Carmakers in the European market have secured less than a fifth (16%) of the key battery metals they will need until 2030, according to analysis of publicly disclosed contracts by the European environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). Only Tesla and BYD are doing enough to guarantee supplies of cobalt,... Read more →

An analysis of data collected from a study of self-selected electric vehicle (EV) owners shows that the average length of time for a paid fast charging session was 42 minutes, consuming an average of 22 kWh of energy. Free fast charging sessions nearly doubled those numbers at 1 hour and... Read more →

Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH has released a new photovoltaic output photocoupler with an enhanced open-circuit voltage. The new device is primarily intended for use within solid-state relay (SSR) applications in automotive. However, it can equally be used in industrial applications, such as renewable energy. In recent years, automotive applications have... Read more →

Magna is enhancing its automated driving capabilities by joining NorthStar—Telia Sweden and Ericsson’s 5G innovation program for industrial enterprises. As part of the agreement, Telia and Ericsson have built a dedicated, private 5G network at Magna’s test track located in Vårgårda, Sweden, where new cutting-edge Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)... Read more →

IVECO BUS, the urban, intercity and tourist bus brand of Iveco Group N.V., won a significant tender to supply 140 electric buses to QBUZZ, the public transport operator in the Zuid-Holland Noord (ZHN) concession area in the Netherlands. Starting from December 2024, QBUZZ will operate 102 CROSSWAY Low Entry ELEC... Read more →

Continental has put its new driving simulator for tires into operation. It will be used from now on for new and further tire developments, especially in the original equipment business. An intensive test phase of around twelve months preceded the operational phase. Virtual tire tests will save raw materials and... Read more →

Synthos, a global producer of synthetic rubber, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kumho Tire, a South Korean tire manufacturer, for the joint development of sustainable tire raw materials. Under the MOU, the two companies will conduct a joint research and development project for Neodymium-Butadiene rubber (Nd-BR) using Bio-Butadiene... Read more →

Atlas Lithium, a US-based exploration company with projects in Brazil, secured key strategic partnerships with Yahua Lithium, a supplier to Tesla, and Chengxin Lithium, a supplier to BYD. Together, these companies will invest US$10 million in common shares at $29.77 per share (a 10% premium to recent VWAP) and prepay... Read more →

Rio Tinto has approved a $77-million pre-feasibility study (PFS) to progress development of the Rhodes Ridge project, one of the world’s best undeveloped iron ore deposits, in the East Pilbara in Western Australia. Location of Rhodes Ridge in Western Australia. The commencement of a PFS follows completion of an Order... Read more →

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) will establish a local business operation, the Hydrogen Factory Europe. It will ensure a co-ordinated approach to the commercialization of hydrogen technology and systems—spanning everything from development and production, through to sales and aftersales. The Hydrogen Factory will be responsible for producing an increasing number of... Read more →

Toyota is introducing its first entry into the large-size commercial van segment in Europe with the PROACE MAX. The PROACE MAX joins an expanded PROACE family of vehicles alongside the updated PROACE and PROACE CITY as part of a comprehensive Toyota Professional product portfolio of commercial vehicles. A new battery-electric... Read more →

At Toyota Motor Europe’s (TME) 2023 Kenshiki event, a team of executives presented the company’s latest electrified products and technologies. Kenshiki means “insight” in Japanese; this year’s edition, with an audience of more than 300 media, focused on the battery electric and hydrogen vehicles which will play a significant role... Read more →

Stäubli Electrical Connectors, a leading global manufacturer of electrical connector solutions, has completed its agreement with SSA Terminals, LLC, a joint venture with Matson Navigation Company, to provide EV automated charging connections for 33 terminal tractors at the Port of Long Beach, California. (Earlier post.) Stäubli’s QCC Automated Connection Device... Read more →

Australia has a unique billion-dollar opportunity to create a new industry to support mine closures and transitions, generating employment opportunities for regional and Indigenous communities, according to a new report developed by the national science agency, CSIRO. New insights drawn from mining industry databases and CSIRO analysis project an annual... Read more →

Rio Tinto has approved a new 12.4MW solar farm and 8.8MVa/2.1MWh of battery storage to provide renewable energy for the Amrun bauxite operations near Weipa in Queensland, Australia. The 12.4MW solar farm and battery storage are part of Rio Tinto’s global decarbonization strategy and ongoing efforts to reduce emissions at... Read more →

