The Elements of Innovation Discovered
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Automakers sign agreement to collaborate on vehicles, supply chain and clean energy tech. Two leading automotive companies have joined forces to target improved efficiencies and increased competitiveness through collaboration along lines of manufacturing and clean energy technologies. General Motors and Hyundai Motor Company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore future collaboration across these key strategic areas as leading global OEMs – leveraging t...
Car and battery manufacturers are getting in on the critical minerals mining business. There has been an increasing trend of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for electric vehicles, and the batteries that power them are moving upstream in the global metals supply chain to secure deals for their own feedstocks of critical minerals – entering into mineral offtake agreements directly with mining companies, investing in mining projects, and joint mining ventures. Until r...
The all-electric Taycan and Macan will take center stage at technology, arts, and culture festival in Austin, Texas. Returning to Austin for its third year at South by Southwest arts and tech festival, Porsche will spotlight three new all-electric options – the Taycan Turbo S, Macan 4 and Macan Turbo. Porsche is committed to increasing the sales of electric vehicles, stating that it expects to make more than 80% of its sales EVs by 2030. These well-publicized goals by such a...
H2 infrastructure - Nikola builds out, Shell pulls back, and passenger cars lag heavy vehicles. Shell's withdrawal from passenger-vehicle hydrogen refueling operations has ignited debates on the developing industry's overall timing and viability. However, automakers and governments are still backing hydrogen fuel cells due to growing concerns about the slow pace and environmental expense of new critical mineral mines needed for lithium-ion batteries currently powering most...
In order to produce enough batteries for its expanding lineup of electric vehicles, General Motors is teaming up with Samsung SDI to invest $3 billion into building a 30 gigawatt-hour battery cell manufacturing plant in the United States. "GM's supply chain strategy for EVs is focused on scalability, resiliency, sustainability and cost-competitiveness. Our new relationship with Samsung SDI will help us achieve all these objectives," said General Motors Chair and CEO Mary...
Electric-powered 18-wheelers that never need to charge and emit water vapor as exhaust – this is Volvo Trucks' vision for the future of heavy long-haul transport. Hydrogen fuel cells are the technology behind this eco-friendly dream, and the Swedish automaker's truck manufacturing division is already testing hydrogen-powered semis. In the most basic terms, a fuel cell transforms hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen into electricity, water vapor, and a little heat. Platinum catalyst...
Swedish premium electric performance carmaker Polestar recently announced a new global partnership with Hertz Corp. to sell 65,000 electric vehicles to the global car rental company over the next five years, with availability to begin in spring 2022 in Europe and later in the year for North America and Australia. "We are excited to partner with Polestar and look forward to introducing their premium EV products into our retail and rideshare fleets," said Hertz CEO Stephen Scher...
Global automaker Stellantis and battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution have forged a partnership that will invest US$4.1 billion (C$5 billion) to establish the first large-scale, electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Canada. To be built in Windsor, Ontario, this new facility will produce leading-edge lithium-ion battery cells and modules that will power a significant portion of the EVs being manufactured in North America for Stellantis, which owns Chrysler,...
Car titans Volkswagen Group and Ford Motor Company have expanded their e-mobility partnership with Ford planning to produce another electric model for the European market based on Volkswagen's modular electric drive matrix platform, as well as doubling its planned MEB volume to 1.2 million units over the next six years. "Our strategic alliance with Volkswagen is an important element of Ford's commitment to offer an all-electric range of vehicles that are uniquely Ford and desi...
To develop high-performance lithium-ion batteries that will power the next generation of ultra-luxury electric cars in the United Kingdom, Aston Martin has formalized an agreement that merges its 109-year history of automotive excellence with Britishvolt's pioneering expertise in battery technologies. "For a prestigious marque such as Aston Martin, staying true to its world-renowned brand of ultra-luxury, high-performance vehicles, whilst transitioning to electrification,...
In a collaborative twist, automotive giant Honda Motor Co. Ltd. announced an agreement with Sony Group Corp. to explore the possibility of forming a strategic alliance aiming to create a new era of high value-added battery electric vehicles and commercialize them in conjunction with providing mobility services. While it may seem strange for the monolithic entertainment company that has brought into the world things like the Playstation and the original Spiderman movies, Sony...
Immediately following its partnership with Northvolt to build a 50-gigawatt-hour-per-year battery gigafactory in Sweden, Volvo Cars announced plans to invest roughly US$1.1 billion (10 billion Swedish kronor) to ready its Torslanda manufacturing plant to produce the next generation of fully electric vehicles. "With these investments we take an important step towards our all-electric future and prepare for even more advanced and better electric Volvos," said Volvo Cars Chief...
