1 – New eCampus: Mercedes bundles battery development in Stuttgart
Mercedes-Benz held a press conference at its headquarters yesterday. eCampus opens in Stuttgart-UntertürkheimThe battery research of the carmakers will be pooled there to develop innovative high-performance cells and new manufacturing processes. The declared goal is to bring the cost of batteries down by more than 30%. There were, of course, electives. The opening ceremony took place in the presence of Baden-Württemberg’s Premier Winfried Kretschmann and Economy Minister Robert Habeck. The latter called for an end to the “false political debate” over the transformation (I quote): “If we hesitate now and lose time, we will ultimately lose the competition too,” he said.
2 – Porsche will likely cut Taycan production
Porsche clearly wants that. Taycan production cutsAccording to media reports, production in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen will be reduced to one shift. In light of sluggish sales, Porsche is restructuring production of its all-electric flagship Taycan, the Stuttgarter Zeitung reported. Specifically, the plan is to produce only the electric model built in Zuffenhausen in one shift. Jobs should not be threatened by the Taycan production cut – at least not permanent ones. Porsche did not want to comment on this information when asked by elective, so there is no clear denial.
3 – The Opel Combo Electric can be ordered from 38,600 euros
The revised Opel Combo Electric will be followed by a cargo version. The car can also be ordered in GermanyIt is available in five or seven-seater configurations and, after the facelift, now comes with LFP batteries. Opel describes the high-roof station wagon as the “ideal family car”. It also comes in two vehicle lengths: 4m 41 for up to five seats, or 4m 76 for up to seven seats with an optional third row. Prices for the smaller version start at 38,600 euros total, while the Combo XL starts at 39,600 euros. Opel unveiled the new version of the Combo Electric in December. Six months later, order books are now open. The vehicle is the passenger version of the smallest van in the Opel range.
4 – Tesla likely shelving India factory plans
Tesla has plans to: Indian factories appear to have been temporarily haltedThe Indian government doesn’t expect Tesla to invest in the country anytime soon, according to people familiar with the matter, or at least that’s what Bloomberg reported. Elon Musk postponed a planned visit to India at the end of April and has apparently been out of touch since. Musk and his executives have not made any further inquiries to New Delhi authorities since then, leading the sources to speculate that contact is no longer desired.
5 – NRW police union surprises with speed limit statement
The NRW state police union, together with the broader social alliance, is calling for the following: Immediate implementation of uniform speed limits nationwide – for more safety and climate protection. So far, so understandable. But it seems odd that the police are trying to link it specifically to e-mobility. They literally say: “If we want to increase electromobility on highways without taking on additional safety risks, we need to ensure that the traffic flow is more harmonized.” This is only possible with speed limits. Electric cars cannot travel faster than 130 km/h without a significant reduction in their range.