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 →

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 →

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 →

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China’s leading privately-owned automotive technology group, has signed an agreement to license its pure electric Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) to ElectroMobility Poland (EMP), an electric vehicle manufacturer backed by the Polish government. Geely Holding will also become a technology partner to EMP’s first series of vehicles... Read more →

The European Commission presented its proposal for Euro 7 standards to reduce air pollution from new motor vehicles sold in the EU. While CO2 emission rules will drive the deployment of zero-emission vehicles, it is important to ensure that all vehicles on European roads are much cleaner, the EC said.... Read more →

At EICMA in Milan, Honda unveiled its full European motorcycle range for the upcoming season. Among the highlights was the unveiling of Honda’s first European EV two-wheeler, the EM1 e:. Due for release in summer 2023, the EM1 e: is the first Honda EV two-wheeler for customers in Europe, and... Read more →

Solaris won a tender held by public transport operator Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne (MPK) in Cracow for the delivery of electric buses. At the end of October the carrier signed a contract with the manufacturer for the delivery of 18 articulated electric vehicles. The contract is worth more than PLN 98... Read more →

Last week, the European Parliament adopted its position on draft EU rules on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport. Parliament wants the maritime sector to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships by 2% as of 2025, 20% as of 2035 and 80% as of 2050... Read more →

Last week, the European Parliament adopted its position on draft EU rules aimed at spurring the deployment of recharging and alternative refueling stations (such as electric or hydrogen) for cars, trucks, trains and planes and supporting the uptake of sustainable vehicles. The new rules are part of the “Fit for... Read more →

BYD is launching three new battery-electric passenger vehicles in Europe at the Paris Motor Show, including the BYD ATTO 3, a C-segment SUV designed with the European customer in mind; the BYD TANG, a 7-seater with variable all-wheel drive; and the sporty sedan BYD HAN. The BYD ATTO 3 has... Read more →

The Jeep Brand revealed the all-new Jeep Avenger, the brand’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), at the 2022 Paris Motor Show. Jeep also unveiled the Avenger 4x4 Concept, which amps up the off-road capabilities of the Avenger. Developed with the specific needs of European customers in mind, the new Avenger... Read more →

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) reported sales of 813,547 Toyota and Lexus vehicles, a decrease of -6% year-on-year but still outperforming the European automotive market which fell by -16% over the same period. TME’s market share increased to a record 7.5%, marking an increase of +0.8% points year-on-year and maintaining a... Read more →

The Jeep brand will showcase a 100% electrified presence at the 2022 Paris Motor Show (Mondial de L’Automobile 2022), with a stand fully dedicated to the introduction of the all-new fully electric Jeep Avenger, the brand’s first BEV. The all-electric Jeep Avenger will offer Jeep brand capability that is rightsized... Read more →

China-based smart electric vehicle company NIO unveiled details of its products and services for Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden at a European launch event in Berlin. This expansion follows NIO’s entry into the Norwegian market last year. Three new models derived from its NIO NT2 platform, the ET7, EL7... Read more →

Canada-based Euro Manganese (EMN) signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Norwegian state-owned company Statkraft for the long-term supply of carbon-free renewable energy for Euro Manganese’s flagship Chvaletice Manganese Project (CMP) in the Czech Republic. Statkraft is Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy. EMN is a battery materials company... Read more →

Umicore last week inaugurated its carbon-neutral production facility for cathode active materials (CAM) for electric vehicles in Nysa, Poland. This makes Umicore the first company in Europe with a complete circular and sustainable battery materials value chain. The gigafactory will supply battery materials to Umicore’s car and battery cell customers... Read more →

Elli, the Volkswagen subsidiary that manages all activities related to charging and energy for the Group in Europe, the Elia Group and its start-up re.alto signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Berlin. The MoU underscores the signatories’ shared vision of integrating electric cars into the electricity system. Over the... Read more →

The European Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, a second Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research and innovation, first industrial deployment and construction of relevant infrastructure in the hydrogen value chain. The project, called “IPCEI Hy2Use” was jointly prepared and notified by thirteen Member States:... Read more →

Nissan has begun production of its all-new and 100% electric Townstar EV model to be sold across select European markets. The Townstar EV builds on the success of the e-NV200. Hailing from Nissan’s electric Light Commercial Vehicle (e-LCV) expertise, it was engineered for capability, reliability and sustainability, with business owners... Read more →

