🚗 The Week 5 in Mobility & EVs

Hi there!

Welcome to the first edition of Mobility Insights, your source for everything mobility and EVs.

What to expect? Every week, I'll bring you the most impactful mobility & EV news in under 2 minutes.

You may be wondering why I started this: I believe staying informed about our mobility shouldn't require hours of reading. That's why I'm committed to delivering smart, concise content that fits your busy schedule.

Some online friends also pushed me to do this, since I was first publishing only on social media platforms (shoutout to @The_EVGuy!)

So, here's your 2-minute news recap:

1. Toyota 🇯🇵 announced that it sold 10.8 million vehicles in 2024, staying the world’s top-selling automaker.

2. Tesla 🇺🇸 announced that its new cheaper electric vehicle will launch in early 2025.

3. Lucid 🇺🇸 announced that Gravity owners can access over 20,000 Tesla Supercharger stations across US 🇺🇸 and Canada 🇨🇦 without adapters from January 31st. The Gravity can charge up to 400kW.

4. Waymo 🇺🇸 said it will expand autonomous driving tests to over 10 new cities in 2025, including San Diego and Las Vegas, with a limited fleet of vehicles operated by human specialists.

5. GM 🇺🇸 announced that its EVs are now profitable, with revenue exceeding labor and material costs.

6. GM 🇺🇸 also announced that its Super Cruise driver assistance system will generate $2 billion in annual revenue within 5 years.

7. Honda 🇯🇵 said it will increase its Ohio 🇺🇸 plant investments by $300 million, bringing the total to $1 billion, and allowing production of EVs, hybrids, and gas vehicles on the same line.

8. Flexis, a joint venture between Renault 🇫🇷 and Volvo 🇸🇪, said it secured letters of intent for 15,000 electric vans from 10 European firms.

9. AESC France 🇫🇷 secured EU 🇪🇺 approval for 48 million euros in French state aid to build a lithium-ion battery factory in Douai 🇫🇷. The project will create 1,000 jobs and support Renault's EV plans.

10. Stellantis 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇺🇸 announced it will take full control of its joint venture with Punch Powertrain that produces dual-clutch transmissions for hybrid vehicles, with financial terms undisclosed.

11. Northvolt 🇸🇪 said it will sell its stake in joint battery venture Novo Energy to Volvo Cars and explore North American collaborations.

12. Northvolt 🇸🇪 announced it seeks $1.29 billion from shareholders to restore operations after its bankruptcy.

13. Northvolt 🇸🇪 also announced that its co-founder, Paolo Cerruti, stepped down as North American CEO but remains board chairman. (A lot of Northvolt news this week!, last one coming).

14. Scania 🇸🇪 reported that it sent staff to assist Northvolt's 🇸🇪 Swedish battery plant with production and quality control. The truckmaker pairs its employees with Northvolt managers to implement standards and coach teams.

15. The European Commission 🇪🇺 announced that it hosted 22 auto industry leaders to discuss fleet electrification challenges, as the sector faces 54,000 job losses, Chinese competition, and potential US tariffs. 

16. Continental 🇩🇪 said ContiTech will close four plants and downsize two, impacting 580 jobs. The company aims to cut 7,000 jobs and save 400 million euros annually from 2025.

17. Thailand 🇹🇭 EV Association reported that electric vehicle sales will jump 40% to exceed 100,000 units this year, as Chinese makers boost local production. Thailand's government requires 1.5 locally-made EVs per import.

18. ADM Group 🇨🇳 announced plans to install 3,000 EV charging stations across Pakistan 🇵🇰.

That's all for this week, thanks for reading!

This newsletter will evolve with your feedback – hit reply to share what you'd like me to improve in the coming weeks.

Until next week, Mobility Prof

P.S. Know someone who'd enjoy this? Feel free to forward this recap!