The Quad Report

Chile’s left-wing government has nationalized its important lithium mining operations, casting doubts about the supply from the world’s second largest lithium producer behind China. Reuters reported Tuesday (Apr. 25), “Chile’s leftist President Gabriel Boric last week announced that control of the country’s vast lithium operations would over time be transferred from Albemarle and SQM (SQMA.SN) to a separate state-owned… More Light Metal Miscellany: Chile, Tesla, China, GM

Is Tesla sacrificing quality for quantity as it produces its allegedly low-cost Model 3 all-electric car? That’s what the Business Insider web site suggests this week, based on internal Tesla documents it has acquired. According to the article, Tesla has reached at the end of June its 2017 goal of 5,000 Model 3 cars rolling… More Tesla pushing quantity over quality?

Electric car maker Tesla’s river of red ink continued for the first quarter of 2018, but the losses announced today were less than some analysts expected. The troubled automaker is still bedeviled by an inability to roll out its mid-priced ($35,000) Model 3 at profitable levels, the only path to a sustainable business model. But… More Tesla hangs on in 1Q 2018 with better-than-expected results

The Tesla bears are huffing and growling. Now they have a vehicle to ride as they rip into the iconic electric car maker’s high profile and astronomical market value. Jaguar last week unveiled its challenge to Tesla’s Model X sport utility vehicle, going on sale in the 2018 second quarter. The Jag I-Pace SUV looks… More Tesla, meet Jaguar and let the competition begin

Electric vehicle maker Tesla’s financial bloodbath continues, as the company reported a loss of $675.4 million for the 2017 fourth quarter ($4.01/share), compared to $619.4 million ($3.70/share) loss for the third quarter and a $121.3 million (78 cents/share) loss for the final quarter of 2016. Bears and short-sellers are following the bloody trail, although they… More Tesla dives deeper into red ink

Tesla’s Model 3 production problems, and rumors about the company’s travail, continued this week, led by a report Thursday from CNBC, citing unidentified Tesla employees, that previously reported delays are getting worse as the electric car company continues to be unable to automate battery production. CNBC said, “Tesla’s problems with battery production at the company’s… More More tales of Tesla woes

Anxiously awaiting the Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle for which you plunked down $1000 19 months ago to get in the queue for delivery of the more “affordable” of the company’s trendy vehicles? Don’t hold your breath. Nor should the 600,000 others who bought the Tesla promises for what appears to be a phantom vehicle.… More More tears for Tesla

U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos in Manhattan Monday (Dec. 18) sentenced Trevor Milton, founder and former CEO of e-truck company Nikola Corp. (NKLA:NASDAQ) to four years in prison for defrauding investors. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 11-years in the slammer. He will be out on bail pending an appeal. Ramos also ordered Milton to pay… More Trevor Milton, E-truck Nikola Corp. founder, headed to prison?

Electric vehicles, which many have viewed as a key to a low-carbon future, have seen their sales and financial conditions booming for the past several years. Now the bright EV prospects are fading a bit. Bears are ravaging Tesla’s stock. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has fallen 50% from its all-time highs, which rose over 116% from its… More Is the Accelerating EV Business Slowing Down?

Is the market for electric vehicles, growing gradually but significantly over the last few years, about to boom? The Biden administration, viewing EVs as a key to a lower carbon environment, hopes new public policy will push a step change. The administration’s Environmental Protect Agency, at the direction of the White House, on Wednesday (Apr.… More EVs: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once?