A coalition of major businesses, including Amazon, Siemens, DHL and Uber, sent a letter to officials from the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and General Services Administration calling for programs and standards that ensure interoperability and open access at publicly funded electric vehicle charging stations. As the letter notes,... Read more →

The cost of Li-ion batteries has plunged some 97% since their introduction three decades ago—a rate similar to the drop in solar panel prices. A team at MIT has analyzed what has accounted for the extraordinary savings and found that by far the biggest single factor was work on research... Read more →

Cadillac engineers recently completed the “80 percent” validation drive for the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ—a critical milestone in Cadillac’s first luxury EV’s development, marking a transition to the final stage prior to production. By confirming that all components and technologies are at or beyond 80%, engineers can now focus on fine-tuning... Read more →

GM has acquired a 25% ownership stake in Pure Watercraft, a Seattle-based company that specializes in creating all-electric boating solutions. The Pure Outboard system includes a 25kW electric outboard motor with power tilt/trim (112 lbs); one or more 8.85 kWh battery packs (118 lbs each); mobile charger connects to 120V... Read more →

Genesis introduced the Electrified GV70 SUV by hosting a world premiere event at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition (Auto Guangzhou 2021) in China last week. The Electrified GV70 is built on the heritage of GV70, inheriting its predecessor’s spacious interior and adding outstanding performance and a range of new technologies... Read more →

Volkswagen has begun taking orders for the ID.5 e-SUV coupé. (Earlier post.) The top-of-the-range electric model of the ID. family based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) is available in Germany from an entry-level price of €46,515. Available at the pre-sales launch: the ID.5 Pro and the ID.5 Pro... Read more →

A new study from Juniper Research has found that the global volume of EV charging sessions, where an EVs battery is charged using a charging point, will exceed 1.5 billion per year in 2026, from just 200 million in 2021. This remarkable growth rate of more than 665% over the... Read more →

BMKP Technology Co Ltd., a Chinese EV ride-hailing service provider, is considering going public in the US through a merger with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). BKMP expects it will be listed on Nasdaq around March 2022 at the earliest, with an estimated valuation of US$1 billion (equivalent to... Read more →

In the port of Rotterdam, the first companies are already preparing for the storage, processing and transit of hydrogen, according to a study conducted by the Port Authority into the development of hydrogen import terminals in Rotterdam. The Port Authority held consultations with a large number of Rotterdam-based companies and... Read more →

Nissan introduced a new Rogue SUV for the 2021 model year; for 2022, Nissan is making its best-selling model more powerful, more fuel-efficient and more fun to drive with an all-new, 1.5-liter variable compression (VC) Turbo engine across the Rogue lineup. 2022 Nissan Rogue Mated with a responsive new transmission,... Read more →

Viridos Inc., earlier known as Synthetic Genomics, has signed a joint development agreement with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) with the intent to bring Viridos’ low-carbon intensity algae biofuels toward commercial levels. In 2009, EMRE launched what it calls a “significant” new program to research and develop advanced biofuels... Read more →

Some of today’s vehicles already feature more than 100 control units. This high complexity of electrical and electronic systems and their architecture will further increase, but must remain manageable. The “Software-Defined Car” (SofDCar) project now aims to develop standardized rules and processes to ensure that electronic components of the vehicle... Read more →

Electric automaker Xpeng took the wraps off the G9 SUV this week at the international Auto Guangzhou show in China (earlier post). The intelligent, software-defined vehicle is built on the high-performance compute of NVIDIA DRIVE Orin and delivers AI capabilities that are continuously upgraded with each over-the-air update. The new... Read more →

With the increase in battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs) on the road, statistically the risk potential for an accident or technical defect of the inherently safe battery systems also increases. However, for the most part, emergency crews do not have appropriate equipment and/or techniques to counter these fires,... Read more →

Mangrove Lithium, the developer of a platform for the cost-effective production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide and carbonate from diverse input streams and assets, closed a $10-million Series A investment round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) with participation from existing investor BDC Capital’s Cleantech Practice (BDC). The company will use... Read more →

Following the binding term sheet signed on 2 August 2021 (earlier post), Vulcan Energy Resources has signed a binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreement with Renault Group. Following the launch of Renault ElectriCity—a new production unit for electric vehicles in Europe—the Group will purchase between 26,000 to 32,000 metric tonnes of... Read more →

by Michael Sivak, Sivak Applied Research Among the variables included in my ongoing monthly monitoring of key transportation indexes are passenger miles for domestic flying and total road vehicle miles traveled. That monitoring has shown huge pandemic-related drops in each transportation mode during the spring of 2020 and gradual rebounds... Read more →

