Penn State researchers have proposed cold sintering as an improved method of solid-state battery production that enables multi-material integration for better batteries. A paper on their work is published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Solid-state batteries have a lot of advantages from a safety perspective in that they don’t... Read more →

Li-Cycle will operate its sixth and largest lithium-ion battery recycling Spoke facility co-located at the Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing mega-factory site in Warren, Ohio. Ultium Cells is a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution. This new Spoke continues Li-Cycle’s strategic execution and focus on growing its... Read more →

BYD introduced its Type A battery-electric school bus that also offers innovative vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing the vehicle to serve as a power storage resource when it’s not transporting students. Just like our Type D bus introduced last year [earlier post], our Type A bus bi-directional charging capability is a game... Read more →

Ionomr Innovations, a developer of ion-exchange membranes and polymers for the hydrogen economy, closed a $15-million Series A funding round with lead investors Shell Ventures and Finindus, joined by Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV), NGIF Cleantech Ventures and Pallasite Ventures. Ionomr produces materials in both proton exchange membrane (Pemion) and anion... Read more →

The French Ministry of the Interior has taken delivery of the first 395 screen-printed PEUGEOT 3008 Plug-in Hybrids for the Gendarmerie Nationale. The rechargeable hybrid systemÚ will now be used in screen-printed intervention vehicles, in addition to a rollout of unmarked versions in 2020. These new deliveries are a sign... Read more →

StoreDot, the developer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs), says that it has developed advanced technology that extends the lifespan of batteries, making them highly effective not only during the vehicle lifespan, but also for second-life applications. This improved technology, which furthers StoreDot’s commitment to... Read more →

Vulcan Energy Resources, the company developing Zero Carbon Lithium projects to produce both renewable geothermal energy and lithium hydroxide for electric vehicles from the same deep brine source in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany, has signed a binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreement with LG Energy Solution (LGES). LGES is the... Read more →

Damen Shipyards Group handed over three new electric-powered patrol boats in a series to the city of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Police. The Waterpieper and Waterhoen will sail under the name of the City of Amsterdam and are outfitted with a battery pack of 273 kWh from EST-Floattech, a provider... Read more →

Solid-state Li-metal battery company QuantumScape released data showing its battery cells have completed 400 consecutive 15-minute fast-charging (4C) cycles from 10% to 80% of the cell’s capacity while retaining well above 80% of the initial energy—a first for this type of battery technology. QuantumScape conducted the tests on commercially relevant... Read more →

Skeleton Technologies, a producer of supercapacitor and energy storage systems, closed its Round D3 with €37.6 million of equity investments. Total D round funding is now at €108 million; round D3 brings total investments into Skeleton to more than €200 million. Round D3 investments will be used to scale-up the... Read more →

Elroy Air, a company developing the first end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system, unveiled its pre-production Chaparral aircraft. The Chaparral can autonomously pick up 300-500 lbs of cargo and deliver it by air up to 300 miles, a capability that pushes beyond the limited payload capabilities... Read more →

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have shown that making carbon fiber composites with bio-based epoxies and an anhydride hardener makes the material fully recyclable by introducing linkages that are more easily degraded. The recycling process—called methanolysis—can be selectively triggered at room temperature without degrading the quality or... Read more →

The Automated Bus Consortium, a collective of US transit agencies and departments of transportation, released a request for proposals (RFP) to procure up to seventy full-size Level 4 automated buses. “Level 4” is a designation of highly automated vehicles as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Level 4... Read more →

Magna continues its growth in electrification with secondary eDrive systems hitting the market in Asia, Europe and North America on Volkswagen’s MEB platform. The HASCO Magna Electric Drive Systems Co., Ltd. (HME) team in China has started high-volume serial production of secondary eDrive systems for the Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover,... Read more →

Werner Enterprises, a premier transportation and logistics provider, and Cummins Inc. announced that Werner will begin validation and integration of Cummins’ recently announced 15-liter natural gas and 15-liter hydrogen internal combustion engines in its vehicles (earlier post). Cummins will begin integrating these new powertrains in Werner trucks in the second... Read more →

Britishvolt, the UK’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies and associated R&D to create homegrown intellectual property, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK sports car manufacturer Lotus to demonstrate tailor-made battery cells. The partnership will focus on the co-development of an innovative new battery cell package to power... Read more →

Union Pacific Railroad plans to purchase 20 battery-electric locomotives for testing in yard operations. The combined purchases and upgrades to yard infrastructure are expected to exceed $100 million, representing the largest investment in battery-electric technology by a US Class I railroad. The locomotives will be acquired from Progress Rail, a... Read more →

