Shortly before the updated EU Battery Regulation comes into force, the chair “Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components” (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University has published a study on the European battery recycling market. Due to high investment costs, the current structure of the value chain will move toward large recycling centers,... Read more →
TSMC, Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, and NXP Semiconductors N.V. plan to invest jointly ina joint venture—European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC) GmbH, in Dresden, Germany—to provide advanced semiconductor manufacturing services. ESMC marks a significant step towards construction of a 300 mm fab to support the future capacity needs of... Read more →
Westport Fuel Systems has been designated as the supplier of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) systems to a global original equipment manufacturer (OEM). This is in addition to the previously announced production supply agreement, adding new Euro 7 vehicle platforms planned for production by the OEM. This is forecasted to generate... Read more →
Ballard Power Systems signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Ford Trucks to supply a fuel cell system as part of the development of a hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle prototype. The partnership includes an initial purchase order for two FCmove-XD 120 kW fuel cell engines that are planned to... Read more →
Taiwan-based ProLogium, a developer and manufacturer of next-generation EV solid-state battery solutions selected France as the location for its first large-scale solid-state battery manufacturing plant outside Asia. The European Commission has now given a green light to a €1.5-billion grant from the French government to support ProLogium’s project. (Earlier post.)... Read more →
Li-Cycle Holdings announced the start of commercial operations at its first Spoke recycling facility in Europe, located in Magdeburg, Germany. The Germany Spoke’s first main processing line has now commenced operations, with the second main line expected to start later in 2023. Each main line has the capacity to process... Read more →
Since the EU imposed sanctions on Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, there has been a redrawing of the global oil map, a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E;) shows. Instead of cutting demand, Europe has simply replaced imports from Russia with oil from other producing... Read more →
In November 2021, Finnish Minerals Group announced that it was negotiating with China-based Beijing Easpring Material Technology on the possibility to establish a cathode active materials (CAM) plant in Kotka, Finland. The parties have now agreed to set up a joint venture company by the end of 2023, of which... Read more →
TECO 2030 and its consortium partners will receive HORIZON EUROPE funding of €13.5 million to build and demonstrate a passenger ferry powered by TECO 2030 fuel cells. The grant amount reserved for TECO 2030 is €2.3 million. The principal goal of the project is to accelerate the transition towards safe... Read more →
The European Council has formally adopted the FuelEU Maritime Regulation. The main objective of the FuelEU Maritime initiative, as a key part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, is to increase the demand for and consistent use of renewable and low-carbon fuels and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from... Read more →
Porsche is planning to set up its own fast-charging stations offering a premium charging experience along Europe’s most important routes. As a pilot site, the first Porsche Charging Lounge has opened outside Bingen am Rhein. Two minutes from motorway junction A60/A61, it offers six 300-kW DC fast-charging stations and four... Read more →
Tata Sons will build a 40GW battery cell gigafactory in the United Kingdom (UK). The investment of more than £4 billion (US$5.2 billion), will deliver electric mobility and renewable energy storage solutions for customers in UK and Europe. JLR and Tata Motors will be anchor customers, with supplies commencing from... Read more →
Demand for battery raw materials in Europe will increase rapidly between now and 2050/ The region can curb the expected consumption of key metals from electrifying passenger transport by up to 49% over that period, according to new analysis. Environmental NGO Transport & Environment, which conducted the study, said governments... Read more →
FREYR Battery has been awarded a €100-million grant from the European Union to support development of FREYR’s Giga Arctic project in Norway. The grant will be funded through the EU’s Innovation Fund (EUIF) as part of the EU’s efforts to promote localized production of battery solutions. Giga Arctic, which has... Read more →
Poland-based battery systems maker Impact Clean Power Technology unveiled a visualization of GigafactoryX—a large-scale battery factory for electric vehicles and energy storage which will be launched in the city of Pruszków, near Warsaw. The Li-ion battery systems to be manufactured will include LTO, LFP and NMC technologies. Its construction will... Read more →
In an open letter, Nick Molden, CEO, Emissions Analytics and Dr Andreas Mayer, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, VERT Association, call on European regulators to apply the same approach they have applied to the tailpipe to the growing issue of tire emissions. The authors urge the inclusion of particle mass,... Read more →
Consip S.p.A. Roma, the central purchasing agency in Italy, has placed an order for 98 Solaris electric buses. Among them, 80 are Urbino 12 electric models, and 18 are articulated buses. The vehicles will be delivered to CTM Cagliari, the company managing urban transport in the capital of Sardinia, in... Read more →
