Michael Meeth

I used to have to frequently explain my job and what "Supply Chain" even means, since so few regular folks had heard of it. But that was in the halcyon days of pre-COVID. Now that we all know about the risks of toilet paper, computer chips, and the boat that got stuck in the canal that one time... we are all #supplychain experts. Or at least knowledgeable #supply chain participants. Let's all remember that our supply chain is an interconnected system of other systems. Some of those other systems have not fully recovered yet and are at risk of supply #shortages and #systemshocks. What is in your supply chain that could be at risk? #supplychain #shortages #systemshocks #knowledgeableparticipants

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***Lucid Surges Past Expectations: Price Cuts Fuel Revenue Beat in Q1*** -Lucid Group is proving that aggressive maneuvers can pay off. The luxury EV maker announced a significant revenue beat for the first quarter of 2024, exceeding analyst expectations. This success is directly attributed to strategic price adjustments that boosted sales of its flagship Air sedan earlier in the year. -The Upshot: Lucid's stock initially dipped in after-hours trading, likely due to expected losses, but the revenue win signals resilience in a competitive EV market. Investors are weighing this positive news against ongoing concerns about slowing demand. Context is Key: In February, the automaker cut Air sedan prices by up to 10% to gain an edge and attract buyers who might otherwise favor hybrid vehicles in a high-interest rate environment. -The Bigger Picture: Lucid's strong deliveries last month already hinted at the success of this pricing strategy in an arena where Tesla also reported a recent dip in deliveries. -Key Figures: Lucid reported $172.7 million in Q1 revenue, up from the estimated $156.99 million. It successfully narrowed its net loss compared to the same period last year. Closing: Lucid maintains its 9,000-vehicle production goal for 2024. The company's next major milestone is the launch of its highly anticipated Gravity SUV, slated for late 2024. It is on track for production and garnering positive attention from the automotive press. Source: CNBC/REUTERS #automotiveengineering #manufacturingengineering #automotivenews #engineering #lucidair #automotivemanufacturing

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Another major Biden Administration investment in America's #battery #supplychain, with today's announcement of a $1.2B conditional commitment to Entek for lithium-ion battery separator #manufacturing. Separators represent another critical battery component in which China has built a stranglehold, accounting for more than 80% of global production. This investment will onshore production to build American supply chain resilience, all while enabling OEMs to qualify more vehicles for the 30D EV tax credit. #automotive #mobility #lithiumion #cleanenergy https://lnkd.in/eVxVar4T

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EV trucks offer significant advantages over traditional ones, including better fuel economy, lower emissions, and potentially lower operating costs. They represent a step in sustainable transportation, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon footprints and combat climate change. #climatechange #microgrids #hybridvehicles #ushybrid

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Norman Katz highlights the stark difference between "supplier" and "vendor" in the supply chain world. In short, suppliers provide raw materials and components while vendors offer more finished products. However, while different, both pureed constant quality checks for efficiency and safety. To really make supply chains succeed at their full capability, we have to prioritize bolstering communication between those managing suppliers and the managing vendors. This kind of cross-department collaboration could help avoid problems or even increase innovation. #SupplyChain #Suppliers #Vendors

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When Tesla laid off the entire team working on its Superchargers, some took it as a bad omen for the charging industry overall. Why would Tesla, which arguably dominated the EV-charging landscape and built nearly 6,000 Supercharging stations around the world in 2023 alone, pull the plug on this part of its business? Especially in an election year when Republicans are attacking electric vehicles, the team’s disintegration could be seen as a sign that the EV revolution isn’t really working. “But that’s not the reality of it,” says Hooman Shahidi, cofounder and CEO of EVPassport. For Fast Company, I explored how this news is actually a chance to rethink EV charging—both what it looks like and our behavior around it. It's a chance to get away from the gas station mindset that Superchargers keep drivers in, to focus on Level 1 and Level 2 chargers, and to open room for more competition and innovation. What are your thoughts on this moment for the EV charging landscape?

