The Volkswagen Group Components plant in Braunschweig is significantly expanding its production of battery systems for the latest electric vehicle generation. Following the first expansion stage with a maximum capacity of 250,000 battery systems, the second expansion stage has started up with the same capacity. Thus, once the site is... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 28th annual Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (GHG Inventory), which presents a national-level overview of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2019. Key findings from the 1990-2019 US Inventory include: In 2019, US greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,558... Read more →

Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors, will invest more than $2.3 billion to build its second battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. The facility will be located in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Early conceptual rendering of Ultium Cells LLC battery cell manufacturing... Read more →

Sinopec Capital, as the industrial investment arm of Sinopec Group—one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies—announced an investment in LanzaTech with a focus on promoting direct production of chemicals from waste carbon. Petrochemicals account for around 12% of global oil demand—a share that is expected to increase.... Read more →

Under the name “Green Wilhelmshaven,” Germany-based international energy company Uniper plans to establish a German national hub for hydrogen in Wilhelmshaven and is working on a corresponding feasibility study. Plans include an import terminal for green ammonia. The terminal will be equipped with an ammonia cracker for producing green hydrogen... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the EQS, the first all-electric luxury sedan from Mercedes-EQ. (Earlier post.) The EQS is also the first model to be based on the modular architecture for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles. First models on the market will be the EQS 450+ with 245 kW (electrical consumption NEDC combined:... Read more →

NIO and Sinopec unveiled the NIO Power Swap Station 2.0 at Sinopec’s Chaoying Station in Beijing. This is NIO’s inaugural second-generation battery swap station and also the first under the NIO-Sinopec partnership, representing the rollout of NIO Power Swap Station 2.0. (Earlier post.) As a smart battery swap system enabled... Read more →

Continental and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will work together going forward within the scope of a new development cooperation. The goal of their long-term collaboration, with AWS serving as the preferred cloud provider, is to develop Continental Automotive Edge (CAEdge): a modular hardware and software platform that connects the vehicle... Read more →

Strategy Analytics’ Automotive Connected Mobility service released its H1 2021 Global Ride-Hailing Market Update and its associated Global Ride-Hailing Forecast, tracking more than 140 unique operators across 119 different countries. Although 2020 was tough for ride-hailing operators everywhere, with a decline of 18% in worldwide total revenue (gross bookings) across... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced two funding opportunities totaling more than $162 million to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions among cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles. The funding will support the next stage of the SuperTruck initiatives—aimed at electrifying freight trucking—along with efforts to expand electric vehicle (EV)... Read more →

The Washington State legislature has passed legislation that sets a target for all MY2030 or later passenger and light-duty vehicles sold in Washington State to be electric vehicles. The new law establishes the most aggressive such state goal in the US—five years ahead of California’s 2035 target. Clean Cars 2030... Read more →

Commercial vehicle manufacturers Lightning eMotors and REV Group, Inc. are co-developing all-electric ambulances with Leader Emergency Vehicles, a REV Group subsidiary. Available to government agencies, municipalities, commercial operators, hospitals, and non-profit organizations, delivery to customers will be at the end of this calendar year. The new Leader ambulances will be... Read more →

IKEA Canada has partnered with technology-enabled logistics and last-mile delivery provider, Second Closet, which will begin integrating zero-emission trucks into its fleet for IKEA home deliveries in several markets across Canada. Second Closet has submitted a purchase order to Lion Electric (Lion), a manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban... Read more →

Topsoe has signed a contract with Tidewater for the delivery of Topsoe’s HydroFlex technology (earlier post) in Canada. The technology will be utilized in a new 3,000 barrels per day renewable diesel facility that will be constructed at the site of Tidewater’s existing Prince George refinery in British Columbia, Canada.... Read more →

Nikola Corporation, IVECO and OGE have entered into a letter of intent for a collaboration to establish a business structure for transporting hydrogen via pipeline network from production sources to hydrogen fueling stations in support of fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The collaboration is expected to enable cost-effective distribution of hydrogen... Read more →