California officially launched a new international climate initiative that creates a partnership of subnational governments that are committed to reducing methane at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) hosted in Dubai. The effort, which was initially announced in September during Climate Week, has expanded to 15 signatories, which include... Read more →

China is rich in rare earth elements and has dominated global rare earth mining and production since the 1990s. Its neighbor, Myanmar, is also a country rich in rare earth elements. In 2012, China’s Central Government implemented a strategy to shift away from mining and to focus instead on the... Read more →

HIF USA, affiliate of HIF Global, the world’s leading eFuels company, and the Japanese energy company Idemitsu Kosan, signed a letter of intent to negotiate a sale and purchase agreement for eMethanol from the HIF Matagorda eFuels facility currently in development in Texas (earlier post), and to study the joint... Read more →

Fraunhofer researchers, TS ELINO GmbH and Salzgitter AG are working on converting an existing steel mill to climate-neutral production methods. The aim is to produce steel by the direct reduction of iron ore with hydrogen, which would completely replace coke as a reducing agent. The hydrogen required for this method... Read more →

Scientists at the University of Pretoria (UP) are leading a study of natural hydrogen gas discovered under the Earth’s surface in Mpumalanga (geologic hydrogen)—a potential source of renewable energy that could contribute to the national energy budget and help address the energy shortage in South Africa. Mpumalanga is a province... Read more →

NETZSCH Pumps USA will showcase its complex fluid pumping solutions for lithium battery manufacturing at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC), to be held later this month in San Diego. Both the NEMO Progressing Cavity pumps and PERIPRO Peristaltic pumps have the ability to transfer complex slurry fluids and provide... Read more →

Infinium and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst announced a $75-million project equity investment commitment to support Infinium’s Project Roadrunner, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions. Project Roadrunner will convert waste CO2 and renewable power into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other low-carbon fuels. This first-of-a-kind commercial-scale Power-to-Liquids (PtL) eFuels facility... Read more →

Rio Tinto and Giampaolo Group have completed a transaction to form the Matalco joint venture (earlier post), combining the strengths of North America’s largest primary and secondary aluminum producers to meet the growing demand from manufacturers for low carbon materials. Following the receipt of all regulatory approvals, Rio Tinto has... Read more →

The US Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed guidance on the clean vehicle provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Since the IRA was enacted, nearly $100 billion in private-sector investment has been announced across the US clean vehicle and battery supply chain. The Inflation... Read more →

GreenGo Energy has filed an application to Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines in Mauritania for the development of one of the world’s largest green energy parks: Megaton Moon. Megaton Moon is planned for a staged implementation process to reach 60GW/190TWh of hybrid solar and wind generation and 35GW electrolysis... Read more →

Hitachi Energy recently unveiled the HyFlex demonstration unit, its Hydrogen Power Generator in Gothenburg, Sweden, in an event held with Hitachi Energy’s technology partner, PowerCell Group. HyFlex is an integrated and scalable plug-and-play generator for temporary or permanent installation, where power grid connections are impractical, and diesel generators are not... Read more →

The modified glider at the center of Airbus UpNext’s hydrogen contrail-studying experiment, Blue Condor, made its first hydrogen-powered flight over Nevada on 8 November. The flight was the company’s first to use hydrogen as the sole fuel source, and it kicked off a test campaign that will conclude in a... Read more →

BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and Mercedes-Benz Group China Ltd. reached an agreement to establish a 50:50 joint venture in China to operate a high-power charging network and to provide Chinese customers with premium charging services. Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz will apply the expertise gained from global and Chinese charging operations,... Read more →

Forum Mobility, a leading freight electrification provider, announced a new heavy-duty truck charging depot in the Port of Long Beach. This new depot will provide high-speed charging infrastructure for hundreds of drayage trucks per day, supporting the transition of the state’s drayage fleet to zero-emission. Drayage carriers are already reserving... Read more →

Tesla hosted its highly anticipated Cybertruck delivery event at the Texas gigafactory. Cybertruck was unveiled in November 2019. (Earlier post.) The Cybertruck is currently planned to be offered in three model variants (listed in order of availability): Cybertruck production line. Dual-Motor AWD (All-Wheel Drive). Coming in 2024, the AWD Cybertruck... Read more →