Porsche has introduced a third body variant of the Taycan electric sports car. The new Taycan Cross Turismo— which will offer five models from which to choose—combines the everyday usability of the Taycan Cross Turismo with the on-road dynamics of the Taycan sports sedan. In 2021, deliveries of the all-electric... Read more →

Honda is partnering with the V2X Suisse consortium to demonstrate the role of electric vehicles (EVs) and bi-directional charging technology in the future of energy management. Honda will supply 50 Honda e electric vehicles (earlier post) to Switzerland’s car-sharing operator, Mobility. The Honda e units will be used as part... Read more →

Ford and ADT Inc. will invest in a new joint venture called Canopy that combines ADT’s professional security monitoring and Ford’s AI-driven video camera technology to help customers strengthen security of new and existing vehicles across automotive brands. The combination of our technologies and our deep security experience creates a... Read more →

GM announced new commercial applications of its HYDROTEC fuel cell technology. HYDROTEC projects, which are currently in development, from heavy-duty trucks to aerospace and locomotives, are being planned for use beyond vehicles for power generation. GM is planning multiple HYDROTEC-based power generators, all powered by GM’s Generation 2 HYDROTEC fuel... Read more →

IonQ, a developer of trapped-ion quantum computing, and Hyundai Motor Company are partnering to develop new variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithms to study lithium oxides and their chemical reactions involved in battery chemistry. A VQE is a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm that aims to find the combination of values that solve... Read more →

Canada-based FLO announced the installation of the first wave of workplace electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as part of a multi-year agreement with General Motors (GM), whereby FLO provides AC Level 2 and direct current (DC) fast chargers for GM to be installed on their premises in the United States.... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group and the Bosch Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the establishment of a European battery equipment solution provider. The two companies plan to supply integrated battery production systems as well as on-site ramp-up and maintenance support for battery cell and system manufacturers. The companies... Read more →

Mopar has introduced new, Wi-Fi-capable, Level 2 (240-volt) charging units for at-home charging for Jeep 4xe and Chrysler plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Available in plug-in or hardwired versions that supply 32 amps/7.7kW (maximum) of power, the new charging units provide a full charge in just over two hours, up to... Read more →

The FCH2RAIL project, already launched in January 2021, is developing emission-free bi-modal trains, which combine normal track use and emission-free rail travel without overhead lines. The FCH2Rail consortium is developing a Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Pack and integrating it into a demonstration bi-modal train. (Earlier post.) Toyota has built, tested... Read more →

Volkswagen drove forward its transformation into a sustainable, software-centric mobility group in 2021 and approximately doubled its deliveries of battery-electric vehicles (BEV) year-on-year to 452,900 units. These now account for 5.1% of total deliveries, up from 2.5% in the previous year. The Group is the European market leader for battery-electric... Read more →

In 2021, the Volkswagen brand delivered more electrified vehicles worldwide than ever before, handing over to customers more than 369,000 electric cars (+73% versus 2020), comprising approximately 106,000 PHEVs (+33%) and 263,000 all-electric vehicles (+97%). In a very short time, we have reached a top position for all-electric vehicles in... Read more →

General Motors introduced CarBravo, a new marketplace for used vehicles. GM says that CarBravo will offer used-vehicle customers access to an expansive inventory, an omnichannel shopping experience and exclusive ownership benefits. Dealer enrollment begins immediately, and the consumer launch is expected to begin in spring 2022. CarBravo will give customers... Read more →

Deliveries of Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid and electric passenger cars reached a record 227,458 units (+69.3%) of which 48,936 (21.5%) were Mercedes-EQ battery electric passenger cars (BEV) (+154.8%). Including smart and Mercedes-Benz Vans, total BEV sales rose above 99,000 units (+90.3%). Since the EQS went on sale in August 2021, orders... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company and Unity, a platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, announced a partnership to design and build jointly a new “metaverse roadmap” and platform for Meta-Factory. The companies held a virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with Youngcho Chi, President and Chief Innovation Officer... Read more →

At CES 2022, Vietnam-based VinFast announced its new development strategy and revealed its complete electric vehicle lineup covering five segments. VinFast said will stop producing vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) by the end of 2022. The company will instead focus research and development efforts on all-electric powertrains for their... Read more →

