The Nextcell project, funded by the EU with €8 mn, aims to develop a new generation of high-performance lithium-ion battery cells. Led by FEV, 17 partners from ten EU countries seek to establish “gellified battery cells” in what sounds like an approach to semi-solid state cells.
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Chemical group Solvay has invested in California-based start-up Sepion Technologies that specializes in developing batteries with Li-metal anodes and liquid electrolytes.
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The British eVTOL start-up Vertical Aerospace announces pre-orders for a total of 1,000 of its electric aerial taxis. In this context, the company also announces that it is seeking an IPO via SPAC and has received commitments from Microsoft, American Airlines, Avolon, Honeywell and Rolls-Royce.
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The Renault Group will cooperate with the waste disposal and recycling specialist Veolia and the chemical group Solvay in the development of a circular economy for metals from the spent batteries of electric vehicles. The three companies have presented a declaration of intent.
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There is news from the Battery Alliance initially announced in February: the partners Saft, Siemens, Solvay and Many have announced that they would enter serial production of an improved lithium-ion battery format utilising high-density liquid electrolytes in the first half of 2020.
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French battery producer Saft has announced a cooperation with Siemens, Solvay and Manz to research, develop and industrialise solid-state batteries. The venture is designated to last for seven years, and naturally includes electric transport applications.
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Full service e-van: Based on a Nissan e-NV200, GreenWay subsidiary Voltia offers the Maxi that has a load capacity of eight cubic metres. Range is 140 km and the company tailored a full service package to lease that provides clients with data on their usage as well.
evobsession.com
Bi-directional charging: Munich Sono Motors presented a bidirectional charging system for its solar-powered Sion EV. It thus turns into a mobile energy storage unit that can be accessed via any household (Schuko) plug and thus charges any devices with up to 2,700 Watt. Obviously, a fast-charging connector enables to go beyond 2,7 kW. The start-up hopes to produce the Sion from 2019.
sonomotors.com
Printed permanent magnet: 3D-printed magnets are more efficient and use less rare earth materials than traditional ones, researchers at the ORNL demonstrated. Their NdFeB magnets can be used in a range of applications including electric vehicles.
greencarcongress.com
Electrode binder: Solvay invented polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) electrode binders designed to boost the electrical performance of Li-ion batteries for hybrid as well as electric vehicles. The Solef electrolyte binders allow Solvay to chemically modify the PVDF polymer and achieve high molecular weight.
solvay.com
Lane change at Apple? The company has signed Dan Dodge, former head of automotive software at Blackberry. While Apple has not abandoned plans to build an electric car, the focus of project Titan is said to have shifted to autonomous driving. The new strategy would make it easier to find a partner in the automotive industry or even to acquire one.
bloomberg.com
New Daimler factory: The manufacturer is building a second car factory in Hungarian Kecskemét, for which it will invest about 1m euros. The site is said to also be suitable for the production of electric and hybrid cars. Whether these will then also be build there has yet to be confirmed.
autonews.com
Ballard Power gets new investor: The Canadian fuel cell specialist has signed a strategic partnership agreement with electric motor manufacturer Broad-Ocean. The latter will acquire 9.9 percent of Ballard Power for 28.3m U.S. dollars.
prnewswire.com
Clean battery making: Solvay has announced the successful completion of the EU funded project Life + Glee that uses water instead of organic solvents during the production of Li-ion batteries. As part of the research project, Solvay has opened a pilot plant in Bollate, Italy, to develop an innovative cathode protection technology.
chemeurope.com
Audi hopes to win the race with an electrified quattro four-wheel drive, which will be featured in the 2014 R18 e-tron racecar. The power distribution to the wheels of Audi’s diesel-hybrid is controlled purely electronically, with the front-wheel drive components integrated in the vehicles monocoque. Recuperated energy is stored in the new flywheel energy storage system. Audi will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with two R18.
hybridcars.com, electriccarsreport.com
Greener energy storage: Chemical firm Solvay wants to replace organic solvents with water during the production of cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. A pilot production facility is set to open its doors next year. The research is part of LIFE+GLEE project and in part funded by the EU.
solvayplastics.com (project website)
Vroom goes the EV: Toshiba’s TB2909FNG chip imitates the sounds of a conventional combustion engine to make quiet electric cars louder. The company refers to a 2011 EU resolution amendment that would require EVs to be equipped with ‘acoustic vehicle alerting systems’ (AVAS).
electronicsweekly.com
Turkey wants to build own EVs: According to the national newspaper ‘Sabah,’ plans to form a brand that specialises in electric mobility are becoming more concrete. Ten technological concepts for the first Turkish-produced electric vehicles are being considered, but only one will be able to receive the 33 million euros (45.8 million dollars) in government funding.
emobilitaetonline.de (in German), sabah.com.tr (in Turkish)
