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Runtime: 11:10
0:00 Cybertruck Features Extensive Use of 48-Volt
2:18 Tesla Berlin Workers Deny Union Full Control
3:02 BNEF Says BEVs Far Cleaner Than ICE
4:33 EU Car Sales Post Strong February Gains
5:59 Platinum & Palladium Prices Crashing
6:47 BMW Posts Mixed 2023 Results
7:33 BMW Neue Klasse Boasts 40-50% Lower Pack Cost
8:26 BMW’s 3D Printing Welding Robot
9:20 Kia K4 Takes a Bow
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
CYBERTRUCK FEATURES EXTENSIVE USE OF 48-VOLT
Automotive electrical engineers have talked up the benefits of switching to a 48 volt electronic architecture for decades. It allows the ability to deliver much higher levels of power to electronic devices across thinner, lighter, and lower-cost wiring. But to go to a full 48 volt system would require everything that typically runs on power from the battery, including the bulbs, window motors and wipers, to be redesigned for 48 volts. That’s what’s been holding it back, until now. Tesla is pioneering a 48 volt system on the Cybertruck, but there’s been some confusion around it. Even though Tesla has confirmed it, the Cybertruck is not a full 48 volt system. It uses what’s called a zonal architecture, which means 48 volts runs throughout the vehicle, but clusters or zones of the vehicle use devices to step down the 48 volts to 12 volts, so existing components can still be used. We got an up-close and exclusive look of this at Caresoft, a company that does automotive benchmarking, cost reduction consulting and more. The team has already started tearing into a Cybertruck and invited us in to share some of its insights. They showed us how Tesla is using light blue connectors to indicate what’s 48 volts. So, orange indicates high voltage and blue is now 48 volts. While it looks like things like interior bulbs are still 12 volts, there’s a surprising amount of blue connectors throughout the Cybertruck. And one thing we can for sure tell you that’s gone 48 volts is the motor connected to the steering column on the inside of the vehicle. Caresoft President Terry Woychowski thinks this motor could be used to provide steering feedback to the driver, so they think the steering wheel is connected to the wheels on the road and not the steer-by-wire system that it actually is. And if you want to learn more about the Cybertruck’s steering system, its battery pack and extensive use of large castings, you can check out our entire interview with Terry Woychowski on the Autoline website or YouTube channel.
TESLA BERLIN WORKERS DENY UNION FULL CONTROL
German union IG Metall lost its bid to gain more control over Tesla’s plant in Berlin. Workers at the plant voted for a majority of non-union members for its new works council. But the union still expects to take 16 of 39 seats, making it the largest group on the works council. Here’s how that works. By law in Germany, workers must be represented by a works council, but it doesn’t have to be a union. And different areas of the plant are represented by different leaders. IG Metall wanted to get more influence over pay and working conditions, but apparently the workforce didn’t want the union to have that much power.
BNEF SAYS BEVs FAR CLEANER THAN ICE
No doubt you’ve heard some people claiming that EVs actually put out higher emissions than ICE vehicles. But let’s put that urban legend to rest. A study from Bloomberg New Energy Finance says that the life cycle emissions of BEVs are significantly lower than vehicles with internal combustion engines–up to 70% cleaner. It studied medium-sized vehicles that are driven 250,000 kilometers, or 155,000 miles, and included factors like emissions from manufacturing and recycling batteries, emissions from generating electricity, and more. Even in countries or areas that use a lot of coal to generate electricity, EVs are cleaner than ICE vehicles. Interestingly, the study did not include emissions from drilling, refining and distributing petroleum products like gasoline and diesel, so BEVs are even cleaner than stated here. EVs do create emissions, especially in the manufacturing process, but in the U.S., after 25,000 miles, EVs on average become cleaner than ICE. Bloomberg NEF says studies that claim EVs are dirtier rarely stand up to scrutiny. It says, “They typically rely on outdated information about how fast the power sector is changing, old battery manufacturing data, or artificially low total vehicle mileage assumptions.”
