Author: Todd Gilbert

BASF has teamed up with Tenova Advanced Technologies (TAT) of Yokneam, Israel, to optimize the hydrometallurgical recycling process for its battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany. The two companies will work together to leverage TAT’s novel process for the recovery and production of lithium, including lithium solvent extraction and lithium electrolysis. The collaboration will involve pilot campaigns at TAT’s R&D center and the design and fabrication of a prototype plant that will be operated at BASF’s facilities in Schwarzheide. The aim is to create a recycling process that demonstrates efficient metal recovery and production of lithium salts based on…

Valmet Automotive has commenced the mass production of battery systems in Kirchardt, Baden-Württemberg. The facility, which was announced almost two years ago, is now producing high-voltage battery systems for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. This marks the company’s first German battery plant, and it has already received its first order: small-series production of modules, packs, and battery management systems for an unnamed sports car brand’s PHEV variant. See also: Contract manufacturer Valmet completes the pre-production of the Lightyear 0 solar EV Pre-series production for Valmet’s first major order from another customer is set to commence in the summer, with the…

Nissan is making moves to reduce the carbon footprint of its vehicles by partnering with electric truck manufacturers Nikola and Kenworth, with the help of Avant-Garde Auto Logistics LLC. The new initiative aims to deliver new Nissan cars by electric truck, rather than traditional diesel haulers, to reduce emissions during the transportation process. This step is part of Nissan’s broader plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 across all its operations, targeting 40% electric sales in the US by 2030. To commence the project, Nissan will utilize two heavy-duty Class 8 electric trucks for deliveries between the Port of Los…

Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) has set its sights on capturing up to 30% of the local electric motorbike market, according to the firm’s CEO Toto Nugroho. This comes as the Indonesian government seeks to drive the adoption of electric vehicles, aiming to reach 2 million electric motorbike sales by 2025. Despite Indonesia’s rich nickel reserves, the country sold fewer than 40,000 electric motorbikes between 2019 and 2022. Total motorbike sales in 2022 alone reached 5.22 million units, highlighting the country’s challenge to transition to electric vehicles. To boost sales, the government plans to contribute 7 million rupiah ($459.92) towards the…

German automaker Audi is considering building a factory in the US to take advantage of tax incentives and subsidies offered under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), according to Audi CEO Markus Duesmann. While a decision has not yet been made, Duesmann said the IRA had made building a US plant for electric cars very attractive, and that both building a plant itself and doing so with other Volkswagen (VW) brands were possible options. The $430bn IRA, passed last August, offers subsidies and tax incentives for domestically produced green industry products, including a $7,500 consumer tax credit to buyers of North…

NIO has opened its second showroom in Sweden, marking its continued expansion in the European market. The new NIO Space is located in Göteborg, Sweden’s second-largest city, and was unveiled on February 23. The opening of this showroom comes just months after the company opened its first Swedish showroom in Stockholm. According to Mattias Lundgren, general manager of NIO Sweden, the new NIO Space in Göteborg will feature the latest NIO models, including the ET7, EL7 and ET5. The ET7, which was unveiled at the NIO Berlin launch event in October 2022, is the company’s flagship sedan, while the EL7…

Bentley, the British luxury car brand, has announced that it will be ending production of its flagship 12-cylinder engine, marking a significant shift towards electrification. This move makes Bentley the first luxury car brand to call time on the technology that has been considered the pinnacle of engineering in the combustion era. The 12-cylinder engine, which is much larger than the standard three or four in most petrol cars, and even larger than the V8 engines common in high-performance cars, gave Bentley’s models their signature effortless power. However, the last batch of the current engine, which was first released in…

German multinational company, Continental, has announced the development of a new sensor that will help to improve the efficiency and performance of electric cars. The e-motor Rotor Position Sensor (eRPS) will be added to the company’s sensor portfolio for the fast-growing electric car market. With the start of production planned for the end of 2025, the eRPS is expected to enhance the driving experience of electric cars by offering improved accuracy, efficiency and smoother operations. The eRPS sensor is designed to detect the exact position of the rotor in a synchronous electric machine. By doing so, it can help to…

The buzz surrounding the all-new GMC Hummer EV SUV has been building up for months, with car enthusiasts eagerly waiting to see the vehicle in action. However, a recent forum post has caused a stir, revealing that the first production model of the Hummer EV SUV, which was already sold to a buyer in January, is back up for sale before the first buyer has even taken delivery. The Hummer EV SUV in question is a highly sought-after vehicle, featuring the Edition 1 trim package, which includes 4WD, 830 hp (618 kW), 800-volt architecture, and four-wheel steering. According to the…

Nikola has announced that it has chosen PlusDrive, the next generation safety system developed by Plus, to enhance the driver assistance features of its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and hydrogen electric vehicle in the United States. The first factory-installed Nikola Tre BEVs and hydrogen electric vehicles featuring the PlusDrive safety system will be available by the end of 2024. Michael Lohscheller, President and CEO of Nikola Corporation, said, “The enhanced driver assistance features are yet another differentiator of Nikola’s premium driver experience for our customers. We are one of the first OEMs to offer 100% electric steering paired with the ZF…

