As the world awoke on the morning of March 26 to the news that there had been a crash involving a container ship and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the city of Baltimore, which had caused the bridge to collapse, immediate thoughts were for the safety and welfare of all concerned. Six people are missing, presumed dead in the tragic aftermath. Traffic through the port will be suspended until further notice and looks set to disrupt to trade and supply chains. One of the sectors that would likely be affected is automotive, particularly after the disclosure that the Baltimore port is the biggest ..read more

Summary The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations released on March 20, 2024, seem designed to drive toward a BEV solution, though the agency does describe the rule as "technology agnostic," several elements seem fundamentally designed to encourage the battery electric vehicle solution for zero-emissions vehicles. Light-duty CO2 regulations still have a similar end point for the 2032 model year. Requirements for model years 2027-2030 are easier than the agency proposed in April 2023 and still tougher than previous rules. Tier 4 regulation of particulate matter and other critica ..read more

The French government launched a program earlier this year to promote electric car adoption among low-income households, but the overwhelming response exceeded supply. The program offered leasing options and subsidies, contributing to increased electric vehicle sales. The program includes a carbon footprint incentive penalizing batteries produced in countries with carbon-intensive grids. The original initiative offered leasing options for 25,000 European-manufactured EVs at a monthly rate of €100-€150, without a deposit. However, the response was overwhelming, with 90,000 applications received ..read more

Listen to this Fuel for Thought Podcast Discover Insights from S&P Global's Report: Reinventing the Truck 2023 Around the world, disruption is coming to the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) industry. An increased focus on climate change, strict regulations, and technological innovations are expected to change the future of this industry. In the 2023 Reinventing the Truck (RTT) update, experts from S&P Global Mobility and S&P Global Commodity Insights have partnered to identify and address major questions facing the industry. This report navigates a landscape i ..read more

S&P Global Mobility projects that US auto sales in March will crest over 1.4 million units - just the second time since May 2021 that monthly volume has reached this level. Key Takeaways US Auto Sales for March 2024 projected at 1.47 million units Dealer advertised inventories were up to 2.62 million units March BEV share expected to reach 8% S&P Global Mobility projects calendar-year 2024 light vehicle sales volume of 15.96 million units, a 3% increase from the 2023 tally With volume for the month projected at 1.47 million units, March 2024 US auto sales are estimated to tra ..read more

The automotive industry has been searching for a cheaper, more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. While experimenting with several cathode chemistries, including iron-based lithium-ion batteries in low-end models and variants, the industry has also been working on sodium-ion batteries. Although iron-based lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) are cheaper, they are unable to fully resolve all supply chain issues, which is where sodium-ion batteries come in. Sodium is nearly 400 times more abundant than ..read more

Key points: The US government aims to reduce its dependence on China for its battery anode materials, particularly graphite, a key material in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). 77% of the world's graphite production comes from China, with the US importing 42% of its graphite supply from China. The US introduced the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, incentivizing companies to build local EV battery supply chains. On Dec. 1, 2023, the US government released guidance on the foreign entity of concern (FEOC), which restricts federal tax credits for EVs using batteries or materials pri ..read more

S&P Global Mobility recently finalized its 2023 registration data for the US light vehicle market. As you may know, our registration data are compiled from all 50 states and require time for aggregation and analysis to ensure accuracy before publishing, hence the different reporting time from other industry sources. We're frequently asked about the market dynamics; top models, retail volumes and share, electric and hybrid take rates, etc. As such, we're happy to share the following insights from our 2023 data analysis. Please note that each metric is addressed in two separate tables; t ..read more

The Indian market has long been seen as the industry's last great growth opportunity. Although it has been a rocky road, with many original equipment manufacturers — such as Ford and GM — suffering blowouts in the pursuit of the opportunity. That volume potential now looks set to be realized. Between 2020 and 2025 it is set to grow at a pace only bettered by the much smaller Indonesian market among those selling over 1 million light vehicles a year and on its way from the 4.5 million-plus level now to an 8 million-plus market by the mid-2030s. That is the first part of the good-news story ..read more

Rapid expansion in the electric motor (e-motor) market is on the horizon, driven by the eAxle market and evolving technologies. As original equipment manufacturers increasingly keep design in-house but outsource production, which players stand to gain? S&P Global Mobility forecasts a fourfold increase in the e-motor market in the next 12 years, with expected production of over 120 million motors by 2034. The eAxle market is set to drive this growth, with its motor production share projected to increase from 38% in 2023 to 69% in 2034. Emerging technologies such as eBeam are gaining ..read more