G. David Felt

Founder, Chairman and CEO of NIO, William Li announced with Executive VP István Kapitány of Shell Mobility have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate on electric vehicle charging and battery swapping across China and all of Europe. Nio and Shell will jointly construct and operate the battery charging and swapping facilities. Initial phase 1 will be to have 100 battery stations up and running in China by 2025 and to jointly build and operate an undisclosed number of stations across Europe by 2022 that will be available to NIO customers.  NIO started auto deliveries to Norway this fall of 2021 marking its first step outside China in opening up new territories of business. In 2022 NIO will expand sales across Europe with both retail and commercial offerings. NIO started in 2018 in China and has delivered over 100,000 electric vehicles. Shell is one of the world's largest gasoline retailers and has announced they plan to be a leading charging service provider worldwide as they add charging to their global station network. Together NIO and SHELL will explore and collaborate on opportunities in global battery asset management, fleet management, membership system, home charging services, advanced battery charging and swapping technology development and construction of fast charging facilities. NIO and SHELL have both stated this cooperation demonstrates the ability to use the strengths of both companies as they accelerate the energy transition and commitment to sustainable development globally. NIO has stated that this agreement will help accelerate the existing NIO stations in China of which NIO operates 301 battery swap stations, 204 power charging stations and 382 destination charging stations in China. NIO has completed as of this announcement 2.9 million battery swaps and 600,000 uses of One-Click-for-Power services. NIO and Shell agreement will help NIO achieve going beyond their current target of having 700 battery swap stations by the end of 2021. From 2022 to 2025 NIO / SHELL will build an additional 600 battery swap stations in China and by the end of 2025 NIO / SHELL plans to have over 4,000 battery swap stations globally. NIO has also announced that the NIO Power Charging ans swapping system, as well as BaaS (Batter-as-a-Service), will be fully available to the global industry. NIO has expanded on what Tesla once thought and considered for battery swapping which can be done in 90 seconds or so on a Tesla, but costs of $60 to $80 per swap made it too expensive for CEO Musk. As such Tesla has continued to push charging only and improvements to their battery tech saying that BSM (battery Swap Mode) will go away as the industry focuses on fast charging only. NIO does not believe BSM will get kicked out as NIO autos can be charged or swapped depending on the needs of the customer and with BaaS (Battery-as-a-Service) this gives customers more options in being able to purchase the auto they want and only pay for larger battery packs when they need them for say a long road trip. NIO believes BSM, BaaS and self-charging are not in conflict but complement each other based on the needs at the time for the customer. This battery tech option allows customers to recharge, replace or upgrade at the users choice and convenience rather than forcing a single option on them. Does the Battery Matter? Tesla has chosen to take the supercharger station as the focus to eventually get to where ICE autos are with recharging in 5 to 10 minutes to a full battery pack. NIO believes that a battery swap of a depleted one for a fully charged one is a better option especially when one might want to go to a larger or smaller battery pack depending on driving needs. NIO BaaS allows owners to buy the auto they want without a battery pack. This allows a savings of $10,000 dollars on average for all of the NIO models, NIO owners then subscribe to a 70 kilowatt battery subscription for $142 a month, stopping by battery swap stations to get a fully charged one when it is needed. NIO admits that the BaaS is a great tool to get user feedback on battery performance and user preferences as they can move up or down in battery size depending on their driving needs. NIO owners have loved the battery swapping service which on average takes only 10 minutes or less. Customers have also stated they love the reservation system to ensuring a fully charged battery is ready for them ahead of their arrival at the station. This makes for a convenient road trip system. NIO offers a wide range of EVs from the NIO EP9 performance car to the CUV 6 series with the ET7 sedan and ES8 CUV in between serving the needs of all customers. EP9 ES8 ET7 EC6 NIO Signs Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Shell | NIO NIO Announces NIO Power 2025 Battery Swap Station Deployment Plan | NIO Tesla vs Nio: Is it smarter to charge or swap battery? - CGTN

