The idea of Teslas being connected to the internet through Starlink may soon before a reality, with SpaceX recently filing an application to the FCC to expand the satellite service to “moving vehicles, vessels, and aircraft.” The application comes not long after Musk gave the nod on Twitter for a Starlink “Mini,” which could provide internet connectivity on the go.
In its FCC application, SpaceX aimed to acquire a blanket license authorizing the operation of end-user earth stations for deployment dubbed as Vehicle-Mounted Earth Stations (“VMESs”), Earth Stations on Vessels (“ESVs”), and Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft (“ESAAs”). Collectively called Earth Stations in Motion (“ESIMs”), these stations would have the capability to bring internet connectivity to moving vehicles like cars, ships, or even aircraft.
“SpaceX Services seeks authority to deploy and operate these earth stations (1) as VMES throughout the United States and its territories, (2) as ESVs in the territorial waters of the United States and throughout international waters worldwide, and (3) as ESAAs on U.S.-registered aircraft operating worldwide and non-U.S.-registered aircraft operating in U.S. airspace,” SpaceX noted.
Elaborating further, SpaceX noted that Starlink ESIMs could be invaluable considering that internet users today are increasingly becoming unwilling to forego web connectivity while traveling. SpaceX stated that ultimately, the idea of Starlink being used for moving vehicles is a logical extension of the satellite internet system’s core services.
“No longer are users willing to forego connectivity while on the move, whether driving a truck across the country, moving a freighter from Europe to a U.S. port or while on a domestic or international flight. To help meet this demand, SpaceX has deployed an innovative, cost-effective, and spectrum-efficient satellite system capable of delivering robust broadband service to customers around the world, particularly in unserved and underserved areas.
“SpaceX has already secured U.S. authority for the space station components of its NGSO system. This application takes the next step by seeking authority for ESIMs that will enable the extension of that network from homes and offices to vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. Operation under the requested blanket license will promote competition in the market for in-motion broadband services, to the benefit of drivers, ship operators, and air travelers in the United States and abroad.”
Starlink’s ESIMs would benefit numerous entities, one of which would be Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle and energy company. Tesla’s electric cars are connected to the internet for features like video streaming and over-the-air updates, with the company even offering a “Premium Connectivity” service as an option today. With Starlink’s capability to connect to the internet in a moving vehicle, Tesla would no longer have to rely on existing mobile internet providers for its cars.
Starlink’s application to provide internet access to moving vehicles could be accessed below.
VW’s MEB electric vehicle platform is getting a stamp of approval from UBS in their teardown of the VW ID.3 electric car.
The German automaker is seen catching up to Tesla in EV technology.
By focusing solely on all-electric vehicles all the way back to the early 2000s, Tesla has managed to build a significant lead in electric vehicle technology as more legacy automakers only started taking battery-electric vehicles seriously in the last few years.
This lead has been confirmed by several third-party teardowns of Tesla vehicles over the years.
Now, UBS is out with a teardown of a VW ID.3, the first all-electric car built on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, and they were impressed.
They wrote:
“The analysis of the ID.3 shows that Volkswagen has developed a pure electric platform which is cutting-edge. This enables the group to offer attractive electric vehicles (BEVs) across the entire product range, and to achieve positive earnings (EBIT),”
Bloomberg, who got access to the teardown report, reported that UBS believes that Volkswagen’s EVs are becoming cost competitive with Tesla:
The deep dive into the ID.3 by UBS Group AG analysts found the platform underpinning VW’s EV models will be fully cost competitive with Tesla and boast best-in-class energy density and efficiency. Analysts led by Patrick Hummel called the car “the most credible EV effort by any legacy auto company so far.”
VW also shared some highlights from the study:
The MEB platform on which the Volkswagen electric offensive is built is fully cost-competitive with US electric pioneer Tesla.
Volkswagen is achieving peak performance in terms of efficiency, scalability, and the energy density of its batteries.
When it comes to battery cell costs, the Volkswagen ID.3 is among the top 3 worldwide at around USD 100 per kilowatt-hour.
Electric cars from leading manufacturers such as Volkswagen may attain the level of today’s combustion models in terms of costs and profit margins by 2025.
In terms of the software platform and ecosystem, Volkswagen is currently still behind Tesla – however, Volkswagen is in pole position among the other established car manufacturers.
