Amprius Technologie, a developer of ultra-high energy density lithium-ion batteries with its Silicon Nanowire Anode Platform, announced that an independent third-party testing lab has validated Amprius’ 390 Wh/kg polymer electrolyte cell by successfully passing the nail penetration test per the requirements of section 4.7.4.4. of the MIL-PRF-32383 (Military Performance Specification).... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz Vans, together with Austrian Post, is testing fine particle filter technology developed in cooperation with MANN+HUMMEL in real-life operations. In August, two eSprinter operated by Austrian Post (Österreichische Post), the country’s major provider of postal services, were equipped with integrated fine particle filters in the front module. Since then,... Read more →

In addition to conventional drive units and components, the Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant is already responsible for the production of batteries and axles for plug-in hybrids and fully electric Mercedes-EQ models. The production and assembly of electric drive units from 2024 onwards was part of the plant’s vision for the future... Read more →

Ultium Cells LLC, the battery cell manufacturing joint venture of LG Energy Solution and General Motors is investing an additional $275 million in the Ultium Cells Spring Hill plant to expand the facility’s battery cell output by more than 40 percent, from 35 gigawatt-hours to 50 GWh, when the plant... Read more →

BWP, LiCAP and Siemens have entered a strategic partnership to manufacture and commercialize innovative dry electrode manufacturing systems for the battery cell industry. BW Papersystems (BWP), a division of Barry-Wehmiller, is a capital equipment manufacturer for multiple industries. LiCAP Technologies, Inc. (LiCAP) is a developer of cost-effective and sustainable dry... Read more →

FREYR Battery and Nidec Corporation, a globally leading producer of high-efficiency electric motors and a leader in the energy storage systems (ESS) space, have established a downstream joint venture, now called Nidec Energy AS. The newly established Nidec Energy aims to develop and supply highly competitive, integrated battery energy storage... Read more →

Rising raw material and battery component prices and soaring inflation have led to the first increase in lithium-ion battery pack prices since BloombergNEF (BNEF) began tracking the market in 2010. After more than a decade of declines, volume-weighted average prices for lithium-ion battery packs across all sectors have increased to... Read more →

Volkswagen of America is beginning to roll out software updates for the ID.4 EV in the US. New features to enhance the charging experience and further improve system performance will be available on MY21 and certain MY22 vehicles. This first update is a prerequisite for future features. Eligible vehicle owners... Read more →

A new study from Juniper Research found that MaaS (Mobility‑as‑a‑Service) will generate revenue of $92 billion globally by 2027; up from $20 billion in 2022. Growing by 357% over the period, the main drivers will be the cost and convenience of MaaS solutions and the increased investment into MaaS infrastructure.... Read more →

Renault has become the first car brand to offer the Waze application directly integrated into the vehicle’s multimedia system. The integration of Waze into the OpenR Link multimedia system with integrated Google and therefore visible on the 12-inch vertical screen of the All-new Austral and Mégane E-Tech electric naturally offers... Read more →

Toyota engineers have created a prototype hydrogen engine road car—the Corolla Cross H2 Concept. By equipping the 1.6l 3-cylinder turbo engine from the GR Corolla with high-pressure hydrogen direct injection engine technology from motorsport activity, and adding the hydrogen tank packaging know-how from Mirai, Toyota was able to create a... Read more →

Ford Pro and Deutsche Post DHL Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the deployment of electrified vans used for logistics operations worldwide. Underscoring the planned collaboration, Ford Pro will equip Deutsche Post DHL Group with more than 2,000 E-Transit electric delivery vans worldwide by the end of... Read more →

UP Catalyst, an Estonia-based company developing a method to produce sustainable carbon nanomaterials and graphite from CO2 (earlier post), says that it can produce carbon-negative graphite, consuming 3.7 tons of CO2 per ton of graphite material produced. Conventional production of graphite not only takes place far away from battery manufacturing... Read more →

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have demonstrated a new technique, modeled after a metabolic process found in some bacteria, for converting CO2 into liquid acetate, a key ingredient in “liquid sunlight” or solar fuels produced through artificial photosynthesis. The work, reported in a paper in Nature Catalysis,... Read more →

Phillips 66 Company has applied for three California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Tier 2 fuel pathways for renewable gasoline derived from soybean oil and canola oil. The carbon intensities range from 58.48 gCO2e/MJ to 63.35 gCO2e/MJ, depending upon feedstock and transportation mechanism. Phillips 66 also filed a separate application... Read more →

