🚀Autowist Briefing 73

Insights from Polestar Annual Report

Here are some interesting bits from Polestar’s Annual report filed last week:

• Polestar 3 uses NVIDIA DRIVE core computer, running software from Volvo Cars. The infotainment system is powered by a next-generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

• Polestar 4 is built on the premium Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) developed by Geely Holding. The rear-view mirror is replaced by a high-definition screen that shows a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear camera. Polestar enters a royalty agreement with Geely and Zeekr for it's use of the common platform, especially outside of China.

• Primary battery suppliers are LG Chem Ltd and CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited)

• For Polestar 5, Polestar entered into a technology license agreement with Geely related to the right to use Zeekr's ZEEA2.5 and Geely's GEEA2.0 electrical architectures. They are in agreement with SK-On as a battery supplier. Polestar 5 will build on the Android OS for its infotainment system.

• For vehicles in China, the FlymeAuto OS developed by Xingji Meizu is planned to be developed into a seamless operating system, including in-car apps, streaming services, and intelligent vehicle software. Polestar and Xingji Meizu's joint venture will be the sole authorized sales and service entity for Polestar vehicles in the China.

Excerpts from the Annual Report: https://investors.polestar.com/node/8511/html

On Polestar 3:

On Polestar 4:

On Battery suppliers:

On Polestar 5:

On FlymeAuto as the main OS for Polestar vehicles in China:

Polestar Ownership Structure

Who actually owns Polestar🚗?

Well, the answer is a bit complicated.

• 39.2% is owned by PSD Investment Limited which is owned by Li Shufu, the Chinese billionaire entrepreneur who also happens to be the founder and chairperson of Geely.

• 23.8% is owned by Geely Sweden Automotive Investment AB, which is a subsidiary of Geely. (Li Shufu holds 82.2% of Geely)

• 18% is owned by Volvo cars via Snita Holdings. Geely owns 78.7% stake in Volvo Cars

• 19% is held by other shareholders.

The fastest production EV car just got faster. And with a smaller battery.

• RIMAC unveiled its Nevera R last week and as it looks now, it is THE fastest production EV car today.

• Stats

  • Power Output: 2107 hp

  • Battery: Next-generation 108 kWh battery pack

  • 0-60 mph: 1.74 seconds

  • 0-124 mph: 4.38 seconds

  • 0-186 mph: 8.66 seconds

  • Quarter Mile: 8.23 seconds

• They achieved all this with a smaller battery pack of 108kWh and a new generation Torque Vectoring System. (P.S.: The predecessor Nevera, had a 120kWh battery)

• There are 2 aspects to understand. Firstly, the battery chemistry has improved. By improved what I mean is that it got a lot more efficient in pushing out energy out of the battery and also recharging better during regenerative braking. And here efficient means with less losses.

• The second aspect is that, the design decision to go with a smaller battery (assuming its lighter) leads to less weight, which means the dimensioning of the complete powertrain could also be reduced to achieve the same performance. And with each new model year, they could essentially keep the same powertrain and still increase overall performance. A virtuous cycle!

• RIMAC has historically demonstrated that they are at the bleeding edge of battery technology in this segment. In the past, they have collaborated with and been suppliers to:

  • Koenigsegg Regera: Rimac developed a complex Fully Flooded Thermal Management System and a fully machined structural housing in order to fulfill Koenigsegg’s radical requirements. This way, Rimac managed to develop a 9,27 kWh battery-pack consisting of over 3.000 individual parts that is able to deliver 4,35 kW per kilogram in a package that weighs 115 kg and takes only 67 liters of volume in the center of the vehicle. (Link)

  • Pininfarina Battista. Based on same architecture as the Nevera. Rimac is to provide battery and drivetrain expertise, software and hardware, in a contract worth up to €80mil, to Automobili Pininfarina in the development of their electric hypercar, the PF0. (Link)

  • Aston Martin Valkyrie: Battery-electric system by Rimac and Integral Powertrain Ltd. delivers additional 160bhp and 280Nm (Link)

🔋EVs and Depreciation

Recently Wired conducted a study on how EVs are depreciating. Here's my summary on what you should know:

1. The cars under study were Audi e-Tron GT, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Polestar2, Tesla Model3, Porsche Taycan, Mercedes EQE.