NIO officially opened its new 1,500 square meter Innovation Center in Berlin, Germany. In response to the need for software that’s central to the user experience, the Berlin Innovation Center will be responsible for the development of new technologies and its respective localisation, testing and validation in Europe. NIO’s new... Read more →
Imerys, a global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions, and British Lithium, a private company having developed a processing route to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from mica in Cornish granite, (earlier post) have formed a joint venture with the objective of creating the United Kingdom’s first integrated producer of battery-grade lithium... Read more →
Iveco Group N.V. announced that, following the finalization of the definitive agreements with Nikola Corporation as per the terms sheet described on 9 May 2023, its subsidiary Iveco S.p.A. has acquired the full and sole ownership of the German company resulting from the former joint venture Nikola Iveco Europe, now... Read more →
BASF has opened Europe’s first co-located center of battery material production and battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. The inauguration of a production facility for high-performance cathode active materials (CAM) and the unveiling ceremony for a battery recycling plant for the production of black mass represent steps toward closing the loop... Read more →
Toyota launched the new C-HR C-segment SUV in Europe with a choice of four electrified powertrains, including 1.8 and 2.0-liter hybrid electric (HEV) versions and a 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) model. The 2.0-liter HEV variant will additionally be available with the option of intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD-i). The new... Read more →
RINA, the inspection, certification and consulting engineering multinational, and AFRY, a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services, have undertaken an initial study of how the Gulf region and Europe could be linked directly with a pipeline to transport low-carbon hydrogen. The results suggest a transformative opportunity to unlock... Read more →
New research commissioned by Shell and conducted by LCP Delta suggests electric vehicle adoption is accelerating in several key European markets and it is having a positive impact on driver perceptions, including range anxiety. The latest findings reflect the rapid growth in global EV sales witnessed over the last 12... Read more →
A research consortium led by Ford Research and Innovation Center Aachen is currently investigating the technical conditions under which diesel vehicles can run on dimethyl ether (DME) as an alternative fuel. DME is a gas that has similar physical properties to the liquid gases propane and butane and is also... Read more →
Opel announced that the successor to the Opel Crossland B-SUV will also be offered with all-electric drive in 2024. This means that every model in the product portfolio of the brand will be available as a battery-electric variant as early as next year. The wide range of battery-electric Opel models... Read more →
The European Union has awarded €4.9 million for the Recirculate project, which will address the most pressing challenges in the European battery recycling sector and battery materials logistics. The main goal of the project is to enhance end-of-life battery repair, reuse, remanufacture and recycling. Eleven partners from different countries will... Read more →
Ford opened the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center, a hi-tech production facility in Germany that will build Ford’s new generation of electric passenger vehicles. Ford transformed its historic plant in Niehl, Cologne—first founded in 1930—as part of a $2-billion investment. Designed to be highly efficient, the 125-hectare site is equipped with... Read more →
EcoCeres, an Asia-based bio-refinery company, announced its first shipment of 100% agricultural waste-produced cellulosic ethanol to the European markets, a milestone the company achieved after commissioning another facility in China. EcoCeres can produce a diverse range of renewable biofuels, covering Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Cellulosic... Read more →
The growing adoption of electric cars in Europe is leading to an increase in the use of the critical metals required for components such as electric motors and electronics. With the current raw material production levels there will not be enough of these metals in future—not even if recycling increases,... Read more →
Europe’s growing use of animal fats to power its cars and planes is becoming increasingly unsustainable, according to a new study by Cerulogy funded by European NGO Transport & Environment (T&E;). The green group calls for greater transparency so that consumers know what is going into their tanks and fueling... Read more →
Toyota announced a series of improvements and enhancements to strengthen its Yaris Hybrid hatchback range, increasing the market appeal of a model range that has proved an outstanding success for the brand. As well as strengthening the power and performance of the hybrid electric powertrain to give European customers more... Read more →
Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes-Benz celebrated the inauguration of Automotive Cells Company’s (ACC) battery gigafactory in Billy-Berclau Douvrin, France—the first of three planned in Europe. ACC was founded by Stellantis and TotalEnergies/Saft in 2020; Mercedes-Benz became a partner in 2022. With an initial production line capacity of 13 gigawatt-hours (GWh), rising... Read more →
The global professional services firm KPMG and Circulor, a leading supply chain traceability solution, announced a new alliance to offer a complete package that enables customers to trace, monitor and control critical raw materials throughout their battery and other industrial value chains, from extraction to the end of a product’s... Read more →
