A new report commissioned by Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) projects that California’s electric transportation (ET)-related workforce will nearly double by 2024. With an estimated 3,900 ET-related businesses in 2019, California is already the leading state in electric transportation. The report, “Electrifying California: Economic Potential of Growing Electric Transportation,” was prepared... Read more →

A team of transportation and policy experts from the University of California released a report to the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) outlining policy options to significantly reduce transportation-related fossil fuel demand and emissions. Those policy options, when combined, could lead to a zero-carbon transportation system by 2045, while also... Read more →

Renesas Electronics Corporation and SiFive, Inc., the industry leader in RISC-V processors and silicon solutions, announced a strategic partnership to develop next-generation, high-end RISC-V solutions for automotive applications. The partnership will also include SiFive licensing the use of their RISC-V core IP portfolio to Renesas. RISC-V is an open standard... Read more →

Allison Transmission’s eGen Flex, its next generation electric hybrid propulsion solution (earlier post), will be put into revenue service at New York City Transit (NYCT) in May. The eGen Flex system—comprising the drive unit, inverter and rechargeable energy storage system—includes full electric drive capability for up to 10 miles, depending... Read more →

The production model 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ EV has made its debut. With testing of Cadillac’s inaugural electric luxury SUV running ahead of schedule, the brand announced that customers may place order reservations beginning in September 2021, with initial availability starting the first half of 2022. A 12-module, 100 kWh battery... Read more →

EV technology developer Battle Motors has acquired commercial vehicle OEM Crane Carrier Company. Battle Motors was founded by Michael Patterson, the founder of Romeo Power; Paul Marsolan, co-founder and former CTO of InAuth, Inc.; and Nick Sampson, co-founder of Faraday Future and former head of vehicle engineering at Tesla. Crane... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will demonstrate a combination of technologies that will produce hydrogen from renewable natural gas (RNG) at SunLine Transit Agency’s hydrogen fueling station in Thousand Palms, California. The research project, called “H2 SilverSTARS,” will produce renewable hydrogen to fuel SunLine’s fleet of 17 hydrogen fuel cell... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and H2U Technologies are testing a new electrolyzer, called the Gramme 50, for the production of green hydrogen. According to early analysis, the cost target of the new technology is half that of current electrolyzers and the total cost of ownership over its life is... Read more →

Chevron USA, through its Chevron Products Company division (Chevron), and Toyota Motor North America, Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a strategic alliance to catalyze and lead the development of commercially viable, large-scale businesses in hydrogen, with the goal to advance a functional, thriving global hydrogen economy. Chevron... Read more →

A new $2-million project at the University of Michigan aims to develop easier and more cost-effective ways to make recyclable lightweight automotive sheet metals. “The Clean Sheet Project” seeks to develop new design tools and establish best practices for material producers and carmakers with a focus on recycling from start... Read more →

ELYSIS has selected the Alma smelter, operated by Rio Tinto in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, for the first installation and demonstration of its inert anode technology at a commercial size of 450 kiloamperes (kA)—a common capacity for modern, full-scale smelters. ELYSIS is a joint venture company, led by Rio Tinto and Alcoa,... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz is switching to a more powerful generation of lithium-ion batteries in its electric buses (earlier post). The first eCitaro G articulated buses have now been delivered to Hanover’s transport operator, ÜSTRA. They are part of a large-scale order and also an important element of a plan to electrify bus... Read more →

LG Chem has launched the largest carbon nanotube (CNT) manufacturing plant in Korea. The company is actively targeting the rapidly growing CNT market, widely used as the material for cathodes in electric vehicle batteries. LG Chem announced that the 1,200 metric tons (MT) expansion of Yeosu CNT 2nd Plant—representing an... Read more →

NOHMs Technologies (Nano Organic Hybrid Materials), a provider of advanced electrolyte products for next-generation lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries (earlier post), has relaunched as Sionic Energy, transforming its business to deliver complete advanced battery cell designs that incorporate its technologies into a drop-in, rapidly commercialized, low-cost, high performance, safer Li-ion technology. Sionic’s... Read more →

Factorial Energy, a start-up solid-state battery technology company, emerged from stealth mode with a 40Ah solid-state battery cell for electric vehicles (EVs) and other applications. Factorial also announced the appointment of senior industry leaders with deep technical and automotive experience to its leadership team. Factorial Energy is naming Joe Taylor... Read more →