The official start of production of the Volkswagen ID.5 and ID.5 GTX marks the completion of Volkswagen’s successful transformation of its Zwickau plant into a dedicated electric vehicle production facility. The long-established site in western Saxony is the first large-scale facility of any volume manufacturer worldwide to switch over all... Read more →

Shell has started operations at the power-to-hydrogen electrolyzer in Zhangjiakou, a joint venture between Shell (China) Limited and Zhangjiakou City Transport Construction Investment Holding Group Co. Ltd. The electrolyzer—one of the world’s largest—will provide about half of the total green hydrogen supply for fuel cell vehicles at the Zhangjiakou competition... Read more →

Yara signed a contract with Linde Engineering for the construction and delivery of a green hydrogen demonstration plant at Yara’s ammonia production facility at Herøya Industripark in Porsgrunn, Norway. The project, which is supported by a NOK 283 million (US$31.5 million) grant from Enova (announced in December 2021), will demonstrate... Read more →

The Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Alliance has defined a common 2030 roadmap on pure-EV and Intelligent & Connected mobility, sharing investments for the benefits of its three-member companies and their customers. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi have already invested more than €10 billion in the field of electrification. In the main... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz and ProLogium, a developer of solid-state batteries (earlier post), have signed a technology cooperation agreement to develop next-generation battery cells. Mercedes-Benz will also make a high double-digit million euro investment in ProLogium. Under the agreement, Mercedes-Benz will take a seat on the ProLogium board of directors. The investment by... Read more →

In 2021, global investment in the low-carbon energy transition totaled $755 billion, up 27% from $595 billion in 2020 and just $264 billion in 2011, according to Energy Transition Investment Trends 2022, a new report published by research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF). This figure includes investment in projects—such as renewables, storage,... Read more →

First-time owners who have made the switch to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are discovering that it is a positive experience. Satisfaction among owners who are new to BEVs averages 754 (on a 1,000-point scale), which is comparable to 766 among BEV veterans (those who have owned a BEV prior to... Read more →

ABB has increased its stake in InCharge Energy, a provider of fleet electrification services (earlier post), to 60%. InCharge Energy will maintain its leadership team and tech neutrality as it joins ABB’s E-Mobility Division. Financial terms of this agreement were not disclosed. The addition of InCharge Energy will strengthen ABB’s... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation Secretary has released the federal government’s new comprehensive National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), a roadmap for addressing roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Almost 95% of US transportation deaths occur on streets, roads, and highways. The rate of roadway fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled... Read more →

Charge CCCV (C4V), a lithium ion battery technology company (earlier post), has introduced LiSER (Lithium Slim Energy Reserve), a novel cell technology platform. C4V’s LiSER technology encompasses an in-house patented battery cell design that allows OEMs to bypass modules and build the pack directly. This platform includes designs that include... Read more →

Land Rover has confirmed prices for the advanced Extended-Range Plug-in Hybrid model and the Range Rover SV, while revealing performance figures for the plug-in hybrid electric powertrain. The P440e Extended-Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) offers a manufacturer-estimated EV range of 48 miles; EPA certification is pending. The new Range... Read more →

Sustained demand coupled with price rises translated to the automotive semiconductor market showing a strong upwards trajectory in 2021, growing by 11.9% year-on-year. With vehicle production assumed to normalize in 2022, and a strong push towards electrification driving production and associated demand, Strategy Analytics forecasts CAAGR (Compounded Average Annual Growth... Read more →

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will install an innovative clean energy microgrid and EV fleet charging system with Proterra and Scale Microgrid Solutions to help power the agency’s transition to a 100% zero-emission bus fleet, following a grant that was awarded for the project by the California Energy... Read more →

The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, the first electrified Grand Cherokee, offers an all-new plug-in hybrid powertrain delivering 25 miles of all-electric range and 56 MPGe at a starting US manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $57,700. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup consists of four models: 4xe, Trailhawk 4xe,... Read more →

The percentage of vehicle owners using the app of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) continues to increase year-over-year, with 38% of respondents indicating that they use the app at least half of the time that they drive, according to the J.D. Power 2021 US OEM ICE Benchmark Study. The usage... Read more →

Nexeon Limited—a supplier of advanced silicon anode materials for next generation lithium-ion batteries—announced a US$80-million investment from a consortium including SKC Co. Ltd (SKC), SJL Partners LLC (SJL), BNW Investment Co. Ltd, (BNW) and Kiwoom Private Equity Inc. Ltd (Kiwoom). Through this transaction, Nexeon enters into a strategic partnership with... Read more →

