Volkswagen of America unveiled the three-row ID. Buzz in Huntington Beach, California. Paying homage to the iconic Volkswagen Microbus, the three-row ID. Buzz has been tailored specifically for North America. It offers a longer wheelbase than the two-row European vehicle that debuted in 2022 (earlier post), plus a bigger battery... Read more →

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO HD) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) have developed a stationary storage battery system (1 MW output, 3 MWh capacity) that combines TEPCO’s operating technology and safety standards for stationary storage batteries and Toyota’s system technology for electrified vehicle storage batteries. This system will... Read more →

Rio Tinto has successfully completed the full transition of its heavy machinery from fossil diesel to renewable diesel at its Boron, California operation, making it the first open pit mine in the world to achieve this milestone. The change to renewable diesel brings an anticipated CO2 equivalent reduction of up... Read more →

ABB introduced ABB Dynafin, a new propulsion system concept breaking new ground for efficiency in the marine industry. Inspired by the dynamic motions of a whale’s tail, the innovative concept is the result of more than a decade of research, development, and testing. ABB estimates the first prototype to be... Read more →

Fisker announced that as of 31 May, the all-electric Fisker Ocean Extreme (starting price $68,999) has an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated total range of 360 miles on standard 20" wheels and tires, exceeding Fisker’s previous estimates. The EPA values confirm that the Fisker Ocean Extreme, including the limited edition Fisker Ocean... Read more →

ZEV Stations, a B-Corporation with a novel approach to bring high-throughput hydrogen fueling and electric charging at the same location, received a Notice of Proposed Award (NOPA) for a $4-million funding grant by the California Energy Commission (CEC) to design, build and test a first-of-its-kind multimodal medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories, co-leads of the Heliostat Consortium, announced seven awardees from a request for proposals (RFP) aimed at achieving DOE’s goals for heliostat cost reduction, sustained multifaceted innovation, and improved solar field performance. Heliostats are mirrors that... Read more →

Ford Next is collaborating with Uber to deliver a new lease option for rideshare drivers going electric. Called Ford Drive, the pilot program offers flexible access to Ford Mustang Mach-E models and has launched in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. A flexible lease allows rideshare drivers to select... Read more →

Australia-based European Lithium Limited signed a binding term sheet for the joint development and operation of a lithium hydroxide processing plant in Saudi Arabia with Obeikan Group to convert lithium concentrate into lithium hydroxide. Tony Sage, Chairman of European Lithium, said the new facility, once operational, was expected to significantly... Read more →

China-based EV startup U Power Limited entered into a framework strategic cooperation agreement with Quantum Solutions Co., Ltd., the first and only independent Japanese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, to develop business initiatives relating to marketing, research and development of new energy vehicles, financial technologies,... Read more →

Italy-based startup AEHRA, an aspiring global ultra-premium EV brand, is partnering with Austria-based battery supplier Miba Battery Systems to develop bespoke battery solutions for the AEHRA SUV and Sedan models that will be specifically tailored for integration with AEHRA’s vehicle architecture and body structure to optimize range, efficiency and weight... Read more →

Medha Group, a supplier of vehicle traction systems and related electronics based in Hyderabad, India, and Leclanché SA, a provider of energy storage solutions, have agreed to market their technologies jointly in the railroad and commercial truck markets. The partnership agreement allows for Leclanché to provide its Li-ion battery pack... Read more →

Rio Tinto plans to invest US$395 million in a seawater desalination plant in the Pilbara, Western Australia, to support future water supply for the company’s coastal operations and communities in the region. The proposed Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, which remains subject to Commonwealth and State Government approvals, will be located... Read more →

The growing adoption of electric cars in Europe is leading to an increase in the use of the critical metals required for components such as electric motors and electronics. With the current raw material production levels there will not be enough of these metals in future—not even if recycling increases,... Read more →

Europe’s growing use of animal fats to power its cars and planes is becoming increasingly unsustainable, according to a new study by Cerulogy funded by European NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). The green group calls for greater transparency so that consumers know what is going into their tanks and fueling... Read more →

Vitesco Technologies and onsemi announced a 10-year long-term supply agreement worth $1.9 billion (€1.75 billion) for silicon carbide (SiC) products to enable Vitesco Technologies’ ramp in electrification technologies. Vitesco Technologies, a leading international manufacturer of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions, is also providing an investment of $250 million (€230... Read more →

Honda celebrated production of the 30-millionth engine built at the company’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio with the production of the newly refined 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, which is part of the two-motor hybrid-electric system that powers Honda Accord and CR-V hybrid-electric models. The Anna plant, Honda’s largest engine plant... Read more →

