COVID-19 shuts down Chinese cities: Millions of residents are locked down under zero-COVID policies in Shenzhen, Hebei, Dalian, and Tianjin, shutting down factories and compounding economic uncertainty.
Automakers and battery suppliers team up to expand capacity: Honda and LG are the latest companies to team up to share upfront costs in the race to roll out more EV models.
Walmart finds its EV Canoo: The retailer’s fleet of 4,500 EVs could grow into 10,000 as the company looks to achieve zero emissions. Retail and logistics companies could lead the transition to EV deliveries.
Tesla founder Elon Musk made headlines last week for once again proposing to buy a company he had no intention of purchasing—soccer club Manchester United. But while celebrity gossip-style speculation swirls around the richest man on earth, what’s going on back at Tesla?
The state of public EV charging leaves much to be desired: Why would consumers invest in EVs when there’s a dearth of working public chargers? A study shows reliable charging could be the biggest hurdle to future EV adoption.
Creative is out, CX is in: Agencies used to live and die by creative, but spending cuts from automakers has them hiring more customer experience employees.
Baidu’s Apollo robotaxis break driverless barrier: 10 fully-driverless taxis will run in two of China’s busiest city centers. The ultimate test for a fully autonomous robotaxis could herald wider global AV adoption.
CHIPS and Science Act a boon for US manufacturing: President Biden signs the bipartisan bill, and chipmakers like Intel, Micron, Qualcomm, and GlobalFoundries are on board with expanding their US chip fabrication.
A major ad spender is pulling back: Automakers spent less on TV ads for the second month in a row thanks to few sports events and a sour economy.
CHIPS Act draws a line in the sand: The $52 billion CHIPS Act will go a long way to help chipmakers fire up chip fabs in the US, with the proviso that they avoid chipmaking in China for 10 years.
EV segment shakeup: Economic uncertainty and inflation have resulted in job cuts across the EV sector, which could slow down bigger players and cripple startups that were beginning to ramp up production.
USPS commits to 40% EV fleet: Starting in late 2023, nearly half of the USPS’ fleet will be all-electric, which could accelerate EV adoption efforts as logistics companies modernize their own fleets.
AI to help train drones: Microsoft’s Project AirSim combines its expertise in AI, flight simulators, cloud computing, and military-grade security to develop the next generation of drones.
Chip fab plans are up in the air: Intel, TSMC, and others could pause US chip expansion plans while the $52 billion United States Innovation and Compatition Act languishes.
Tesla and Ford are neck and neck in the race to become North America’s most popular connected car brand, each making up nearly one-third of connected car systems in the region. Android-based system Atoto takes third at 11%, beating out multiple automakers due to its ability to upgrade nonconnected vehicles.
EVs on track to surpass adoption targets: An electrified future could happen sooner thanks to a range of prices and model choices, high gas prices, and promised charging infrastructure.
Rivian grew too quickly: The EV truck maker rushes to reduce its workforce after a hiring surge and persistent economic headwinds. The intensifying layoff trend could be a sign of strife in various industries.
Twitter’s value topples: Elon Musk withdraws from the $43.4B deal and causes a $2.5B drop in Twitter’s market value. A lawsuit could produce a range of possible outcomes for both parties.
Automakers reel in ad spending as the economy tightens: TV spend saw a major dip in June but has opportunities to recover.
Tesla workers up for grabs: The company’s workforce reduction is leading to key competitors acquiring much-needed talent. What does this mean for Tesla’s long-term growth as it faces trying times?