What We’re Reading
Tesla aims to ship Roadster cars next year, Musk says (Reuters, February 28, 2024)
Elon Musk announced on Wednesday that Tesla plans to unveil the “radically” different production design for the long-delayed Roadster by the end of 2024. The Roadster was originally announced in 2017 with a plan for the vehicle to be on the roads by 2020. However, design and production of the Roadster was delayed due to the pandemic and ensuing global supply chain issues. The Roadster is Tesla’s battery-powered luxury sports car with a targeted speed of 0-60 mph in under 1 second, according to Musk on X. The vehicle “has a shot at being the most mind-blowing product demo of all time,” stated Musk.
Apple cancels plans to build an electric car (CNBC, February 27, 2024)
After years of rumors regarding Apple’s highly secretive “Project Titan” EV program, the tech company reportedly is abandoning its efforts to internally develop autonomous vehicles. Despite substantial investment in recruiting talent from legacy automakers, many questioned how this ambitious project would mesh with Apple’s core business of hardware and online services. Instead, it appears Apple will reallocate personnel and resources from its automotive division to a generative artificial intelligence team.
Electric vehicle rule emerges as political tightrope for Biden (The Hill, February 21, 2024)
The campaign for the White House is heating up, and President Biden's EV policies are being questioned by both supporters and opponents. During his presidency, Biden has supported climate change legislation advocating for climate friendly vehicles with the goal annually increasing their sales. The proposed rule initially put forward by the EPA projects that for model year 2027, 36 percent of new vehicle sales would be electric. In 2028, that number would increase to 45 percent, 55 percent in 2029, and then 60 percent in 2030.
While the United Auto Workers (UAW) does not oppose an overall shift, they want to ensure that their jobs and wages are protected during the transition to electric vehicles. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing major car companies, opposed the rule, saying in its own public comment that the proposed standard is “neither reasonable nor achievable in the timeframe covered.” It is likely that the Biden administration will revise the rule to make a smaller portion of their fleet electric than an earlier proposed version to avoid alienating union workers and automakers. In an election year that will most likely be decided by a small amount in a few key states, the votes of autoworkers may make the difference between winning and losing battleground states such as Michigan.