EV Canada Newsletter: GM launches "EV LIVE" and PEI gets funding for chargers.

Weekly Recap Issue #27 - Tuesday, July 26th, 2022

Happy Tuesday! Here is where you will find the latest EV news that you actually care about. You won’t find anything related to Elon Musk buying Twitter or another Hockey Canada Scandal. The below is about electric vehicles and the EV industry.

PS: If you have an EV reserved, let me know in the comments which one, with your reservation date and your expected lead time. I have a Lyriq (reserved March 8th 2022) and a Blazer (reserved July 21, 2022). Lyriq could be this fall but I’m guessing 2023. Blazer, will probably start coming in early 2024 - if not sooner.

Canada

General Motors has launched "EV LIVE" - a new interactive experience where customers can learn more about GMs EVs. 

The new website can be accessed here: https://evlive.gm.com/

GM hopes that EV LIVE will serve as an educational platform to inform consumers, accelerate EV adoption and make EV ownership accessible to all.

EV LIVE will offer visitors the option of interacting one-on-one with EV specialists. Visitors will be able to learn nearly everything about electric vehicles for free. They'll learn about GMs Ultium platform and ask EV specialists questions relating to charging, battery technology, commercial applications, home charger installation

"Addressing common misconceptions about EVs will accelerate widespread EV adoption. We saw a need for accessible, credible and engaging sources of information to empower consumers to adopt EVs and appreciate their many benefits," said Hoss Hassani, GM vice president of EV Ecosystem. "With EV Live, we're making it easier to learn about the EV experience. Whether you're curious or skeptical, an experienced owner or brand new to EVs, the experts at EV Live are here to help."

The EV specialists will be able to speak back and forth with customers, but will use one-way live video. Participants won't appear on camera and the EV specialists won't be able to see them.

GM's EV specialists will be available to connect with Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to midnight ET. On Fridays, the hours are extended from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. ET. On the weekends, the specialists will be available from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET.

Even though GM says that EV Live is not designed as a marketing website to sell its EVs but to serve as a platform where people learn more about EVs. I believe this is a brilliant plan to make consumers more familiar and comfortable with GMs electric vehicle lineup while educating them on the Ultium platform which consumers will know most about and be more likely to purchase from technology and EVs that they recognize.

As part of its electrification plans, GM is investing $750 million in charging infrastructure through its Ultium Charge 360 ecosystem as it prepares to launch new, more affordable EVs.

"GM wants to be the company that puts everyone in an EV, and we understand that vehicles are only part of the equation. We also need accessible and frictionless EV infrastructure and compelling education to make our all-electric future a reality," said Hassani. "With EV Live, we're giving everyone the opportunity to confidently navigate the world of EVs."

Interested in reserving a Chevrolet Blazer EV? Take a look at this tour which gives you the first look at the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV.

The federal government has announced funding for new electric vehicle chargers on Prince Edward Island.

The federal government has announced a $2-million incentive to install 250 new EV chargers across the province of PEI to help encourage more people to buy an EV and move away from carbon emissions.

“Our government is making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play,” said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson in a press release.

“Investing in more EV chargers will put more Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals," he said.

Like many other Canadians, Islanders have started buying EVs in the last year as a result of soaring gas prices. The availability of new EVs and the rising price of used EVs has made it difficult for Islanders to get into an EV.

The capital of PEI, Charlottetown, currently has 19 EV charging stations and with this latest announcement, more will be added. This is especially beneficial for the tourist season which is highly depended on by the province.

With that being said, the need for EV chargers in rural areas are needed. Outside of Charlottetown there are minimal chargers. Comparing to gas stations, where there are multiple pumps available, Islanders believe there needs to be more clusters of chargers in rural areas and in tourist destinations.

"These investments will help both the environment and provincial economy", said Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay in a press release.

“Islanders and tourists alike want to know they can charge up to enjoy P.E.I. to the fullest. Adding these 250 charging stations will go a long way to improving electric driving on the Island,” he said.

If you like this rundown/summary of what’s going on with EVs in Canada please share it with someone (or people) that you think might enjoy it as well!

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Ultium Cells To Get $2.5 Billion Loan From US Department Of Energy.

The US Department of Energy has announced a conditional loan for GM and LG's battery JV - Ultium Cells LLC, where the funding will be provided by the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the $2.5 billion loan to Ultium Cells LLC, and is expected to close in the coming months. The loan will be used to finance the construction of 3 new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plants in Ohio, Tennessee and Michigan. Together, the three facilities will create approximately 11,000 jobs while operating at full capacity.

The US government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program, provides loans to support US manufacturing of light-duty vehicles, qualifying components, and materials that improve fuel economy. The program previously provided loans to Tesla, Ford and Nissan..

The 3 new manufacturing facilities will create large format, pouch-type cells that use a state-of-the-art nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) chemistry to deliver more range at less cost. The cells can be arranged in different combinations of flexible modules and battery packs to power every segment on the road today, from performance vehicles to work trucks.

Incredible behind the scenes sneak peek of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N - RN22e.

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