Electric Cars Competitive Landscape

Six or seven years ago, it would have been a huge punt to figure which company will  out trumps in the electric cars venture. Now the roadmap is much clearer. Tesla led the pack and made it a worthwhile venture when it introduced the high-performance EV.

That caused many carmakers to jump onto the bandwagon as battery efficiency was the main obstacle. For makers of components in many vehicle subsystems — body, chassis, interior, cabin cooling and comfort, and the low-voltage electrical system — electrification won’t make a big difference because those systems aren’t much affected by the power source. The biggest changes will be in propulsion systems, where the engines and transmissions that we know today will evolve into traction drive units, batteries, and electronics that link everything together. 

Besides Tesla, the winners from the carmakers in this important category will be those who can make quality lightweight bodies, chassis, and interiors. BMW has a strong focus on light-weighting with aluminum, composites, magnesium, and other kinds of structures like carbon fiber. 

The second factor is for those who can master the electric propulsion system. While electric propulsion systems can have 90% fewer components than those in internal combustion engines, the complexity and performance requirements of those limited number of parts – which include magnets, laminates of steel, and very complex geometries of copper and other materials – are great. The winners here are likely to be existing suppliers who are improving processes and increasing efficiencies to build new products.

In China, there’s a concern that large volumes of electric vehicles at the end of their life will lead to huge environmental problems caused by the dumping of lithium-ion batteries and related materials. They are creating recycling requirements that are potentially extremely burdensome. The design of the battery must be not only created to allow for total recycling and/or reuse, but the details of the design have to be transferred to the after-market industry. After that, the battery either can be safely recycled or reused, based on its original design concept. This will have a big impact on suppliers and OEMs because it could affect up-front designs, as well as raise questions about the control of the intellectual property. Other countries may impose their own recycling and environmental standards, which makes recycling and other environmental concerns important for companies involved in electric cars.

While Volkswagen, General Motors, and others see a shift from internal combustion engines (ICE) to fully electric vehicles, Toyota and Ford continue to see a future for hybrids. They are likely to remain on the scene for the next two decades. Lately, their sales have decreased in the U.S., mostly due to lower fuel costs, while remaining strong in Japan because the electric infrastructure there is not strong enough to support a high density of electric vehicles.

The first electric SUV from Volkswagen’s luxury Audi brand, the e-tron, can go 400 kilometers (nearly 250 miles) on a single battery cycle and be recharged in as little as half an hour. The styling is conventional, the interior is luxurious and the ride is nearly silent. Volkswagen which also owns Porsche, Bugatti, Skoda, Lamborghini and SEAT, is rising to the challenge with a radical transformation that is unparalleled since World War II. The company is spending €30 billion ($34 billion) over the next five years to make an electric or hybrid version of every vehicle in its lineup, and it plans to launch 70 new electric models by 2028.

It looks increasingly likely that Tesla and Volkswagen will be leading the charge with BMW close behind. Country landscape and infrastructure differences will mean hybrids will be as important.

Small Boys - The rise of electric vehicles is one of the biggest trends of the last decade, taking names like Tesla and Nio to the top of the markets. But 2021 is proving that other types of companies may be ready to make their mark. Names to follow: Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS), Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA), Electrameccanica Vehicles Corp. (NASDAQ: SOLO).

Last year, it seemed EV companies could do no wrong, with countless companies in the industry seeing their shares hit new highs. Nikola, for example, soared for 672% gains at its highs. Tesla was up 695% on the year. And Nio took off for incredible 1,210% gains.

But today, the world is finally seeing some chinks in the armor of the companies that seemed invincible just 6 months ago. And space is finally being made for new, exciting companies with a different spin on how to use this new technology.

For example, while Nikola, Nio, and Tesla, for example, are all slightly down for the year from their highs. Two companies in other but related industries that we've discovered are looking to have a banner year thanks to key new partnerships and acquisitions. This rise and transition of EVs could duplicate the same trend we've seen over and over again with major booms.