StoreDot, a developer of extreme fast charging (XFC) batteries for electric vehicles (earlier post), announced that independent battery lab Shmuel De-Leon Energy (SDLE) successfully validated the performance of the StoreDot technology. SDLE subjected StoreDot’s production-ready 30Ah pouch cell XFC batteries to a series of in-depth tests, confirming the technology’s commercialization... Read more →

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new hydrothermal synthesis method that makes a cobalt-free cathode material (LiNi0.9Mn0.05Al0.05O2, NMA) with more uniform, round, tightly packed particles than is common in today’s cathodes, maintaining more stability throughout a charging cycle. The result is a more... Read more →

General Motors has opened Canada’s first full-scale electric-vehicle manufacturing plant in Ontario. With investment support from both the Canadian and Ontario governments, GM has completely retooled the CAMI Assembly plant as the new global manufacturing home of BrightDrop’s fully electric delivery vans. BrightDrop also announced the commencement of commercial operations... Read more →

Synova, SABIC Global Technologies B.V., an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), and Technip Energies recently signed a Joint Development and Cooperation Agreement to collaborate on the development and realization of a commercial plant which will produce olefins and aromatics from plastic waste. The plant will use a combined... Read more →

Cepsa—the Spain-based multinational oil and gas company—will invest more than €3 billion to establish the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, creating the largest green hydrogen hub in Europe in southern Spain. The project, part of Cepsa’s 2030 strategy Positive Motion, will contribute to Europe’s energy security and independence, in line with... Read more →

ABT e-Line GmbH, a subsidiary of the ABT Group that specializes in alternative drives, has decided to start series development of hydrogen fuel cell vans based on the reception of its demonstrator vehicles. The company gained experience in the integration of fuel cell drives in two large Tier 1 projects... Read more →

Building on its commitment to grow an all-electric vehicle range, Ford has invested a further £125 million in its Halewood Plant, on Merseyside in the UK—increasing capacity by 70%—plus £24 million in the supporting E:PRiME product development center. The new funding takes total investment in enabling Halewood’s transformation to an... Read more →

In Q3 2022, more than 77,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) were deployed onto roads in the cells of newly-sold passenger PHEVs and BEVs globally—70% more than was deployed the same period the year prior, according to data from Adamas Intelligence. In the Asia Pacific region, LCE deployment jumped... Read more →

Constellium SE is leading a new consortium of automakers and suppliers to develop lower carbon, lower cost aluminum extrusion alloys. Sponsored by a grant from the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Center (APC), the £10-million (US$12.3-million) CirConAl (Circular and Constant aluminum) project aims to maximize the use of post-consumer scrap in a... Read more →

Canoo delivered its new Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) to the United States Army for Analysis & Demonstration in fulfillment of the $67,500 contract awarded in July 2022. The Army is looking for vehicles—battery-electric or series-hybrid—that can reduce reliance on fossil fuels both in the operational and garrison environments. The vehicle... Read more →

Glasgow-based Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) will receive a £15-million (US$17.8-million) grant from the UK Government’s Advanced Propulsion Center to support the commercialization of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered heavy-duty truck. HVS is developing the UK’s first indigenous, clean-sheet, hydrogen fuel-cell HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle). APC’s funding, which is aimed at supporting... Read more →

UK-based Electrified Automation has been awarded £6 million (US$7.4 million) in government funding to further develop its innovative process for manufacturing electric motors that are more cost-competitive, powerful and efficient than many of the products currently available in the marketplace. The grant was awarded through the Advanced Propulsion Center (APC)... Read more →

Ford electric vehicles sales in the US were up 103% for November 2022 compared to year ago, making Ford the US’ second best-selling brand and manufacturer of electric vehicles behind Tesla. EV sales for the month were 6,255 units, or 4.3% of total vehicle sales for the month. The US’... Read more →

Volvo Cars reported global sales of 59,154 cars in November, up 12.0% compared with the same month last year. Overall underlying demand for the company’s cars continues to remain robust, especially for its Recharge range of pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of Recharge units were up 44.2% year-on-year.... Read more →

Volkswagen will unveil the new ID.3 to the public this coming spring. To date, more than half a million ID. models—built on the basis of the modular electric drive matrix (MEB)—have been delivered to customers around the world. Currently, the ID.3 is produced at the Zwickau and Dresden plants in... Read more →