LG Chem invests $75 million in Piedmont Lithium


Battery manufacturer LG Chem will make a $75-million equity investment in Piedmont Lithium. This will result in LG Chem holding approximately 5.7% of Piedmont common shares. LG will also commit to the offtake of 200,000 metric tons of spodumene concentrate (SC6) from Piedmont’s jointly-owned North American Lithium over a four-year term. Piedmont has agreed to… Read more »

Ricardo to define a harmonized European life-cycle assessment standard for EVs and batteries


British consulting company Ricardo has begun work on developing a harmonized European life-cycle assessment standard for EVs and batteries. The project is funded by the EU and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). At the moment, there is no agreed European or international standard on vehicle life-cycle assessment. Defining a single, harmonized life-cycle assessment approach for… Read more »

On the road to an electrified vehicle future


Sponsored by TTI. By Kevin AlbertsVice President and General Manager, Power Signal Solutions Business Unit at Molex An electrified vehicle future is on the horizon, as global automakers announce new electric fleets and invest in new technologies and EV battery plants to fuel next-generation innovations. Meanwhile, an ever-increasing roster of government incentives and regulations is… Read more »

Tesla says “No, thanks” to California subsidies for Supercharger projects


Tesla has backed out of a deal under which the company would have received up to $6.4 million in subsidies for four huge Supercharger stations in California, due to a requirement that the chargers incorporate credit/debit card readers. Tesla was awarded the funding last September through the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program Rural Electric… Read more »

Scania delivers unique 66-ton electric truck to quarry in Norway


In the rapidly-growing EV market, it’s good to be skeptical of superlative claims. It’s anybody’s guess how long the electric truck that Scania recently delivered to the Verdalskalk limestone quarry in Norway will hold the title of the country’s largest, but this is definitely a pretty darn big truck. This 66-tonne monster has 3 axles,… Read more »

Evonik invests in graphene specialist SuperC


Specialty chemical provider Evonik has invested in Chinese graphene specialist SuperC.  SuperC has developed a process to produce few-layer graphene (FLG) and pastes for electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. According to the company, the addition of graphene increases the electrical and thermal conductivity of the batteries for faster charging and better overall performance. The batteries also… Read more »

Improve EV charging ROI and customer experience by choosing the right fast chargers


Q&A with Tritium Chief Sales Officer David Nicholl. In any industry, savvy manufacturers know that success depends on more than just delivering hardware. The best companies work closely with their customers to help them choose the most cost-effective hardware for their specific needs. The EVSE industry is still young, and charger manufacturers and charge point… Read more »

TwinTorq says its electric/hydraulic motor extends EV range and battery life


EV motor and drivetrain manufacturer KersTech has developed a new motor for commercial EVs that combines electric and hydraulic functions, with the aim of maximizing efficiency and extending vehicle range and battery life. According to KersTech, hydraulic motors are three times more energy-efficient than electric motors for launch acceleration and brake energy regeneration at lower… Read more »

Li-Bridge calls for building a domestic US  battery supply chain


Public-private alliance Li-Bridge, representing the US battery ecosystem, has released an action plan to accelerate creation of a robust domestic manufacturing base and supply chain for lithium-based batteries. The alliance was convened by the DOE and is managed by Argonne National Laboratory. The report’s 26 recommendations include a buying consortium for raw energy materials, a… Read more »

Our Next Energy (ONE) to supply batteries for The Shyft Group’s electric trucks


Energy storage technology company ONE was selected to supply more than 15,000 Aries lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs over the next five years for use in The Shyft Group’s Blue Arc Class 3, 4 and 5 electric trucks. Blue Arc trucks using Aries batteries will go through development, testing and validation this year using… Read more »