Carrier is further expanding its electrification capabilities through a new alliance with ConMet, adding trailer wheel-based power generation that captures energy that otherwise would be wasted during braking events. The alliance also advances Carrier’s broader zero-emission transport refrigeration solutions, with the availability of electric options for trailer, truck, and light... Read more →

The exploration of airborne transportation and advanced air mobility (AAM) is the focus of a new partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Supernal—an advanced air mobility company from Hyundai Motor Group (earlier post). Supernal is developing electric, autonomous air vehicles capable of accommodating four to five passengers... Read more →

More than 300 customers have plced orders for a total of 10,000 E-Transit vans, according to Ford Pro, the global commercial and government business and brand within Ford. Customers range from one-person van operations to municipalities including the City of Orlando to some of the nation’s largest service providers and... Read more →

The Polestar 2 electric vehicle is off to strong start in South Korea with more than 4,000 reservations logged in one week. South Korea is Polestar’s 19th global market and the latest to introduce Polestar 2. Customers can place reservations online at Polestar.com with a US$840 deposit. Polestar 2 reservations... Read more →

Bentley Motors will launch five new electric cars from 2025. Bentley also revealed a £2.5-billion (US$3.4-billion) sustainable investment to realize this strategy. From 2025, the first Bentley electric vehicle will be designed, developed and produced at its headquarters in Crewe, England. Crewe is to become a “Dream Factory”— a digital,... Read more →

Baidu’s intelligent electric vehicle arm JIDU has closed Series A financing, raising nearly $400 million. This round of financing was backed by Baidu and its strategic partner multinational auto manufacturer Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. JIDU’s first Robocar concept car will be unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show in April this... Read more →

Oshkosh Defense, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, unveiled the first silent drive hybrid-electric Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), the eJLTV. The eJLTV offers the US Army and US Marine Corps the same level of performance and protection as the base JLTV with the addition of silent drive, extended silent... Read more →

Toyota has unveiled the all-new third-generation 2023 Sequoia full-size SUV. All 2023 Sequoias will feature the powerful twin-turbo V6 hybrid i-FORCE MAX powertrain. First unveiled on Tundra, this exceptional hybrid produces 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft. of torque. (Earlier post.) 2023 Toyota Sequoia Limited The powertrain features a motor generator... Read more →

Steelmaker ArcelorMittal has made a US$5-million investment in H2Pro through its XCarb innovation fund, bringing the fund’s total investment commitments to US$180 million since its launch in March 2021. The investment is part of a US$75-million Series B fundraise by H2Pro, with other investors including Temasek, Horizons Ventures, Breakthrough Energy... Read more →

Volvo Trucks has introduced a new, patented safety feature for electric trucks: Active Grip Control. The new technology significantly improves stability, acceleration and braking in slippery conditions. Due to the fast response of the electric motors, the force generated between the wheels and the road can be controlled in an... Read more →

Comau, a member of Stellantis, has developed and deployed an automated e-drive assembly line for Geely Automobile Holdings at its Geely Veremt plant in Ningbo (China), for the end-to-end assembly of the electric motor, gearbox and inverter. Designed in close collaboration with the Geely team, the complete line uses a... Read more →

Bosch and the Volkswagen Group subsidiary Cariad have agreed to form an extensive partnership to accelerate the introduction of automated driving functions across all vehicle classes. The companies want to make partially and highly automated driving suitable for volume production, and thus available to the broad mass of consumers. For... Read more →

The US Department of Commerce released the results from the Risks in the Semiconductor Supply Chain Request for Information (RFI) issued in Sept. 2021. Key findings from the report provided data-driven information about the depths of the semiconductor shortage. The RFI showed that median inventory held by chips consumers (including... Read more →

Kia America announced that pricing for the 2022 EV6, the brand’s first dedicated all-electric model, will start at $40,900, with a net price of $33,400 after the $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit. The EV6 offers a choice of two battery packs: 58.0 kWh and 77.4 kWh. The EV6 with... Read more →

General Motors will invest more than $7 billion in four Michigan manufacturing sites, significantly increasing battery cell and electric truck manufacturing capacity. This is the single largest investment announcement in GM history. The investment includes construction of a new Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing with LG and the... Read more →

Canada-based Lithion Recycling closed a first tranche of Series A equity with a strategic group of investors led by IMM Investment Global Limited and supported by Fondaction and its managed fund, the LCC Fund. The size of the first round is expected to reach up to C$125 million (US$99 million).... Read more →

Researchers from Lehigh University, in collaboration with colleagues from the East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), have developed an induced activation strategy to enhance the performance of the ternary Cu/Zu/AL2O3 catalyst towards the methanol steam reforming (MSR) reaction (used as a model reaction). Cu/Zu/AL2O3 is an important industrial... Read more →