Today the EV100 initiative from the Climate Group published their annual ‘EV100 Progress and Insights Report’ showing an exponential uptake of EVs in fleets and an unprecedented roll-out of charging infrastructure. We talked to Sandra Roling, who heads the EV100 at the Climate Group, about the challenges still facing EV100 members and some of the […]

Leclanché has developed a battery system for the operation of new and retrofitted electric commercial vehicles. The Swiss manufacturer has given the system an energy capacity of 39.4 kWh per battery pack.

Californian battery startup Romeo Power is now going public on the US stock exchange via a merger with the investment firm RMG Acquisition. The goal is to expand the production and development of commercial vehicle batteries.

German battery systems manufacturer Akasol has just moved into its new headquarters in the southwest of Darmstadt. The move marks the start of series production of the first battery systems on the production lines installed at the Akasol Campus plant.

The Horizon Fuel Cell Group has launched Hyzon Motors, a hydrogen vehicle company focused on heavy-duty FCEVs and specifically fuel cell stacks exceeding 100kW. Hyzon’s vehicle line due to launch this year is to include trucks from 15-40 tonnes.

Ford is bundling the development for European passenger cars, including battery electric models, in the German area of Cologne-Merkenich and will produce a future “family of battery electric vehicles” in Europe.

Commercial vehicle battery system supplier Akasol has just announced the opening of a production facility in the greater Detroit area in the US state of Michigan. Production is scheduled to start in 2020, and by 2021, the production of 400 MWh will apparently be possible by means of a three-shift operation.

The first European CO2 emission standards for trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles have now been set: the European Council’s formal adoption of the regulation was the final step in the procedure after the EU Parliament had passed the CO2 targets in April.

Supplier Webasto has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Wanxiang A123 of China to set up a dedicated battery system facility for electric trucks and buses in China. The partners build on tried and tested NCM cells of A123.

The Chinese truck manufacturer FAW Jiefang Automotive has opened their first factory for the production of electric trucks. In the new factory in Qingdao 50, 000 trucks are scheduled to be produced annually.
Xinhuanet.com

The Chinese vehicle Manufacturer BYD has signed an agreement with the Moroccan government to construct a factory in the north African nation. In the production site near Tangiers BYD plans to engage 2,500 employees to construct passenger vehicles, buses and trucks with electric engines, as well as produce a range of batteries.

Study tip: A new report by IDTechEx titled “Industrial and Commercial Hybrid and Pure Electric Vehicles 2015-2025” is looking at electric and hybrid trucks and new players in the market including Wrightspeed, TEVA UK/JAV and EDI.
idtechex.com via electricvehiclesresearch.com

Video tip: Check out this battle between a classic and a classic-to-be. AutoExpress puts the BMW M1 on the track first just to then fast-forward decades of automobile design embodied in the plug-in hybrid i8.
youtube.com