China's Restricted Playground - China has one of the fastest-growing EV markets in the world with an estimated 500 electric car makers having piled into the world's largest vehicle market. As the Chinese government prods home-grown brands, such as Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto, to get a larger slice of the market under the Made in China 2025 industrial master plan.

Me and Dali

 My bedmate and companion for the past 12 years has passed on yesterday morning. She was already suffering for the past few weeks, so in a way its a blessed relief for her. She already shot past the average lifespan for bulldog (7-8 years), grateful for that.

A look back to my previous posting which was a few years back:

 

Too bad that the movie, Me and Marley came out first. Yes, people, my dog's name is Dali, an English bulldog. Unlike Marley in the movie, my dog is very well behaved and listens to instructions well enough. Since my blog is like a diary of sorts, I thought I should have at least one post of her.

The first two photos were taken right after I bought her, barely 5 weeks really, and technically a bit too young to be sold by pet shops. Was already determined to get myself a dog again, its been many years since I had a dog or two. I went to a pet fair thingee at Mid Valley and she was in a cage with two of her brothers. The way I chose my dog, I was always certain that there had to be an eye to eye connection, not a woof-woof enthusiastic jumping dog saying "take me". Its a life long thing so there has to be a deeper connection. When we met, we kinda stared at each other for more than 15 seconds, no barking (not by me anyway). Done deal there and then, all in 30 seconds. 

She was so tiny compared to her brothers. The guy manning the stall said she was very tiny because she was the last of a litter of 6. As you can see, she was no bigger than my thigh. Puppies are just like babies, they are the world's biggest lying advertising syndicate. Both just looked adorable, cute, blah, blah ... but wait till you bring one home and care for. The first 2 months were hell when it came to toilet training. First it was getting her to do it in the toilet. Then it was the usual feed in the morning and take her out for a walk 5 minutes later, same routine for the evening. Chances of success for the first two months was 50-50.

At times I was so exasperated because there would be no shit even after walking around for 30 minutes. Then go back, and get my own shower, only to come out and find nice doo-doo waiting for me. It would have been understandable if it was at places where I could see, but she liked to do it way deep underneath my bed. As my bed is heavy and against one side of the wall, it was a mammoth task to clean it up. If it was once in a blue moon, that would have been tolerable... try getting this 3-4 times a week. I was so exasperated that I seriously considered giving her away or selling her. Now, as I looked back, I can understand why I would have those thoughts but am grateful that I have the fortitude, grace and character to ride them out.

Many people think its fun to have a dog, but they forget that that they also suddenly took on an extra job as a professional shit picker. Twice a day, without fail, after a while you think to yourself if its worth it, ... but when they are  family, do you really care to count.

One of the early joys of owning a dog is when they first recognise the name you gave them. You call and they respond, guess they are a lot like babies. Next will be being properly toilet trained, I think that was after the third month. Dogs are very loyal, they greet you wildly when you come back, they snuggle up, they follow you here and there. They are so dependent on your love, affection and care. Is this the need to be needed which is why so many people rear dogs? To an extent, yes. You also form a bond, and the bond is based on how much time you put in. Some people have dogs just as guard dogs at the front porch, they don't even have time to play with them.

The bonding process comes from time spent together (not delegated to your maids): walks, playtime, bath time (very important), morning clean up, evening clean up, massages, combing and grooming, etc... The thing is if you do less, they will still be loyal, but if you put in your share, it will come back to you in multiples. People who say that they are just dogs, just really don't get it. Its like saying to your kids "they are just kids".

 trying to get into the Christmas mood and failing miserably, 

"dude where are my presents"

When all the training and repetitions are done, you think you have fully trained your dog ... actually you wonder if its you who is training the dog or you being trained. Now I am trained to feed at the right time, pick shit at the same hours, clean her at the same times, walk her at the same times ... we might be the ones actually being trained!


