This past week it was announced that Amazon was the lead in a $700 million investment round in Rivian, a startup with plans to launch electric pickups and SUVs in the next few years.
Why would Amazon invest such a massive amount (actual amount was not disclosed, but they were the majority investor) of money in a startup luxury EV pickup company? No one actually knows, but in my latest post I share my thoughts and outline 7 benefits of an Amazon and Rivian partnership.
Why Would Amazon Invest in Rivian, An Electric SUV and Pickup Manufacturer?
Are plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) dead or dying? If you listen to many EV analysts and observers and give a lot of credence to GM's November announcement that they would be ending production of the Chevrolet Volt, then the answer is "yes." But I believe that PHEVs will continue to play a key role in the transition to electric vehicles, especially in certain markets and segments. In my February 11 EVAdoption post, I outline 10 reasons why PHEVs are far from dead (yet).
PHEVs Are Not Dead (Yet): 10 Reasons Why
My Recent Articles or Site Updates You May Have Missed
Would A Pure Electric (BEV) F-150 Be A Mistake For Ford? - EVAdoption, January 29
Open Letter To Toyota USA: Go All In On The Prius Prime, Kill The Regular Prius Hybrid - CleanTechnica, January 20
Forecast: 2019 US EV Sales Growth Will Drop To ~12% - - CleanTechnica, January 20
15 Charts Covering US Electric Vehicle Sales in 2018
What I'm Reading
Lyft offers electric vehicle options for riders, drivers - Seattle Times, February 6 - Friday before last I met with a Lyft executive for background and an off-the-record conversation so I can’t share any additional insights on their new Green Mode option. But I can say that this is going to be an interesting area to watch at not only Lyft, but Uber and other ride-sharing companies. The challenge? How do these companies get what are mostly part-time, and typically lower-income drivers into new/newer and more expensive to purchase/rent/lease (but not to operate) PHEVs and BEVs? For the near term, regular hybrids may be the best solution for a majority of ride-sharing drivers.
A Conversation With WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen — #CleanTechnica Exclusive - CleanTechnica, February 17
Budget 2019: India will lead the world in Electric Vehicles: Finance Minister Piyush Goyal - The Financial Express, February 1
A climate problem even California can't fix: tailpipe pollution - Reuters, February 1
Tesla looking to implement Maxwell dry electrodes - Electrive, February 8
Survey: Most Consumers Willing to Pay More for Alt Propulsion - Ward’s Auto, February 6
GM is going 'all-electric,' but it doesn't expect to make money off battery-powered cars until early next decade - CNBC, February 6
Porsche, Audi Forced To Change Plans After Tesla Model 3 Teardown - InsideEVs, February 11
We're one step closer to unified wireless charging standard for EVs - Engadget, February 11
This Could Be Apple’s Greatest Accomplishment - Jigar Shah, Medium, February 6
The USPS Takes Delivery Of First Electric Step Van From Motiv Power Systems - CleanTechnica, February 8
As always, would love to hear from you - send me an email with your comments and suggestions.
Plugs not pumps!
Loren McDonald
EVAdoption
Analyst/Writer/Speaker
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