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VW to sell battery cells to Ford, reduce EV costs through mining

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VW EV cost

VW has big ambitions to reduce the cost of electric vehicles, starting with the battery cells. To that end, the automaker plans to invest in mines as it seeks vertical integration. Through PowerCo, VW plans to meet half of its own needs while selling to other automakers ford.

It’s been a busy month for Volkswagen, starting with the release of the updated ID 3 with improved design and features.

VW followed the new ID 3 with its affordable EV concept, called ID 2all. The ID 2all starts at less than $27,000 (€25,000) and offers a range of up to 279 miles (450 km).

There have also been reports that the automaker is developing itss smallest and cheapest EV model to datelikely to be called the ID 1 (or ID Polo), which will start at around $20,000 and is expected to arrive in 2027.

Both the ID 2all and the ID 1 (or ID Polo) incorporate design elements from Volkswagen classics such as the Beetle and Golf. To drive down the cost of EVs, VW Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Shafer says, “It’s not an easy game,” but with multiple teams working together, he adds:

This volume will help us drive prices down to be competitive and still make money.

Shafer refers to using its economies of scale as an advantage to increase volume and reduce costs.

VW signed an agreement with Canada last year to source raw materials needed for EV batteries to qualify for the US tax credit.

However, since the battery is the most expensive component in an electric vehicle, the automaker has a plan to overcome this, according to a, by going straight to the source new report out of Reuters.

VW-ID-2all
Volkswagen ID 2all concept (source: VW)

VW plans mining investments to reduce EV costs

Volkswagen announced it earlier this week officially selected St. Thomas, Ontario as the site for Powerco EV’s first North American battery plant.

Volkswagen chose Ontario, Canada for its access to abundant raw materials and clean energy. Now the company wants to go one step further and plans to invest in mines to verticalize its business and reduce EV battery costs.

According to the car manufacturer’s Chief Technology Officer, Thomas Schmall, VW wants to cover half of its own needs with the cells and also sell them to third parties, including Ford.

The raw material bottleneck is the mining capacity – that’s why we have to invest directly in the mines.

The board member says Powerco will begin supplying battery cells to Ford to help the automaker build 1.2 million vehicles on its MEB platform.

GM is another automaker looking for a mining investment Reports suggest so a potential stake in Vale’s base metal spinoff.

The Volkswagen Group has recently ramped up its EV efforts, invest nearly $200 billion (€180 billion) over the next five years to ramp up production. A large part of the investments goes into the scaling of battery cell production by PowerCo and the associated raw material costs.

Electrek’s take

Volkswagen is moving in a direction that I think many automakers will go in — vertical integration. With its PowerCo business, the car manufacturer wants to be one of the world’s leading battery suppliers in the future.

The company expects PowerCo to generate more than $21.4 billion in profits by 2030 to become an electric vehicle battery powerhouse.

If Volkswagen introduced an electric vehicle for around $20,000, and profitableInvesting directly in mines and vertically integrating the business will be the first steps.

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Electric Vehicle

Quick Charge Podcast: March 23, 2023

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March 24, 2023

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Hear a recap of Electrek’s top stories of the day. Quick Charge is available now Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Turn on and ours RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge will be taped Monday through Thursday and again on Saturday. Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player to ensure new episodes are delivered as they become available.

Stories we discuss in this episode (with links):

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Write to us at [email protected] Medias.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts or recommend us on Overcast to help more people discover the show!

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BGauss B8 Electric Scooter Price, Variants, Design & Range

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March 24, 2023

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BGauss B8 electric scooter

Mr. Hemant Kabra is the founder and CEO of BGauss. BGauss started selling electric vehicles in 2020 and produces exclusively in the electric vehicle segment. The head office is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. BGauss B8 is one of the two electric scooters that the company launched in July 2020. In this post, you will learn more about the features and specifications of this electric scooter.

appearance and design

BGauss B8 includes a multi-color digital display, 360-degree chrome plating, an aerodynamically optimized design and a UV-protective coating on the outside. This scooter weighs 76.5 kg and has a height of 1285 mm. It has a trunk volume of 18 liters and a payload of up to 130 kg.

variants

There are two different versions of the BGauss B8 electric scooter depending on the substances used in the battery. These two variants are lithium-ion and LF.

Colors

It is available in 6 different options, named:

  • mint green
  • fog grey
  • pearl white
  • silk red
  • Sparkling blue
  • Zed black

Price

The ex-showroom price for the lithium-ion variant is 82,999 and for the LF variant it is 88,999.

specifications

mileage 70km/charge
top speed 50km/h
engine 800w
Top performance 1900w
battery 104.5kwh 57.6v
peak torque 94.6 nm
guarantee 3 years
Breaks Front and Rear – Disc

This electric scooter features a BLDC hub motor which is IP 67 waterproof. A double piston is installed on the front brakes. In addition, it has three speed settings: 36 km/h, 42 km/h and 50 km/h.

This scooter takes about 3 to 4 hours to be fully charged.

characteristics

Alongside a host of notable features, it has side stand sensors, an anti-theft alarm, anti-theft device, Find Your Car, 120mm water wading capacity and a USB port.

In addition, it includes LED lighting in turn signals, daytime running lights, taillights and headlights.

Diploma

The best advice we can give is that while BGauss delivers a lot of great features at a fair price, there are many other scooters on the market that can offer the same features at a much lower price. But if you keep buying it, it will remain a good investment for you.

Continue reading:- BGauss C12 electric scooter launched for Rs. 97,999

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Electric Vehicle

Charged EVs | Ford reveals electric Explorer to be built in Germany

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March 24, 2023

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Americans crave electric SUVs — but automakers dream of a slow and orderly transition to e-mobility. Unfortunately for us Americans, this means that new EV models are usually launched in China and/or Europe first.

ford has unveiled a new all-electric Explorer, designed and built in Germany, as part of a strategy to “reinvent the Ford brand in Europe.”

The electric Explorer will be the first electric vehicle to be built on a large scale at the new Ford Cologne EV Center in Germany. Ford says it will offer an all-electric portfolio of passenger cars in Europe by 2030.

Ford isn’t offering any technical details of the new Explorer at this time, but says it will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants and will be outfitted with the latest electronic goodies and amenities.

The SYNC Move infotainment system has a 15-inch articulating touchscreen that slides up and down to suit the driver (Tesla, note), plus wireless compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is storage space for a laptop and another with a wireless phone charger.

Other bells and whistles include heated front seats and steering wheel, a massaging driver’s seat, individual climate controls, a kick-activated tailgate and multiple driver assistance features.

“Explorer is a precursor to a new generation of exciting Ford electric vehicles. Infused with our American roots but built in Cologne for our customers in Europe, it’s ready for the big adventures and packed with everything our customers need for their everyday drives,” said Martin Sander, general manager, Ford Model e, Europe .

Orders will be accepted “from the end of this year” and prices are expected to start at “less than €45,000”.

Source: ford

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