Once the toilet training part is done, the hardest part is over, she would no longer be willing to stay in her cage at night, barking incessantly wanting to be with me. Thats ok I guess, the need to be needed, plus I was staying at a condo 2 years back, so she got to sleep with me. The funny thing was that she had to be touching me when she sleeps, what I mean is that she needed to be in constant contact with me. Mine was a huge queen sized bed with one side against the wall. What happened was that she gets warm with her fur against me, and I would shift in my sleep, so for the first few nights when I woke up, I would be up against the wall and she right next  to me with the other 2/3 of the bed empty. I thought it was funny and ridiculous at the same time, but this went on for weeks. Nowadays, I got used to her, I have a comforter on the bed and she gets to be on  the comforter so I don't have to change the bed sheet every 3 days. Its a matter of getting used to it, now we share the bed comfortably and she still sticks her body next to mine, I just learned how not to move myself anymore.

when Dali met Lily at my mum's place

The other thing about owning bulldogs is their breathing. Owing to their makeup, they snore like a 30 year old man. I mean really snore, not like a girl's snore. You get used to that pretty fast I guess.

While the bulldog has short hair which is easier to upkeep, they also shed like crazy, some things you learn to live with. She sheds enough hair to make Telly Savalas or Yul Brynner look good within a week. Have a good maid service if you want a dog like that.

Having all those  "troubles", I would never change her, or have a different dog, because she is who she is. She is highly loyal, affectionate, friendly and clever.  Bulldogs must be the most misunderstood dog breed ever because people use bulldog images in the beware signs when they want to scare off people. The reality is that they are the worst guard dogs ever, they are so friendly, rarely barks and just need to sniff a new person to confirm that they are their new friends. Although there have been instances when I have seen Dali being ferociously angry, when the insecticide man comes over, must be something about their smell of the chemicals they use. She would be lunging at them like a Rottweiler. Other than that, she is the friendliest dog ever.

meeting a normal sized bulldog, "watcha looking at dude"

I do not like my dog to do tricks as I think it demeans them. However, she needed to learn a few basic instructions. She is good with stay, sit, roll over, go eat on her chair, move closer, finish your food.. what more do you want to ask for. My brother would try to teach her more complex stuff, which she will oblige, such as walk around, stay, lie down, play dead ... but I try to stay away from all that.

with Sidney, playing some gross "stimulation game", oh the expression is too Category 3

As in all genuine dog lovers, we still get the guilty pangs of not spending enough time with our furry friend. The thing about dogs is that they are quick to forgive. How not to love them even more. Just the fact that she now only pees and shits in the garden grass is  worthy of a Nobel Prize in my books.

At 9 months at a park

Of all the dogs in the world, people will think she is one of the luckier ones with a decent owner like me. Real dog lovers will realise that we ourselves are the lucky ones to be blessed with a furry life long trusting loyal affectionate friend like her.

One funny thing about most pet owners is that they talk to their pets. I thought that was a bit crazy at first but after a while, I find myself talking to my dog the same way as I would to my own kid. It hit upon me cause when I heard my next door granny talking to her grandchild, ...  the tone, the message, the words were all alike! "Why aren't you finishing your food", "come here, take your bath now", "I ask you to come, come right now" ..etc... 

This is her favourite pose

I love her because she doesn't bark incessantly (like my neighbour's stupid dog). She does so only when there is something really important - a person at the door, or something "new appearing in our garden" (a bird or a squirrel). Dali has this quiet persona that is hard to ruffle, a sort of nonchalant way of looking at her surroundings. It takes little to make her happy ... why can't we all be that way.

Dali  just over 2 years old 

You think you have just a dog, but sometimes she will wake up earlier than me, but will not wake me up but sit and wait for me to wake up for at least half an hour. As she probably needs to pee in the morning, she will wait till she cannot hold it anymore and paws me in bed. If I still refuse to wake up, she will use her final trick which is to lick my face, like that anyone will also wake up.


Dali would never get on the bed without me. She would wait quietly by the side of the bed waiting for me to finish my mundane stuff on the computer and internet surfing. If it goes past 1am, she cannot tahan anymore, and would paw me at my chair, asking me to go to bed. Only then would she jump into bed and snuggle next to me to sleep ... would your wife or husband do that??!!

