Stephen Oi

Yet another acronym to learn in the EV world... EREV. And hat's off to GM for the 2010 Chevy Volt - which was really the first EREV, even though it was marketed as a PHEV. The most recent market announcement is the VW/Scout Traveler SUV and Terra Pickup - with the "Harvester" range extender. "An EREV is an extended-range electric vehicle, and after a half-decade of success in China, the technology seems to be making its way to Western shores." https://lnkd.in/gxcRXjFA

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A+ for EV Charging Stations! Rivian is launching an upgrade to it's route planning software based on the reliability of charging stations along the way. Rivian vehicles will gather live data from charging stations everytime they plug in to recharge. The data will then be shared within the Rivian network for the best possible route planning. This new tool will help the owners plan their trips more easily based and put their mind at ease on where to charge. SCN - Search Consulting Network has seen a high demand for Software Engineers lately who help work on these type of upgrades to vehicle systems. #scn #rivian #evcharging #swengineers #wearehiringnow #evjobs

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Tesla has several V4 Supercharger posts installed in the U.S. but apparently the touch screen/payment reader hasn't been activated on many of them. This one that I tested in Rockland, ME won federal funding through the #NEVI Formula program, so the touch screen and regular card payment option was required from day one (opened April 3rd, 2024). The full session overview is below via Plug & Play EV but here's a closer look at the payment terminal and touchscreen performance: ⏱ Payment authorized within 10 seconds, up to full power within 46 seconds. Still the fastest activation time I've seen for a CPO (ChargePoint is usually close). 📲 Limited menu options. Can change language and possibly dive into charging data sub-menus, but the latter threw me a "Data Verification Error" when I tried. No screen guidance re. CCS adapter release or app start. ⚡ Power display and time/cost clear. $0.51/kWh (for non-members), max power was 97 kW for around 16 kWh in a 10-minute session. 😎 Partially protected from the sun/inclement weather by the side-mounted location and charge cable/connector holster position. What do you think... satisfyingly minimalist design or too bare bones for new users? #Tesla #TeslaSuperchargers #evcharging

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Decisive. I don't know the facts or story or strategy behind Tesla disbanding the EV charging team -- and so cannot say whether the move is wise or not -- but I do know that Musk was decisive. Keeping too many projects and spreading too thin is a common problem I see in the Chemical Process Industries (CPI). Having a clear process for decisions is very important. If you're having a challenge in this, give me a call. https://lnkd.in/e3VVSgep

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VW, and more specifically its software arm Cariad, has struggled in recent years to deliver what some in the industry have dubbed a “software-defined vehicle.” This jargon industry term, sometimes abbreviated to SDV, means any car, truck or SUV with capabilities that can be upgraded over time (or even new functions added) via software. Automakers view these so-called software-defined vehicles as a new way to make money via in-car entertainment and services; it’s also seen essential for automakers aiming to compete with Tesla.

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SCOOP: Tesla's planned Robotaxi event for 8/8 has been delayed to October to allow teams more time to build additional prototypes of the vehicle. Story with my brilliant colleague Edward Ludlow. As always, if you have more context to share please contact me on a non-work device via Signal or Whatsapp at 510-449-6359. My approach to journalism is this: I play the long game. I am very cautious, careful and thorough, have cultivated sources over several years and have a reputation for being tough but fair and exceedingly accurate. A lot of people contact me anonymously and while that's fine, I need to know who you are and *how* you know what you know. I do not publish rumors. I go to enormous lengths to protect my sources but in order to protect you, there needs to be mutual trust. I deeply appreciate everyone who has trusted me over the years and today to get it right. GIFT LINK:

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When Tesla laid off the entire team working on its Superchargers, some took it as a bad omen for the charging industry overall. Why would Tesla, which arguably dominated the EV-charging landscape and built nearly 6,000 Supercharging stations around the world in 2023 alone, pull the plug on this part of its business? Especially in an election year when Republicans are attacking electric vehicles, the team’s disintegration could be seen as a sign that the EV revolution isn’t really working. “But that’s not the reality of it,” says Hooman Shahidi, cofounder and CEO of EVPassport. For Fast Company, I explored how this news is actually a chance to rethink EV charging—both what it looks like and our behavior around it. It's a chance to get away from the gas station mindset that Superchargers keep drivers in, to focus on Level 1 and Level 2 chargers, and to open room for more competition and innovation. What are your thoughts on this moment for the EV charging landscape?