With electrified plug-in hybrid versions already available, two new PEUGEOT 308 silhouettes—the sedan and wagon SW—will be available in a 100% electric version from 2023. PEUGEOT will be the first European manufacturer to offer a 100% electric wagon. The E-308 and E-308 SW will be powered by a new electric... Read more →

Cummins will expand PEM electrolyzer manufacturing capacity at its Oevel, Belgium, factory to 1 gigawatt with the support from the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hy2Tech program. IPCEI—recently approved by the European Commission, with funding granted by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship Agency (VLAIO)—will help Cummins develop a new... Read more →

The Executive Board of thyssenkrupp AG has released the corresponding capital resources for the construction of the first direct reduction (DR) plant at its Duisburg site. The Supervisory Board of thyssenkrupp AG supports this decision. The major project remains subject to public funding. The plant, with a capacity of 2.5... Read more →

The UK’s Advanced Modular Reactor Research, Development and Demonstration (AMR RD&D) program has awarded £3.3 million (US$3.8 million) to support six projects focused on the development of high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs). The AMR funding represents another step in the government’s plans to accelerate homegrown nuclear power to strengthen the... Read more →

The Board of Topsoe has made the final investment decision (FID) to begin construction of the world’s largest SOEC electrolyzer manufacturing plant in Herning, Denmark. Plant manufacturing capacity is 500 MW per year with an option to expand to 5 GW. Rendering of SOEC electrolyzer plant. SOEC technology consumes less... Read more →

Fusion Fuel will receive an estimated €10-million grant as part of Component 14 (C-14) of the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan to develop its 6.6MW HEVO-Industria green hydrogen project in Sines, Portugal. C-14 is focused on accelerating the energy transition by supporting the production of hydrogen and other renewable gases.... Read more →

SK On has secured a total of US$2 billion as its investment resource for its European battery business with the aid of Euler Hermes, a trade credit insurance institution of Germany, Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, and the Export-Import Bank of Korea. The three agencies will finance SK On by providing... Read more →

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Hui Zhang, Vice President of NIO Europe Office, jointly announced that NIO Power Europe Plant in Pest megye, with investment from NIO, will commence operation in September. With a footprint of around 10,000 square meters, NIO Power Europe Plant, as... Read more →

bp has opened its first ultra-fast-charging facilities aimed at medium and heavy-duty electric trucks. Operated by bp’s Aral brand, the retail site at Schwegenheim in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany now has two 300 kW ultra-fast chargers intended for electric trucks, powered by 100% renewable energy. Situated on the major B9 road, the... Read more →

Lower Saxony's Environment Minister Olaf Lies presented the funding notification of €2.375 million for Uniper’s planned hydrogen pilot project at the Krummhoern natural gas storage site. The climate crisis and the war against Ukraine are forcing us to push ahead with the energy transition at top speed. It has long... Read more →

Toyota’s toughest, body-on-frame models in Europe are to be made compatible with HVO100 diesel, a non-fossil fuel made from 100% renewable sources such as waste cooking oil. Both the Land Cruiser and Hilux will join the Proace family of light commercial vehicles in being compatible with HVO100 diesel. HVO100 (hydrated... Read more →

Phillips 66 and H2 Energy Europe have closed on a 50-50 joint venture to set up and operate a network of hydrogen refueling retail sites in Germany, Austria and Denmark. JET H2 Energy Austria GmbH (JET H2 Energy), the joint venture between subsidiaries Phillips 66 Limited and H2 Energy Europe... Read more →

Skeleton Technologies and Siemens are partnering on the development, planning and implementation of a fully automated, digitalized manufacturing plant to produce supercapacitors in Markranstädt, Leipzig —Skeleton’s second manufacturing site in Saxony. The economies of scale provided using Siemens’ technology, combined with the use of Skeleton’s patented “curved graphene” material, are... Read more →

The European Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research and innovation and first industrial deployment in the hydrogen technology value chain. The project, called “IPCEI Hy2Tech” was jointly prepared and notified by fifteen Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark,... Read more →

Sweden-based Nobina, the largest Public Transport Operator in the Nordic region, is buying 19 additional Ebusco 3.0 12-meter electric buses. The delivery of these buses is planned for mid-2023. This follow-up order from Nobina brings the number of Ebusco buses in the Nobina fleet to a total of 100. By... Read more →

