Author: Casper Benedict

IBU-Tec Advanced Materials AG has secured a contract with a globally renowned automotive group to develop and produce battery materials for electromobility. The company’s statement confirms that it will produce “significant quantities” of the material at its Weimar site in the second half of 2023, following the development phase. Although the customer’s identity remains undisclosed, the statement notes that the order is for a “novel LFP cathode material for passenger cars with electric drive.” See also: IBU-Tec Launches IBUvolt Battery Materials to Grow Presence in Battery Market IBU-Tec’s lithium iron phosphate products, part of the “IBUvolt” family, formed the basis…

The age of the internal combustion engine (ICE) is coming to a close, as European automakers rush to go electric. Despite the sales ban on new cars powered by ICEs not coming into effect until 2035, many companies have already announced plans to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) well before the deadline. Jaguar is bidding farewell to the ICE as early as 2025, with Renault, Volvo, Ford of Europe, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce to follow suit by 2030. Most Stellantis brands will abandon gasoline and diesel engines in seven years’ time, and Audi will launch only electric cars from 2026, with…

Tesla’s Model Y is driving electric vehicle adoption to new heights in the UK, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The data shows that the electric SUV was the best-selling EV in the country in March, and led to a record market share for electric vehicles at 18%. This surge in sales was driven by the popularity of the Model Y, which was only introduced to the market in February 2022. The SMMT’s latest registration data also shows that battery-electric vehicle sales increased by 18% year over year, highlighting the growing popularity of electric vehicles in…

German e-mobility firm Quantron AG and Norwegian Hydrogen, a leading producer of green hydrogen and operator of hydrogen refuelling stations, have announced a strategic collaboration to introduce hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks in Scandinavia. This five-year partnership will help accelerate the transition towards zero-emission logistics in Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. Under the partnership, Norwegian Hydrogen will be Quantron’s preferred hydrogen supplier in Scandinavia, providing green hydrogen through its production facilities. A new subsidiary called Vireon will operate H2 filling stations in the region. Quantron will take care of the provision of H2 trucks in these countries. See also: Jet H2…

Norway, a country known for its strict emission regulations and promotion of electric vehicles, has witnessed a slight increase in electric passenger car market share in March 2023, surpassing the results from the same month in the previous year. With a market share of 86.8%, electric cars remain the top choice of Norwegians. Out of all electric cars sold in the country, the Tesla Model Y has emerged as the clear winner, accounting for a whopping 44.3% market share. In March 2023 alone, 7,445 new Tesla Model Ys were registered in Norway. After a lacklustre start to the year, the…

KG Mobility, the South Korean carmaker formerly known as SsangYong, has revealed the technical specifications of its new all-electric crossover, the Torres EVX. The vehicle will be available for sale in the Korean market later this year. The EVX is larger than the Korando e-Motion, measuring 185.6 inches (4,715 millimeters) in length, 74.4 inches (1,890 mm) in width, and 67.9 inches (1,725 mm) in height, and is equipped with a BYD-sourced battery pack that can store up to 73.4 kilowatt-hours of energy. The electric motor installed at the front of the vehicle can generate 150 kilowatts (201 horsepower), while the…

Uber is continuing its efforts to make its platform 100% electric by 2040, and has partnered with energy company BP to help drive the transition to electric vehicles. The partnership will provide Uber drivers with access to BP’s 22,000 charging points around the world, with the aim of establishing 100,000 charge points worldwide by 2030. The deal will offer unique deals to drivers on the Uber platform that are tailored to each market, and will provide incentives for them to charge at BP Pulse stations. The two companies first partnered in 2021 when BP opened its first rapid commercial charging…

Volvo Cars report a strong start to the year, with global sales of 162,938 cars in the first three months of 2023, representing an impressive 10% increase from the same period last year. The Swedish automaker’s sales growth was primarily driven by the rising demand for its fully electric cars. March sales were equally encouraging, with Volvo Cars selling 63,132 cars globally, representing an 8% increase from March 2022. The automaker’s Recharge line-up of chargeable models, which consists of fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrains, remained popular in the first three months of the year, accounting for 41% of all…

Ford’s electric vehicle (EV) sales in the US increased by 41% in the first quarter of 2023, selling a total of 10,866 units. Despite the overall growth, the company’s Mustang Mach-E model saw a decline in sales, dropping by 19.7% compared to last year. The F-150 Lightning truck, however, sold 4,291 units, and the E-Transit had a significant increase in sales by 62.7%. Despite Ford’s growth, General Motors (GM) managed to surpass them in EV sales for the quarter. GM’s popular Chevy Bolt EV and EUV models sold a record-breaking 19,700 units, making it the second-best seller in the US…

X Shore, a Swedish-based electric boat manufacturer, has successfully completed another funding round, raising 300 million Swedish kroner or a little over $29 million. The company plans to use the funds to scale up production and achieve profitability by next year. SEB Investment Management AB led the funding, along with several new shareholders, according to X Shore. This recent funding round follows a similar one completed a year ago, in which the company raised the equivalent of $50 million. Some of X Shore’s previous investors include Lukasz Gadowski’s Team Global holding company, Navin Thukkaram, founder and CEO of Innovation Bootcamp,…

