Tariff Test
New US government administrations are always a time of opportunity and challenge for the auto industry. Shifts in policy and ideology can heavily impact everything from the supply chain to consumer behavior, so as an administration changes from one political side to another, industry experts and executives wait with baited breath for what is to come. In November, the Trump-led Republican Party was elected to take power in both the Executive and Legislative branches of the US government.
CES 2025 – AMA Summary
he start of this month marked the most important event of the year for cutting edge technology, the 57th annual Consumer Electronics Show.
Charge Anxiety
Charge Anxiety December 15, 2024 Twelve years ago, Tesla Motors released their second all-electric car, the Model S. After decades of experimentation and limited release vehicles (like the short lived GM EV1), an all electric vehicle had finally broken through to the American market as a beautiful car that happened to be electric. People wanted to buy this car. What followed was an ever increasing push from manufacturers, governments, environmentalists, and lobbyists to make electric vehicles a permanent fixture on the global automotive stage. During the course of the 2010s, most OEMs worked to introduce EVs into their lineups of hybrid and ICE vehicles. While experiencing varying degrees of success, by 2021 it was clear that EVs were here to stay. Legislators and regulators alike encouraged OEMs and consumers to adopt EVs through various tools such as toll lane fast passes, tax credits, and manufacturer emissions incentives. Other companies such as Rivian and Lucid sprang up to try their hands as the push for EVs reached a fever pitch, and Tesla became the highest valued car manufacturer in the world. Not all has been perfectly smooth however, as charging station availability and infrastructure have continued to lag behind the innovations in EV technology. The tides have begun to shift and major improvements to EV charging seem to be well within reach. Growth of Charging Stations Charging station availability and reliability have long been major concerns for EV adoption in the United States. While gas stations are on seemingly every corner across the country and have been since before World War II, charging station network development had to essentially start from zero just a decade and a half ago. According to the Department of Energy, in 2011, there were a total of 2,100 charging stations with a combined capacity of 5,070 charging ports. Most of these stations were concentrated in California, which up to that point had been the primary place of early EV adoption. To compare, there were something like 150,000 gas stations, with exponentially more pumps each requiring less time on a per user basis. Much has changed since 2011 though, and the DoE now reports that the US has over 68,000 charging stations nationally with 184,000 individual charging ports. In only 13 years, US companies and government agencies have facilitated a 34 fold increase in total charging stations. Moreover, as of 2024, six-in-ten Americans live within two miles of a public charging station, and over 95% of the American population lives in a county with at least one public charging station. EV ownership has become viable for the majority of Americans in terms of access to charging… and it is only going to continue to get better. See content credentials Cooperation at Charging Stations A big question that has loomed at the forefront of prospective EV owners is the interoperability of charging stations with their vehicles. While all ICE vehicles can get gas from effectively any gas station, questions have swirled about the possibility of many plug formats from different manufacturers. This would create a significant obstacle to ownership and adoption if only 20% of the charging network was compatible with OEM X’s vehicles and 15% with OEM Y’s. Thankfully, OEMs and charge point operators are putting forth a coordinated effort to standardize their charging stations and plugs. Companies including Tesla, Blink Charging, ChargePoint, EVgo, Ionna, and others are collaborating to standardize charging connectors and make it easier for owners to use their electric vehicles. Tesla’s Superchargers utilize the NACS plug, and an increasing number of OEMs have entered into agreements to make their cars compatible with Tesla’s charging network. Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai/Kia/Genesis, GM, Honda, Jaguar, Toyota/Lexus, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Volvo, Porsche, Rivian, and VW have all worked out deals with Tesla to adopt the NACS plug. While some may be concerned about Tesla’s ability to “monopolize” the charging market, this is a net win for commercial and private EV owners because they will no longer have to navigate the old patchwork of charging standards. See content credentials Tesla Roadster Release Technology companies are also looking for ways to make the charging process more seamless. One way has been to expand on the standard set by Tesla that created the capability for their owners to initiate charging by simply plugging in their cars at a Tesla Supercharger and walking away. The station communicates with the car and takes care of the billing and charging process. Electrify America and VW created an alternative called Plug & Charge which relies on vehicle and charging station upgrades where both use an ISO certificate to enable a similar experience. While this technology is beginning to roll out as other OEMs and newer DC fast chargers are being built with this certificate built in, it leads to a question: What can be done to upgrade the experience for all the existing vehicles and charging stations that do not and will not ever have this hardware capability? Thankfully, there is a solution that is being rolled out from WirelessCar in collaboration with Blink but will likely include most charge point operators eventually. WirelessCar calls this “Plug & Go.” Utilizing connected car capability and connected public charging stations, WirelessCar and Blink have successfully demonstrated a comparable experience for virtually any EV at any public charging station. Neither needs to have the ISO certified Plug & Charge capability. As long as the customer has a valid account with Blink and their telematics is active and connected to WirelessCar through the OEM, the customer can just plug in and go. Thanks to the innovative efforts of firms like Blink and WirelessCar to improve the charging experience, the reasons to avoid EV ownership are being reduced every quarter. AI-generated image created by Mariestella using various graphic apps Making the charging experience as seamless as possible for owners has steadily become one of the top priorities for EV manufacturers. It comes as no surprise that more Americans are willing to buy into EV technology as kinks
Wagon Wheels
A Tale of Two Vehicles: The Station Wagon and the Minivan
For as long as the modern automobile has existed, automakers have innovated new methods for carrying greater amounts of passengers and cargo in increasing comfort and style. Not completely satisfied with the capability of pre-WWI American cars, early aftermarket coach builders set to work creating the first vehicles modified to fulfill these evolving needs. Known as depot hacks upon introduction, these custom wood-bodied Model Ts fulfilled commercial uses mainly carrying passengers between platforms at train stations. After the post-WWI military drawdown, production refocused on civilian needs, and Star, a division of the obscure Durant Motors, introduced the first ever factory built station wagon in 1923. Throughout the rest of the interwar period, the majority of America’s OEMs caught on to the station wagon trend…
EV’s – Hope or Hype?
As electric vehicles (EVs) take center stage in the mobility revolution, are they truly the future of transportation or just another passing trend? In this post, AutoMobility Advisors explores the challenges, opportunities, and key innovations shaping the EV landscape. Discover whether EVs are the real solution to a sustainable future or simply overhyped technology.
An (American) Sports Car Story
The Corvette C8 ZR1: A Cumulation of Eight Decades of American Automotive Passion
EXTRA! Vehicle-to-Grid Expansion Saves Planet!
the AutoMobility Roadmap on California’s energy dynamics and the role of electric vehicles! Despite challenges in solar overgeneration, EVs present a solution to utilize surplus energy effectively.
US Auto’s EV Moment
“While well established OEMs have gradually introduced new lineups of electric cars to the market, Chinese auto OEMs are seeking to make their debuts into the US EV market with flashy lineups of very inexpensive cars. Chinese companies such as BYD, Geely, and XPeng are aiming to launch their products in the United States within the next few years, sparking fears of a hostile takeover of the American EV market. “
Insurance – The Next Generation
April 25, 2024
In an accident? Pelted by a freak hailstorm? Hit a deer? The universal answer to all of these problems has for over a century been car insurance. The first car insurance policy was taken out by a Dayton, Ohio resident in 1897, covering the owner in case the vehicle damaged property or hurt/killed an individual. Since then, the car insurance market has ballooned into an enormous industry, with the US car insurance market valued at nearly $400 billion in 2023. Car insurance rates have grown steadily with the increasing price and complexity of new vehicles. With average new car prices reaching a staggering $47,000 in 2023, it is no secret that premiums are on the rise. Cars now have hundreds of sensors collecting the data required for advanced mobility and connected car features. No longer does a simple fender bender cost a few hundred dollars to repair.
Auto’s Duty To Data Details
As our world has grown increasingly interconnected over the last three decades, more and more of our time is spent online. Online transactions and interactions all involve the exchange of differing amounts of data, whether it’s credit card information to make an online purchase, or a live information feed from a connected car.