Autel Energy has announced the launch of their latest electric vehicle charger, the MaxiCharger AC Ultra, which is now available for purchase in North America. The charger boasts an elegant design, exceeding commercial-grade reliability and durability, making it an ideal solution for any commercial environment. Equipped with dual charging ports, multiple network capabilities, and an eight-inch advertising-ready touchscreen, the AC Ultra can charge two vehicles simultaneously, each at 19.2 kilowatts of AC power. This innovation has solidified Autel Energy’s position as the leader in electric vehicle charging solutions. The AC Ultra is OCPP compliant, featuring an eight-inch LCD touchscreen, a…

Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains, has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation by unveiling the SR-X, a unique version of its popular SR/S model. Developed in collaboration with HUGE Design, the SR-X represents the latest example of the company’s “Design the Future” program, which brings together talented designers and engineers to push the boundaries of what is possible with electric motorcycles. See also: Verge Motorcycles Unveils Highest-spec Model, the Verge TS Ultra The SR-X is a semi-faired design that combines clean lines and disciplined design-detailing with the aggressive stance and raw performance found in…

Ford has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LG and KOÇ Holdings to build a battery production facility in Ankara, Turkey. The move comes as Europe has officially mandated the phasing out of combustion engines by 2035. With construction starting this year, Ford plans to produce 25GWh of battery cells annually at the plant when it opens in 2026. Eventually, it plans to ramp up production to 45GWh annually, making it one of the largest battery plants on the continent. LG has worked with Ford Europe to supply the automaker with batteries in Poland, but…

Volkswagen Group Technology has given us a sneak peek at its upcoming electric car innovations in the areas of batteries, charging, and electronic components at the Tech Day 2023. The event was focused on the future of electric drive systems, and Volkswagen aims to achieve up to 20% more efficiency by offering a complete drive system from a single source, resulting in significant cost advantages. The German carmaker is developing central components like batteries, electric motors, pulse inverters, and thermal management systems in-house, with the goal of achieving technological leadership in electric mobility. According to Oliver Blume, Chair of the…

Jidu, a startup backed by Baidu and Geely, announced that it plans to incorporate Baidu’s ChatGPT-like product, called Ernie bot in English, into its upcoming electric, assisted-driving cars. Jidu will be using Baidu’s Apollo system for the in-car user interface and assisted driving technology, with plans to deliver its first car later this year. The integration of Apollo and Ernie bot is expected to enhance user interactivity with the car, particularly through voice control. This technology will be especially useful in “smart cars” such as Jidu’s planned model. While Baidu expects to complete internal testing of Ernie bot in March…

Volvo Trucks North America has been ramping up its efforts to increase the number of electric heavy-duty trucks serving its North American assembly plants. Together with four haulage partners, a total of 15 battery-electric Volvo VNR Electric trucks now commute to serve supplier logistics, transporting parts from four different suppliers to the New River Valley Assembly Operations (NRV) in Virginia and Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) in Pennsylvania. The electric trucks used are current-generation vehicles that Volvo introduced in early 2022, belonging to US Class 8 and capable of traveling up to 275 miles (about 443 kilometres) on a single charge.…

Tesla is reportedly considering acquiring Sigma Lithium Corp, a mining company that is currently developing a large lithium rock deposit in Brazil. This move would help Tesla secure a steady supply of lithium, a key ingredient in the batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs). Sources familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg that the talks were still in a preliminary stage and that a deal is far from certain. The sources added that Tesla is also considering other mining operations besides Sigma Lithium. See also: Tesla may get into the lithium mining and refining business directly If the acquisition goes through,…

BP has announced plans to invest $1 billion into developing charging infrastructure in the United States by 2030. As part of this investment, the company will construct charging facilities at Hertz car rental locations, with the goal of creating a fast-charging network that spans the entire country. The move is part of BP’s broader strategy to expand its charging infrastructure globally, with a goal of having more than 100,000 charging points worldwide by 2030. The partnership with Hertz is particularly significant, as the car rental company is steadily expanding its electric vehicle (EV) fleet. At the turn of the year,…

Cadillac global vice president, Rory Harvey, recently provided updates on the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover during a media briefing. The introductory Debut Edition, which was the only trim level offered at launch, sold out within 10 minutes of reservations opening. Harvey announced that all orders for the Debut Edition would be fulfilled by the end of the first quarter of 2023, but the automaker has not revealed how many units were ordered. GM delayed shipping the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq to address early quality issues. A quality hold was put in place after a recall for display screen issues and…

Federal regulators, including the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA), are investigating whether Amazon subsidiary Zoox’s robotaxis meet the requirements to travel on public roads. Zoox reportedly self-certified the vehicles and began using them to transport employees last week on a 1-mile loop between Zoox buildings. While the California Department of Motor Vehicles allowed the self-certification, NHTSA is scrutinizing the vehicles to ensure they conform to existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Unlike most other self-driving vehicles, Zoox’s robotaxis lack a steering wheel, brake pedal, or any other controls a human driver would need to take over. According to Zoox…