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Is Tesla's Charging Network the Answer to the Country's Infrastructure Problem?? Given the recent Tesla Supercharger layoffs (and rehires), it might be a whole new ballgame! On Friday May 31st, I'll be on a panel at the Electrify Expo Long Beach Industry Day speaking on the topic: "Is Tesla's Charging Network the Answer to the Country's Infrastructure Problem?" with Tom Bowen of Qmerit and Laycee S. (Miss GoElectric), and moderated by Emily Dreibelbis of PCMag. I will also be doing the intro key note speech. Make sure to come by, watch the panel and say if you're in LA. Do you think that Tesla's Supercharger network and NACS is the answer to charging infrastructure problems? Let me know your thoughts below. Thanks to Malory Van Guilder, Allie Potter, BJ Birtwell For 25% off tickets use code: EE24MSGO25 or use this link: https://lnkd.in/gPcBSATT

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This is honestly shocking. It feels like Musk is dismantling the pillars of Tesla’s product ecosystem to pursue robotaxis. The Supercharger network is the core reason why Teslas vehicles are the most effective replacement for a gas vehicle. Without support the Tesla user experience (and all EVs that are about to get access) will fall apart. The latest Tesla layoffs don’t feel like a well thought out strategy for brand and product development. Tesla is the reason for EV success in North America and now the world, but with other brands making strides in EVs these decisions make it feel like Musk has grown bored with leading on Tesla’s core mission to accelerate clean energy transportation. But EV success is not a given. There’s still a lot of work to do to convince the general public on EVs. How do these latest moves help Tesla or EVs as a whole in the long run? It’s not adding up. Tesla has been built through the work of thousands of employees and on the buy in of millions of customers. If it’s truly about the mission the board should prioritize that to maintain and continue to grow what Tesla has become. It’s mission is about more than an individual. #tesla #teslasupercharger #superchargers #evcharging #electriccars #electricvehicles #superchargernetwork #energy #automotive #chargingstations #charginginfrastructure

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In addition to the shocking decision to lay off the entire Supercharger Team--which oversees the network of chargers that enable Tesla cars to be a viable product--here is another reason to be a Tesla skeptic: talent flight. Imagine all of the time, energy, training, and accumulated knowledge of that 500 person team.... I hate losing one talented person at my company! Key members of the Supercharger team will certainly end up at other #EV and #battery competitors, whose CEOs certainly opened bottles of champagne last week. In fact, even prior to the Supercharger decision, The Information had created a "Tesla Diaspora Database," tracking where former Tesla employees are now working: "Tesla veterans dominate the top ranks of startups and established companies throughout the electric vehicle and battery industries, from lithium mining to the manufacture of electrodes, batteries, and EVs. We identified 90 former Tesla employees now helping to run other EV and battery companies, from startups to giants such as General Motors and Ford Motor Company. More broadly, Tesla has a critically important role to play in the global energy transition. If the leading cleantech businesses fail, #fossilfuels will win. Last week's decision may have far broader implications. #energy #renewableenergy #electromobility

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Partners can be your company's lifeblood...and at times a lifeline. Partnerships do not keep score. Alpine Supply Chain Solutions is one of those partners that "gets it". They understand that partnerships are a two-way street and as much as they are partners with Körber Supply Chain Software, they are a client of their prospects and customers and that means broad #supplychain technology knowledge and intelligence. They are also some of the most prolific slotting experts I know!! Alpine's custom assessment and selection approach is unique to you, and not a one-size-fits-all solution. Alpine demands a fair, challenging, forensic and insightful assessment of your world to make sure your company selects supply chain technology that pushes your business forward!! Visit Alpine's Körber page to understand the depth and breadth of their practice and capabilities. Explore stories from their featured clients and then contact my contacts...Landon Davies, Michael Wohlwend or Greg Utter for more...tell them Matt Boland sent you... https://lnkd.in/ewK3GcfX Run an assessment, evaluation, analysis, and / or selection with Alpine Supply Chain Solutions and #ConquerSupplyChainComplexity #wms #oms #supplychainsoftware