UK-based OXIS Energy, a developer of Li-S battery technologies (earlier post), says it will deploy solid-state Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) cells and battery systems to its clients and partners worldwide by Autumn 2021 for use in trials, proof of concept and demonstrator battery systems for the Aviation, Marine, Defence and Heavy... Read more →

UK-based Nyobolt, the developer of ultra-fast charging niobium-based battery technology, has expanded its global footprint with the opening of its first US office. Backed by Microsoft investor David Marquardt, former CEO of DuPont Marc Doyle, and leading technology investors, William and Andy Matthes, the expansion comes two months after the... Read more →

SVOLT Energy Technology, a global advanced technology company and spin-off of Chinese automobile manufacturer Great Wall Motors, is the first to begin commercialization of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) utilizing metallic thin-film separator technology from Soteria Battery Innovation Group (BIG). SVOLT cells made with Soteria aluminum metallized film demonstrate life after nail... Read more →

The Love’s Family of Companies, Cargill and their affiliates have entered into a 50/50 joint venture to produce and market renewable diesel. The joint venture is called Heartwell Renewables and will result in the construction of a new production plant and more than 50 jobs in Hastings, Nebraska. The plant... Read more →

Saint-Gobain, the global technical material expert, will partner with the Israeli battery technology start-up Addionics to develop next generation solid-state lithium-ion batteries with novel electrode components under the Israel - US BIRD Energy program. The partnership aims to offer major improvements in EV battery performance, such as longer driving range,... Read more →

Crowley Engineering Services has completed the design of the first fully electric US tugboat with autonomous technology. The Crowley design, powered by the expertise of recently integrated subsidiary Jensen Maritime, leverages a large electric battery system and power-saving technology to operate in a fully electric mode while producing zero air... Read more →

Johnson Matthey (JM) is partnering with Finnish Minerals Group to support development of its previously announced second eLNO cathode materials (earlier post) commercial plant, which will be in Finland, powered solely by renewable energy and incorporating an innovative effluent treatment solution. Johnson Matthey also has signed a term sheet for... Read more →

A global shortage of semiconductors—caused by manufacturing delays that some semiconductor makers blame on a faster-than expected recovery from the coronavirus pandemic—has forced automakers to adjust or cancel production over the past months. Now SEMI, the largest global trade association for the design and manufacture of semiconductors, and the Center... Read more →

An innovative fuel cell system based on high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HTPEM) technology from Blue World Technologies (earlier post) is being constructed for testing at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Center in Aalborg, Denmark. The test installation will explore the technology’s potential as a source of marine auxiliary power.... Read more →

The BMW iX electric SUV (earlier post) has its world premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2021 show. Market launch in China will get underway over the course of 2021. The BMW iX is first model in the brand’s line-up to feature the new Operating System 8 and the latest generation... Read more →

In March, BMW presented the Neue Klasse generation of vehicles, to be launched by the middle of this decade, which will be clearly focused on all-electric drivetrains. For the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group is developing the next generation of its battery technology. (Earlier post.) With the Neue Klasse, we... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems will provide fuel cell modules to Sierra Northern Railway—the freight division of privately-owned Sierra Energy Corporation, operating in Northern California—to power a zero-emission switching locomotive. A purchase order for the fuel cell modules is expected to be issued by Sierra by mid-year 2021. The pilot program will... Read more →

ROUSH CleanTech and First Priority Group (FPG) are partnering to create a line of purpose-built electric emergency and specialty vehicles. The companies are finalizing details for pilot deployment in 2022 with commercial production scheduled to begin in 2023. There are approximately three million law enforcement, fire and emergency medical service... Read more →

Hyzon Motors Inc. has begun production of 15 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for delivery to the Municipality of Groningen in The Netherlands at Hyzon’s European manufacturing facility. The Groningen Municipality orders are being fulfilled through Hyzon Motors Europe B.V., a joint venture between Hyzon Motors Inc. and Holthausen Clean... Read more →

Genesis officially introduced its first EV model, the Electrified G80, to the global market at the 2021 Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2021). The Electrified G80 builds on the heritage of the G80, which sits at the core of the Genesis sedan lineup. Based on the NEDC standard,... Read more →