Geespace launches 11 low-orbit satellites, expanding Geely Future Mobility Constellation

Geespace, the satellite technology and commercial services company invested by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, completed its second successful satellite launch from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center, sending eleven satellites into low earth orbit as the second orbital plane of Geely Future Mobility Constellation satellite network. (Earlier post.) This successful launch... Read more →


China-based Betavolt New Energy Technology has successfully developed a nuclear energy battery (radioisotope battery), which integrates nickel-63 nuclear isotope decay technology and China’s first diamond semiconductor (4th generation semiconductor) module. The 3V BV100 delivers 100 Microwatts from a volume of 15 X 15 X 5 mm—smaller than a coin. The... Read more →


Benchmark: Morocco set to become a key cathode producer with $700+M of announced investments by Chinese companies

Morocco is set to become a key cathode producer following more than $700 million of announced investments by Chinese companies in the country, according to Benchmark Intelligence. Total planned capacity is already around a quarter of Europe’s total forecast capacity, after China’s BTR announced a RMB 3.5-billion (US$490-million) investment into... Read more →


Researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with colleagues from University of Jinan, have developed a novel electrification strategy to improve NOx removal performance at low temperatures. The study was published in Environmental Science & Technology. NOx storage reduction (NSR) is... Read more →


EC launches investigation into allegations of dumping of biodiesel from China onto the EU market

The European Commission launched an investigation into allegations of dumping of biodiesel from China onto the EU market. The product specifically subject to this investigation is fatty-acid mono-alkyl esters and/or paraffinic gasoils obtained from synthesis and/or hydro-treatment, of non-fossil origin. If dumping is confirmed and is found to be harming... Read more →


Sunrise New Energy receives approval for two patents for Na-ion anode materials

China-based Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd. announced that its subsidiary, Sunrise (Guizhou) New Energy Materials Co., Ltd., has received preliminary approval from the National Intellectual Property Office for two separate patents related to anode mateeials for,sodium-ion batteries. “Preparation Method of Metal Sulfide-Doped Hard Carbon Composite Material” (2023121500112460) focuses on the... Read more →


NIO announces US$2.2B strategic equity investment from Abu Dhabi-based CYVN

NIO entered into a share subscription agreement with CYVN Holdings, through its affiliate CYVN Investments RSC, an investment vehicle based in Abu Dhabi, pursuant to which CYVN will invest an aggregate of US$2.2 billion in cash to subscribe for 294,000,000 newly issued Class A ordinary shares of Nio at a... Read more →


At NIO Day 2023, NIO unveiled the ET9, a smart electric executive flagship. With a length of 5,325mm, a width of 2,016mm, a height of 1,620mm, and a wheelbase of 3,250mm, NIO ET9 presents a strong stance. Adopting the Landjet design, it offers users cabin space, comfort, safety, and responsive... Read more →


NIO unveiled the Power Charger 4.0 and PowerSwap Station 4.0 (PSS4.0); deployment starts in April 2024. NIO plans to add 1,000 more Power Swap Stations and 20,000 chargers to its network in 2024. The rollout of the upgraded power network in 2024 will further improve users’ experience, the company said.... Read more →


The combined battery capacity of EVs—including plug-in and conventional hybrids—sold in China through September this year has reached 245 GWh—more than half the global total and already within shouting distance of the country’s 2022 calendar year tally, according to Adamas Intelligence. While OEMs and manufacturers are assembling higher capacity battery... Read more →


As of 2023, Taiwan holds approximately 46% of global semiconductor foundry capacity, followed by China (26%), South Korea (12%), the US (6%), and Japan (2%), according to TrendForce. However, due to government incentives and subsidies promoting local production in countries such as China and the US, the semiconductor production capacities... Read more →


HummingbirdEV, a provider of commercial vehicle electrification systems, announced that 393 explosion-proof electric mining vehicles powered by its next-generation electric vehicle (EV) technologies under a licensing agreement with Keshi Group, the leading manufacturer and marketer of coal mining auxiliary transport technology and equipment, are currently in operation in various underground... Read more →


Adamas Intelligence reports that in Q3 2023, 76% of all battery capacity (GWh) deployed onto roads globally in newly-sold plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) was registered in China, up from just 28% in Q1 2021 as PHEV sales and average pack capacity (in kWh) continue to surge in tandem. Two OEMs—BYD and... Read more →


Geely Holding and NIO sign strategic partnership agreement on battery swapping technology; focus on private and commercial vehicles

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely), China’s leading privately-controlled automotive technology group and NIO Holding (NIO) recently signed a strategic partnership agreement on battery swapping. Both parties agreed to carry out comprehensive cooperation on battery standards, battery swapping technology, battery swapping network expansion and operation, swappable model development, and battery asset... 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 →


BMW and Mercedes-Benz to establish a joint high-power charging network in China

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 →


Volkswagen (Anhui) Components Co., Ltd. (VWAC), Volkswagen Group’s first 100%-owned battery system plant in China, began production of its first high-voltage battery system. VWAC is the first battery system plant wholly invested by Volkswagen Automatic Transmission (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. With an initial annual capacity of 150,000 to 180,000 high-voltage battery... Read more →