The Orano group, a global player in the recovery, reuse and transformation of nuclear materials, and China-based XTC New Energy group, a specialist in the production of cathode materials for batteries, signed agreements to create two joint ventures devoted to the production of critical materials for electric vehicle batteries. Under... Read more →
Ford revealed the all-new E‑Tourneo Courier in Copenhagen, Denmark. E-Tourneo Courier is a five-seat multi-activity vehicle with an SUV-inspired design. E-Tourneo Courier is one of 10 all-electric vehicles Ford has committed to offering in Europe by 2024, as it targets zero emissions for all vehicle sales in the region by... Read more →
Taiwan-based ProLogium has chosen France as the location for its first large-scale solid-state battery manufacturing facility outside of Taiwan. ProLogium will invest a total of €5.2 billion to set up a 48 GWh gigafactory and an R&D; center. This major investment project aims to facilitate supply chain localization, R&D; activities,... Read more →
BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions, a global leader in precious metals and catalysis, and Advent Technologies Holdings, a developer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell systems, have concluded the terms of a new agreement to join efforts in building a full-loop component supply chain for fuel cells and to... Read more →
Glencore International AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore plc, a leading producer, recycler, and marketer of nickel and cobalt for the production of electric vehicle batteries, and Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., an industry leader in lithium-ion battery resource recovery and the leading lithium-ion battery recycler in North America, signed a... Read more →
Eaton is continuing to expand and evolve its European eMobility business design capabilities, technologies and operations to support global electrified vehicle manufacturers. These upgrades will support Eaton’s efforts in delivering electric vehicle solutions to passenger car, commercial vehicle and off-highway OEMs globally. Eaton’s eMobility business has invested in a production... Read more →
A new €4-million research project funded by the EU is seeking to develop a lower-cost, more efficient and power-dense permanent magnet eMotor for electric vehicles (EVs). The consortium of eight European partners in the HEFT project is led by Mondragan University and includes GKN Automotive. HEFT considers that an energy-efficient... Read more →
IVECO BUS, the urban, intercity and tourism bus brand of Iveco Group N.V., inaugurated its new Foggia plant dedicated to the production of zero- and low-emission buses. The production volume of the plant will be 1,000 vehicles per year: high-tech buses with zero-emission propulsion (battery-electric and hydrogen-electric) and low-emission propulsion... Read more →
Independent research and business intelligence company Rystad Energy estimates that there are about 91 planned hydrogen pipeline projects in the world, totaling 30,300 kilometers and due to come online by around 2035. Today, more than 4,300 kilometers already exists for hydrogen transportation with more than 90% located in Europe and... Read more →
By Jake Stones, hydrogen editor at ICIS ICIS data shows that renewable hydrogen could be sold for below €1/kg if a producer obtains the maximum support provided by the European Hydrogen Bank, according to the heads of terms for the bank published by the European Commission on 31 March. The... Read more →
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares announced that the Mangualde Production Center in Portugal will enter a new era with the production of battery electric light commercial vehicles (LCV) starting in early 2025, producing the Citroën ë-Berlingo, Peugeot e-Partner, Opel Combo-e and Fiat e-Doblò models, both in light commercial and passenger versions.... Read more →
DCC plc, an international sales, marketing and support services group, has partnered with Oberon Fuels, the leading producer of renewable dimethyl ether (DME) (earlier post), to advance the design, construction and operations of multiple renewable DME production plants in Europe. The companies have completed an initial feasibility study which confirmed... Read more →
The European Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional political agreement on the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). The objective of the proposed regulation is threefold: To ensure that there is a sufficient infrastructure network for recharging or refueling road vehicles or ships with alternative fuels; to provide... Read more →
The German government and the EU Commission reached agreement on the inclusion of internal combustion engines fueled by CO2-neutral fuels—eFuels—late Friday evening. The agreement clears the way for the adoption of the 100% zero emissions limits for 2035. (Earlier post.) Early in March, Germany’s Federal Minister of Transport Dr. Volker... Read more →
PowerCo, the new battery company of the Volkswagen Group, and Belgian circular technology group Umicore have obtained full regulatory approvals for their joint venture announced in September 2022. The partners can now swiftly proceed to prepare for large-scale industrial production of cathode active materials (CAM) and precursor materials (PCAM) in... Read more →
The Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached provisional political agreement on green shipping fuels regulations. The main objective of the FuelEU Maritime initiative, as a key part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, is to increase the demand for and consistent use of renewable and low-carbon... Read more →
