The EU-funded TranSensus LCA project aims to develop the basis for a harmonised life cycle assessment approach for electric vehicles across Europe. According to the organizers, such a uniform LCA approach is a key element for achieving the goals of the Green Deal.
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TotalEnergies and Valeo have signed an agreement to develop a novel method for cooling electric vehicle batteries. At the heart of the collaboration is a new cooling fluid developed by TotalEnergies.
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French automotive supplier Valeo has won orders for its thermal systems for vehicle electrification worth more than four billion euros since the beginning of this year. Thermal solutions include air conditioning, heat pumps and battery cooling systems.
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Siemens’ exit from the electric drive joint venture it set up with Valeo in 2016 is now official. Siemens has now reached an agreement with Valeo to divest its 50 per cent stake in the Valeo Siemens eAutomotive (VSeA) joint venture for 277 million euros. VSeA has also received a large order from Renault.
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The French automotive supplier Valeo will be presenting a series of innovations for electrified buses at Busworld in Brussels in October. Efficient heating and air-conditioning systems for the interior are designed to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicles.
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Michelin and Faurecia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a joint venture to combine all of Michelin’s fuel cell activities, including its subsidiary Symbio, with those of Faurecia.
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In future Valeo will be solely responsible for the Valeo Siemens eAutomotive joint venture that they had founded together with Siemens back in 2016. Valeo’s main man in Germany, Derrick Zechmair, confirmed an end to the JV, saying they had planned the exit along.
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The French government has signed a strategic contract with several French automobile manufacturers and suppliers to help prepare the market for “technological disruptions” such as electrification and autonomous driving.
Read moreNorthvolt partners with ABB: Swedish company Northvolt and Swiss tech specialist ABB will work together to realise Northvolt’s project to build Europe’s largest lithium ion battery factory in Sweden. Their agreement involves a supply and technology partnership as well as R&D collaboration. ABB intends to supply robotics, automation and electrification solutions and to contribute to innovations in battery technology in areas such as production platform, cell and module design and battery performance. As reported, battery production in the new gigafactory could start in 2020 and ramp up to 32 GWh in 2023.
europe.autonews.com, new.abb.com
Does Siemens consider selling JV shares? When Siemens formed a 50:50 joint venture with Valeo in December 2016, it allegedly insisted on an exit clause, the Handelsblatt has learnt. Thus, Siemens has a put option from December 2021 and Valeo simultaneously a call option on Siemens’ shares. Their JV is focussing on high-voltage powertrains for all forms of electrified cars, including hybrids.
handelsblatt.com (in German, with paywall)
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Maiden flight of electric air taxi in Dubai: The autonomous air taxi concept by German manufacturer Volocopter has successfully completed its first unmanned test flight at a location close to Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Park. Currently, the prototype manages to stay in the air for approximately 30 minutes. As reported, also Daimler is among the investors of the aviation company.
zdnet.com, newatlas.com, mediaoffice.ae
British Airways to replace diesel tugs: The airline has inaugurated five new remote-controlled EVs capable to push back aircrafts from gates at London-Heathrow. The so-called “Mototoks” replace diesel tugs and are in operation at Terminal 5 where they allegedly manage to park up to 40 percent more airlines in the same amount of parking space.
internationalairportreview.com, engadget.com
Siemens and Valeo form alliance: The recently announced Valeo Siemens eAutomotive GmbH, a 50:50 joint venture, has begun operations. The company will focus on high-voltage powertrains for all forms of electrified cars, including hybrids. Jointly developed electric motors, on-board chargers, inverters and power converters are said to give the companies a more favourable position in the market.
greencarcongress.com, siemens.com
Good-bye diesel cars: The mayors of Athens, Madrid, Mexico City, Paris pledged they would ban diesel cars from their streets by 2025. Athens even wants to go one step further and get rid of all cars in in city centre. Meanwhile, from February 15th, 2017, Beijing will prohibit all cars that don’t meet emission standards from entering the city during smog alarm. The move could affect all cars that are ten years or older – or roughly 8 percent of vehicles.
theguardian.com, c40.org (diesel), channelnewsasia.com (Beijing)
Tesla-fighter from China: NextEV, who just unveiled its 1 MW hypercar, is reportedly also working on a Model X competitor. The electric SUV will be built in China together with JAC and is said to hit the road late 2018 or early 2019. Thanks to a 70 kWh battery pack, range is estimated at 330 miles (530 km), but more importantly, NextEV says it will be “cheaper” than the Tesla.
autonews.com
Maven comes to Germany: Opel will introduce GM’s mobility service Maven to Germany next year. Called “Maven home,” it will also employ the Ampera-e. The EV will first be available for selected hotels, apartment complexes and student housing, and will later also be used in a more conventional e-carsharing scheme.
automobilwoche.de, autogazette.de (articles in German)
Tesla goes on sale in Spain: The Model S and Model X can now be ordered in Spain, with first deliveries scheduled for the first quarter of 2017. The EV pioneer is also stepping up its game in terms of chargers there, installing more Superchargers and Destination Chargers at hotels, etc.
electrek.co, elpais.com
The first Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid rolled off production lines at the Windsor plant in Ontario on December 1st. The first electrified minivan will be available from just under 42,000 dollars in the U.S., where it also qualifies for the 7,500 dollar tax credit. Electric range is rated at 30 miles.
