Author: Shaun Williams

Spain is gearing up to launch two new tenders worth €2 billion in July 2023 for the production of electric vehicles and batteries under its eMobility funding programme PERTE. In the first round of funding, Volkswagen received almost half of the funds. Jose Maria Lopez, the government official in charge of the funding programme, revealed to Reuters news agency that there will now be a double tender in July instead of two separate tenders in June and September. This represents an accelerated, more comprehensive push to promote the country’s electric vehicle industry. The Volkswagen Group has already announced its intention…

According to Bloomberg, Tesla is reportedly in talks with Chinese battery giant CATL to build a battery factory in the US. The facility will be similar to the one CATL recently built with Ford in Michigan. Tesla representatives have already discussed their plans with the US government, seeking clarity on the Inflation Reduction Act rules that the government is finalizing this week. Rohan Patel, Tesla’s senior director of global public policy, was involved in these discussions. Tesla is said to be planning to build a plant wholly owned by it in partnership with CATL, with Texas being considered as a…

BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, is aiming high in 2023, with a goal to sell at least 3 million vehicles this year and striving to reach 3.6 million. These impressive figures were revealed in the company’s annual report released on March 28, followed by an investor conference on March 29, where Wang Chuanfu, the company’s chairman and president, announced the target. According to a report by local media outlet Yicai, if BYD manages to achieve its sales target, it will put the company in the top 10 car companies in global auto sales this year. Out of the 3.6…

The Tesla Cybertruck is taking the electric vehicle (EV) world by storm, as confirmed by a recent study from John Clark Motor Group. The study examined the number of Reddit posts and upvotes for various EVs, and the Cybertruck came out on top with an average of 95.12 upvotes per post. It’s no surprise that the Cybertruck is generating so much buzz. With reportedly over 1 million pre-orders, it’s clear that Tesla’s latest creation has captured the imagination of consumers. Furthermore, Tesla’s popularity among younger generations, who dominate Reddit with an average age of just 23, means that the Cybertruck’s…

The automotive industry is in the midst of a seismic shift as electric vehicles (EVs) become more prevalent. However, while the focus is often on the EV powertrain, it’s easy to overlook the importance of tires. A recent report by Automotive News highlights that tire manufacturers are beginning to view EVs as a unique genre that requires special attention. One reason for this is that EVs have specific factors that can affect tire performance and longevity. For example, power delivery is a critical consideration. While flooring the accelerator will always send tires up in smoke, electric motors can send power…

BMW has recently wrapped up a major testing program for its upcoming i5 electric sedan, with prototypes spotted undergoing testing in the wintry conditions of Northern Europe. The testing took place over the course of a year, with the program concluding at BMW’s winter test center in Arjeplog, northern Sweden. During the testing, the i5 completed a grueling 3,000 km (1,850 mile) road trip from Munich to the Arjeplog testing center, giving BMW the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the car’s motors, power electronics, battery, heating, and cooling systems. The testing continued throughout 2022 in Sweden and at BMW…

EnerVenue, a California-based company, has announced the opening of a 1 million-square-foot gigafactory in Shelby County, Kentucky. The factory will manufacture ultra long-life metal-hydrogen stationary batteries, which EnerVenue calls “Energy Storage Vessels.” These batteries have a high energy density and long cycle life, and do not rely on toxic materials like lead or lithium. Metal hydrogen batteries have been in use for decades by NASA, in everything from satellites to the International Space Station. They use metal hydrides as active materials for both the anode and cathode. Hydrogen gas is used as the electrolyte, allowing for reversible storage and release…

SAIC Group’s Rising Auto is making waves in the Chinese automotive industry with the launch of its second model, the battery swap-enabled mid to large-size sedan, the Rising F7. At the launch event, Rising Auto revealed that the F7 is available in six versions, with a starting price range of RMB 209,900 ($30,490) to RMB 301,900, which is about half the price of the NIO ET7. The Rising F7 supports battery swap, allowing consumers to rent the battery while purchasing the vehicle body. For those who choose to purchase the car without the battery, the Rising F7 will start at…

Liv is a cycling brand that stands out for its unwavering dedication to women’s cycling. As a subsidiary of Giant, one of the largest bike brands in the world, Liv has been making waves in the world of women’s for-sport bicycles, both electric and standard. One of their newest offerings is the updated version of the Embolden E+, an all-mountain electric bike that promises to take on steep climbs and technical descents with ease. Built with Giant’s proprietary Aluxx 6061 aluminum, the Embolden E+ boasts a full-suspension frame with 125 millimeters of rear-wheel travel. Paired with a fork with 140…

The US and EU have announced their intention to negotiate an agreement on critical minerals for electric car batteries. However, the US government has taken it one step further and submitted a concept paper for a transatlantic raw materials partnership to the EU Commission. Handelsblatt had access to the confidential paper, which proposes a deal for the raw materials cobalt, graphite, lithium, manganese, and nickel. The agreement would cover trade facilitation and the alignment of standards for worker protection. “This will all happen relatively quickly,” one person involved from the German side told Handelsblatt. The two parties could sign the…