 Here she is pondering on the meaning of a dog's life

She is lucky to have such a "nice owner" but we all know I am luckier to have her.

The Crux of Power Has Changed, But Some Things Never Change

1. Which countries invaded and occupied Indonesia? Netherlands for 350 years and Japan for 3.5 years.

2. Which country was once the colonial master of Malaya & India? Britain.

3. Which countries invaded and occupied Vietnam? France 1857-1940 & 1946-1954, Japan 1940-1945 and USA (South Vietnam) 1955-1975.

4. Which countries were responsible for colonisation of the African continent? Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

5.  Which 8 countries were responsible for the occupation of China in early 20th century? Britain, US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy & Austria-Hungary.

6. Which countries were responsible for colonising and almost annihilating the Red Indians in North America? France & Britain.

7. Which country colonised and almost annihilated Aborigines in Australia and New Zealand? Britain .

8. Which are the member countries of G7?

 United Kingdom/Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan & USA.

And now the million dollar question...

9. Why are the G7 members see China as a threat even though China is the only major nation on earth that has never invaded or occupied another country?

 Ego or fear of retribution ?🤔

G7 is concerned about China. When there is a superpower sensing it is losing its footing, it will not go away quietly. Dragged down but still kicking and yanking all the way, and at the same time rousing for support from the boot-licking countries.

Economically, China has already overtaken everybody. The other areas include military, financial centre status, education & research leadership, cultural/social leadership and influence on world affairs. 

Right now, the world is kind of governed by these bodies in varying scales of influence: G7, G8, G30, OECD, World Bank, NATO, IMF, United Nations, WHO, NAFTA, Asean, etc.  You can lead it, be in it or fund it. Developments over the last 20 years have seen changes in importance and the rise and fall for certain member countries.

Our present competition for global leadership would not result in just a sole country like previous instances. Before it was more an industrial advantage, which allowed for A country to dominate and conquer. Now everything has flattened out. Exports are globalised, markets are globalised. Global trade has grown enormously. Inter-dependency is very high. Global logistics links and supply chains are very precious and established.

Hence economically China will be more than number one. It is not going to be just in numbers, but economic colonisation will be deeper (and has already started via buying of important big companies globally). Belt & Road initiative is just a phrase for soft economic colonising of developing countries. The economic and financial reliance will ensure China's influence and "control over commodities and natural resources" in other countries.

The fight before was who had the industrial edge, then military edge... now with a flattened earth... who has the consumerism edge. You need India and China as they are the biggest consumers now. The last 30 years have seen the greatest movement of low income/poverty class to a mushrooming middle class in China and India. That in itself is the greatest economic tale of the century, and has underpinned their future dominance in many areas (esp for China). 

Psuedo Canto Movie Titles (Updated with Answers)

Most must have watched Douglas Lim's hilarious take on putting Canto-slang translated English to movie franchises. My kind of twisted sense of humour. So here's my contribution... see if you can decipher their Canto-slang meaning of these movie titles:

ANSWERS:

Sei Lun Ngang

Hai Lutt

Chi Seen

Hum Kar Chan

Hum Kar Ling

How We Redefine Ourselves & The GFY Demarcation Line

Every now and then I want to rant about people, including myself. We are generally obnoxious, easy to believe things we hear (in particular when we heard it more than 2x), and so flawed (without the need for any religion to tell us so).

Nowadays (for the past 10 years or so), we like to differentiate  ourselves. Withe the advent of the internet and mobile phones, we are typified by our exorbitant usage and reliance on them for almost everything we do and think.