Polestar has started production of the Polestar 4 electric SUV coupé (earlier post), with first deliveries to customers in China expected before the end of 2023. Official launch in all other Polestar markets is planned for early 2024, with customer deliveries in these markets expected within the same year. The... Read more →


Air Products has partnered with Chengzhi Shareholding Co. Ltd., a Chinese state-owned high-tech industry group, to accelerate transport decarbonization in China’s Yangtze River Delta. The two companies, through their joint venture, have launched their first commercial-scale hydrogen fueling station in Changshu city, Jiangsu province, capable of fueling city buses and... Read more →


The BMW Group’s Designworks innovation studio has a new location in the West Bund district of China’s economic hub of Shanghai—the city’s flourishing arts, culture and business district. The official inauguration of the new studio will take place during the West Bund Art & Design Fair Shanghai, which runs from... Read more →


In August, Pony.ai and Toyota announced they would form a joint venture to advance the future mass production and large scale deployment of fully driverless robotaxis. (Earlier post.) Pony has now unveiled the first BEV robotaxi concept in collaboration with Toyota based on the bZ4X (earlier post) produced by GAC... Read more →


Globally 58,423 tonnes of graphite were deployed in newly-sold electrified cars in August 2023, representing a 53% increase compared to August 2022, according to data from Adamas Intelligence. Full-electric passenger cars (BEVs) registered during the month were responsible for 43,396 tonnes of graphite deployed globally, an increase of 48% year-on-year.... Read more →


Through the first two months of Q3 2023, Chinese OEMs made up a record 37% of the nation’s EV exports to Europe (by GWh deployed), up from 22% in Q1 of this year, 8% in Q1 of last year, and just 6% in Q1 2021, according to data from Adamas... Read more →


Stellantis N.V.plans to invest around €1.5 billion in China-based Leapmotor to acquire approximately 20% of Leapmotor, making Stellantis a significant shareholder. The deal also outlines the formation of Leapmotor International, a 51/49 Stellantis-led joint venture that has exclusive rights for the export and sale, as well as manufacturing, of Leapmotor... Read more →


Sonangol and China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC) signed a contract for the construction of the Lobito Refinery in Angola. The final agreement, which provides for construction, technical support and supervision, follows the Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties, signed four months ago in Beijing. The refinery is to... Read more →


China to restrict export of graphite

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced that it will impose export controls on certain kinds of graphite, effective on 1 December. China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of graphite, which is, among other applications, pervasively used in the anodes of Li-ion batteries. According to the US Geological Survey... Read more →


Carbon Recycling International (CRI) and Jiangsu Sailboat successfully started up a CO2-to-methanol plant, CRI’s second in China. The Jiangsu Sailboat Methanol plant operates with CRI’s proprietary Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL) technology, transforming waste carbon dioxide and hydrogen gases into sustainable, commercial-grade methanol. (Earlier post.) The facility is built to recycle 150,000 tonnes... Read more →


Israel-based Electreon, a provider of wireless charging technologies that charge EVs as they drive and while stationary, is entering the Chinese market via a partnership with the Shandong Innovation and Entrepreneurship Community for International Science and Technology Cooperation (SITEC); a provincial science and technology innovation arm led by Shandong Hi-Speed... Read more →


Wallan Trading Company, a market leader in the Saudi automotive industry, is partnering with Zeekr Automotive to bring premium electric vehicles to Saudi Arabia. This collaboration aligns with the Saudi Arabian government’s Vision 2030, which mandates that 30% of the cars in Riyadh will be fully electric by 2030. Zeekr,... Read more →


CNOOC announces Lufeng 12-3 oilfield development project begins production

CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corp.) announced that Lufeng 12-3 Oilfield Development Project has begun production. The project is located in the eastern South China Sea, with an average water depth of approximately 240 meters. Lufeng 12-3 Oilfield is the largest jointly-developed oilfield in the South China Sea in the... Read more →


Shell has opened its largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station globally in Shenzhen, China. The charging station is located about 2.5 kilometrers from the Shenzhen Airport Terminal and features 258 public fast-charging points. It is operated by Shenzhen Shell and BYD Electric Vehicle Investment Company Limited, a joint venture between... Read more →


Record volumes of crude oil were imported into China during the first half of 2023 because of refinery expansions in the country and initiatives to reopen the economy after the government eased COVID-19 mobility restrictions. China imported an average of 11.4 million barrels of crude oil per day (b/d) in... Read more →


Adamas Intelligence: China’s battery manufacturing build out set to swamp global market

In over little more than a decade, China has come to dominate completely the EV market by taking control of all aspects of the mine-to-megawatt supply chain, says market research firm Adamas Intelligence. Data from the Adamas Intelligence EV Battery Capacity and Battery Metals Tracker show that the top 3... Read more →