Defense giant Lockheed Martin has announced a new investment in REGENT, a pioneering electric seaplane maker, as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline operations. With over $66 billion in sales last year, Lockheed Martin is one of the top US defense manufacturers, best known for making some of the most advanced and lethal defense innovations like the F-35 Fighter Jet. Lockheed Martin is focusing on electric technology, a trend that promises more power with lower operating costs. Last year, the company invested in Electra’s Series A fundraise to develop a hybrid electric eSTOL aircraft. Now, the company…

South Korean luxury carmaker Genesis is exploring the possibility of launching a small electric vehicle (EV) focused on the European market as part of its plan to expand its lineup. Mark Choi, the company’s head of product planning, told Autocar that a smaller EV model could be particularly important for the European market, although many factors need to be taken into account before it is given the green light. Choi explained that Genesis needs to factor in the growth of sales anticipated for its current cars, weigh that against its manufacturing capacity, and consider the rising cost of raw materials…

BMW’s M Division is gearing up for a major shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming years, with the expectation that sales of battery-electric vehicles will eventually outstrip those of combustion engine cars. According to a graphic shared by BMW M boss Frank van Meel at the recent press launch of the M2 and XM, the proportion of plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles sold by the company will increase steadily over the next few years. By 2027, around half of M’s sales are expected to come from electrified models, rising to over 80% by 2029 and 2030. BMW M…

France’s Lithium de France is entering the race to extract lithium for electric vehicle (EV) batteries from geothermal brine, competing with Vulcan Energy Resources. The Bischwiller-based company recently announced the closure of a €44m ($51.9m) Series B financing round, following €8m in previous funding. Lithium de France intends to extract geothermal lithium for the automotive sector and geothermal energy for municipalities. According to the company, initial exploration work was completed in H2 2022, and it now plans to invest further and expand its geothermal and lithium extraction capacity. Lithium de France has raised €52m in total, including investments from French…

The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) has been hailed as a major step forward for the environment. However, a significant problem has arisen that threatens to derail the progress that has been made. The proprietary battery systems used in EVs make repairing even minor faults extremely difficult and costly. This has led to a situation where numerous insurance companies are simply scrapping EVs with only minor faults, which is problematic not only for insurers, but owners and the environment as well. Even vehicles involved in minor accidents whose battery packs have only a small amount of damage are being scrapped.…

Statkraft, the Norwegian energy company, has announced plans to seek investors for its EV charging infrastructure subsidiary, Mer. The move comes as part of Statkraft’s efforts to expand its presence in the growing market for carbon-free transportation solutions. However, Statkraft has also made it clear that it intends to retain a controlling stake in the company, with the majority of shares remaining in its hands. To facilitate the process, Statkraft has enlisted the services of financial advisors Carnegie and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken. While a partial sale of the company has not yet been confirmed, Statkraft is exploring all options for…

California-based Sakuu, a developer of 3D-printed solid-state batteries, is set to become a publicly traded company. Sakuu plans to merge with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Plum Acquisition Corp. I, and the combined company will be known as Sakuu Holdings. It is expected to be listed on a US national exchange under the ticker symbol “SAKU” by Q3 2023, with an enterprise value of approximately $705 million. Sakuu has reportedly received purchase orders totaling over $300 million from 2023 to 2025, and its manufacturing platform, Kavian, was designed to produce solid-state batteries on a commercial scale. While Sakuu does not…

SoftBank has confirmed that it has commenced testing of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Tokyo in collaboration with May Mobility, a self-driving company based in Michigan. The partnership was announced last year in June. The field tests began in January and are being conducted in the Takeshiba area of Minato-ku in Tokyo, covering busy locations like the InterContinental Tokyo Bay Hotel, Takeshiba Station, and Takeshiba passenger ship terminal. SoftBank’s trials are specifically designed to comply with the legislation that will come into force in April, permitting driverless vehicles on Japanese roads. See also: Tsinghua University’s Breakthrough in Autonomous Driving: Vehicles that…

FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor Company have partnered to drive innovation in the logistics and transport sector. The two companies are testing Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Heavy Duty trucks in California with the goal of bringing high-volume hydrogen refueling infrastructure to the heavy-duty fuel cell truck market. The partnership involves FirstElement Fuel’s True Zero network of hydrogen refueling stations, which are used to fuel three XCIENT Fuel Cell prototypes at full 700 bar pressure. Additionally, FirstElement Fuel has developed a high-capacity mobile refueler in collaboration with Taylor-Wharton and Nikkiso, which is capable of fueling at 125 kilograms per hour.…

Porsche is entering into an all-new tech joint venture with its partner, UP.Labs, called Pull Systems. Thanks to its impressive sales figures and a successful IPO, Porsche is in a strong financial position and is now looking to invest in the latest technologies. The Pull Systems venture offers a “machine-learning-as-a-service” business, selling analytics software to automakers that provide critical data and analysis through the use of AI. This platform gives automakers insight into electronic components and batteries, although Porsche has not provided specific use cases for the technology. See also: Porsche in Talks with Google for Infotainment System Software Solution…