EU CAR SALES POST STRONG FEB GAINS
Car makers in Europe had a strong month in February. Sales were up 10%, falling just under 1 million units. More than 131,000 BEVs were sold, also a 10% gain. But hybrids were even more popular, with 287,000 sales, a gain of 24%. And plug-in hybrid sales were also up 12%. The Volkswagen Group, Stellantis and Renault were the top three automakers in February.
PLATINUM & PALLADIUM PRICES CRASHING
Several years ago, prices of palladium and platinum surged but now with more EVs, prices are tumbling. The metals are used in catalytic converters but since EVs don’t have an exhaust system, demand is falling. Palladium was high as $3,000 an ounce in early 2022 but now it’s down to $1,000 an ounce. Prices of platinum are down 9% so far this year, after dropping 8% in 2023. And the auto industry accounts for 40% of platinum demand and 80% of palladium. Palladium prices are expected to keep falling in the future because there isn’t another industry that can help offset the drop in demand. But platinum could fare better since it is used in jewelry.
BMW POSTS MIXED 2023 RESULTS
BMW reported its financial results for last year and the numbers are a bit of a mixed bag. It sold a record 2.5 million cars, beating its previous pre-Covid record. Revenue was up 9% to almost €108 billion, and its EBIT was up 7.8% to €17 billion. But its net profit fell nearly 31% to €4.3 billion, mainly because of higher expenses and a significant drop in the results of its investments. BMW management says it expects all these results to be slightly better this year, and interestingly, it says that sales of its high-end EVs like the 7 Series, X7 and Rolls Royce Spectre will drive profits higher.
BMW NEUE KLASSE BOAST 40-50% LOWER EV PACK COST
We also got more information on BMW’s next generation EVs, what it’s calling the Neue Klasse, which will be the company’s first dedicated EV platform. It will offer 30% more range, 30% faster charging time, 60% lower CO2 emissions from the battery manufacturing process, and a 40-50% cost reduction in the battery pack and powertrain. Even more specifically, the wheel, brake and tire combination will save 9 watt-hours per kilometer. A new heat pump improves efficiency 40% in winter, while the weight of heating and cooling components were cut 25% and the cost came down 20%. By the end of the decade it expects EVs to account for 50% of its sales and it will have an EV model in every major segment of its lineup.
BMW’S 3D PRINTING WELDING ROBOT
And sticking with BMW for the moment, it’s testing out an interesting process, called wire arc additive manufacturing. But really think of this like 3D printing with a welder. A robot welds together aluminum wire, layer by layer, to build components or tools. BMW says it works particularly well with large parts, like body, drive, and chassis components, and while they come out of the machine looking a little weird, they can be lighter and stronger than die-cast parts, thanks to the use of generative design, which optimizes the size and shape. Parts that customers can see would need to go through some sort of finishing process to remove the wavy surface, but others that are more hidden like this upper strut tower brace might not need to be. Vehicle trials start next year and it hopes to one day use the process with production cars.
KIA K4 TAKES A BOW
We showed you teasers the other day, but now we’ve got a better look at the Kia K4, which will replace its other small cars, the Forte, Ceed or Cerato, depending on what market you’re in. The body surfaces are much more angular than before and the K4 will use its lighting as a distinctive design element. The interior design appears a little more toned down to me and it features a layered dashboard with a thin display tucked into the upper section. We expect to get more details on the new Kia K4 when it debuts at the New York auto show next week.
We’ve got an interesting Autoline After Hours coming up later today. Micky Bly is the head of global propulsion system development at Stellantis. He’ll be talking about all the work they’re doing with BEVs, PHEVs and fuel cells. But he’s also a total small block V8 gearhead and we’ll learn about Stella’s efforts to keep its ICE powertrains going until the market goes fully electric. Larry Webster from Hagerty will also be on the show, so join John and Gary when we go live on the Autoline website, as well as our YouTube channel.
