Highlifter, Hitachi, LG Chem, Berkeley Lab, Argonne National Lab.

All-electric highlifter: The company ‘German E-Cars’ is currently testing its new ‘Highlifter’ at Kassel-Calden airport, Germany. The eleven-metre vehicle was developed with Doll Fahrzeugbau AG, a specialist for airfield vehicles, and is the first fully electric of its kind. It serves the caterer Gategourmet lifting containers. If the test is successful, the Highlifter will go on further trials in Zürich, Amsterdam and Stockholm.
hna.de (in German, many photos)

Building on synergies: Hitachi is integrating its Vehicle Energy’s design and R&D department for lithium-ion batteries into Hitachi Automotive Systems in April. The company thus hopes to strengthen synergies in developing electric and hybrid drivetrains and to increase battery efficiency.
greencarcongress.com

Battery factory in China: LG Chem is reportedly planning to build a battery factory in China to be able to satisfy the future demand of the Chinese car industry. LG Chem, which is currently supplying batteries to carmakers such as GM and Renault, expects to double it customers to 20 in the near future.
electric-vehiclenews.com

New nanocatalysts discovered by researchers at Berkeley and Argonne National Labs are said to make cheaper and more efficient catalysts for fuel cells than the best platinum catalysts used today. The new bimetallic catalysts of platinum and nickel (Pt3Ni) have a tree-dimensional catalytic surface activity.
greencarcongress.com