Electric Vehicles

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/43089144

We estimate China's total electric vehicle fleet is already displacing over 1 million barrels per day in implied oil demand. That level is likely to rise by around 600,000 barrels per day over the next year.

• BYD has already launched its “megawatt flash charging” technology, capable of up to 1000 kW with a single connector and 1360 kW with a dual connector.
• Huawei is focusing on high-power charging solutions, particularly for heavy-duty trucks, and has teased a 1.5 MW charger.
• Zeekr has introduced V4 charging piles and a liquid-cooled charging station for passenger cars with a peak power of 1.2 MW using a single connector.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/37887067

Archived

According to a report by Telex, more than 100 employees could soon be laid off at the CATL factory in Debrecen, the result of a top-down corporate decision. The round of layoffs is already underway. One affected worker said the reason was that in the “current market environment,” the company needs more Chinese professionals than Hungarian ones.

The terminations began last week, initially affecting employees still on probation. This week, the cuts extended to those with permanent contracts. Some of them had been with the company’s Hungarian subsidiary for over a year. The layoffs are impacting not just factory workers, but office staff, skilled labourers, quality inspectors, and process engineers as well. Chinese management has not provided the affected employees with a reason for the decision.

[...]

The company has struggled to attract workers. Resistance to battery manufacturing remains strong, and some employees leave shortly after being hired, spreading negative word-of-mouth and damaging the company’s reputation. These challenges may have led the Chinese leadership to stop recruiting locals for mid-level management and skilled positions. The immediate cause for the downsizing may be that CATL is no longer expanding production as previously planned. Construction on the second plant unit has been suspended indefinitely.

[...]

In 2022, CATL announced plans to build a massive battery plant in Debrecen with an investment of HUF 3 trillion (EUR 7.5 billion), creating thousands of jobs in three phases and absorbing a large share of the local workforce. For now, only the first unit has been completed. Test production is set to begin this fall, followed by mass production in the winter. It’s still unclear how the current layoffs will affect the Hungarian government’s significant financial investment in the project.

[...]

cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/39840451

Ford CEO Jim Farley said Chinese cars have "far superior" technology, lower costs and great quality.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3374968

Archived version

As the V4 states continue to attract Chinese electric vehicle and battery investments, differences are emerging between the interests of national elites and local communities chosen to host these manufacturing (and recycling) facilities. This can be seen in the case of local opposition in the small Slovak town of Šurany – selected to host a major battery production facility as part of a broader industrial park complex. With the opposition group’s environmental and social concerns echoing patterns seen in similar protests in Hungary, it is important to understand these “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) sentiments, which highlight the complex task of balancing economic growth and the green transition while upholding democratic principles such as public consultations.

...

The NIMBY sentiments underscore notable discrepancies between EU and Chinese regulatory standards. These could be further leveraged – especially given the ongoing dilution of the EU’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework – against both national and EU-wide interests. At the same time, it is important to differentiate between various forms of these investments (including the nature and scope of activities involved) and their associated risks.

...

While InoBat’s joint venture with Chinese battery producer Gotion High-Tech is seen as a form of Chinese investment that could facilitate (some level of) industrial upgrading, it has also sparked local protests ... battery manufacturing involves unfamiliar and potentially hazardous chemical processes, with the activists in Šurany citing concerns over substances like N-methylpyrrolidone solvents, which can affect fertility and cause vision, respiratory and other health problems, as well as worries about potential water contamination, soil erosion, high energy use, and pollution – all of which raise broader questions about environmental justice.

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The activists in Šurany have also drawn comparisons with other regional battery projects, notably CATL’s €7.3 billion plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which has attracted even larger opposition. These protests, however, were influenced not only by Chinese involvement but also by prior controversies surrounding South Korean battery investments, indicating broader concerns over lax ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance] practices facilitated by a government that prioritizes economic development and profit maximization over local concerns and corporate sustainability – regardless of investor origin.

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With Slovakia having the EU’s third-highest trade exposure to China and the highest final demand exposure among the V4, the country remains deeply exposed to potential Chinese economic coercion in both direct and indirect terms. On top of this, concerns about regulatory arbitrage – where investors exploit laxer national regulations – are rising, particularly around ESG enforcement,

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