So much so, what was character before, we now tend to use/rely on differences to accentuate our personality. Before, a person can be inherently funny and witty, well read or knowledgeable, compassionate or empathetic, stoic, impatient, etc... Now we try to emphasis our differences in order to "stand out". Let's look at some examples:

Gluten Free/Vegetarians/Selected Foods/Health Nuts - When did we have this gluten free thing, now almost every other shop will have a special section reserved for them. I have friends who are affected but they are actually the ones who are most "silent". Its those who kind of adopt this as a healthier option and ram it down our throats. Same with Nazi vegetarians, very similar to highly motivate evangelicals ... gee, you can have an opinion, a faith or even the truth ... both of you are the same. There is the group who will use over descriptive healthy food ~ organic quinoa with toasted chia seeds coupled with hand made beer battered sustainable salmon fillet, served with hydroponic lettuce .... Then there's the "oh, I don't take sharks fins or goose liver" ... blah blah... oh well, GO FUCK YOURSELF. I don't take soy sauce or anchovies but do I make it KNOWN!!!

Feng Shui / Flying Star - You are either a fengshui believer or you are not. ..and when you are one, you generally will dwell deeper into the Flying Stars etc... There are believers and there are those who think its better to GFY. Strangely, this who think it works won't be too perturbed if others don't believe, as its lees for you, more for me mentality. Those in the GFY category will think quietly that you can shift things around in your house, your office, wear amulets, have a brilliant water feature ... but if you are still an asshole, you are an asshole and no amount of fengshui will help in that matter. 

Politics - There are those who'll rip their hairs off (if they have any left) over politics (in particular over the last 5 years). Surprisingly there are those who just throw they hands in the air. Do they care? They probably did at one time but they somehow suddenly became wise and came to the conclusion that NOTHING REALLY MATTERS and NOTHING EVER WILL CHANGE. That's what pissesoff the other group ... it is so defeatist and pessimistic .. when something is so inherently wrong, inexplicably warped .. we do not think of how it affects us now in the present but how things would evolve. To give up is so easy. Look at the brief histories around us, look at HK in the 60s and 70s .. then came ICAC... then upside down, then the cleanest in Asia. Back in the 70s I am sure there would have been many who would throw their arms in the air and pay the nurses, police , government officials a few dollars to get things done. 

So these two groups are like oil and water, and not surprisingly, the "apolitical types" know very well to be timid, lie low, basically shuddup  la.. as there's nothing fiercer than person who is politically motivated by justice, truth and compassion.

Watch/Wines/Cars - Its beyond a branded issue. Its beyond a quality issue. There are those ho would value and appreciate the finer things in life, beyond just superficial status and financial wealth bragging rights. Then there is the other group, which may include even richer people, who would think Swatch will more than do its job, that  a RM3,000  rated wine and and a good RM250 wine is like going to bed with a new lover with the lights dimmed and not so dim. You can't bring the groups together. There's nothing against those who want to live it up, but DO NOT LORD IT OVER those who do not share your fancies. Live and let live or GFY!

Korean Drama or not - Then there is the right to be different. There are Malays, Indians and Chinese who love Korean dramas more than those in their own language - for even valid reasons. Then there are those who would stick to tv series in their own mother tongue, as if its sacriligeous  to enjoy entertainment in another language.. Never the twain shall meet. One is for pure entertainment value and the googling of stars who doesn't even care if they existed... while the other is sticking to what's known, what's traditional... and if no one is going to watch entertainment in your language, who will and what will be their path ahead?

The Immaculate Conception of Banking Customer Service - There are those who can withstand the automated responses and thence given the live customer service, and we wished we'd go back to the automated responses. I think I have yelled at more CS from banks than anywhere else. Here, the demarcation line is people who have lost their temper at live CS officers, and those who have not.

I just had another episode this morning. I called to say the OTP keeps being sent to my old number, maybe you can update my mobile number. First, verification of IC .. then ask me my last transaction amount... WHO THE HELL REMEMBERS THAT .. I can't even remember if I peed on the left or right side of the bowl this morning!! Then she said can I give her the last 4 digit of my card. CB, as if I have my wallet handy, its two floors up. So I said, its not against you but your company's SOPs sucked big fucking time, actually its not just bank, other banks the same fucked up shit. 