According to the latest poll from Yale University, George Mason University and Climate Nexus commissioned by the nonprofit Coltura, finds that 55% to 35% margin in requiring all new autos sold in their state to be electric starting in 2030. As per multiple scientific and university groups, carbon pollution biggest source is gasoline powered cars and world leaders coming off the heels of the COP26 climate gathering are trying to address this mounting climate crisis. Yes, not everyone will agree with these polls or the science behind climate change and as a multi-cultural society, we must work to at times agree to disagree and still find a way to move forward. Humanity has always come together for the good of society. Polls are now showing strong voter support for aggressive climate action. This is of course based on a number of understandings such as the following positive impacts: 73% believe a positive impact on air quality 64% believe a positive impact on climate change 61% believe a positive impact on individual health 58% believe a positive impact on energy independence 52% believe a positive impact on urban communities 51% believe a positive impact on suburban communities This is clearly a generational belief when one looks at how phasing out ICE auto sales are looked at by voter groups. Voters aged 18-34 (71%) believe 2030 is when ICE auto sales should end. 69% of Black voters believe 2030 is when ICE auto sales should end. 67% of Hispanic voters believe 2030 is when ICE auto sales should end. This is even more interesting to review when you look at the full transition to electric auto's broken down by state. Michigan voters support this change by a 55 to 33% margin Nevada voters support this by a 52 to 39% margin Colorado voters support this by a 50 to 38% margin New York voters support this by a 66 to 24% margin Massachusetts voters support this by a 62 to 28% margin New Jersey voters support this by a 58 to 30% margin Some will ask and the voter survey was of 2,678 registered voters across the nation's states. Some were as low as only 153 respondents from Hawaii to 350 in New York, Massachusetts and other states. So yes, one can say this is a small pool to sample to the almost 168.31 million registered voters in the US. The focus on posting this is to encourage civil discussion on if this is not only reachable, but if it should be done or not, why and why not and to encourage the discussion on the future of the ICE versus EV industry. Many states have committed billions of dollars over the next few years to installing electric charging stations across their state to help the transition to EVs. Some auto makers are taking it a step further such as Hyundai / Kia that is supporting not only the highspeed 800V plug in charging but also wireless charging of their auto's so that end users can use wireless pads that are installed at their home be it a house, condo or apartment for constant full charge at the start of each day. Some places such as the West coast and even the East coast that is catching up in charging installation are leading compared to the Mid-west that is trailing. Change is inevitable and for some, a strong resistance to change will keep them in ICE for a long time while others will embrace the change of fueling from home as a dominant way to get to work, run errands, live life. Post your thoughts on these latest polls on how you think this will play out. Please be polite, do not get political, but focus on the technology, the change to society and the pro's and con's of what you think moving to EV sales only by 2030 or 2035 depending on where you live will do for the world, country, state economy. Clean Cars 2030 Polling — Coltura - moving beyond gasoline Our News — Coltura - moving beyond gasoline

GM has brought much excitement in the last couple of weeks as we enter the holidays and these updates are exciting to read about. Cadillac LYRIQ Luxury EV crosses crucial development milestone As Cadillac enters the final stage to full production of the LYRIQ, engineers completed the crucial 80% validation drive for the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ EV. Cadillac's first luxury EV will mark the start of transition for the brand to pure electric vehicles. As such engineering is leaving no stone unturned in fine tuning the LYRIQ prior to production to ensure the best LUXURY EV in the world. Cadillac has curated routes that will ensure the best experience on freeway, urban and rural driving. To quote the press release: The Ultium Platform is the central structural element of LYRIQ’s chassis, delivering a low center of gravity, exceptional chassis stiffness, and nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight balance. These factors give engineers unprecedented chassis-tuning flexibility that ushers in the next chapter of Cadillac’s ride and handling philosophy: Isolated Precision. “LYRIQ has exceptional torsional stiffness,” said Todd Bruder, lead development engineer. “As a result, we were able to dial in exceptional responsiveness in the steering and suspension systems while simultaneously elevating the brand’s signature feeling of comfort