Author: Casper Benedict

Bosch plans to invest approximately €950 million in the production and development of components for electric vehicles and automated driving in Suzhou, China. The first phase of the project is set to be finished by mid-2024. The company currently operates four factories in Suzhou, which employ around 10,000 people. https://twitter.com/BoschPresse/status/1613575634017554450 Earlier this month, Robert Bosch Venture Capital joined forces with Boyuan Capital, BAIC Futian, Beijing Yihuatong, and Shenzhen Fuyuan Wisdom to establish Beijing Kawen New Energy Vehicle Co. Ltd. This venture capital platform, established by Bosch Group in China, will focus on researching and developing, as well as producing and…

According to Volkswagen, chip shortages that have affected the automotive industry for over a year are coming to an end. These shortages have caused delays and price increases in manufacturing, but the company predicts that vehicle production will become more consistent later in the year. Volkswagen acknowledges that some production will still be impacted by the chip shortage in 2023 and the company plans to address it. The chip shortage, which began in 2020, has been a major issue for the automotive industry, causing delays of over a year for some customers and an increase in prices for new and…

Mercedes-Benz has completed the delivery of 45 electric buses to Verkehrsgesellschaft Ludwigslust-Parchim (VLP), a public transit company in northeastern Germany. The order, placed in 2019, included the final 15 vehicles and was part of a project to provide electric buses for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with an additional 2 vehicles for Rostocker Straßenbahn AG (RSAG). The funding for the project was approved in December 2019, with Mercedes-Benz meeting the delivery deadline of late 2022. First batch of 15 battery-electric eCitaro buses were handed over to VLP to complete the order. These buses, with a total battery capacity of 378…

According to German media, Mercedes-Benz is planning to stop using the EQ label for its electric models starting in 2024. Instead, the company may release future electric vehicles under their traditional names, such as E-Class, regardless of their power source. According to Handelsblatt, a German business newspaper, Mercedes-Benz is considering abandoning the use of the EQ label for its electric models, and instead releasing them under their traditional names such as E-Class, C-Class, G-Class, etc. The decision is yet to be finalized, but sources suggest that this change is likely to happen as the company shifts to an “electric-only” strategy.…

Solid Power, a solid-state battery developer, has received over $5 million in funding from the US Department of Energy to continue developing its nickel- and cobalt-free cells for EVs. The company, which was spun out of the University of Colorado in 2011, specializes in solid-state, sulfide-based electrolyte technology and aims to bring more energy-dense cells to the EV market at or near the cost of current lithium-ion batteries. Solid Power has received investments from legacy automakers like Ford and Hyundai and has a partnership with SK Innovation. The company plans to deliver its cells to Ford and BMW by the…

GM, Ford, Google, and solar energy producers announced that they will join forces through the Virtual Power Plant Partnership (VP3), hosted by energy transition nonprofit RMI, to develop standards and policies for the widespread adoption of virtual power plants (VPPs). These systems help balance electricity demands on the grid during shortages. Virtual power plants (VPPs) utilize advanced software to coordinate and control thousands of decentralized energy resources, such as electric vehicles or smart thermostat-controlled electric heaters. With customer consent, VPPs can respond to electricity shortages by switching the battery mode of multiple households’ electric vehicles from charging to discharging, or…

The Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV features advanced technology and capabilities, such as all-wheel drive performance and software updates over the air. Despite its strong initial offerings, the rapid pace of EV development means the I-Pace must constantly evolve in order to stay competitive. Jaguar is updating the vehicle with a sleek new front grille in Atlas Grey, emphasizing its electric nature and enhancing its overall appearance. The Jaguar I-Pace has undergone updates to its grille, featuring a black and silver emblem. The front bumper finishers, lower door finishers, and rear diffuser are now painted in the same color as the…

The Squad Solar City Car is the world’s first for daily urban mobility powered by solar energy. Launched in the middle of last year, this car is a solution for minimizing emissions and urban congestion, designed for platform sharing and personal use. Easy as a moped with the comfort and safety of a car. Squad is a two-seater car with small solar panels on the roof. This golf cart style vehicle can cover a distance of up to 96.5 km on a single full charge. Squad automatically charges its batteries with solar energy from solar panels on its own roof.…

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) officially marketed its newest low-emission vehicle, the Prius Series Parallel Hybrid (HEV) in Japan. Consisting of three variants with two engine options, 1.8L and 2.0L, this modern crossover car comes with a fifth generation hybrid system. This is a form of promotion for the company towards carbon neutrality which is starting to get busy globally. Reporting from the official Toyota Global website, it is stated that embedding related technology is also to reduce fuel consumption (BBM). This is because the level of efficiency in related vehicles is so economical compared to before. Furthermore, it is stated…

The Kia EV6, an all-electric vehicle, was awarded the title of North American Utility Vehicle of the Year™ by the North American Car of the Year jury. This marks the second time in three years that a Kia vehicle has received this honor, and the first time a Kia EV has won. “Since its launch, the Kia EV6 has been inspiring customers and media critics around the world with its advanced engineering and bold design. As the embodiment of Kia’s new brand direction, the EV6 is contributing to a dramatic shift in Kia’s brand perception and prestige globally,” said Ho…

The Nextcell project, funded by the EU with €8 million, aims to develop a new generation of high-performance lithium-ion battery cells using a semi-solid state approach. The project is led by FEV, and involves 17 partners from ten EU countries. The goal of the project is to establish “gellified battery cells” which will addresses cost, safety, and sustainability issues. Current lithium-ion battery cells use solid, porous electrodes, solid separator foils, and a liquid electrolyte. The Nextcell project aims to explore an alternative approach by using gel-like materials for both the electrodes and the electrolyte, which are expected to result in…

German forming specialist Schuler has been commissioned by South Korean manufacturer LT Precision to create a production line for pressing battery cell housings. The new machines will be installed at LT Precision’s US factory and will be used to produce cylindrical battery cell housings with dimensions of 21 millimeters in diameter and 70 millimeters in length, which are commonly used in electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, as well as in Rivian’s electric cars. However, Schuler has only announced that the battery cell housings produced by this line will be used in electric vehicles from…