EV Power Pulse Issue #9

Current EVents

EV Industry Updates

Ford buys EV charging startup AMP

Ford recently acquired Auto Motive Power (AMP), a company specializing in energy management solutions. The move reflects Ford's commitment to enhancing its EV capabilities, reducing costs, and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. AMP's products integrate well into Ford's plans, with a particular focus on improving the overall EV user experience.

This acquisition comes at a time when Ford has reported slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles. Ford recently paused $12B in EV spending as a result of softening demand. 

Despite this, Ford isn’t completely backing down from its commitment to electric mobility, acknowledging the need for innovation and efficiency in the EV charging infrastructure. By leveraging the energy management and power conversion systems developed by AMP, Ford aims to overcome obstacles in the EV market and pave the way for a more sustainable future.

Ford’s acquisition of AMP signifies a shift toward a time-tested approach to broad-scale innovation: innovation through acquisition. Innovation through acquisition could be a useful path for established automakers seeking to challenge Tesla’s EV and EV charging dominance. Tesla is no stranger to this strategy, having acquired (and recently sold) Wiferion, a wireless charging startup. Although Tesla then sold the company to PULS Group, they held onto Wiferion’s engineers, potentially signaling more wireless charging innovations to come.

We’ve previously discussed how the EV charging industry is ripe for consolidation, and I believe we’ll see similar acquisition strategies at play in the coming months. The Biden Administration has made electrification a clear priority, and automakers need to move fast to stake their claim in that future. Instead of prolonged and expensive internal research and development, I expect to see more automakers adopt an innovation-through-acquisition approach to EV charging technology.

–Steve

Power and Policy

Senate passes GOP measure to overturn EV charger rule

The Senate voted to pass a Republican-led measure aiming to cut Beijing out of the supply chain for EV chargers. We discussed the GOP's intention to overturn this rule back in August, and they finally managed to win the vote in the Senate by a slim margin of 50-48. 

Sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla), the Congressional Review Act resolution (S.J. Res. 38) received support from Democrats Sherrod Brown, Joe Manchin, Jon Tester, and Kyrsten Sinema. This comes as a surprise to some, but these senators have a history of voting across party lines. 

The resolution seeks to overturn a rule temporarily waiving certain domestic content requirements for federally funded EV charging stations. The rule in question requires the domestic sourcing of at least 55% of EV charging materials and that chargers be built entirely in the U.S. The 55% rule would not take effect until June 2024.

Sen. Rubio emphasized the importance of ensuring that if taxpayer dollars, amounting to $5B, are invested in building EV charging infrastructure in the US, the products should be made by Americans, in the US, using American materials. That sounds reasonable on the surface, but this decision has the potential to do exactly the opposite. 

Critics, including Democrats and the White House, argue that overturning the rule could potentially allow federal funds to be used to purchase chargers and materials from abroad, particularly China. The White House has pledged to veto the resolution, expressing concerns that it may weaken Buy America requirements and undermine the goal of supporting domestic production. 

Building EV infrastructure and creating jobs in the process is a signature piece of the Biden Administration’s goals. This resolution likely won’t get in the way of that.

–Rob

EV Workforce Insights

FLO Collaborates on EV Technician Certification

FLO, a leading North American EV charging company, has partnered with SAE International to launch the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Technician Certification program. This initiative is set to empower technicians with the essential education and skills needed to maintain, repair, and operate EV charging stations.

As the demand for skilled EV charging station technicians continues to rise with the increasing deployment of charging infrastructure, this certification program provides another avenue to expand the EV charging workforce. By investing in the training and certification of technicians, FLO is not only supporting EV charging infrastructure reliability, but also actively supporting the growth of green jobs. 

FLO isn’t alone in this effort. It’s well-documented that EV charger reliability is a significant hurdle for drivers. We’ve discussed efforts by both the IBEW and SAE International to establish effective training programs for EV charging technicians. It’s been encouraging to see this focus on the workforce take shape over the last few months, especially as charging station maintenance proves mission-critical to the success of our EV infrastructure. 

Set for launch by the end of 2023, FLO's initiative marks a concerted collaboration among industry leaders, aiming to cultivate a new wave of skilled technicians. In this endeavor, SAE International has made significant strides through its partnerships with ChargerHelp! and now FLO. The success of these workforce development programs is pivotal to developing the sector's future workforce. 

–Steve and Rob

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Until next time, stay charged!
- Steve and Rob