Tesla has recently launched a new product that has generated much buzz in the EV community. Surprisingly, it’s not a car, nor is it one of the company’s famed flamethrowers – it’s a wall charger in a Cybertruck-inspired wall box. Dubbed the “CyberVault,” the device is capable of charging any Tesla vehicle and comes with a 6-meter cable that should be sufficient for most scenarios. The charger is mobile, meaning it can be disconnected from the box and used anywhere there is a wall socket, although an additional adaptor is required. The CyberVault weighs 13kg and runs on 220V, supporting…

Electric mobility company SONDORS has announced the release of two new electric motorbikes – the SONDORS MetaBeast and MetaBeast X. These bikes are the latest additions to SONDORS’ electric motorcycle line following the unveiling of the SONDORS MetaCycle two years ago. The MetaBeast and MetaBeast X are dual sport bikes, optimized for off-road trail riding and street legal for road use. The one-piece cast aluminum frames of the bikes are similar to the MetaCycle. The MetaBeast X is a larger, heavier ride at 200 lbs (91 kg) with an 18 kW motor, 60 Nm of torque, and a top speed…

Nikola, the electric heavy-duty truck manufacturer, made an announcement last Thursday about its plans to raise $100 million in capital. This will be achieved through a public stock offering and a potential private sale of stock to an undisclosed investor. Citigroup will underwrite the traditional secondary offering, through which Nikola will offer up to $100 million in stock to the public. Citigroup will also have the option to purchase an additional $15 million worth of shares within 30 days. Nikola has also entered into a forward stock purchase agreement with an unnamed investor, who has agreed to buy the remaining…

General Motors (GM) has had a promising start to 2023, with its first-quarter sales results showing significant progress in the EV market. The automaker reported selling over 20,000 electric vehicles in a single quarter for the first time, a significant milestone. The company is now on track to build an additional 50,000 EVs in North America through June, with plans to double that in the second half of the year. This growth is a result of GM’s commitment to offering affordable EV options and expanding its position in the commercial EV segment. According to the sales report, Q1 was the…

Morocco is set to see a significant increase in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure with the installation of 2,500 new charging stations across the country over the next three years. The green light for this ambitious project has been given by APIME, the intersectoral association for electric mobility founded just a few weeks ago, with the support of companies in the electricity and automotive sectors. These stations will be located in major cities such as Casablanca, Tangier, and the capital, Rabat, by 2026. The charging infrastructure project is one of the key components of the national plan for electric mobility,…

Blue Current, a leading manufacturer of silicon elastic composite solid-state batteries, has secured a new investor, as Umicore announces a minority stake in the US-based start-up. The partnership between the two companies started with a joint development agreement signed about a year ago, allowing Blue Current to use Umicore battery materials for its solid-state battery technology. Now, with the investment from Umicore, the two companies plan to drive market adoption of Blue Current’s innovative technology towards the mid-decade. Stéphane Levasseur, Senior Innovation Director New Business Incubation at Umicore, expressed his excitement for the collaboration: “Umicore is looking forward to taking…

Tesla is reportedly seeking to add a fourth production shift at its Giga Berlin factory in Germany to double production in order to meet a manufacturing rate of 500,000 vehicles annually. The automaker has already increased its third shift, resulting in a weekly production volume of 5,000 vehicles per week. Managing Director Jochem Freyer from the employment agency in Frankfurt has confirmed that all openings for the third shift have been filled, and Tesla is now considering a fourth shift to double its production output to 10,000 vehicles per week. Tesla is expected to add a fourth shift soon, as…

Washington DC’s Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is making strides towards its goal of fully decarbonising its bus fleets by 2042. In a recent move, the agency has ordered five 40-foot electric buses each from Nova Bus and New Flyer. The purchase marks a significant acceleration in WMATA’s transition off fossil-fueled buses, as the plan is now set to be three years sooner than previously planned. “We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and transitioning to a zero-emission bus fleet,” said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “These new buses will help us achieve our goal of providing safe,…

Lamborghini, the Italian sports car manufacturer, has unveiled its latest creation, the Revuelto, which is the first production model from the company to feature a plug-in hybrid drive. The vehicle is the successor to the Aventador and boasts an impressive output of 1,015 horsepower. The Revuelto is powered by a V12 combustion engine at the rear, which is combined with three electric motors. Two electric motors with 110 kW each are located on the front axle, while the third is integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Despite its power, the battery only has a capacity of 3.8 kWh. Lamborghini aims…

Rivian, the American electric vehicle (EV) automaker, has been making headlines recently as it continues to expand its business model and production of its EVs and electric delivery vans under a massive contract with Amazon. While Rivian has been well-received by US customers, European consumers have been eagerly waiting for the chance to experience a genuine off-road EV. There has been speculation for some time that Rivian would enter new markets in Europe as early as 2023. However, the company has since shot down such ideas. That is, until recently, when a new job posting on the Rivian website offered…