Toyota’s first EV battery plant in the US is ready for business, but there’s more - Related to after, is, us, tariffs, ready
Mercedes-Benz EVs can now charge on Tesla Superchargers
As promised, Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles can now charge at 20,000 Tesla Supercharger stations in the [website] market.
Mercedes-Benz stated in January access to Tesla's Supercharger charging network would open to the German EVs in February. While Mercedes didn't announce the switch has been flipped, Tesla updated its list of automakers with access to the Supercharger network shifting Mercedes-Benz from "coming soon" to "supported."
Supercharger will be enabled via a software modification installed by dealerships—not over-the-air. customers will be contacted by Mercedes to schedule this. The modification will preserve the plug-and-charge capability offered in current Mercedes EVs, allowing drivers to charge simply by plugging in, and allow Superchargers to show up on the Mercedes app and infotainment systems.
Mercedes-Benz opens Tesla Supercharger access.
Adapters cost $185 and will also be distributed through dealerships. They'll be available in the [website] this quarter, Mercedes mentioned, but Canadian drivers will have to wait until Q2. Pricing for that market will be confirmed at a later date. Between the [website] and Canada, Mercedes expects drivers to have access to about 20,000 Supercharger stations.
Mercedes plans to build Tesla NACS ports into new vehicles for North American markets starting this year. So far the refreshed 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the only non-Tesla EV on sale with a NACS port—and it charges slower with it. That's because most Tesla Superchargers can't currently charge at 800-volt peak rates, which doesn't apply to 400-volt Mercedes EVs on the road today.
Mercedes-Benz opens Tesla Supercharger access.
Mercedes joined the list of brands switching to NACS in July 2023, even as it was working on its own fast-charging network. The first location, featuring 400-kw DC fast chargers provided by ChargePoint, opened in Georgia in November 2023.
And it's part of the Ionna charging network joint venture, along with seven other automakers. Ionna aims for 30,000 chargers across North America, with the first site scheduled to open later this year.
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Toyota’s first EV battery plant in the US is ready for business, but there’s more
The world’s largest automaker wants to catch up in the global EV race after falling behind rivals like Tesla and BYD. On Wednesday, Toyota introduced that its $14 billion EV battery plant in North Carolina is open for business. The new facility will begin shipping batteries for Toyota’s electric vehicles in April. Meanwhile, Toyota revealed separate plans to challenge BYD and other EV leaders in China.
Toyota will begin building EV batteries in the US in April.
A little over three years after Toyota revealed plans to build a new EV battery plant in North Carolina, the facility is about to open its doors.
After releasing Q3 earnings on Wednesday, the business unveiled that the Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBMNC) plant had finished preparations. Toyota stated the facility “is ready to begin production and will start shipping batteries for North American electrified vehicles in April.”.
The plant will produce batteries for Toyota electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and hybrid models. Toyota invested nearly $14 billion, creating about 5,000 jobs as its new “epicenter” of North American battery production.
To give you an idea, Toyota’s new EV battery plant is about the size of 121 football fields, at over seven million square feet.
TBMNC is Toyota’s 11th manufacturing plant in the US and its first in-house battery factory outside Japan. The plant will finally begin shipping batteries in April. When fully operational, Toyota expects output to reach over 30 GWh annually.
In a separate press release on Wednesday, Toyota showcased it will establish a wholly-owned enterprise in Shanghai, China, to produce EVs and batteries for the Lexus brand.
, local Chinese companies “will take the lead in planning and developing BEVs” as it looks to keep pace with BYD and other domestic EV makers. The business mentioned its goal is to “become a business that is more loved and supported by the people of China.
The new EV organization is expected to begin production “after 2027,” with an annual production capacity of around 100,000 units.
Toyota’s announcement comes as it quickly falls behind in the industry’s shift to EVs in major sales regions, including the US and China.
Last year, Toyota sold just 18,750 bZ4X electric SUVs in the US. In comparison, Japan’s Honda sold over 33,000 Prologue models in the US in 2024, and it began deliveries in March. Even the Nissan Ariya outsold the bZ4X with nearly 19,800 models sold.
The situation is even more severe in China, where Toyota is losing ground to low-cost domestic EVs. After sales fell 9% in China last year, Toyota blamed “the shift to new energy vehicles” and “intensifying price competition.”.
Can Toyota turn things around? Producing more efficient EVs and batteries will be a start. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
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Tesla goes after EU for tariffs on its Chinese EVs despite getting lowest rates
Tesla is challenging the European Union in court over the tariffs imposed on its Chinese electric vehicles despite getting the lowest rates of any automaker.
Last summer, the European Commission revealed new tariff rates on Chinese-made EVs imported into the continent. The logic behind the tariffs was that the EU sees China as subsidizing electric vehicle production and exports, resulting in the EVs being too competitive against European-made EVs.
Automakers were given varying levels of tariffs, between 7 and 36%.
Tesla, which also produces vehicles in Europe, was awarded the lowest rate for Chinese vehicles it imports into Europe.
Now, Tesla has joined a few other automakers in challenging the tariffs in court (via Reuters):
The court document showed the [website] automaker lodged its complaint at the General Court, the lower of two CJEU chambers, last Wednesday, the deadline for filing challenges. Proceedings at the General Court last on average 18 months and can be appealed.
BMW, BYD, Geely, and SAIC, are also challenging European tariffs on their Chinese EVs.
Tesla also asked the Canadian government to reduce tariffs on its Chinese EVs. The Canadian government, like the US, has imposed 100% tariffs on electric vehicles made in China.
The US is the only place where Tesla has not challenged tariffs, as it doesn’t attempt to sell Chinese EVs in its home market.
Things could get interesting here. With Trump looking to impose tariffs on everyone, it could shake up some markets.
For example, if he follows through with his Canadian tariffs, Canada will retaliate. All US-made EVs would become more expensive in Canada, which might make them reconsider tariffs on Chinese EVs, potentially opening the door for Chinese automakers to enter the market.
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Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% | 12.3% | 12.7% | 12.8% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.9% | 11.7% | 12.4% | 12.8% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Connected Cars | 35% | 14.2% |
| Autonomous Driving | 22% | 18.5% |
| EV Technology | 28% | 21.9% |
| Telematics | 10% | 9.7% |
| Other Automotive Tech | 5% | 6.3% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Tesla | 16.9% |
| Waymo | 12.3% |
| NVIDIA DRIVE | 10.7% |
| Bosch | 9.5% |
| Continental | 7.8% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Tesla Mercedes Benz landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the automotive tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing automotive tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of automotive tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
electric vehicle intermediate
hybrid intermediate
platform intermediate
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