Ford Motor Company plans to raise production of the F-150 Lightning pickup at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn to 150,000 trucks per year to meet high demand, Beginning Thursday, the first group of reservation holders will be invited to place their orders for the F-150 Lightning. Due to... Read more →

Hyundai Motor used CES in Las Vegas as the platform to describe its new “Metamobility concept”, which will incorporate the use of robotics in both the real world and the metaverse to allow “unlimited freedom of mobility” unconstrained by the physical limitations of movement in time and space. The company... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the VISION EQXX electric concept car (earlier post)—a highly efficient, sleek concept car capable of exceeding 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) on a single charge with an outstanding energy consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100 kilometers (efficiency of more than 6 miles per kWh). The Mercedes-Benz VISION... Read more →

Daimler Greater China Ltd. and its long-term Chinese partner BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. (BYD) signed an equity transfer agreement to realign the structural setup of their originally 50:50 joint venture Shenzhen DENZA New Energy Automotive Co., Ltd. (DENZA). (Earlier post.) Both partners intend to complete an equity transfer in... Read more →

General Motors will offer EV technology beyond its own portfolio and automotive applications more broadly, one component at a time. This approach will enable GM to expand its reach to a larger, more diverse group of commercial customers, helping organizations meet the growing demand for zero-emissions technology while achieving their... Read more →

With its investment planning for the next five years, Audi is accelerating the transition toward becoming a provider of networked and sustainable premium mobility. In particular, advance payments for future vehicle projects are being increased once again, with a sum total of about €37 billion. Of this, Audi is earmarking... Read more →

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has selected Cerence Browse, Cerence’s AI-powered, cloud-based content domain, to bring the power and intelligence of internet search engines directly into Toyota and Lexus vehicles in its next-generation multimedia system. TMNA is the first automaker to deploy Cerence’s new cloud service, Browse. Cerence Browse will... Read more →

​ At NIO Day 2021 in Suzhou, China, NIO unveiled ET5, its new mid-size smart electric sedan. Inheriting NIO’s high-performance DNA, the 360 kW ET5 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds with its dual-motor architecture (150 kW induction asynchronous motor in the front and 210 kW permanent... Read more →

Ford is launching a new sustainable charging program that allows plug-in electric vehicle owners in California to opt into carbon-neutral charging at home, reducing their carbon footprint from energy used to power their vehicles. Ford is choosing to participate in the California Air Resource Board (CARB) Low Carbon Fuel Standard... Read more →

General Motors has begun deliveries of its first next-generation electric vehicles, the GMC HUMMER EV Edition 1 Pickup and BrightDrop EV600 light commercial vehicle, both built on the Ultium Platform. This dedicated EV architecture and propulsion system is the foundation for GM’s all-electric future, giving the company the capability not... Read more →

Volkswagen of America, Inc., (VWoA) unveiled the first major results of its nationwide Network Readiness Co-Op Program, an investment of $20 million to support its more than 600 dealership partners to transform into regional hubs of EV experience. With sales and reservations for the all-electric ID.4 SUV climbing, Volkswagen’s program... Read more →

In a media briefing in Tokyo, Toyota Motor president Akio Toyoda said that Toyota Motor will roll out 30 battery EV models by 2030, globally offering a full lineup of battery EVs in the passenger and commercial segments. Toyoda said the company is aiming for global sales of 3.5 million... Read more →

Scientists from Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US) have synthesized atomically thin nanoribbons—atomic scale thickness, ribbon-shaped materials—that have broad implications for the future of quantum electronics, the area of physics dealing with the effects of quantum mechanics on the behavior of electrons in matter. HRI-US’s synthesis of an ultra-narrow two-dimensional material... Read more →

Volkswagen is establishing a European company (Société Européenne) to consolidate activities along the value chain for batteries—from processing raw materials to developing a unified Volkswagen battery to managing the European gigafactories. The company’s scope will include new business models based around reusing discarded car batteries and recycling the valuable raw... Read more →

In July, the BMW Group, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS), called on the global quantum computing community to develop innovative quantum algorithms for four specific industrial challenges and to test them on real quantum computing technologies. One winning team has now been selected for each of the... Read more →