Gevo, Inc. has closed a $68,155,000 “Green Bond” private activity bonds offering to finance the construction of its renewable natural gas (RNG) project in Northwest Iowa. The RNG Project will generate RNG captured from dairy cow manure. The feedstock for the RNG Project will be supplied by three dairy farms... Read more →

Continental has been manufacturing radar sensors for more than 20 years. In that time, the technology company has launched a total of more than 100 million radar sensors on the market worldwide. Continental is now unveiling its sixth generation of long-range radar and surround radar. Production is scheduled to start... Read more →

Porsche AG has developed a new production process at its headquarters in Zuffenhausen in collaboration with Tesa SE. Using this process, the holes in the car body, which are necessary for corrosion prevention, can now be sealed much more effectively; these holes are required so that all of the body... Read more →

UK-based Aeristech, a developer of high-speed electric motor and controller technology (earlier post), closed a £5.15-million (US$7-million) private funding round led by investors Sabien Technology, Vela Technologies and SAIC Venture Capital, the venture capital arm of China-based automaker SAIC Motor. The funding round will supercharge the company’s investment in its... Read more →

Despite all the restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Dürr has handed over one of the biggest paint shops in China to SAIC Volkswagen (SVW) on schedule. The new plant in Anting boasts a production capacity twice that of a standard paint shop at 120 bodies per hour, and behind... Read more →

Via over-the-air (OTA) software updates, Ford will offer its BlueCruise hands-free highway driving technology later this year on 2021 F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E models equipped with the available Ford Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep Package. Over-the-air software updates allow owners of select Ford vehicles to update software from the convenience... Read more →

A new report from the Strategy Analytics In-Vehicle UX (IVX) service, “Consumer Interest in EVs: Lingering Concerns Meet a COVID Bump,” surveyed car owners across the US, UK, and China regarding their interest in and concerns with BEV ownership. While interest in BEV and hybrid ownership is relatively strong in... Read more →

Audi presented the Audi Q4 e-tron (earlier post) and the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron. These all-electric models represent the brand’s entry into premium e-mobility in the compact segment. Depending on the motor version, they achieve ranges of up to 520 kilometers (323.1 mi) (WLTP), and the top versions come with... Read more →

Truck makers and environmentalists have joined forces to push for the deployment of 11,000 charging points for electric trucks across the EU by 2025, rising to 42,000 by 2030. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and Transport & Environment (T&E) made this call to the European Commission in a joint... Read more →

In response to strong demand for electric vehicles, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) expects rebate funds for the statewide Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) to be exhausted within 30 days. Electric vehicles (EVs) account for nearly 8% of all light-duty vehicles sold in California. More than 145,000 EVs were... Read more →

Bosch and China-based premium commercial vehicle manufacturer Qingling Motors have established a joint venture in China: Bosch Hydrogen Powertrain Systems (Chongqing) Co. Ltd. The new company will develop, assemble and market fuel cell systems for the Chinese market. The goal is to pool the technology and market expertise of both... Read more →

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has published findings and data from its inaugural study counting the number of people biking and walking on Los Angeles streets. The count, which took place at 63 intersections over several weekends in 2019, reveals trends in active transportation while observing the demographics... Read more →

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) announced the introduction of the all-new Mazda MX-30, the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle that was unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, to the US market beginning in fall 2021 with California dealerships. The vehicle will mark the first step in Mazda’s multi-solution electrification strategy.... Read more →

When winter storms threaten to make travel dangerous, people often turn to salt, spreading it liberally over highways, streets and sidewalks to melt snow and ice. But a new study led by Sujay Kaushal of the University of Maryland warns that introducing salt into the environment—whether it's for de-icing roads,... Read more →

Hyundai’s 2022 Tucson, with its all-new design, will begin arriving in the US market this spring (gasoline and hybrid models), with plug-in models available in summer 2021. The new 2022 Tucson internal combustion models will be produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Ulsan, Korea. The new Tucson for... Read more →