Iveco Group , through its brand IVECO BUS, will partner with HTWO to equip its future European hydrogen-powered buses with world-leading fuel cell systems. HTWO, as a fuel cell system-based hydrogen business brand of Hyundai Motor Group, was first released in December 2020 with Hyundai’s strong commitment to hydrogen economy.... Read more →

The EU is investing more than €1.8 billion in 17 large-scale innovative clean-tech projects with a third round of awards under the Innovation Fund. Grants will be disbursed from the Innovation Fund to help bring technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, hydrogen, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage infrastructure,... Read more →

The UK government is awarding £54 million to 15 projects to develop technologies that remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere. The money will help projects further develop their greenhouse gas removal technologies, which include a machine that can pull carbon dioxide out of the air, a plant to convert household... Read more →

The TRATON GROUP, Daimler Truck, and the Volvo Group completed the final step in forming the previously announced joint venture for charging infrastructure in Europe. (Earlier post.) The new joint venture, with Anja van Niersen as appointed CEO, is expected to have a significant role in supporting the European Union’s... Read more →

Shell Nederland B.V. and Shell Overseas Investments B.V., subsidiaries of Shell plc, have taken the final investment decision to build Holland Hydrogen I, which will be Europe’s largest renewable hydrogen plant once operational in 2025. The 200MW electrolyzer will be constructed on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam... Read more →

In Europe, Mazda announced that it will add an all-new e-Skyactiv D diesel engine to the Mazda CX-60 line-up in 2023, joining the PHEV CX-60, which is available to order now. Another demonstration of Mazda’s Multi-Solution Approach, the new diesel is designed to meet the needs of customers who want... Read more →

Arrival recently announced that the Arrival Van has achieved EU certification and received European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EUWVTA). Arrival successfully completed all the required functional and safety testing to achieve EUWVTA, which is a critical step towards starting trials with customers in the coming months. The company is expected... Read more →

FREYR’s Board of Directors has sanctioned construction of Giga Arctic (combined Gigafactories 1 & 2), the company’s first battery manufacturing facility under development in Mo i Rana, Norway. FREYR is increasing the nameplate capacity of Giga Arctic to 29 GWh in response to improving battery supply-demand dynamics, ongoing commercial success,... Read more →

The European Council has agreed to raise the targets for reducing CO2 emissions for new cars and new vans by 2030 to 55% compared to 1990 for cars and to 50% for vans. The Council also agreed to introduce a 100% CO2 emissions reduction target by 2035 for new cars... Read more →

Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. (LEAD) announced that it has been contracted by Volkswagen to supply battery manufacturing equipment for Salzgitter, accounting for more than 65% of the total equipment quantity for that 20 GWh gigafactory. Volkswagen has announced it will invest €30 billion to build 6 battery factories... Read more →

Poland-based Impact Clean Power Technology S.A. (ICPT), a manufacturer of battery systems for transportation, robotics and stationary energy storage in Europe, has begun construction of GigafactoryX. The investment will boost the company’s production capacity to up to 5 GWh per year, up from its current 1 MWh per day. Battery... Read more →

In an update to a 2020 study, the Faraday Institution predicts that there will be demand for ten UK-based gigafactories (large, high volume battery manufacturing facilities) by 2040, each producing 20 GWh per year of batteries. The transition to electrified transport is essential to meet Net Zero commitments; the combined... Read more →

Stellantis has made a €50-million equity investment in lithium producer Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. and extended the original binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreement (earlier post) to 2035. With the resultant 8% shareholding, Stellantis will become the second-largest shareholder in Vulcan. The equity investment will go towards Vulcan’s planned production expansion... Read more →

A group of leading German companies along with Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has released a green hydrogen roadmap, outlining a set of recommendations for government and industry, to meet the ambitious target of importing large amounts of green hydrogen from Australia to Germany. The Green Hydrogen Taskforce, created earlier... Read more →

Ford in Europe has chosen its plant in Valencia, Spain, as the preferred site to assemble vehicles based on a next-generation electric vehicle architecture. Pending product approval, the Valencia plant could produce the electric and connected vehicles beginning later this decade. Ford is also moving forward with a $2-billion conversion... Read more →

A new analysis by European environmental NGO Transport & Environment finds that Europe burns more than 17,000 tonnes of rapeseed and sunflower oil every day—the equivalent of 19 million 1-liter bottles. This has contributed to spiralling food price rises as well as empty supermarket shelves in the wake of Russia’s... Read more →