Battery pioneer Britishvolt, the United Kingdom's foremost investor in battery cell technologies, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lotus to develop tailor-made battery cells to go into electric vehicles produced by the premier UK sportscar manufacturer. "Britishvolt is excited to be working with such a prestigious and highly acclaimed OEM as Lotus," said Britishvolt Chief Commercial Officer Oliver Jones. "This MoU demonstrates that the legacy one-size-fits-all...
In its race toward becoming North America's electric vehicle market leader by 2025, General Motors Co. has unveiled plans to invest roughly $7 billion in new lithium-ion battery and EV manufacturing facilities in Michigan, the single largest investment ever by the American automaker. "Today we are taking the next step in our continuous work to establish GM's EV leadership by making investments in our vertically integrated battery production in the U.S., and our North American...
From the 1,774 feet below sea level depths of a Michigan mine to the 14,115-foot-high summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, television producer J.F. Musial and his team broke a Guinness World Record by driving a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo for the greatest altitude change ever achieved by an electric vehicle – 15,889 feet, or just over three miles. And, as a crew that usually spends their time making car films, Musial and his creative team videoed the epic trek. "It started as a... Full story
In keeping with the green energy transition trend, Volvo Trucks Jan. 14 announced the launch of its next iteration Volvo VNR Electric – one of six all-electric heavy truck models offered by the company – with the VNR specifically designed for the North American market. In preparation for the launch, the company conducted testing of another one of its all-electric trucks, the Volvo FH Electric, a zero-exhaust emission vehicle with 490 kilowatts of continuous power and a gro...
Powering up its mission to become the world's leading manufacturer of electric vehicles, Volkswagen Group has established a European public company to consolidate activities along the EV battery supply chain – from processing raw materials, to developing a unified Volkswagen battery, and managing the five European gigafactories the company has in the pipeline. The German automaker's new battery business will be headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, which is the site of V...
Upon exceeding 500,000 electric vehicles – including battery EVs and hybrids – in 2019, BMW Group announced plans to surpass 1 million electrified vehicles within two years. Fast forward, Dec. 6, 2021, and the German automaker has kept its promise. "The delivery of our one-millionth electrified vehicle marks a milestone in our transformation – and we already have the next one in our sights: We aim to break through the two-million mark in just two years," said Pieter Nota,...
Joining the trend of world-class automakers reshaping their entire focus on a zero-carbon future, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. has unveiled Nissan Ambition 2030, a vision for delivering exciting electric vehicles and technologies over the coming decade. "The role of companies to address societal needs is increasingly heightened," said Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida. "With Nissan Ambition 2030, we will drive the new age of electrification, advance technologies to reduce carbon footprint... Full story
Hyundai Motors Group announced today the reveal of SEVEN, its newest sport utility electric vehicle concept at AutoMobility LA. Along with other products such as the IONIQ 5 and the XCIENT fuel cell on display at the auto show, SEVEN shows that Hyundai is leaping ahead in the e-mobility market. Following the 45 and Prophecy concepts in 2019 and 2020, respectively, SEVEN opens a new chapter for the IONIQ brand as Hyundai's dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV) showcase....
As part of the ongoing pursuit to explore breakthroughs in materials science and recycling concepts in the support of electric mobility and sustainable transportation, Volkswagen Group of America's innovation hub in Knoxville, Tennessee has expanded its research collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Reported Oct. 27, the first project involves testing Oak Ridge National Lab's new high-power wireless EV charging concepts with a Porsche Taycan. "We aim to leverage...
As one of the largest automobile manufacturers on the planet, Toyota Motor Corporation, has long spearheaded low-carbon transportation. The company's latest move shows it means business, with a 10-year, US$3.4 billion (380 billion yen) investment into electric vehicle technologies in the United States. Specifically, the investment is for the development and localization of EV battery production and is part of a global total of approximately US$13.5 billion (1.5 trillion yen) s...
Market and business research firm, IDTechEx, predicts that while battery electric vehicles (BEV) are paving the way for decarbonizing road transport, the hydrogen fuel cell will claim a leading role, an estimated US$160 billion role. In the latest report by UK-based tech speculator, "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2022-2042," IDTechEx forecasts the market value of on-road fuel cell vehicles will grow to US$160 billion in 2042 at a compound annual growth rate of 23.9% over the...
U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has licensed its wireless charging technology – a technology that could one day enable electric vehicles to be charged as they are driven at highway speeds – to Brooklyn-based HEVO to continue development of this groundbreaking system. Founded in 2011, HEVO has long been in the process of seeking ways to eliminate global reliance on fossil fuels. Built upon the values inherent to its name – honest, empathy, value...
A recent analysis by the Zero Emission Transportation Association found that electric vehicle drivers save upwards of $10,000 in operating costs when compared to similar internal combustion engine cars, trucks, and SUVs. Given the increases in the cost of filling up an ICE vehicle at the gas pump, the savings of driving an EV are likely to increase. "This month's Consumer Price Index shows once again that gas prices are surging, which has been exacerbated by Putin's invasion... Full story