Welcome and thank you for checking in with us this week at The EV North!

Father’s Day rolled by last weekend and I hope all of the dads out there were able to spend time with their loved ones - and to the fathers that are no longer with us, we are thinking of you!

In this issue:

• Webinar: Insurance for EVs & What You Should Know Webinar.

• The Iconic ID. Buzz is Coming to Canada in Late 2024.

• Beat The Canadian Heat: EV Charging Tips for Summer!

• Weekly Chart: Cleaning up electricity.

• Tesla Shareholders Approve Elon Musk’s Massive Pay Package.

• Introducing the New Audi e-tron GT: The Most Powerful Audi Ever.

• +more!

Check us out on X / Twitter and LinkedIn!

Canada

Webinar: Insurance for EVs & What You Should Know.

To start, I wanted to share that the EV Society will be hosting a webinar titled “Insurance for EVs & What You Should Know”. The guest speaker is Adam Duliban, Third Generation Principal Broker & Co-Owner of Duliban Insurance Brokers - a leading national independent insurance brokerage.

Part of the “Canada Talks Electric Cars” webinar series, the webinar will help you discover how electric vehicles can affect your insurance premiums and get the inside scoop on how insurance companies are adapting to the rise of electric vehicles.  Find out what you need to know to be certain you are properly covered in an accident or damage to your EV! 

The webinar is taking place on July 2nd at 7:30 pm Eastern Time.

You can register HERE.

Are you on Reddit? Check out our subreddit at https://reddit.com/r/evcanada 

The Iconic ID. Buzz is Coming to Canada in Late 2024.

Arriving in Canada in late 2024, the all-new ID. Buzz is the feel-good vehicle you don’t want to miss - admittedly the look/aesthetic is growing on me. The ID. Buzz captures the essence of the classic Type 1 Microbus, reimagined for a sustainable future. This all-electric version combines the spirit of peace and love from the past with the innovative technology of today.

Specially designed for North America, the new ID. Buzz features a longer wheelbase, vibrant interior colors, and enhanced power compared to its European counterpart. It’s all set to lead a new era of electric vehicles.

Manufactured in Hanover, Germany, the ID. Buzz’s dimensions will be similar to the Atlas Cross Sport, ensuring lots of interior space thanks to the innovative MEB platform. It measures approximately 4,962 mm in length, 1,985 mm in width, and 1,927 mm in height.

The ID. Buzz will be available in multiple seating configurations: five-seater (2/3), six-seater (2/2/2), and seven-seater (2/3/2), catering to various needs and preferences.

Choose between Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and dual-motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) variants. The high-voltage battery has a gross capacity of 91 kWh, delivering around 282 horsepower with RWD and approximately 330 horsepower with AWD.

Detailed information on features, equipment, pricing, and vehicle range will be available closer to the Canadian launch in late 2024. Stay tuned for updates and get ready to embrace the future with the ID. Buzz.

Beat The Canadian Heat: EV Charging Tips for Summer!

During the winter, deep freeze conditions can leave EVs stranded and chargers out of order. Some reports exaggerate the situation, but extreme weather—whether cold or scorching heat—can impact EV charging.

With dangerous heatwaves in parts of Canada this week, temperatures are expected to soar towards 40°C! As you gear up with sunscreen and sunglasses, don’t forget an EV care routine to minimize the impact of the brutal sun.

Like coolant systems prevent internal combustion engines from overheating, EVs have temperature regulation systems to protect their lithium-ion batteries.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind with your EV this summer:

1. Preconditioning Your Battery

Modern Battery Management Systems (BMS) keep cells within an optimal operating temperature using liquid or air cooling. Battery preconditioning is often automatic in many new EVs, triggered when you set navigation to a nearby charging station. To save energy, allow the vehicle to precondition while plugged in, using grid power instead of the battery pack.

2. Limit Frequent DC Fast Charging

While batteries can withstand sustained heat, frequent DC fast charging in high temperatures can lead to slower speeds due to thermal throttling. When possible, avoid relying solely on DC fast chargers and opt for Level 2 chargers.

3. Set State of Charge (SoC) to 80%

Setting a SoC limit of 80% helps keep the battery cool and avoid degradation. Charging overnight when it’s cooler also alleviates grid constraints and reduces costs. An 80% SoC is generally sufficient for daily driving and improves battery lifespan. Protip: if you are on time of day rates for electricity you will also save money if charging during those times which are often over night.

4. Charge in the Shade

Charging in shaded areas helps keep the battery and cabin cooler, reducing the need for maximum A/C when you get back in the car. If you stay in the car while charging, this also saves power.

5. Ease Up on the Throttle

To conserve range and keep the battery cooler, use Eco mode or Chill mode if you own a Tesla. This helps you go farther and maintains a cooler battery.

Share Your Tips! Do you have any summer charging advice from your own experience? Leave your thoughts in the comments or reply to this email and help fellow EV owners beat the heat!

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EV Around the World 🌏

Weekly Chart: Cleaning up electricity.

This week’s chart is a two-for-one deal, as we take a look at the electricity that is powering our electric vehicles. While it’s true that EVs are far more efficient than ICE vehicles, the emissions from electricity can still make up a substantial amount of an EV’s carbon footprint.