But that’s a wrap for this show. Thanks for tuning in.
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So, the Cybertruck is NOT completely on 48 volts and so they are NOT getting the full advantages that 48 volts offers. Is the zonal architecture enough to get other automakers to follow? May a topic for a future Autoline After Hours.
I wonder how many manufacturer’s it would take to get the suppliers to manufacture the 48V components needed to make the vehicle all 48V. With enough volume it seems like they could justify the investment. Once 48V bulbs and motors are available I would imagine other manufacturers would transfer over too.
I watched the CT video last night. It was very well done. It also proved to me why I will never own one, particularly with that goofy steering system. Of course I would not buy one simply because it is ugly and useless as a truck. I guess it would be OK if used as a big sedan, if you can get over the looks of the exterior and that horrid interior.
I’ve been an Autoline subscriber for many years but NO MORE! I strongly object to the mandatory and invasive tracking that is now a requirement in order to view the videos.
MERKUR, I agree. You put it far more eloquently than I could. And the visibility. With their amazing self driving I wonder why they bothered with windows at all.
We used to do a bunch of 3D printing 60 years ago when learning how to weld. I thought it was just bad art. No idea it was the future!
Since almost all accessories internally change the 12 volts provided to a voltage they can use, usually 3v to 5v, it shouldn’t be a design problem for accessory manufacturers to adjust to a 48 volt system.
The CT 48V setup allows Tesla to gradually move away from 12V as individual components become available. Smart.
Merkur the only reason I wouldn’t own a CT or any Tesla is I wouldn’t want to further enrich their chief tweeting officer.
Does that EV study also account for the excavation of materials needed for batteries and the manufacturing of them as well or the eventual recycling and reclaiming of them ? Seems to me that using heavy equipment to mine the minerals and the transport by cargo ship would considerably change that figure if they didn’t include it. The sheer amount of earth moved to get enough materials for even one battery are staggering.
I’m guessing they didn’t include the extraction of battery materials parts because they didnt include extraction of oil. Makes the study lean more heavily in the favor of EVs. Might still be advantage EV but probably much closer than they wanted to admit.
Roger- I’m sure Elon will be just fine without your money 🙂
The environmental impact of all surface and deep mining is a fraction of the worldwide impact of oil and gas mining. 28% of Canada’s entire GHG emissions are from the oil and gas industry. Environmental impact worldwide of all mining is less than 1/4 of the impact of the oil and gas industry. If Bloomberg did all the calculations from base, the results would be much worse.
I have read that more electricity is used to extract and refine gasoline than would be used to drive the same distance in an EV.
Burn coal to charge your EV,that somehow doesn’t seem right
I wouldn’t buy a Tesla, both because of the tweeter in chief, and the awful operator interface.
Even burning coal, EVs would emit less CO2 than most ICE vehicles because they are much more efficient.
The recycling of lithium batteries would be much more complex than recycling lead-acid batteries, but in a few years when there are a lot of them to recycle, the operation should get pretty efficient.
In 2023, the U.S. electric power sector produced 4,017 billion kilowatthours (kWh) of electric power.
Renewable sources—wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and geothermal—accounted for 22% of generation, or 874 billion kWh, last year. Annual renewable power generation surpassed nuclear generation for the first time in 2021 and coal generation for the first time in 2022.
Unquote, source http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61242
Growth is mostly centered around solar, some natural gas, some wind energy, and battery storage.
In Germany, Europe’s largest industrial economy, renewables have accounted for just about half of electric power generation for the last 3 years.
Incidentally, I just learned yesterday that AI computing centers (?) will be true energy hogs, slurping up to 1GW (!) of electric power, which is about 10X what a remote data center uses. And equivalent to one big nuclear reactor’s output. If solar power weren’t so cheap and easy to build, these things would pose even more of a challenge to the grid.
AI and “cryptocurrency” should be banned globally. They use as much power as millions of EVs.