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Rivian's CEO explains why there won't be just one winner in the EV market. "This is such as big space. We as a planet consume 90 million new cars a year," Scaringe said. "This, by definition, needs many successful companies building many different flavors of what a car might be." "They give customers lots of choices that make customers run toward these new options," he added. RJ Scaringe you are spot-on! One flavor, albeit a niche, is electric amphibious highway legal vehicles, with engineered ability to provide great handling and performance on the road. The fully submerged computer controlled hydrofoils also delivers an amazing smoother longer range electric boating experience. Not only can these types of vehicles reduce road congestion by using water routes in combination with land routes, but in a flood emergency, they provide a method for escape for one's family. #tridentls1 - is also a "quality of life enhancer" being a convertible electric vehicle, worth the slight reduction in aerodynamic efficiency, as any convertible owner today will attest. #electrichydrofoil #electricboats

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🚗✨ The Road Ahead: Autonomous Vehicles in 2025 ✨🚗 The journey toward fully autonomous vehicles is accelerating, with significant milestones anticipated in 2025: Waymo's Expansion: Starting early next year, Waymo plans to offer fully autonomous rides via the Uber app in Atlanta and Austin, building upon its existing services in cities like San Francisco and Phoenix. Tesla's Ambitions: Tesla aims to deploy a fully autonomous version of its "Full Self-Driving" software for the Model 3 and Model Y in Texas and California, potentially eliminating the need for human drivers on standby. Regulatory Developments: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has introduced voluntary guidelines to regulate driverless cars, aiming to streamline the exemption process for vehicles without traditional controls. Safety Insights: Studies indicate that autonomous vehicles, like those operated by Waymo, cause fewer property damage and bodily injuries compared to human-driven vehicles, suggesting a potential for enhanced road safety. As we navigate this transformative era in transportation, one might ponder: 🤔 If autonomous vehicles can make decisions faster and more accurately than humans, could they eventually develop a 'driving intuition' that surpasses human instincts? 🧠💡 #AutonomousVehicles #SelfDrivingCars #FutureOfTransportation #Innovation #TechTrends This post was generated by my custom-built personal agent, powered by LLMs and designed to operate my computer. If you're curious about how it works, feel free to ask!

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The Rivian next-generation EV is being compared to Tesla's best-selling Model Y 🚗 Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe claims the upcoming R2 will be "worlds different" from the Model Y, and the R3 will be even more unique, with few similar models on the market. In March, Scaringe generated excitement by unveiling Rivian's next-gen R2 and R3 vehicles. While the R1T and R1S have established Rivian as a premium EV brand, the R2 is expected to attract an even larger audience. Priced starting at $45,000, the Rivian R2 is just below the average price of a new vehicle in the US, which was $48,644 in June according to the latest Kelley Blue Book data. Despite some media reports of a "slowdown" in the US electric vehicle market, EV sales continue to grow. You can read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/e-ZMW4DK What do you think of their new vehicle? Let me know down in the comments.

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Despite GM's Cruise exiting the autonomous robotaxi market this week (they're going to instead try to incorporate their self-driving technology into their regular cars), the robotaxi market is buzzing with existing and hopeful entries into what many think will be a huge market. I still wish we'd spend a smidgen of this effort and money on redesigning our cities to be more walkable, bikeable, and with better transit options, but American's love affair with cars is so strong it's an uphill battle sometimes. I hope that changes. We need fewer cars on the road, not more. "But there's a new optimism around autonomy. In addition to the Wayve deal, Alphabet's Waymo is now giving 150,000 driverless rides each week in San Francisco, LA and Phoenix, and has just announced its expansion to Austin and Atlanta from early next year. Autonomous trucking service Aurora will make its first driverless trips soon in Texas. Tesla has finally shown the Cybercab, even if its half-hour launch event was disappointingly light on detail. Mate Rimac's autonomous ride-hailing service Verne, which uses pretty, bespoke two-seat coupes with no steering wheel or pedals launches in Zagreb next year, with at least a dozen more cities already signed up." https://lnkd.in/die8fQG9

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Steering wheel goes wild under its own power -- Unintended steering due to improper manufacturing calibration. (Ford / NHTSA Recall 24V-493) From the department of you don't need "self-driving" for your software to try to kill you. Piecing together the scant information in the recall report, it seems that a supplier manufacturer inverted wires used to set up steering wheel sensors, resulting in an "inverted polarity" in the sensor. In other words right and left were swapped on the sensor. This sensor was installed in steering power assist in 30K+ Ford Mustangs. So if you pull left, the sensor telling the power steering what you wanted to do thinks you meant to pull right, and the converse. Under some conditions, this means the steering wheel fights you. Or worse, because if the steering wheel pulls hard, you're likely to pull even harder the other way. "The steering wheel may begin oscillating without warning (alternating clockwise / counterclockwise) when the driver attempts to steer. The oscillation results from the electronic power steering gear providing unintended steering assist." I'm aware that a standard aircraft check is to make sure the control stick is wired to the control surfaces without reversed controls. First time I've heard of this happening for a production ground vehicle. NHTSA Recall report: https://lnkd.in/enM2BA6T https://lnkd.in/edEEshGJ

