered vehicles, not that of electric vehicle." In countries with a sufficiently decarbonized electricity supply, like the U.S., the faster we switch to electric vehicles, the better. Yale_Study_EV-Emissions.pdf Interesting enough is that studies that have been done have always pointed to life cycle of the BEV and yet no study till now has been done to the life cycle of an ICE vehicle. As such, now that one has been done, it clearly shows that humanity benefits from moving to electric vehicles from ICE vehicles. The bigger question I would think is can society get over their political factions to ICE versus BEV for the health of society rather than cling to the past in an attitude of no change is good change? The Yale team used a combination of life cycle assessment and energy modeling to analyze the total life-cycle emissions of conventional or ICE vehicles versus EV or electric vehicles. They then calculated a carbon price on those emissions to see what effect that would have on the vehicle market. End result is that EV sales would increase in comparison to gas auto sales due to the larger increase in cost associated with ICE auto production. What are your thoughts on the study and the emission question? YSE Study Finds Electric Vehicles Provide Lower Carbon Emissions Through Additional Channels | Yale School of the Environment Pricing indirect emissions accelerates low—carbon transition of US light vehicle sector | Nature Communications View full article

Maybe it is an age thing, but as I have gotten older, I have come to not like noise inside the auto and even when I drive, I hate all the kids who have put fart cans on their 4 bangers to make noise. I think one can truly still enjoy the performance of an EV supercar. I would say none of us including @balthazar can honestly say annoying, anemic, whining sound since we have not been in the electric GT40 and we only have limited examples right now of BEVs. I will wait final judgement till we actually have these on the road and more people are driving them.

You can now have your own GT40 officially approved by Ford, 800hp, 560 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels with a 0-60 mph of 3.x seconds. 800 HP Everatti GT40 Brings the Ford vs. Ferrari Legend to the EV Era (cleantechnica.com) Just a killer silent weapon.

WOW lots of love went into that auto. Will have to be a special person to buy it and pay $49,000

Seems more money, hundreds of millions have been invested into another solid-state battery company that has the auto industry watching and investing in them. Factorial Energy Raises $200 Million To Accelerate (globenewswire.com) This is going to be interesting as while Tesla has stated their 4680 is 6x the energy level of their current cells, they are 2.5 times bigger and heavier unlike the considerably less weight of the solid-state. Interesting is that Tesla will not confirm or deny various reports that the 4680 cell is a 20 to 35 amp battery. Compared to the Factorial 40-amp solid-state battery that is going into production this year in New England at their new factory there.

I watched this video which wraps up all the craziness that Musk has done in the last few weeks, and he really could sink Tesla at the way he is going.

Very cool site on history of solid-state batteries. Solid State Battery - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics This is why Tesla delay on getting their large 4680 cell into production could be a short-lived run as solid-state will replace any desire for traditional Lithium-ion batteries. Interesting video to watch, I do agree with Muro that solid state battery pack with some super capacitors will allow a quick charging system that would truly make recharging faster than ICE fueling.

Interesting read about batteries Battery Problem Could Be A National Security Problem For U.S. (jalopnik.com) Interesting on Oil Where does the US get its oil by country 2022? How much oil does the US import each year? (msn.com)

Very cool story that many here will love: The 1973 Hurst Pontiac Grand Am That Never Was (motortrend.com)

I would not be surprised to see it as a $45 to $55 K auto with an attempted $20K dealer markup.

This just re-enforces why states need to let auto companies compete directly with dealers. Kia Dealers Are Going To Kill The EV6 (jalopnik.com) Update: West Virginia Dealership association got the idiot politicians to submit a bill that would essentially kill Tesla and Force all auto manufactures to stop OTA. These idiots fear the future, future tech and change. I hope people wake up to this stupid ignorance. Why should anyone have to pay a dealer to get software updates / improvements to their auto! West Virginia Law Would Restrict Vehicle OTA Updates To Dealerships (motor1.com)

Seems Hyundai / Kia is now telling Dealers to knock off the 2nd sticker of adjusted market value or face loosing access to hot selling models. Even Hyundai Thinks It’s Ridiculous to Markup Hyundais This Much (thedrive.com)

Seems Ford is leaking info about the Ranger Raptor to some news sites. Ford Ranger Raptor Gearing Up for United States - The Truth About Cars Update: 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor First Look: Midsize Truck, Full-Size Aggro (motortrend.com) Seems more tech details at this story but nothing on pricing.

I see what ya mean about the headlights.