I know its for my security but there has to be a more amiable way to do this shit without pissing a normal brain. This is ONE GROUPING, and the other is those who do not get angry- probably works for a bank.

Mother Tongue Or Not - There are too many different groups here. IF you have Asian parents and you grew up with one language (English) and think its OK. - GO FUCK YOURSELF. 

So many more issues, so many more groupings... know that differences of opinions do not make character. The advent of new fangled ideas, the right to know, the right to be heard, here's my thoughts, its my life, it matters cause it matters to me ... still do not make for good character buildup.

p/s: Ali Lee Kai Sum is my top 3 TVB actresses now. She is sooo good as an actress. Photo images somehow cannot capture how lovely she is, she is vibrant, vivacious and highly likeable, go watch her series.

The New 15% Rule

We  not feel the impact of the new 15% tax rate as the lowest immediately but the effects will be wide-ranging over the mid and long term. It basically affects big companies, techs especially. It also fits with the Biden's administration proposal to increase corporate taxes at home. The president has proposed increasing the current corporate rate of 21% to 28%; it was slashed from 35% in former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax bill.

Major economies are aiming to discourage multinationals from shifting profits - and tax revenues - to low-tax countries regardless of where their sales are made. While this is G7 to start with, it's an important starting point to bring in G20 and then OECD's 140 countries. The OECD and G20 countries aim to reach consensus on both by mid-year, but the talks on a global corporate minimum are technically simpler and less contentious. If a broad consensus is reached, it will be extremely hard for any low-tax country to try and block an agreement.

Increasingly, income from intangible sources such as drug patents, software and royalties on intellectual property has migrated to these jurisdictions, allowing companies to avoid paying higher taxes in their traditional home countries. The issue can be contentious within the European Union, where various member states charge different corporate tax rates and can attract big-name firms by doing so. Ireland's tax rate, for example, is 12.5%, while France's can be as high as 31%.

The key is that 15% would be the minimum to apply on overseas profits. The differential between home and overseas tax rates would narrow substantially, making it harder to justify putting "more profits overseas". Other items still to be negotiated include whether investment funds and real estate investment trusts should be covered, when to apply the new rate and ensuring it is compatible with U.S. tax reforms aimed at deterring erosion.

Republican critics have charged that the move would lead American firms to relocate abroad, hurting domestic jobs and investment. The international tax agreement helps the White House argue that it can lift domestic tax rates without pushing multinationals abroad, because under the agreement they would still face a minimum level of taxation.

The agreement would also impose an additional tax on some of the largest multinational companies, potentially forcing technology giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google as well as other big global businesses to pay taxes to countries based on where their goods or services are sold, regardless of whether they have a physical presence in that nation.

Officials described the pact as a historic agreement that could reshape global commerce and solidify public finances that have been eroded after more than a year of combating the coronavirus pandemic. The deal comes after several years of fraught negotiations and, if enacted, would reverse a race to the bottom on international tax rates. It would also put to rest a fight between the United States and Europe over how to tax big technology companies.

Garnering wider support will not be easy. Ireland, which has a tax rate of 12.5 percent, has come out against the global minimum tax, arguing that it would be disruptive to its economic model. Some major countries such as China have been quietly tracking the proceedings but are considered unlikely to buy in. Finance officials believe that if enough advanced economies sign on, then other countries will be compelled to follow suit and they plan to exert political pressure on Ireland to join the agreement.

Smaller developing countries like Malaysia have not been using a "low tax rate" to attract big MNCs to relocate - rather they get "tax breaks over a certain period of time". This is more palatable and gives us more flexibility, and the right to attract the kind of companies we want on our shores.

p/s: Natasha Liana Hudson, born in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, is a model, actress, writer, and singer. She is an award winning actress that has been seen on numerous television commercials, films and TV series in Malaysia and Indonesia. She also published two books in 2007, one an English poetry book titled My heart, My soul, My passion and a children's story book titled Puisi Indah Si Pari Pari.