🔋December 18: Battery Swaps, Failed Burnouts, and Big Mergers

The Gist

Honda and Nissan might tie the knot in a merger that could be genius—or disastrous.

CATL is betting big on battery swaps, promising 100-second EV refuels, but will the West swipe right?

Lucid Motors dreams of scaling to 1 million cars but seems to be scaling Shaq-sized EVs better than production.

Over in Berlin, Tesla and unions are duking it out over coffee cups and collective bargaining.

And Dodge’s all-electric Charger Daytona? Great car—if you’re okay with a muscle car that can’t do burnouts.

Fuel for Thought

• 🔋 CATL’s Bold Bet on Battery Swaps

  • Quick Swap, Big Vision

  • What Is Battery Swapping?

  • CATL’s Packs

  • The Scale of Ambition

  • Why Dealers Should Care

• 🤖 Lucid Motors: Aiming for the Big Leagues

  • Lucid’s Play for Partnerships

  • Why can’t Lucid just go it alone?

  • Shaq-Sized Customization: Lucid Goes Big (Literall …

• 🚗 Tesla Berlin: The Union Battle Royale

  • Unions vs. Tesla

  • High Stakes and Coffee Cups

• 🔌 The Dodge Charger Daytona: Muscle Without Smoke …

  • Burnout-Free Muscle Car

  • Why can’t the Daytona do burnouts?

🪢 Honda and Nissan: Merger Rumor or Masterstroke?

Clinging to Relevance

Honda and Nissan, two Japanese automotive titans, are reportedly considering a merger through a holding company. For Nissan, facing a 90% drop in earnings, and Honda, lagging in EV innovation, this could be their ticket to surviving a changing market. Bold synergies, like combining Honda’s hybrid know-how with Nissan’s (faded) EV prowess, offer potential, but skepticism looms.

Big Stakes, Big Questions

If it happens, this merger could position them as a global player alongside Toyota and VW. However, the drama surrounding EV strategy failures and financial distress could lead to either a heroic comeback or a high-profile flop.

🔋 CATL’s Bold Bet on Battery Swaps

Quick Swap, Big Vision

CATL aims to revolutionize EV energy with its battery swapping model. Faster refueling could ease range anxiety, but skeptics wonder if this will really work in Western markets. Here’s what’s at stake:

What Is Battery Swapping?

• Swapping stations replace dead EV batteries with charged ones in 100 seconds flat.

• Offers flexibility with a subscription-based Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model.

CATL’s Packs

• Two options: #20 packs for smaller EVs and #25 packs for larger ones, offering ranges of ~400-600 km.

• Pricing starts at $51/month for basic use, climbing with mileage.

The Scale of Ambition

• 1,000 swap stations by 2025, with plans for 10,000 globally.

• CEO Robin Zeng targets one-third of EVs relying on swaps by 2030.

Why Dealers Should Care

• Potential for fleet partnerships and early infrastructure opportunities.

• Signals a shift in customer fueling expectations.

🤖 Lucid Motors: Aiming for the Big Leagues

Lucid’s Play for Partnerships

In its quest to scale from 10,000 to 1 million annual vehicles, Lucid is cozying up to established automakers. EV enthusiasts, take note—here’s the juicy gossip.

Why can’t Lucid just go it alone?

• Scaling production isn’t as easy as building cool prototypes. Lucid’s tech is cutting-edge, but its factory capacity isn’t. Think of it as a master chef with no pots and pans.
  Who’s on Lucid’s speed dial?

• CEO Peter Rawlinson mentioned two unnamed automakers. Genesis seems like a likely candidate, but no official names yet. Guess we’ll have to wait for the reveal party.
  What’s in it for U.S. dealers?

• More brands offering EV options means competition for Tesla and better tech for consumers. Dealers may benefit from automaker partnerships driving innovation faster.

Shaq-Sized Customization: Lucid Goes Big (Literally)

Turns out, even Lucid's luxury EVs have limits—specifically, Shaq-sized ones. The 7'1" basketball legend-turned-DJ had to turn his Lucid Air into a two-door coupe just to fit comfortably. The custom job, handled by West Coast Customs, proves that while Lucid might be scaling production, it’s already nailed the art of scaling… Shaq.

If the Air wasn’t eye-catching enough, this one’s guaranteed to turn heads—and maybe inspire a new line of NBA-ready EVs.

🚗 Tesla Berlin: The Union Battle Royale

Unions vs. Tesla

At Gigafactory Berlin, the clash between Tesla and German union IG Metall is heating up. IG Metall has accused Tesla of anti-union practices, filing court challenges to oust Tesla-friendly leadership. Tesla calls it a “desperate” coup attempt.

High Stakes and Coffee Cups

Beyond union squabbles, Tesla’s employee relations are under scrutiny. Worker complaints about safety and pay persist, but the biggest drama might just be about missing coffee cups. Tesla’s plant manager threatened to remove employee cutlery over the matter.

🔌 The Dodge Charger Daytona: Muscle Without Smoke?

Burnout-Free Muscle Car

Dodge’s new EV muscle car is missing one thing—a burnout button. Here’s what enthusiasts and skeptics are saying.

Why can’t the Daytona do burnouts?

• It’s complicated. Despite Dodge bragging about a “Line Lock” feature, the Charger Daytona currently lacks it. For now, all you’ll get is smooth acceleration, not tire smoke.
  Is this even a muscle car without burnouts?

• That’s the existential question. Dodge says the Charger has “drift mode,” but it’s like getting a burger with no fries. Something just feels… missing.
  Will they fix it?

• No promises. Dodge says updates could come, but they’re tight-lipped on specifics. Guess we’ll just have to keep dreaming—or drifting.

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