The whole Ukraine / Russia thing is going to make this year interesting. Did not know the following till this morning: Russia accounts for: OIL & Natural Gas 12% of the world's oil production 1/3rd of the natural gas Europe consumes. Minerals 49% of Global Nickel production 42% of Global Palladium production 33% of Global Diamonds production 26% of Global Aluminum production 13%% of Global Platinum production 7% of Global Steel production 4% of Global Copper production Ukraine accounts for: Uranium - 30% of the consumption by Russia and local Ukraine energy production come from this country. OIL & Natural Gas - Has huge undeveloped reserves, 26th ranked in the world Minerals - 2% of world steel production and 6% of world mineral production Manganese Iron ore Bituminous and anthracite coal Brown coal Titanium ore bauxite nepheline alunite mercury ozokerite potassium rock salt phosphorites sulfur Farming beets vegetable oil sunflower seeds meats grains dairy fish So why am I posting this, NO NOT POLITICAL. Yes, we all can see that there are natural items that Russia would want to control and consume from Ukraine. Automotive is the focus here as Palladium, Titanium and other associated minerals come from these two countries that are used in auto's and this is an indication that we can get used to an auto shortage for a few more years as the semiconductor chip shortage should be expected to extend. Heightened tension in Ukraine to hit carmakers, secondary batteries (koreatimes.co.kr) Food is the other big thing, but the supply chain is about to get worse till local production ramps up as more countries look to bring back production of many components to reduce reliance on either Russia & Ukraine (Raw Materials) or China (Raw materials and finished production products) How a Russia invasion of Ukraine, the 'breadbasket of Europe,' could hit supply chains (msn.com) U.S. sanctions over Russian attack on Ukraine could roil financial markets - The Washington Post Renault, VW, Stellantis, others potentially exposed to sanctions on Russia | Automotive News (autonews.com) Russia Downplays Trade Sanctions’ Impact on Auto Industry | WardsAuto Rio Tinto sees US sanctions on Russia potentially disrupting aluminium supply (miningweekly.com) We also could see issues with the plane industry as both Boeing and Airbus use titanium from Russia in their planes and as this story states, content is 14-15% of the plane. Sanctions against Russia lead to the collapse of the American industry – Arabic newspaper -Profile News End result is our love of the auto industry will have us see potential shortages till new mines in other more stable places / countries come online along with production of U.S. made semiconductors. Crazy times we live in.

Face only a mother could love, looks like a manta ray.

Was just cruising the net and hit this story of crazy things Mechanics have come across. I cannot even imagine how one can let an oil filter get this bad. How did the Animal get there?

Today Kia announced with Electrify America that Kia EV6 owners will have three years from date of purchase to use 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging. During this time EV6 owners can direct any questions or request guidance from Electrify America's 24-hour Customer Contact Center. The two companies' agreement will enable Kia owners 3,500 to 4,000 miles of all-electric driving at no charging cost, depending on the vehicle model and various conditions. Electrify America's vast DC charging network is the largest in the country, allowing high-speed charging of up to 350 kilowatts (kW) for capable vehicles. Kia customers will access the advanced charging network through the Electrify America Mobile app. An enrollment code for the app is provided through the owner's portal of the Kia Access App after the EV6 owner enrolls into the Kia Connect, the brand's robust in-car telematics system. Per Steve Center, COO and EVP, Kia America: “Kia is undergoing a pivotal shift to electrification and the all-new EV6 is the first major step in that direction, underpinned by the company’s advanced E-GMP platform.” “Partnering with Electrify America will enable our customers to enjoy a superior charging experience coupled with the outstanding all-electric range of the EV6.” The EV6 state-of-the-art 77.4 kWh high-density lithium-ion battery allows for an EPA-rated 310-mile range for road trips and excursions. An 800V multi-charging architecture enables ultra-fast DC charging capability from 10 to 80 percent charge (up to 217 miles) in under 18 minutes at 350 kW charger speed, depending on various conditions, aligning with Electrify America's high-speed charging experience. KIA AMERICA COLLABORATES WITH ELECTRIFY AMERICA TO PROVIDE EV6 BUYERS WITH 1,000 KILOWATT-HOURS CHARGING AT NO ADDITIONAL COST (kiamedia.com) Kia America collaborates with Electrify America to provide EV6 buyers with 1,000 kilowatt-hours charging at no additional cost - Electrify America NEWSROOM View full article

I got a hankering for Burgers! YUM

Interesting how some view auto stations of the future will be like. I wonder if this was done before the Pandemic or during? ?

Very cool Cadillac video and the concept of the future of Cadillace. Exploring Cadillac's Futureworldly InnerSpace Autonomous Concept (insideevs.com)