Mississippi Sets EV Store Guidelines

TOGETHER WITH

Cars and road trips go together like…well, cars and road trips!

We love both...so we're going on a road trip to talk about cars. In the next few months, we will meet so many of you in person in Arlington, TX, Tampa, FL, and Atlanta, GA on the ASOTU X Tour.

We hope you'll join us! And if you can't, we'll be live-streaming all the action.

Keep Pushing Back,Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier, and Chris ReevesP.S. Don't forget to wear some green today...you'll thank us!

AUTOMOTIVE

JD Power’s Home Charging Satisfaction Survey

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JD Power's 2023 US EVX Home Charging Study reveals customer satisfaction declining due to slow charging speeds, rising electricity rates, and lack of consumer education on charging programs.

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Satisfaction is measured across eight factors: fairness of retail price; cord length; the size of the charger; ease of winding/storing cable; cost of charging; charging speed; ease of use; and reliability.

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The cost was a significant factor, dropping the index by over 30 points. New EV owners also played a significant role in the decline due to charging speed issues. 

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Only 51% of those surveyed were aware of cost-saving programs. 

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Tesla owners and those who scheduled charging during low-cost hours were most satisfied.

Telling it like it is - The score also dropped based on the total absence of gas station snacks in most American garages. 🥤🌭

AUTOMOTIVE

Mississippi Bill Guides EV Sales

Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi has signed a bill requiring EV manufacturers open franchise dealerships if they want to sell to customers in person. A pro at dotting the "i"s, the Gov. signed the bill despite calls from fellow Republicans to veto the measure.

"Over 200 small businesses in communities across our state are seeking assurance that big manufacturers can't just destroy their business. That's fair!" Reeves said. He acknowledged that innovation is inevitable but is committed to finding a long-term solution as the market changes. 

An opponent to the bill said the state cannot afford to lose, and anybody who refuses to innovate will lose out. 

Telling it like it is - It will be interesting to see how this works. Will startups jump to working with franchise dealers or just put their stores near state borders? What’s the first thing you see on the way out of a dry county? Ok, yes, a firework store, but after that…

TOGETHER WITH ASOTU X

See You In Arlington!

Don’t miss ASOTU X! 

ASOTU is coming to your town, and we hope to see you there! Join us live and in person for Automotive's only Tonight Show-style event, with music, laughs, and conversation with some of the industry's great front-line operators! 

First up is Arlington, TX! Grab your tickets NOW for the ultimate automotive extravaganza! Don't miss your chance to be part of the action – claim your spot and experience auto's only tonight show!

AUTOMOTIVE

VW and Audi Think Affordable

What would "The People's Car" be if no PEOPLE could afford it? Just a lonely car. 🥲🚙

VW will release its first affordable EV in 2025. The ID. 2all will cost around $27,000, have a 280-mile range, and feature some now-common beeps and whistles like a route planner/travel assistant.

Plans on Plans. Since the company announced its $200B 5-year electrification plan, all its announcements seem like background noise in a sci-fi movie. Imagine hearing, "VW is building a 20 gigawatt-hour battery factory in Canada to take advantage of US subsidies by locally sourcing lithium, nickel, and cobalt," ten years ago. Our first question would have been, "Why would a company spend so much money to get more nickels? Those are only worth five cents!" 

Audi has affordability plans of its own. Now that chips are getting easier to find, they figure, "Why not put some chips in cheaper cars?" Which is the exact same question most people ask before they get ants. 

Last year the brand saw earnings climb 40% as it prioritized higher-price models. While revenue will climb with 2023's product mix normalization, earnings expectations are more conservative since higher costs will weigh on profits. 

CEO Markus Duesmann said the company has its sights on 100% electrification with EV offerings in its core segments by 2027. He did not share details but said the company is working on an entry-level EV to replace the A3. 

Hot Tip- To save a little on the production cost, may we suggest adding more cup holders? The way we see it, each time you "add" a cupholder, you remove material, thus saving micro-fractions of a penny per vehicle!

CULTURE

Happy St. Paddy’s: Enjoy Some Green Energy news

Manufacturers are working fast to adopt renewable sources like sun, water, wind, or organic materials to generate green energy in response to the increasing global energy demand and a greater focus on a net-zero emissions future.

United Airlines is partnering with biotechnology company Viridos to turn algae into jet fuel for their commercial fleets. UA has invested $5M to create sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as part of its commitment to eliminate all of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The company expects the fuel to have a 70% reduced carbon footprint compared to traditional fuel.

The European Union is considering plans to offer subsidies for hydrogen production using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. The proposed subsidies aim to make clean hydrogen more competitive and support the EU's goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050. 

Emissions-free green hydrogen could soon be an important addition to the range of clean energies. Green hydrogen uses electricity from renewable energy sources to separate hydrogen from water in a process known as electrolysis. The element is not a primary energy source in the same way that fossil fuels are, but rather an energy carrier like electricity.

Though green hydrogen currently faces immutable laws of chemistry, physics, and logistics that will require major technological breakthroughs before it can become scalable, developers are up for the challenge.

Telling it like it is - Companies are moving quickly to advance green energy production, but as we already know – it’s not easy being green.

Quick Hits

• Bob Odenkirk is headed back to AMC for his newest dramedy, Lucky Hank.

• Samsung to invest a $230B pot o’ gold to construct the world's largest chip center in South Korea.

• The trend of celebrating St. Patrick's Day with non-alcoholic drinks is growing as more people opt for healthier and more mindful lifestyles.

History

• 461: Patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick died, thus marking the St. Patrick’s Day that we celebrate yearly.

• 1762: NYC held the first St Patrick's Day parade.

• 1969: Golda Meir became the first female Prime Minister of Israel.

• 1986: Haemers gang robbed gold transport in Belgium of 35M belgian francs.