@MERKUR driver – while I’m not partial to the Cybertruck, or its drive-by-wire steering, it has to be said that almost all larger commercial airplanes have done away with mechanical linkages. I wonder if the CT’s system is also triple redundant?
There’s really no need to go 48V for everything, as John stated in the excellent first CT teardown vid.
It has to be difficult to be a CEO and maintain any type of self. Should they compromise their beliefs, faith or even political views to avoid offending anyone? I find it hilarious that people will avoid a Tesla over Elons opinions, views or tweets on anything. It’s like saying I’m not going to watch anymore DeNiro movies because he is a leftist. I honestly don’t care that much about him or his opinions. In fact, I find it brave to maintain a strong opinion on something you believe in even if I don’t agree. If he makes a good movie, I’ll go see it. If the vehicle is good, I’ll buy it, I’m able to separate my personal opinions from the job they do. Something that seems to be missing anymore these days. Like are we supposed to all think alike and have the same opinions? One collective mindless herd of sheep that just all agree and follow the collective directive. For those that will avoid a Tesla over Elon, are you that critical of all the products you buy? Do you know the political stance of Mary Barra, Ted Ogawa? Did you avoid Apple products in 2015 when they boycotted NC over the LGBTQ bathroom law? Which side of that are you on? And is it the politically correct side or your personal belief side? Also, in ten more years will that be the wrong side? I know I have my thoughts on things and others will not agree with me. I also am smart enough to know that no matter what facts stats and thoughts I share I have about 2% chance of swaying anyone. So as strongly as they feel they are right I feel equally the same way. But I sure as hell not going to place stock in a CEO’s celebrities and any other famous person’s opinion. So, I certainly would not allow their political views sway me from buying a good product. I’m not interested in a Tesla but if I was looking at EVs I would base my decision on the product, price, quality and couldn’t care less about the political views of the CEO, Dealership or salesman that sells me the car. But that’s just me.
Lambo, no other CEO so actively campaigns against what some of us believe in and spends $44B for the privilege, and with all of his cult-like followers, he will influence people. I wouldn’t buy a Tesla anyway, because of the lack of normal, logical, user friendly controls, and AM radio.
Kit- Well then, I feel sorry for the folks that are that easily manipulated into being influenced by what others think. Just as much as those that would avoid a product based on disagreeing with one person. Besides I don’t believe Elon has tried to influence anyone. Just trying to maintain freedom of speech, and not allow others to be censored by the government or a select few that get butt hurt over the slightest criticism. We need to insure people maintain critical thinking skills and understand that with all the information available is not all true. It’s not all good and it’s not always going to be something you agree with. It’s up to the individuals to decipher the nonsense. Not the government! Remember the saying “its on the internet it must be true”! That was back when people were smart enough to know not everything you see or hear online is correct. But as horrible as that is, its better than having the government tell us what is right and truthful as they have done so many things to break that trust only a fool would put 100% stock into what they say.
Lambo, if you don’t think Elon is trying to influence anyone, take a look at X, formerly twitter. It’s not just Elon’s posts, but the stuff that shows up in the “for you” feed. Oh, and Elon has censored some people he doesn’t like on his platform, while allowing people like Alex Jones back on.
I think I have X on my phone but I never login and check the app. I probably should just delete it.
You could be right maybe he is trying to influence people. That seems to be the name of the game anymore when Journalists will flat out make stuff up or edit things to appear other than they are like the recent Bloodbath story. I find my life less stressful and happier the further I get away from social media. Most of its garbage anymore. It’s like living in a tabloid,
I agree that generally avoiding social media is a good thing. I go to twitter mainly to see daily posts of historical events by a certain well respected historian. I also use a few hobby related Facebook “groups.”
Since I drive 25,000 every 5 years and than look for a new vehicle, I guess I’m not really hurting or helping by not buying an EV.
Regarding the EV study, the question is, how independent is BNEF, which is promoting investments, thus making a business in the new energy sector?