greencarcongress.com, insideevs.com
Green light for LG facility in Poland: Rumours that LG Chem is setting up shop in Europe to build EV batteries have been circulating for a while. The Polish government now says the supplier will invest 1.3bn zloty (339,000,000 USD) in a facility in Kobierzyce near Wroclaw, which will churn out batteries for 100,000 EVs per year from 2019.
reuters.com, bloomberg.com
Sweden has big plans: The country kicked off the “Research and Innovation Platform for Electric Roads,” aimed at further developing Electric Road Systems (ERS). It has been testing roads with overhead contact lines for electric trucks and now wants to look at how the system could be introduced on a larger scale, as well how interfaces can be standardised.
greencarcongress.com, viktoria.se
Very individual EV: Honda has developed the prototype of a platform to produce 3D-printed, small electric cars. A big plus is the adoptable layout, which could enable clients to design their EV based exactly on what they need and want.
engadget.com
New Valeo mild hybrid: The automotive supplier presented a 48 Volt mild hybrid system in Paris. The 48V e4Sport can be used in all types of vehicles with petrol or diesel-powered engines and supports all-electric driving.
greencarcongress.com
Siemens and Valeo form alliance: The two companies have formed a 50:50 joint venture to make high-voltage powertrains for all forms of electrified cars, including hybrids. Jointly developed electric motors, on-board chargers, inverters and power converters are said to give the companies a more favourable position in the market.
greencarcongress.com, electriccarsreport.com
Battery cooperation: ElringKlinger meanwhile teamed up with Sensor Technik Wiedemann. Together the German companies want to create lithium-ion battery modules and system for i.e. electric vehicles. The first projects will include energy 24 and 48 Volt energy storage systems with optimal cooling.
prcenter.de
LG Chem with new coating: LG Chem has purchased a patent licence agreement from company Optodot to use the latter’s boehmite ceramic-coated separators for Li-ion batteries. Ceramic coating is said to improve performance, life cycle and safety of Li-ion batteries.
greencarcongress.com
Vertical takeoff: Aurora Flight Sciences has completed a first flight with a miniature model of its newly developed aircraft with hybrid-electric propulsion (we reported). The plane can take off and land vertically, making runways a thing of the past. Once airborne, it can reach up to 740 kph. The development is funded 89m dollars from the U.S. Pentagon.
gizmag.com, dailymail.co.uk
End-to-end H2 supply chain: Toyota, Toshiba and Iwatani will start testing an end-to-end low-carbon hydrogen supply chain this autumn with support from the Japanese government. The hydrogen will be produced from renewables and used to power 12 fuel cell fork lifts. Excess energy is to be stored in batteries from used hybrid vehicles.
greencarcongress.com
Audi takes FCV lead: Audi will head the Volkswagen Group’s fuel cell efforts at a centre in Neckarsulm, Germany. The brand will pave the way for the whole corporation, says Audi’s new development chief Stefan Knirsch. Audi will presents its fuel cell vehicle, the H-tron quattro in Detroit next year, but has not given launch date.
autonews.com, heise.de (in German)
Sports car drive for C-segment: GKN Driveline launches a new version of its eAxle module derived from the one used in the BMW i8, Porsche 918 Spyder, and Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV. The revised drive will power mass market plug-in hybrids with up to 65 kW additional electric performance.
greencarcongress.com
AirCon testing for EVs: Valeo operates a new high voltage test bed at its facility in German Bad Rodach. It will help to make air condition systems in electric cars as efficient as possible, while also looking to improve charging times. The endeavour is supported by the state of Bavaria, BMW and two regional universities.
np-coburg.de (in German)
Most clicked link on Monday was the upcoming BMW i3 update that will boast more range (290 km) and potentially have even more power (currently 177 hp), according to our sources.
insideevs.com
Yes to CO2 reduction: French Valeo says it already has the technology to reduce CO2 emissions to 75g/100km, which might become EU norm by 2025 (we reported yesterday). While no details have been released, the French supplier shifts its focus to fuel savings and Asia. There, it intends to sell 40% of its equipment by 2020.
just-auto.com
Wireless charging in China: ZTE Corporation is developing high-power wireless charging systems for EVs and focusses on public transport and infrastructure. ZTE’s inductive charging WPT module is said to have a potential capacity of up to 30 kW, with a gap of 20 cm and efficiency of up to 90%. Several trials with electric buses are running already.
greencarcongress.com
Roadster reloaded: Ethos Electric Vehicles from Alaska is looking for 100,000 dollars to rework the La Bala from Graber Cars into an all-wheel drive electric roadster. A two-wheel drive unit is planned for 28,000 dollars. EEV will build the electric motor, enclose the cabin and add storage space, as well as the battery.
greencarcongress.com, gofundme.com (campaign)
40-ton electric truck: At the BMW facility in Munich, tests of an electric truck are underway as planned. The 40-ton EV is hauling material over a 2-km distance between the BMW plant and logistic partner Scherm up to eight times a day. The battery is powered by renewable energy.
auto-medienportal.net (in German), nyteknik.se (in Swedish)
