REE Automotive / Ford Mach-E /Solid-State Batteries from BYD / NASCAR and ABB / ISUZU

Welcome New Members. Let’s Make an Impact Together.  

A warm welcome to new CALSTART member: Green Water and Power   

  

 

REE Automotive Trucks Bring Healthcare to Rural Communities  

Ree Automotive has partnered with Mission Mobile to supply a fleet of P7 electric trucks to bring healthcare services to underserved, rural communities in the U.S. Mission Mobile Medical is the world’s largest mobile health company and recently ordered and secured priority production of the P7, with the first delivery planned this year. With a fully flat chassis, the P7 is an ideal candidate for Mission Mobile to build out medical facilities on the trucks and provides REE’s x-by-wire system for enhanced maneuverability. Tali Miller, Chief Business Officer of REE, said, “This collaboration demonstrates how zero-emission vehicles can provide essential services efficiently and at scale, creating positive impact for our communities.”  

 

Ford Set New Sales Record in January 

At least one OEM is navigating the current market with some success: Ford set two new records for EV sales last month. They sold nearly 19,000 electrified vehicles (which includes hybrids and plug-ins), a new record for January. The automaker sold over 5,600 EVs in the states, and over 3,500 of them were Mustang Mach-Es. Compared to last January, Ford saw a 21.2% increase in overall EV sales and a 173% increase in Mach-E sales. Ford reported a 35% year-over-year increase in EV sales in 2024 and has kept the momentum in 2025 despite massive political changes dominating the news. These numbers could be a result of the new Ford Power Promise, which offers free hardware and installation of a Level 2 charger at home and robust customer education and support resources.  

 

Isuzu Announces New Factory in the U.S.  

Isuzu Trucks is building a new manufacturing facility in South Carolina to assemble battery-powered and ICE vehicles, aiming to be operational in 2027. The manufacturer sold a record 44,000 vehicles in North America last year and is hoping to further boost production capacity with a second facility in the states. This will be Isuzu’s first factory without conveyors or pits in their production line, which should help employees switch between ICE and EV assembly easily. 

 

BYD Reveals “God’s Eye” Tech and Talks Solid-State Batteries 

The world’s largest EV producer, BYD, might be leading the pack in technology as well as sales. Last week they announced a new advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) known as “God’s Eye”, and it’ll be accessible for even the most-affordable vehicles in their lineup. The most basic of the offering, the God’s Eye C system has 12 cameras, 5 mm-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic radars, while the more advanced A and B systems have LiDAR. It’s speculated the technology will be activated in existing cars and customers won’t have to pay to utilize it. Not stopping at one tech breakthrough, the CTO of BYD’s battery business said they’ve already produced their first solid-state cells and anticipate starting “mass demonstrations” in a couple years. Theoretically, solid-state batteries would be safer and more efficient than their liquid electrolyte counterparts, but widespread production and use is still years away.  

 

Daytona 500 Goes Electric  

ABB is helping NASCAR, an association synonymous with ICE vehicles, dip their toe in the electric revolution. The two powerhouses unveiled an EV prototype last year that debuted as a pace car at the Daytona 500 this past Sunday. ABB is also providing guidance and equipment for NASCAR’s IMPACT initiative, aimed at reducing the carbon footprint across operations by 2035. Along with the ABB vehicle, an electric Chevy Blazer was the first official EV pace car at this year’s Daytona 500, and NASCAR announced plans for deployment of 30 Level 2 chargers at Daytona International Speedway.  

 

Mark Your Calendars for Impulsion 2025  

Propulsion Québec, the electric and smart transportation cluster, presents the 5th edition of Impulsion, the International Electric and Smart Transportation Summit. The event will take place on March 31 and April 1, 2025 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Does your organization want to get involved in the energy transition and transportation electrification? Seize this opportunity and attend Canada's largest EST Summit! Discover the ambitions and innovations of key players shaping our industry through multiple panels, workshops, strategic discussions, and networking sessions. More than 1,500 participants and over 70 local and international exhibitors, particularly from Sweden, the country of honor, are expected. Book your tickets here, and reach out to [e-mail] to learn more about exhibiting. 

 

 

 

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Mission Mobile Medical and REE Automotive Collaborate to Transport Healthcare to Millions of Rural Americans, GlobeNewswire, https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/02/13/3025759/0/en/Mission-Mobile-Medical-and-REE-Automotive-Collaborate-to-Transport-Healthcare-to-Millions-of-Rural-Americans.html  

 

Ford EVs Set New Sales Records in the U.S. in January, InsideEVs https://insideevs.com/news/749522/ford-ev-sales-usa-january-2025/?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--duFcHCWx2MHkvbNtvSWG9Eis9a03P3YxcmfWPPSzFM0CtnE5E4WwRAdPGye-c2XsiAeMRjY6fzLM62vd_TlONJbGF3A&_hsmi=346844685&utm_content=346844685&utm_source=hs_email 

 

Isuzu to Build New EV Truck Factory in the U.S., InsideEVs https://insideevs.com/news/750585/isuzu-trucks-south-carolina-ev-factory/  

 

BYD Beats Tesla Again as its ‘God’s Eye’ Self-Driving Tech Leapfrogs FSD, TheDrive, https://www.thedrive.com/news/byd-beats-tesla-again-as-its-gods-eye-self-driving-tech-leapfrogs-fsd  

 

BYD Has Already Produced its First Solid-State Cells, Electrive, https://www.electrive.com/2025/02/17/byd-has-already-produced-its-first-solid-state-cells/  

  

Daytona 500: ABB and NASCAR’s Electric Vehicle, Sustainability Magazine, https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/daytona-500-abb-and-nascars-electric-vehicle