Rolls-Royce said that its all-electric Spirit of Innovation aircraft has set three new world speed records, making it the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft. The company has submitted data to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)— the World Air Sports Federation which controls and certifies world aeronautical and astronautical records—that at 15:45... Read more →

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has launched its Green Finance Framework designed to allow the company to issue a variety of sustainable financing instruments which may include bonds, loans, project finance and other instruments. By establishing the new Green Finance Framework, Maersk intends to align its funding strategy with its... Read more →

Porsche is acquiring a majority stake in the e-bike manufacturer Greyp Bikes. The sports car manufacturer’s venture capital arm, Porsche Ventures, has held a stake of around 10% in the Croatian company since 2018. It invested in Greyp at the same time that it invested in its sister company, Rimac... Read more →

Wholesale used vehicle prices (on a mix-, mileage-, and seasonally adjusted basis) increased 4.9% in the first 15 days of November compared to the month of October, according to Cox Automotive. This brought the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index to 234.8, a 44.9% increase from November 2020. As was the... Read more →

A promising route for turning CO2 emissions into a fuel feedstock is the process of electrochemical reduction (e.g., earlier post). However, to be commercially viable, the process needs to be improved to yield a higher amount of desirable carbon-rich products. Now, as reported in the journal Nature Energy, researchers at... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board approved a $1.5-billion investment plan that will increase access to clean vehicles and clean mobility options through a wide variety of projects that support the transformation of California’s vehicle and equipment fleet to zero-emission. The plan is by far the largest annual investment in clean... Read more →

Most electric vehicles (EV) are unlikely to use more powerful solid-state and lithium-metal batteries this decade as the technology will struggle to compete on costs, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Lithium metal battery production capacity is set to reach 260 GWh by 2030, based on the current pipeline, as startups... Read more →

Yara Birkeland (earlier post)—the world’s first battery- electric container ship, prepared for autonomous operation—has departed for its maiden voyage in the Oslo fjord. The autonomous ship will sail within 12 nautical miles from the coast, between 3 ports in southern Norway. We are proud to be able to showcase the... Read more →

Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state, Governor Kate Brown of Oregon, and Premier John Horgan of British Columbia signed a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes ultra-high-speed transportation as a regional priority. The agreement reaffirms the shared commitment to developing a sustainable Cascadia Innovation Corridor. A 2018 study from the Washington... Read more →

During the EnRicH 2021 European Robotics Hackathon, Southwest Research Institute’s unmanned aircraft system (UAS) explored and mapped the interior of a nuclear power plant, detecting radiation sources, autonomously without the aid of a human pilot. SwRI’s UAS, or drone, technology can potentially assist in life-saving search-and-rescue missions and hazardous inspections... Read more →

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) and ZF Group signed a global strategic partnership agreement to push forward cooperation in aftermarket services, including service network, battery-related training, connectivity, recycling and reuse, etc. ZF and CATL intend to facilitate mutual transfer of knowledge and expertise, according to the agreement, to enable... Read more →

European 3D solid-state battery start-up LionVolt successfully closed a seed round of €4 million, bringing its total funding this year to more than €5 million. The round was led by deep tech venture capital firm Innovation Industries and joined by Brabant-focused startup fund Brabantse Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij (Brabant Development Agency, BOM) and... Read more →

XPeng unveiled its new G9 flagship smart SUV at the 19th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition. Incorporating XPENG’s latest software architecture and hardware platform, the G9 is the company’s fourth production model, and the first to have been conceived and designed from the outset for both domestic Chinese and international markets.... Read more →

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced that GAC Mitsubishi Motors Co., Ltd. (GMMC), MMC’s vehicle production and sales joint venture in China, unveiled the all-new electric SUV Airtrek at Auto Guangzhou. The Airtrek comes equipped with a 70 kWh drive battery, achieving a maximum driving range of approximately 520 kilometers (323... Read more →

GlobalFoundries (GF), a global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing, and Ford Motor Company announced a strategic collaboration to advance semiconductor manufacturing and technology development within the United States, aiming to boost chip supplies for Ford and the US automotive industry. The companies have signed a non-binding agreement that opens the... Read more →

After recently debuting the all-new fifth generation Sportage, Kia has unveiled an electrified version of the brand’s longest running nameplate at the Los Angeles Auto Show (LAAS). The 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid (HEV) is the third model in an ongoing cadence of eco-minded offerings guided by Kia’s global EV strategy,... Read more →

Power Global, a leading provider of high-performance clean energy and mobility products for everyday applications, announced a strategic partnership to supply its eZee swappable lithium-ion battery technology to auto-rickshaw manufacturer Rap Eco Motors for its mass-market electric three-wheeler product line RANIE, which includes L3 and L5 models of a passenger... Read more →