2. All these cars lost 45-50% of it's value in the first year

3. The mileage of the vehicle seems to have less effect on its value as compared to combustion vehicles

4. The data showed how, after three years and 30,000 miles, a gas-powered Volkswagen Golf has a 46 percent price premium over an electric Golf.

5. The User Car Market was performing very well due to factors like Covid, shortage of chips, slowed production. Despite that EVs seem to be performing worse than ICE vehicles

6. Second hand EV buyers are not ready to pay the premium as ICE buyers. One reason could be that, a failed battery pack could be a very expensive fix for the buyer. According to Recurrent, replacing an EV battery out of warranty costs between $6,500 and $20,000.

7. An average car buyer is still not fully aware of what the lifetime costs are of owning an EV. And that to some extent translates in to what they are willing to pay for, especially n a used car scenario.

8. EV's are improving a lot with each model year, especially for the vehicles in the high end segment. Consumers are getting a better deal to buy new vehicles than used vehicles. Hence, the overall stats for EV's sold is up on average.

📻Why is UWB considered more secure?

Vehicles now use 4G LTE for real-time data, improving navigation accuracy and efficiency, and helping electric vehicle (EV) drivers locate charging stations.

Infotainment systems connect via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi for personalized experiences, such as music streaming and smartphone app mirroring.

In terms of data rates, UWB vs. other protocols

Ultra wide band(UWB) technology offers more secure, fast, and efficient connectivity. Some applications include: Secure Smart Key Access, In-Cabin Occupant Detection, Gesture Recognition, Parking Assistance.

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology is considered more secure than other wireless protocols for several key reasons:

1. Precise Distance Measurement: UWB technology measures the "time of flight" (ToF) of signals with high accuracy, allowing it to determine the exact distance between devices. This precision makes it difficult for attackers to spoof signals and trick systems into believing a legitimate device (such as a car key) is nearby when it is not.

2. Low Susceptibility to Relay Attacks: Unlike traditional wireless technologies like Bluetooth or RFID, which can be vulnerable to relay attacks (where signals are intercepted and relayed to fool a system), UWB's precise distance measurement and rapid signal exchange make such attacks much harder to execute. Any delay introduced by an attacker is easily detectable, making relay attacks less feasible.

3. High Signal Resolution: UWB operates across a wide range of frequencies (typically 6-8 GHz for automotive applications), which enables it to detect and distinguish between very small movements or changes in signals. This capability makes it difficult for unauthorized devices to mimic or interfere with the legitimate UWB signal.

Researchers from GoGoByte showed a way to attack Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology called “UWB accurate deafening.” They tested whether they could disrupt communication by recording the signals between two devices, like an iPhone and an AirTag, and then sending fake signals at the right moment. In their tests, they successfully messed up the connection between the iPhone and AirTag. One way to mitigate such attack is to introducer a random time delay on both ends so it becomes impossible for the attacker to predict the response time of messages.

Slides from GoGoByte research:

Source

1. From Key Fob to UWB: Explaining and Securing Ultra-Wideband in Vehicles

2. NXP Semiconductors: How Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Technology Can Protect Your Vehicle From Theft

3. Qorvo: UWB-Based Secure Access and Precision Ranging Technology

4. TechTarget: Ultra-Wideband: The Next Generation of Wireless Connectivity?

5. Autotrader: Why UWB Technology is Safer for Your Car Key

6. Digi-Key: Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Explained: Benefits and Uses

7. EE Times: The Security Advantages of Ultra-Wideband Technology

⚡Tesla's charging dominance and US Charging port stat

Tesla is dominating the ⚡charging experience

A new study from J.D. Power show how ahead they are compared to competitors and the segment average.

Tesla's focus on providing a seamless experience has definitely played in their strategy to increase EV adoption.

I believe the main reason why they were able to achieve this level of seamlessness and delight among users is: Owning the complete stack.

As a first generation EV OEM, they were not really bogged down by external or 3rd party solutions. Instead they set out to build the charging protocol, the connector and all the hardware technology almost in a made-to-order fashion for their own vehicles. This gave them the edge to also control the final experience that users are getting. In contrast, other OEMs are at the mercy of different vendors, tariffs, charging standards to provide a charging experience for its customers.

Based on the rankings from EVAdoption
🥇 Chargepoint: 48,946 ports
🥈 Tesla: 27,257 ports
🥉 SemaConnect Network: 5,802 ports

Source

Introducing Lamborghini Temerario

The successor to the Huracan.

Source: https://www.lamborghini.com/en-en/models/temerario