#701 - 🚗 Useful Trees

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome to Monday and a whole new week.

You don’t have wait until January 1st to commit to better habits. Every Monday is a do-over waiting to happen.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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BUSINESS

Love it or Hate it, It’s Monday

We don’t have any problem with Monday, but there is something fun about participating in the group ritual of “Ick, Monday.” So, we do.

Hit reply and tell us what the trick is to make Monday move.

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F1, Georgia, and a Day in Court

We grabbed a few pieces of automaker news. Have a look:

• Aston Martin's Turnaround: Aston Martin is taking a trip down that well-established path from older, wealthy luxury car buyers to younger F1 racing fans (it exists, trust us).
  
  The company expects to become cash-flow positive this year, driven by new high-performance models and a boost from its Formula 1 involvement. The automaker is attracting younger buyers and seeing increased demand for customizations.
  

• Kia EV9 Production in Georgia: Kia made history in Georgia by rolling the first EV assembled in the state off the line (somebody call the History Channel).
  
  The South Korean brand started local production of the EV9 SUV in Georgia. This move will help the model qualify for federal tax credits, making it more affordable and boosting American manufacturing jobs.
  

• Hyundai Child Labor Lawsuit: The U.S. has enough evidence to take Hyundai to court over alleged child labor violations in Alabama (no joke here; child labor is abhorrent).
  
  The U.S. Department of Labor sued Hyundai, an Alabama parts plant, and a labor recruiter over illegal child labor. The lawsuit seeks to recover profits linked to the violations and highlights Hyundai's past issues with underage workers.

EU Delays Chinese Tariff Decision

The European Commission postponed its decision to impose tariffs on Chinese EV imports to avoid the topic during the Parliament election campaign on June 6-9th.

This delay aims to keep the issue out of the election spotlight. It sounds like some candidates don't want their base to know what they'll do if they get elected.

Can you imagine that? A politician being less than totally transparent and authentic with their voters? Europe sure sounds weird.

Ok, so when do they plan to get back to it? The final decision on imposing tariffs on Chinese EVs could be delayed until July 2024, as the investigation is ongoing. The European Commission has yet to confirm a specific decision date.

Charging "Trees" Could Revolutionize Urban EV Charging

A New York startup, Gravity, plans to install high-powered electric curbside "trees" across the city to quickly recharge electric cars. Finally, somebody asked and answered the question, "what if trees did something useful, not just standing around making air and shade all the time?”

EVs are ideal for congested cities like New York but face charging infrastructure challenges. Gravity's "DEAP Trees" could solve this by providing fast, curbside charging.

• Design: Tall poles with a pivoting arm for charging.

• Speed: Offers 200 miles of range in 5-13 minutes.

• Compatibility: Fits any EV.

• Future-Ready: Designed for potential bidirectional charging.

These charging "trees" could boost EV adoption in urban areas, reducing emissions and supporting New York's carbon neutrality goals. 

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Maybe if we take all the pennies out of circulation and turn them into EV charger conductor material, we could add a few hot wires to every street light, too. Just hang a charging wire from everything. Like a big spider web, you can’t touch (because you’ll get shocked, not because a giant spider is waiting somewhere). 🕷️ 

TOGETHER WITH WOCAN

Breakfast with WOCAN

We were thrilled to host our friends at WOCAN for a special breakfast and meetup on the first morning of ASOTU CON. The energy and enthusiasm were palpable as we gathered to celebrate and support the incredible Women of Color in the Automotive Industry.

Founded to attract, support, connect, and empower women of color, WOCAN provides a safe and empowering space for sharing experiences, finding career support, and accessing resources for personal and leadership development. The event exemplified these values, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

The morning was highlighted by an inspiring panel discussions, thoughtful questions, and motivational feedback that left a lasting impression on all attendees. A special shout-out to the keynote panelists—Kerri Wise, Patrice Banks, Erikka Tiffani Wells, and Ashley Cavazos—whose amazing presentation captivated and inspired us all.

We look forward to more empowering events and continuing our journey in making a positive impact in the automotive world — together!

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

One Lucky Graduating Senior

Last Thursday afternoon in Holyoke, MA was nothing short of life-changing for one graduating senior, who drove away in a brand new Hyundai Venue thanks to Gary Rome Hyundai's annual giveaway.

For over a decade, Gary Rome Hyundai has brought together Holyoke high school students, their families, and school administrators for this special event. The dealership awards a brand new Hyundai Venue to one deserving student who meets rigorous criteria: maintaining a B average or better, having no excused absences, and no disciplinary actions. This year, over 80 students qualified, and 20 were eventually selected as finalists.

The finalists each pulled keys from a bowl, taking turns to see if their key would unlock the prize. Jackie Rivera Burgos was the fortunate student whose key unlocked the Hyundai, marking a thrilling conclusion to an emotional day and a powerful reminder that hard work pays off.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Quick Hits

• Turns out Spotify will refund people for their busted Car Things. 🤑 

• A new streaming channel will put “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” on 24 hours a day. 🚃 

• Costco’s Q3 earnings jumped. 🌭 

History

• 1864: The founder of Oldsmobile is born. 👶 

• 1965: Major Edward H. White II became the first U.S. astronaut to complete a space walk. 🧑‍🚀 

• 1980: An explosive device is detonated at the Statue of Liberty. The FBI suspects Croatian nationalists. 🗽 

Thanks for reading, friend! Fingers crossed that all the good you do in secret is honored in the open this week.