FAW Group and Mobileye partner on autonomous driving

FAW Group, one of the largest Chinese automotive groups, and Mobileye, a global leader in autonomous driving solutions, announced a new strategic partnership leveraging their respective industry advantages in software, hardware and technology products. The two sides will work together to create new products based on Mobileye SuperVision and Mobileye... Read more →


TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K., which operates an industrial precious metals business as a core company of TANAKA Precious Metals, signed a technical assistance agreement with Chengdu Guangming Paite Precious Metal Co., Ltd., an affiliated company in China, in the area of fuel cell electrode catalyst manufacturing technologies. TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo... Read more →


BYD showcases 6 NEVs at IAA

China-based BYD unveiled a full spectrum of electric passenger cars at the Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Munich: five all-electric cars and a sixth new energy model, the DENZA D9, an exclusive European premiere of the premium BYD sub-brand, DENZA. The BYD HAN (E-segment sedan) and the BYD ATTO 3 (C-segment... Read more →


BASF breaks ground on syngas plant at Zhanjiang Verbund site in China

BASF has commenced construction of its syngas plant at the Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China. This world-scale syngas facility, fully integrated into the Verbund site, is scheduled to start up in 2025. BASF will adopt unique process concepts in the syngas plant to reduce carbon emissions compared to conventional syngas... Read more →


XPENG partners with DiDi to expand in A-class smart EV segment; new A-class EV in 2024

XPENG, a leading Chinese smart electric vehicle company, intends to accelerate the adoption of Smart EVs and technologies through a strategic partnership with DiDi Global. XPENG plans to launch an all-new EV brand in 2024, currently being developed under the project name “MONA”. The company will leverage the new brand... Read more →


Kia presented its all-electric compact SUV, the Kia EV5, at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. The company had unveiled a concept version of the EV5 at Kia Chinese EV Day in March. (Earlier post.) The Kia EV5 was created to redefine the compact SUV genre with a form shaped... Read more →


Horizon Robotics, a leading provider of energy-efficient computing solutions for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in consumer vehicles, has formed a strategic partnership with Aptiv PLC and its subsidiary Wind River in China. (Aptiv acquired Wind River in 2022.) Aptiv is a global technology company focused on making mobility safer,... Read more →


NaaS teams up with Hyundai China to boost EV charging services and business ventures

China-based NaaS, an EV charging service company, is partnering with Hyundai Motor Group (China), to develop efficient charging management services for Hyundai car owners. The two parties will empower potential EV charging businesses via partnership. The partnership have made an order management service for charging and charger installation to be... Read more →


CATL introduced Shenxing, the first 4C superfast charging LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery, capable of delivering 400 km (249 miles) of driving range with a 10-minute charge as well as a range of more than 700 km (435 miles) on a single full charge. CATL expects Shenxing to alleviate fast... Read more →


Geely Holding Group and Baidu Inc announced a significant milestone in their strategic partnership with the introduction of JI YUE, a premium intelligent technology brand. Inaugural JI YUE 01 model will enter production with first deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023. JI YUE’s primary goal is to provide an... Read more →


In June, BorgWarner announced the next phase of its “Charging Forward” strategy for advancing its position as a technology leader in e-Products, while maximizing its foundational portfolio. In its subsequent Q2 report, BorgWarner listed a number of e-Products wins, including: iDM for Chinese OEM. BorgWarner will supply a new integrated... Read more →


Prices for black mass material—from process scrap fell by 5% in July from a month earlier, according to Benchmark’s inaugural black mass price assessment, due to a decline in the underlying prices for lithium. Black mass production is the first step in the battery recycling process and is based on... Read more →


BYD has produced its 5 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV), a DENZA N7. BYD spent 13 years reaching the milestone of one million NEVs, another 18 months to reach three million, and now just 9 more months to hit the five million mark. In 2022, BYD’s new energy vehicles saw... Read more →


Nikkei analysis finds Tesla relies on China for 40% of battery supply chain

An analysis by Nikkei in Japan concludes that nearly 40% of the suppliers for materials used in Tesla’s electric vehicle batteries are Chinese companies. Nikkei sent a letter to Tesla asking about its dependence on Chinese suppliers but said that it had received no reply by the publication deadline. China... Read more →


Pony.ai and Toyota to form JV to advance mass production of L4 autonomous vehicles

Pony.ai, a leading global autonomous driving company, Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (TMCI) and GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (GTMC) will form a joint venture to advance the future mass production and large-scale deployment of fully driverless robotaxis. The joint venture company will be established in 2023, with an... Read more →


In November 2021, Finnish Minerals Group announced that it was negotiating with China-based Beijing Easpring Material Technology on the possibility to establish a cathode active materials (CAM) plant in Kotka, Finland. The parties have now agreed to set up a joint venture company by the end of 2023, of which... Read more →


Volkswagen Group investing $700M in XPENG for 5% stake, VW EV development; Audi jointly developing EVs with SAIC

The Volkswagen Group is strengthening its position on the Chinese automotive market with cooperations between the VW brand and XPENG and between Audi and SAIC. The VW brand has concluded a technological framework agreement with XPENG. The initial stage of the cooperation will provide for the joint development of two... Read more →