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Simple Tesla Math Telsa investors and board of directors just agreed to a $55B pay package for Elon Musk.  Last year, Tesla sold less than 2M vehicles. If you aggregate that pay package over 5 years (or 10M cars), that works out to $5,500 per vehicle. If you aggregate that pay package over 10 years (or 20M+ cars with growth), that works out to $2,500 per vehicle. It is difficult to have a $25,000 vehicle when 10% of the vehicle is going to one man’s salary. Just saying. #tesla #ceosalary

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Tesla Layoffs Hit Supercharger Team Musk cuts loose an entire division, including senior director Rebecca Tinucci and her team working on charging infrastructure. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dpW_UKqD . . Like 💝 Comment below ⏬ Share ✅ For More Such Updates Follow Us @qnewshub @qnewscrunch . . #qnewshub #qnewscrunch #StartupFunding

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Great read on Amazon's electric delivery van deployments to date, and how that progress fits into the company's broader #fleet #electrification and climate objectives. Some key takeaways: 1. The company now has 13,500 Rivian vans in operation, and 17,000 L2 chargers supporting them (+ further growth). 2. It helps that Rivian's delivery vans appear to be winners with both management and drivers. Costs are coming down with scale, though the repair network is still immature. 3. As those of us with significant fleet electrification experience can attest...infrastructure planning, siting, and operations pose an array of challenges. Especially when dealing with many different #electricutilities, long equipment lead times, and widely varying depot layouts. From the story: "Amazon also learned how to be flexible and how to wait. The company prefers cookie-cutter processes that can be run like a production line. That breaks down in the physical world, where Amazon’s hundreds of last-mile delivery warehouses come in different designs or parking lot layouts, subject to differing local utility protocols." #fleet #automotive #EVs #mobility #supplychain #logistics #EVcharging #infrastructure #Amazon #Rivian https://lnkd.in/eganfvbP

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This is actually 4D chess. If all of the OEMs signed on to the standard, then the rest of the industry can start contributing to building it out. Every single member of the Supercharger team will be snapped up instantaneously throughout the industry. It’s shocking at first blush, but actually brilliant. It’s not just fair, but the most beneficial move for the industry. Everyone should be building.

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VW's $1B investment in Rivian is more overdue recognition that software is king in EVs (it accounts for 70-80% of innovation in EV design and performance), growth in the U.S. is a top priority for OEMs and software is a harder to learn competence that is being built up from scratch (or rebuilt in VW's case) by legacy OEMs. The deal could get bigger- VW has a roadmap to another $4B in investments in Rivian over time. VW, having experienced several significant setbacks with their own internal software efforts, an experience shared by all OEMs but especially legacy ones like GM + Ford, is keen on creating EV architecture and software that it will use along with Rivian. Rivian could use the cash to get through leaner times of higher interest rates, less investor interest, and scaling up its ambitions as it looks to add momentum to its well-received EV truck and SUV product lines.

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Conversations about how AI will transform supply chains are common right now. A good way to understand how this transformation will happen is by looking at it from the perspective of AI, which will make supply chain management more proactive rather than reactive. By autonomously generating solutions to complex problems, AI will offer supply chain management leaders a chance to look at possible disruptors from multiple perspectives. Beyond this, there are also benefits to using AI to optimize supply chain sustainability, analyze supply performance data, and generate demand forecasts. Considering how AI could affect supply chain management should be top-of-mind going into the next year, as this tech will only become more essential to every day operations across industries. 🔗https://lnkd.in/ejpEvsdG #SupplyChain #SupplyChainManagement #AI

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Welcome to the Guide to the Tesla Supply Chain! This guide is designed to provide an overview of the supply chain of Tesla, Inc., a leading electric vehicle manufacturer. We will discuss the various components of the Tesla supply chain, from raw materials to finished products, and how they are managed to ensure efficient and cost-effective production. We will also explore the challenges and opportunities that Tesla faces in managing its supply chain, as well as the strategies it has implemented to ensure success. Finally, we will discuss the impact of Tesla’s supply chain on the environment and society. By the end of this guide, you will have a better understanding of the Tesla supply chain and how it contributes to the company’s success. #Teslasuppychain #supplychain #SCM https://lnkd.in/g6QipYjk

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