Gojek, Southeast Asia’s leading mobile on-demand services platform, and PT TBS Energi Utama Tbk (TBS), a leading integrated energy company in Indonesia, have formed a joint venture to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Indonesia. The joint venture, known as Electrum, will act as a platform through which... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3 million to connect industry partners with US National Laboratory high-performance computing (HPC) resources that will accelerate the development of breakthrough manufacturing and clean energy technologies. As part of DOE’s latest High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) solicitation, selected teams... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz will build ultra-high-performance axial-flux electric motors at its Berlin site, as the world’s pre-eminent luxury car brand prepares to go all electric by 2030, where market conditions allow. Mercedes-Benz announced the acquisition of YASA, UK-based manufacturer of ultra-high-performance electric motors in July (earlier post), securing access to unique axial-flux... Read more →

Group14 Technologies, a global manufacturer of the active material used in advanced silicon-carbon anodes, and StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology for electric vehicles, announced a strategic partnership to leverage Group14’s proprietary lithium-silicon technology to accelerate time to market of StoreDot’s XFC lithium-silicon cells for electric... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä will commercially launch its Two-Stroke Future Fuels Conversion platform during the first quarter of 2022. This innovative and patented engine combustion technology platform will enable the fast and cost-effective conversion of two-stroke main engines to operate on clean-burning future fuels. This is seen as a major... Read more →

Toyota and the taxi service DRIVR have put more than 100 hydrogen taxis on the roads in Copenhagen, supporting the political goals for a greener taxi industry. The Danish government's aim is that no new taxis emit CO2 or air pollution from 2025 and by 2030 all moving taxis must... Read more →

Schlumberger New Energy, France’s CEA and partners have announced the signature of pilot project agreements between Genvia (earlier post) and critical-industry leaders on the pathway to net-zero in the cement and steel industries. Through these agreements, Genvia will scale up the next generation of electrolyzer technology, developed over two decades... Read more →

Merchants Fleet, the US’ fastest growing fleet management company (FMC), has reserved 5,400 BrightDrop EV410s, the all-new, mid-size electric light commercial vehicle purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long ranges, as well as other service applications. (Earlier post.) The announcement underscores Merchants’ fleet electrification leadership position, as... Read more →

Bosch has expanded its product portfolio for mobile hydrogen applications with components for hydrogen tank systems such as tank valves or pressure regulators. For this purpose, Bosch entered into an engineering partnership with the Italian specialist OMB Saleri in which the products are jointly further developed. Pressure regulator and tank... Read more →

The EU Innovation Fund will award a grant of €88 million to Neste’s green hydrogen and CO2 capture & storage project, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Porvoo refinery in Finland. The project introduces carbon capture and storage (CCS) and electrolysis solutions that allow decarbonization of production... Read more →

Gevo signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sweetwater Energy, Inc., regarding the use of sustainably sourced agricultural residues and woody biomass as a feedstock for producing cellulosic alcohols and energy-dense renewable liquid hydrocarbons. As outlined in the MoU, Sweetwater plans to build, own and operate a facility adjacent to... Read more →

The 2022 Fuel Economy Guide, released by ORNL for the DOE/EPA fueleconomy.gov website, provides up-to-date information on fuel economy, environmental and safety data, so consumers can choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL The 2022 Fuel Economy Guide, released by ORNL for the DOE/EPA fueleconomy.gov... Read more →

The all-new 2023 Nissan Ariya electric crossover (earlier post) is getting closer to its upcoming US on-sale date with the opening of a special reservation portal at NissanUSA.com/ariya/reserve. Four Nissan Ariya models will initially be available, each equipped with an advanced liquid-cooled 87 kWh Lithium-Ion battery (usable battery capacity), CCS... Read more →

Fisker revealed its Fisker Ocean electric SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Fisker Ocean is being manufactured by Magna-Steyr at a carbon-neutral factory in Graz, Austria. The base Fisker Ocean Sport trim level is priced at $37,499, before federal and state tax credits. The Fisker Ocean Ultra is... Read more →

Subaru of America revealed its first all-electric SUV, the 2023 Subaru Solterra, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Solterra had made its global debut earlier in Japan (earlier post). The vehicle was jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru; Toyota’s version is the bZ4X (earlier post). Solterra comes standard with a... Read more →

Kia Corporation has revealed the Kia Concept EV9 at the AutoMobility LA. Like the recently introduced EV6 (earlier post), the Concept EV9 is a dedicated EV developed and optimized on the company’s advanced Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). Concept EV9 measures 194 inches in length, 81 inches in width, 70... Read more →