to an entirely new plateau.” Technologies such as a five-link front and rear suspension and frequency-dependent dampers help optimize LYRIQ’s ride quality and responsiveness. The five-link front suspension allowed engineers to tune the suspension bushings independently, enhancing ride quality while improving handling. The frequency-dependent dampers, standard on LYRIQ at launch, differentiate between smaller impacts and larger swells on the road surface. This gives drivers more precise control in variable road conditions and provides greater comfort on smoother surfaces. GM Celebrates Grand Opening of Factory ZERO - An AMERICAN EV Factory In less than two years, GM went from a massive $2.2 billion investment to fully renovate a facility to build a variety of all-electric trucks and SUVs to holding a grand opening ceremony. President Biden attended the grand opening. Factory Grand Zero Grand Opening Video To quote the press release: GM retooled Factory ZERO for EV production for two-thirds the capital required to build a greenfield plant, making the facility a model for future GM facility renovations. As the company continues its transition for an all-electric future, GM will avoid up to $15 billion in capital costs by 2030 through the renovation of existing manufacturing facilities versus ground-up construction. The figure grows to $20 billion to $30 billion at 100 percent transition of GM’s manufacturing facilities to support EV production. That capital can be redeployed more strategically for additional customer-facing products, services and technologies. GM New Ultifi Platform Reimagines What it Means to Own a Vehicle GM is proud to anounce Ultifi, it's end to end software platform designed to unlock new vehicle experiences and connect the customers digital lives. Ultifi will help enable the frequent and seamless delivery of software-defined features, apps and services to customers over the air. This offers the potential for more cloud-based services, faster software development and new opportunities to increase customer loyalty. To quote the press release: customers can expect regular updates and will be able to choose from a suite of over-the-air upgrades, personalization options and new and exciting apps1. This customization will reimagine the ownership experience as enabled vehicles will have access to the latest software and capabilities. Some of these upgrades and settings can be saved to authenticated accounts2, so they can be transferred between similarly equipped GM vehicles. GM Acquires 25% Stake in Pure Watercraft to Accelerate All-Electric Boating GM has announced they have acquired a 25 percent ownership stake in Pure Watercraft, a Seattle based company that specializes in creating all-electric boating solutions. This is part of GM's focus to be the EV leader in North America and eventually to offer the technology globally. To quote the press release: The collaboration will leverage Pure Watercraft’s innovative marine propulsion technology and experience in the commercial marine industry with GM’s engineering, supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. The two companies will develop and commercialize battery electric watercraft, integrating GM technology into a variety of applications, helping to accelerate the industry’s transition to electric mobility. Electric Outboard Motors | Pure Watercraft To quote Pure Watercraft: We started this company in 2011 with a belief that boating could be made more enjoyable, accessible, and environmentally friendly than ever before. We truly want to lead a transformation of boating for the next generations to hit the water. A kind of revolutionary watercraft experience, designed and optimized for the way we live and boat now. This novel, modern approach to motoring sets a new standard for quality and reliability, and our partnerships with hull manufacturers help ensure horsepower on our outboards is used and distributed efficiently to maximize performance. With a smooth ride and nearly noiseless energy transfer process, you can get peace and quiet on the water even when whipping around at high speed. Plus, the added benefit of a zero emissions boating experience helps protect the waters for generations to come. Merchants Fleet Expands BrightDrop EV order to 18,000 with Addition of the EV410s BrightDrop a technology startup by GM to help decarbonize last-mile deliveries, announces that Merchant Fleet, North America's fastest growing fleet management company has expanded their orders for electric delivery vehicles to 18,000 BrightDrop vans with the addition of 5,400 EV410s, the mid-size electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV). These estimated 250 mile range on a full charge is well suited for the last-mile deliver service as the EV410s gross weight is less than 10,000 pounds reducing the need for additional operator licenses. These EV410s will join the Merchants fleet of EV600s. The EV410s and EV600s will enter the North America Merchant fleet duty use starting in 2023.