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Warning: If you're not in vehicle electronics then you probably won't care about this post. I've been using ECOMs and CANCapture for CAN bus collection, analyzation and simulation since 2011. It's a good solid product. But there's a few issues. 1. Unlocked blue dongle is $1900. 2. It uses AngleScript. My engineers at JARDUM use AngleScript when using Enovation Controls PowerVision but I think that user base is pretty small. 3. There are no drivers for use on ARM based computers. I've been running CANCapture in a Windows VM for a decade but no more with Apple Silicon. That forced me to bring a Windows tablet with me on field trips. So we've started the transition to SavvyCAN. SavvyCAN is cross platform FOSS. For hardware, we're using Peak PCAN primarily. Those things are ubiquitous and cheap (~$200). So far, so good. We saved most of our CAN logs as CSV so migrating is relatively straightforward. We'll work on making some utilities to easily go back and forth between the two formats. In addition to PCAN, I've been playing with CSS Electronics CLX000 as a data logger. I made a battery powered water proof logger for about $300 using a CL2000 (Let me know if you want to see how I built it). CLX000 are also compatible with SavvyCAN. I know there's a dozen options. What's everyone else using for CAN logging, replay, and simulation? Would anyone be interested in some tools to migrate from CANCapture? #electronics #vehiclesystems #offhighway #marineelectronics #CANbus #J1939

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😅 For sure interesting to watch him getting all emotional (even though "emotions are crap" etc) but he does make some noteworthy points. However: 1) You still need R&D even though you currently have a strong product/service. Also: all the standard work of the NACS and whatnot has now come to a grinding halt. 2) You still need M&S because you can easily fall behind otherwise. The concerned voices of partner left hanging in the air are not to be ignored safely. 3) I still think that Elon Musk underestimated the bad signal he sent to all potential future partners and investors. Am I out here on a limb? What's you take on this?

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***Lucid Motors Secures Strategic $1.75B Capital Raise Despite Market Skepticism*** -According to CNBC, luxury EV maker Lucid Group has raised $1.75 billion through a public offering of 262.5 million shares despite facing temporary stock volatility. CEO Peter Rawlinson emphasizes this was a strategically timed decision, not a desperate move, extending the company's runway into 2026. From an automotive industry perspective, this capital raise is crucial for several reasons: -Strategic Timing: With $5.16B in total liquidity already available, Lucid is raising capital from a position of strength rather than necessity. This proactive approach is critical given the capital-intensive nature of the EV industry. -Critical Growth Initiatives: Expansion of Arizona manufacturing facility. Construction of Saudi Arabia plant. Launch of the new Gravity SUV. Development of next-gen powertrain. Expansion of retail/service network. -The messaging around this raise is particularly significant because: It demonstrates continued confidence from major investor PIF (Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund), which maintained its 59% ownership stake It provides a clear runway through 2026, coinciding with Lucid's planned midsize platform launch. It helps avoid future "going concern" issues that could damage investor confidence. Despite short-term market reaction (18% stock decline), this financing strengthens Lucid's position in the competitive EV landscape, especially as the company ramps up production of its Air sedan and prepares to launch the Gravity SUV by year-end. The company is targeting 9,000 vehicles for 2024 production. This balance of operational execution and strategic financial planning is critical in the capital-intensive EV sector, where having sufficient funding for growth initiatives can make the difference between success and failure. #automotivenews #manufacturingengineering #automotivemanufacturing #lucidmotors #automotivemanufacturing

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Given the choice between purchasing 6-10 Tesla Powerwalls, or just plugging in my Silverado EV to power my house during an "extreme weather event", I'll take the Silverado. 😎 Of course, I live in Texas, so the grid is NEVER going to fail, right? (Looking at you, February 2021). Bidirectional charging is the future - especially if you've got a 100kWH battery pack just sitting there... >> Many electric drivers in Houston kept their lights on during Hurricane Beryl, and just this past week, one veterinarian in Florida powered her practice with her Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia EV9. That's because those EVs are among the few capable of bidirectional charging, or vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging, which means the energy from the battery can be sent to various devices, homes and even the electric grid. That feature can be an absolute life-saver during emergencies, but not all EVs are capable of doing so. << California May Require Bidirectional Charging EVs. That Could Save Lives (insideevs.com)

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