The report helped boost Volkswagen’s valuation back over $100 million euros – something that hasn’t happened since the Dieselgate scandal.
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Rodriguez still has a Tesla Model X, but it is not that one. He made a deal with the company and bought the one he shows in this video. He was also one of the first customers to get the Mach-E. That probably helped him compare the two electric SUVs with a lot more background.
His road trip left from Murrieta, in California, towards the Atlantic Ocean, which put 2,466 miles on the clock. The Mach-E consumed 790 kWh in the road trip, which gives it an energy consumption of 3.1 kWh per mile.
Rodriguez also kept track of how much time he spent charging and the amount of money the trip cost him in electricity. Charging at the Electrify America network took 586 minutes, or a little less than 10 hours, and it cost the Mach-E owner $159.85.
According to Rodriguez, range anxiety should not be a concern for people that do not have a Tesla. The Electrified America chargers were responsible for more than 90 percent of the charging. Still, the Mach-E owner said there were plenty more to choose from, such as “EVGo, ChargePoint, Greenlots, Volta, and many more!” The highest charging speed he got was 159 kW. Rodriguez said that the Mach-E is rated at 150 kW but was able to pull a lot more.
As much as Rodriguez also likes the Model X, he said he misses many features the Mach-E offers, such as the 360 camera, a wireless charging pad, the hands-free trunk opener, and the ambient lighting that allows him to change the interior color. Another plus is the front camera with a washer.
Now that deliveries started, we’ll probably see a lot more road trips with the Mach-E. If you were to ask Rodriguez his opinion on whether to buy one or not, so far, he would definitely recommend it.
Volvo is joining the growing list of automakers who have pledged to develop only electric vehicles by a certain date. Today, the Swedish car company insisted that it will no longer sell combustion engine cars by 2030, switching to completely electric powertrains by the end of the decade.
Aligning with its plans to transition to a fully-electric car maker is Volvo’s ambitious climate plan, which the company entails as a necessary step to “reduce the life cycle carbon footprint per car through concrete action.” Volvo plans to begin pushing its electric vehicles through online sales, offering a more complete, attractive, and transparent consumer offering. Volvo will only offer its electric vehicles online and not at any of its dealership locations.
XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 Sage Green (Credit: Volvo)
Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer for Volvo, recognizes that there is no future if the company cannot begin transitioning away from gas-powered motors. “There is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine,” Green said. “We are firmly committed to becoming an electric-only car maker, and the transition should happen by 2030. It will allow us to meet the expectations of our customers and be a part of the solution when it comes to fighting climate change.”
The biggest driving factor in Volvo’s choice to transition to all-electric powertrains is the growing demand for electric cars in recent years. As more people begin to purchase battery-powered cars, combustion engine sales are down, and Volvo has seen a trend in consumer purchases that encourages its business model to shift toward electric powertrains.
“To remain successful, we need profitable growth. So instead of investing in a shrinking business, we choose to invest in the future – electric and online,” Volvo’s CEO, Håkan Samuelsson, said. “We are fully focused on becoming a leader in the fast-growing premium electric segment.”
While 2030 is the goal for Volvo to go 100% fully electric, the company is establishing other short-term goals for itself to ensure its transition takes place in a timely, efficient, and sustainable manner. By 2025, Volvo hopes to have at least 50 percent of its total global sales to be fully electric. The other 50 percent should be hybrids, the company said.
Volvo has established its own stand-alone EV brand called Polestar, which has upheld the Swedish parent company’s reputation for safe vehicles. Volvo has also released its own EV, the XC40 Recharge, which became available in global markets last year. Its next EV, the C40, will be an add-on to its 40 Series and was unveiled today.
Volvo slates 2030 as its year to go fully electric
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The Netherlands starts the year 2021 pretty well with a 40% increase in plug-in electric car registrations year-over-year to 4,683.
That’s 13.3% of the total market (compared to 7.2% a year ago and 25% in the 12-months of 2020). The overall market was down 21%, by the way.
January was quite an interesting month as most of the sales were plug-in hybrids. According to EV Sales Blog, it has a lot to do with the car allocation and self-registrations of BEVs in the late 2020 to lower the average emission results.
On the other hand, we see tons of plug-in hybrids from manufacturers that not needed to rush in December 2020 – Volvo and BMW. The situation probably will start to normalize over the next few months. Then we will again see new BEV registrations in high numbers we believe.
