Liquid Wind (earlier post) is applying for an environmental permit for its second commercial-scale green electrofuel facility—FlagshipTWO—in Sundsvall, about 380 km north of Stockholm. The construction is planned to start in 2024 and the facility will be operational in the beginning of 2026. Planned production capacity is 130,000 tons of... Read more →

Researchers from the University of North Carolina have synthesized high-photovoltage multijunction Si nanowires (SiNWs) that are co-functionalized to split water catalytically. When integrated with the co-catalysts and suspended in water, these light-activated nanoreactors produced hydrogen gas under visible and infrared light. Although initial energy conversion efficiencies are low, the multijunction... Read more →

Hyundai Motor America, in partnership with Hyundai Capital America, announced its new Evolve+ electric vehicle subscription service at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show. This new service provides flexibility and affordability to the consumer who wants to drive Hyundai’s newest electric vehicles without committing to a purchase or longer-term lease. Evolve+... Read more →

WiTricity is collaborating with YuTong Bus, the number one bus brand in China, to provide wireless charging for YuTong’s autonomous e-buses. This marks the first commercial application of wireless charging for an autonomous electric e-bus, with WiTricity providing a key feature in one of the most advanced public transportation systems... Read more →

Rare earth elements (REEs) are found together in mineral deposits, which are then separated from one another to use only the REEs needed for manufacturing. Rare earth elements are uniquely difficult, as some—such as cerium—are abundant in mineral deposits and not used widely. Others–such as neodymium—are widely used in clean... Read more →

Mercedes‑Maybach has launched its first plug-in hybrid: the Mercedes‑Maybach S 580. With an electric range of up to 100 kilometers (WLTP) depending on the vehicle’s configuration and an electric-drive output of 110 kW/150 hp, the luxury sedan can travel locally CO₂ emission-free, both in the city and on interurban journeys.... Read more →

General Motors (GM) and GlobalFoundries (GF) have entered a strategic, long-term agreement establishing a dedicated capacity corridor exclusively for GM’s chip supply. Through this first-of-its-kind agreement, GF will manufacture for GM’s key chip suppliers at GF’s advanced semiconductor facility in upstate New York bringing a critical process to the US.... Read more →

Since its inception, the US electric grid has mostly operated smoothly as one synchronous machine with a one-directional flow of electricity to meet the nation’s predictable power needs. However, as older centralized thermal resources are being replaced with more variable renewables and long-distance delivery systems are showing their age, that... Read more →

Hyundai Motor America launched a connected car services program called Bluelink+, which eliminates nearly all subscription fees for new owners. All services included in the previous Bluelink Connected Care, Remote and Guidance subscription packages are now offered complimentary on a non-trial basis for new buyers with Bluelink+ (4G LTE network... Read more →

A collaboration including scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Sandia National Laboratories, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has created 3-4 nanometer ultrathin nanosheets of a MgB2metal hydride that increase hydrogen storage capacity significantly. The research appears in the journal Small. Metal boride nanostructures... Read more →

ArcelorMittal and I-FEVS (Interactive Fully Electrical Vehicles )have launched a new collaboration aimed at developing safe, light, sustainable, and affordable innovative steel solutions for e-mobility applications. The new I-FEVS solutions will rely on ArcelorMittal’s advanced high strength steels (AHSS) which are already widely used in mobility applications. The collaboration will... Read more →

Nidec Leroy-Somer has signed an agreement with Airbus to develop an electric motor for Airbus’ hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine prototype, as part of Airbus’ ambition to bring the first zero-emission commercial aircraft to market by 2035. (Earlier post.) Image of the AIrbus fuel cell demonstrator engine Leroy-Somer, part of the... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) announced up to $10 million in funding (DE-FOA-0002784) to model the low-carbon intermodal freight transportation system of the future, in order to minimize emissions and maximize resiliency. Projects will seek to model the optimal deployment of energy... Read more →

The US Department of Energy announced $25.5 million in funding to enable the sustainable use of domestic biomass and waste resources, such as agricultural residues and algae, to produce low-carbon biofuels and bioproducts. The “Reducing Agricultural Carbon Intensity and Protecting Algal Crops” funding opportunity (RACIPAC) (DE-FOA-0002910) will improve the production... Read more →