Volvo Cars and Northvolt will open a joint research and development (R&D) center in Gothenburg as part of a SEK 30 billion (US$3.3 billion) investment in battery development and manufacturing. The R&D center, which will become operational in 2022, will create a few hundred jobs in Gothenburg and positions Volvo... Read more →

GM and Vacuumschmelze (VAC) of Germany announced plans for VAC to build a plant in the US that will manufacture permanent magnets for the electric motors used in the GMC HUMMER EV, Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Silverado EV and more than a dozen other models using GM’s Ultium Platform. The new... Read more →

Endera, a technology company specializing in all-electric commercial vehicles, charging infrastructure, and software solutions, launched its new all-electric powertrain for Class 3 and 4 zero-emission commercial vehicles. This patent-pending design locates the batteries and all high-voltage infrastructure within the frame rails. The design by Endera provides long range, greatly reduces... Read more →

Ford has become the first automaker to use 100% recycled ocean plastics to produce automotive parts. Wiring harness clips in Ford Bronco Sport models are made of ocean-harvested plastic—commonly referred to as “ghost gear.” The strength and durability of the nylon material equals that of previously used petroleum-based parts but... Read more →

The BMW Group is exploring new ways of working with suppliers and, in the case of strategically important components, becoming more closely involved in the supplier network. To secure semiconductor supplies for the long term, the company has concluded a direct supply assurance agreement with high-tech microchip developer INOVA Semiconductors... Read more →

Stellantis N.V. and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to create a partnership with the intent to design a family of purpose-built semiconductors to support Stellantis and third-party customers. Our software-defined transformation will be powered by great partners across industries and expertise. With Foxconn, we... Read more →

Stellantis N.V. mapped out its software strategy to deploy next-generation tech platforms, building on existing connected vehicle capabilities to transform how customers interact with their vehicles, and to generate approximately €20 billion in incremental annual revenues by 2030. This transformation will move Stellantis’ vehicles from today’s dedicated electronic architectures to... Read more →

General Motors and POSCO Chemical plan to form a joint venture through which the parties will construct a factory in North America to process critical battery materials for GM’s Ultium electric vehicle platform. The joint venture will process Cathode Active Material (CAM), a key battery material that represents about 40%... Read more →

General Motors has joined the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), adding another element to company programs that support the sustainability and human rights of the EV supply chain. IRMA advances responsible mining practice through a comprehensive set of standards covering the four principles of Business Integrity, Planning for Positive... Read more →

BMW i Ventures announced a lead investment in the Series B financing round of actnano, a company that has developed a next-generation nanocoating that offers protection for electronics across the automotive and consumer electronics markets. actnano’s Advanced nanoGUARD (ANG) technology is a thin nano structure that is sprayed directly on... Read more →

Nissan Motor unveiled Nissan Ambition 2030, the company’s new long-term vision for empowering mobility and beyond. With this vision, Nissan wants to deliver strategic value by empowering journeys offering confident, exciting, and more integrated experiences to customers, and through collaborations, empower society to build a smart ecosystem with integrated mobility.... Read more →

Honda Motor recently unveiled its work on two key advanced future safety technologies being developed with the goal of realizing “zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050”. The first is artificial intelligence (AI)-powered “Intelligent Driver-Assistive Technology” providing assistance that is suited to the ability and... Read more →

Ford has revealed the next-generation Ranger mid-size pickup truck. Order books for next-generation Ranger will open in Europe in late 2022 for customer delivery in early 2023. The current Ranger is Europe’s pick-up segment leader and recently set a new September year-to-date sales record of 45,539 units, with market share... 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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

At its recent “Kia Sustainability Movement” virtual presentation, Kia Corporation announced a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality throughout its value chain by 2045. Achieving carbon neutrality will be based on three key pillars: Sustainable Mobility; Sustainable Planet; and Sustainable Energy. The pillars will guide Kia in its efforts to reduce... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) is launching a new company called Supernal, LLC to take its future mobility vision forward. An evolution of HMG’s Urban Air Mobility Division, Supernal is developing a family of electric air vehicles and convening public and private stakeholders to shape the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)... Read more →