The good news is that the cleanest forms of electricity are getting cheap fast, with solar photovoltaics seeing the most rapid cost decreases over the past several decades, from more than $100 per watt in 1975 to less than $0.50 per watt in 2022.

While renewables are getting cheap, the share of coal power is dropping precipitously around the world. In particular, Europe has managed to wean itself off coal at an impressive rate, with some countries like the UK producing less than 1% of their electricity from coal.

All of this electricity data spells good news for EV drivers, as their vehicles are only getting cleaner with each passing day!

Tesla Shareholders Approve Elon Musk’s Massive Pay Package.

Tesla shareholders have voted to reapprove Elon Musk’s gigantic pay package, following a Delaware court judge's decision to void it earlier this year. The value of the package is estimated to be around $55-BILLION!
Additionally, investors approved moving the company’s legal home from Delaware to Texas and reappointed James Murdoch and Kimbal Musk, Elon’s brother, to the board.

This vote was seen as a crucial test of Musk’s leadership amid significant challenges for Tesla, including declining sales, softening demand, and shrinking revenue. Despite these issues and the company laying off at least 10 percent of its workforce, shareholders handed Musk a resounding victory, endorsing a compensation package that positions him as one of the highest-paid executives in history.

The outcome, while predictable to some, underscores shareholder support for Musk’s vision to transform Tesla into the world’s most valuable car company. This vote also counters critics of Musk’s recent leadership choices, including his focus on other ventures like the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Tesla's shareholder base includes a high proportion of retail investors compared to institutional investors. Despite several top proxy advisory firms recommending a vote against the proposal, the retail shareholders expressed strong support for Musk. Even negative headlines, such as allegations of sexual misconduct and a sexual harassment lawsuit, did not sway the vote.

However, Musk’s compensation package is not immediately reinstated. The Delaware court ruled it void due to Musk's undue influence over its composition. The reapproval vote is part of Tesla's strategy to address procedural flaws from 2018 and influence the court’s decision. Samantha Crispin, a partner at Baker Botts, noted that while shareholder approval is influential, it does not automatically overturn the court's ruling.

Tesla hopes the vote will aid in appealing the Delaware Chancery Court’s decision, potentially bringing the case before the state’s Supreme Court. The outcome remains uncertain, as Tesla’s proxy statement indicates the unpredictability of how Delaware law will treat this vote.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, the shareholder vote might refocus Musk's attention on Tesla, especially its AI and robotics efforts. Musk previously threatened to spin off Tesla’s AI work if he did not receive substantial control over the company. With the vote, his stake in Tesla could rise from about 13 percent to potentially 20 percent.

In the lead-up to the vote, Tesla used incentives, such as an exclusive Austin factory tour led by Musk, to encourage shareholder support. The company also warned that rejecting the pay package could lead to Musk abandoning Tesla.

With shareholders confirming Musk's status as one of the most well-compensated individuals globally, the likelihood of him leaving Tesla has diminished. However, the saga of his pay package is far from over, with further legal challenges ahead.

You can check out the June 13th Tesla Annual Stockholder Meeting here:

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Introducing the New Audi e-tron GT: The Most Powerful Audi Ever.

The Audi e-tron GT Quattro has been a standout in the brand’s lineup since its debut in 2021, known for its electrifying performance and dynamic handling - even starring as Tony Stark’s vehicle in Avengers: Endgame. Now, Audi has raised the bar with new variants that significantly enhance range, performance, charging, and handling. Highlighting these upgrades is the RS e-tron GT performance, Audi’s first fully electric RS model. These new models will be available for order in August.

The RS e-tron GT performance features modified power electronics for even higher discharge currents, offering significant power increases and improved acceleration. The RS e-tron GT performance delivers 680 kW (925 PS), accelerating from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds and reaching a top speed of 155mph.

Audi has optimized the high-voltage (HV) battery, reducing its weight by nine kilograms while increasing its energy density. The new HV battery has a gross capacity of 105 kWh, contributing to a range of up to 375 miles.

The e-tron GT family now features a maximum charging power of 320 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes at high-power charging (HPC) stations.

The RS models include individually configurable RS modes, allowing drivers to tailor the vehicle's performance to their preferences.

The new Audi e-tron GT models are equipped with the Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, offering comprehensive information about the HV battery's status, including battery temperature and quick-charging forecasts. The advanced thermal management system and heat pump increase range efficiency, particularly in colder climates.

QuickEV

• EV maker Fisker files for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

• The Corvette E-Ray Proves That Hybrids Will Replace Pure-ICE Cars.

• [VIDEO] Hyundai Ioniq 5 2.5-Year Owner Review: Legacy Auto Benefits.

• Tesla Cybertruck Deliveries Reportedly Halted Due To Wiper Issue.

• [VIDEO] New Tesla Model 3 Performance: A Porsche Taycan For Half The Price?

• Will The Nissan GT-R Be Replaced By An EV?

• How BYD’s EV batteries will soon power up tens of thousands of electric motorcycles.

• [VIDEO] Selling A 'Stupid' Tesla Cybertruck, Upgrading To Cadillac Lyriq.

EV Tweet of the Week