Polestar and Rivia have collaborated on a ‘Pathway Report’ which concludes that the automotive industry is set to overshoot the IPCC’s 1.5-degree pathway by at least 75% by 2050. The report, which uses existing, open-source data to model the current trajectory for emissions stemming from the car industry, was carried... Read more →

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander made its world premiere before the opening day of the Chicago Auto Show. It is available in three powertrains across three grades: the 2.4L turbo gas engine, the 2.5L hybrid with a manufacturer-estimated 34 combined MPG, and the 362 hp Hybrid MAX. There is definitely... Read more →

Testing by TU Graz, commissioned by environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), has found that the newest generation of PHEVs emit significantly more CO2 than claimed on city and commuter routes. Two years ago, T&E found the technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. The NGP says the... Read more →

BMW presented the extensively updated new editions of its Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) for the luxury segment. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system for the BMW X5 xDrive50e and 48V mild hybrid technology for all other models.... Read more →

Polar Lithium, a collaboration between Nornickel and Rosatom’s mining division, has been awarded the exclusive right to develop Kolmozerskoye, Russia’s largest lithium deposit. (Earlier post.) The project, located in the country’s northwest Murmansk Region, will produce 45,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate and hydroxide per year. The Kolmozerskoye deposit is characterized... Read more →

The market launch of Mercedes-Benz’ new eSprinter will begin in the US and Canada in the second half of 2023. The vehicle is a long panel van with a high roof. It is equipped with up to a 113 kWh battery pack and offers a load capacity of 14 cubic... Read more →

Universal Hydrogen was granted a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to proceed with the first flight of its hydrogen-powered regional aircraft. The company also released video footage of successful first taxi tests of the aircraft, designed to evaluate ground handling qualities and... Read more →

Nikola Corporation has received approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for Nikola’s Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to be eligible for CARB’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) program. This approval will now enable customers of Nikola’s Tre FCEV to access a... Read more →

Zepp.solutions has unveiled more specifications and the name for their new hydrogen fuel cell truck: Europa. The zero-emission vehicle is designed as an answer to the most deployed mode of heavy-duty road transportation, the diesel 4x2 tractor unit. Europa features a long range, sleeper cab, quick refueling and the ability... Read more →

Researchers from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Chicago have developed a room-temperature solid-state lithium-air battery that is rechargeable for 1,000 cycles with a low polarization gap and can operate at high rates. The composite polymer-ceramic solid-state electrolyte enables a four-electron... Read more →

The US District Court, District of Nevada has declined to vacate the issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD) by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for Lithium Americas’ proposed Thacker Pass lithium mining project (earlier post) located in Humboldt Country, Nevada. The remanded the case to BLM to... Read more →

bp says that it will invest more in the energy transition and bp’s own transition, with up to $8 billion more slated for transition growth engines (TGEs) by 2030. These include higher-return bioenergy, and convenience & EV charging; and focusing hydrogen and renewables & power where bp can leverage integration.... Read more →

Fukuoka Prefecture, Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation (CJPT), and Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) will conduct trials of a small fuel cell electric bus (FC bus) that runs on hydrogen on the BRT Hikoboshi Line , a bus rapid transit (BRT) system planned for launch around the summer of 2023.... Read more →

Siemens Mobility recently received an order for 1,200 locomotives of 9,000 horsepower (HP) from Indian Railways, marking the single largest locomotive order in the history of Siemens Mobility and single largest order in the history of Siemens India. Siemens Mobility will design, manufacture, commission and test the locomotives. Deliveries are... Read more →

MagREEsource, a 2020 spin-off of the CNRS-Institut Néel that is commercializing processes for recycling rare-earth magnets and then remanufacturing new magnets from the recycled powders, has secured €5 million in financing and has opened its first pilot facility in Grenoble, with a capacity of 50 tons by 2023. This first... Read more →

As part of a £113-million (US$136-million) investment from the UK, three projects led by Rolls-Royce will receive £82.8 million (US$100 million) to advance the development of a zero-emission liquid hydrogen combusting jet engine. The funding is being awarded through the ATI Program. The ATI Program co-funds industry-led innovation in civil... Read more →