Volkswagen is starting pre-production of the ID5 electric SUV.
Volkswagen already has the ID.3 5-door hatchback and the ID.4 compact SUV.
The ID.4 will start deliveries this month or next month.
The ID.5 is an ID.4 with a more coupe-like roof line. It has the same 77 kWh battery, the same 150 kW electric motor driving the rear wheels.
Electrive claims the ID.5 is now in pre-production at the Volkswagen factory in Zwickau and it will be selling later in 2021. It will not be available in all markets.
The ID.6 is a 7-passenger version of the ID.4.
The ID.7 (aka ID Buzz) is an electric van.
The ID.3 should be getting a software update. The over the air update was not ready in January 2021. The head-up display was also not ready. Early owners have been reporting hundreds of other software bugs.
Volkswagen is trying very hard to catch Tesla and has reportedly spent $50 billion and 5 years developing the new electric cars.
VW-owned Audi’s plans to launch a high-efficiency flagship EV by 2024.
There are challenges for car companies to scale up electric cars.
They have to make a compelling electric car.
They have to scale up mass production.
They need sources of batteries. 500,000 cars with 75 kWh of batteries each would mean 37.5 GWh of batteries every year.
They would need to build the cars for a profit.
There are other reports that Volkswagen loses $4000-5000 for each electric vehicle they make. This loss is offset because they do not pay the EU penalty as a tax credit to another company. Volkswagen can then make up to $8000 selling an SUV.
Electric car makers will have to keep up with Tesla reducing the cost of batteries. Tesla’s battery day talked about roughly halving the cost of batteries. Tesla’s production costs will also decrease with megacastings.
There have been reports of other carmakers having trouble getting computer chips and batteries for their electric cars.
SOURCES – Cleantechnica, Electrive
Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com (Brian owns shares of Tesla)
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
VW has a robust manufacturing and distribution system, but if it's going to compete with Tesla it will need the following:
Cheap, reliable batteries
Performance
Range
Energy for charging the new cars
A system for charging owned cars
A path forward for innovation
Volkswagen and other established car companies have superior service station networks, superior quality control and at least in Europe vastly superior customer case. Their EV efforts will kill the Tesla emissions certificate sales.
I strongly suppose that the stock market value of Tesla is horribly exaggerated compared to stock market values of established carmakers.
Tesla has advantages in the pursuit of high end batteries (quantity and quality) and in the interface software. Those advantages may last another 3…4 years, and then tesla will be something like Porsche – a high automotive performance niche brand, albeit still with quality issues.
I need range and 0-60 numbers.
No doubt Tesla does software much better than VW, or any other legacy car company. VW should open the architecture of it's controls, and let the marketplace deliver a better solution.
Tesla profit is also from selling certificates to other car makers and from their solar business.
The new casting will save Tesla 20% of labor costs, but it is only worth about $650. A look at cost reduction for each EV maker has to be more generic. Of course all companies that are seriously in this race will quickly adopt the best practices of each other. This casting machines are also being built outside Tesla.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-results/tesla-sets-revenue-record-makes-profit-thanks-to-pollution-credit-sales-to-rivals-idUSKBN27631E
"Excluding items, Tesla posted a profit of 76 cents per share. It reported net income of $331 million, or $874 million excluding stock-based compensation awards given to Musk.
Revenue from the sale of regulatory credits made up $397 million. Without that revenue, Tesla would not have achieved a profitable quarter."
Tesla's total wage cost of labor per car is $3,224
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/01/peeking-behind-teslas-labor-curtain/