Toyota will assemble an all-new, three-row, battery electric SUV at Toyota Kentucky starting in 2025. The company’s first US-assembled BEV will be powered by batteries from Toyota North Carolina. The new battery plant, which is currently under construction, will receive an additional $2.1 billion investment to support future expansion in... Read more →

The Government of Canada announced support for the latest cathode active materials (CAM) facility to be operational in Canada, to be built by a joint venture between General Motors (GM) and POSCO Future M in Bécancour, Québec (earlier post). CAM are key battery materials that consist of components such as... Read more →

The all-new Alfa Romeo Tonale (earlier post) has completed final US EPA testing with an electric range of 33 miles and MPGe rating of 77. Total range of the Alfa Romeo Tonale with a full battery charge is 360 miles. Combined fuel economy is 29 MPG. 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale... Read more →

BASELABS, the specialist for sensor fusion, is now offering the acquisition of its complete software IP in the field of environment perception for automated driving in ASIL D. In contrast to the previous licensing model, buyers of the IP will be able to use the software without restrictions. The maturity... Read more →

The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a new goal to make up to 7,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity available through the smarter use of existing clean energy resources. The target represents a doubling of current levels and is enough electricity to power up to 7 million homes by 2030 without... Read more →

According to the California Independent System Operator, battery storage capacity in the state has increased by nearly 20 times since 2019—from 250 megawatts (MW) to 5,000 MW. Today’s fleet of storage resources can capture enough electricity to power up to 5 million California homes. By 2045, capacity is projected to... Read more →

China Merchants Heavy Industry has ordered 2 × MAN B&W 7S60ME-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) engines in connection with the construction of 2 × 9,300 ceu (car equivalent units) Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) for China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES). The order represents a number of firsts, including the... Read more →

A multi-institutional team led by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has developed a low-cost cobalt-based catalyst for the production of hydrogen in a proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE). Other contributors include DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Giner Inc.. Proton... Read more →

Daimler Truck Holding AG, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Hino Motors Ltd. (Hino) and Toyota Motor Corporation concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on accelerating the development of advanced technologies and merging MFTBC and Hino. Daimler Truck, MFTBC, Hino, and Toyota will collaborate toward achieving carbon neutrality by... Read more →

The eActros 300 Tractor for distribution haulage has covered around 3,000 kilometers from the Mercedes-Benz Wörth plant to Aksaray in Turkey, where the road endurance and reliability testing of the electric truck will be taking place. Test engineers chose a route across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria for the... Read more →

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander goes on sale in the US this summer with three available powertrains across three grades: the 2.4L turbo gasoline engine, the 2.5L hybrid, and the 362 hp Hybrid MAX. (Earlier post.) Designed by Calty Design Studios and exclusively assembled at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant... Read more →

Toyota announced a series of improvements and enhancements to strengthen its Yaris Hybrid hatchback range, increasing the market appeal of a model range that has proved an outstanding success for the brand. As well as strengthening the power and performance of the hybrid electric powertrain to give European customers more... Read more →

Lloyd’s Register (LR), Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) and MAN Energy Solutions (MAN-ES) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a design for the ammonia dual-fuel operation of an MSC container ship. Under the MOU, a technical specification and the associated design... Read more →

Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes-Benz celebrated the inauguration of Automotive Cells Company’s (ACC) battery gigafactory in Billy-Berclau Douvrin, France—the first of three planned in Europe. ACC was founded by Stellantis and TotalEnergies/Saft in 2020; Mercedes-Benz became a partner in 2022. With an initial production line capacity of 13 gigawatt-hours (GWh), rising... Read more →

Stellantis N.V. and Vulcan Energy Resources Limited have signed a binding term sheet for the first phase of a multiphase project to develop new geothermal projects aimed at decarbonizing the energy mix of Stellantis’ Mulhouse industrial site in France, which is home to the DS 7, Peugeot 308 and 308... Read more →

Dow and New Energy Blue announced a long-term supply agreement in North America in which New Energy Blue will create bio-based ethylene from renewable agricultural residues. Dow expects to purchase this bio-based ethylene, reducing carbon emissions from plastic production, and using it in recyclable applications across transportation, footwear, and packaging.... Read more →

The US Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) announced up to $10 million in funding to develop novel manufacturing technologies for superconducting tapes. (DE-FOA-0002784 Modification 06) Enabling widely available low-cost, high-performance superconducting (HTS) tapes could help enable the market growth and proliferation of nuclear fusion, superconducting... Read more →

From May 2023 onwards, two tankers transporting Neste’s renewable diesel from Finland to Sweden will be fueled with a lower-emission marine fuel: Neste Marine 0.1 Co-processed. (Earlier post.) Neste Marine 0.1 Co-processed is an ISCC PLUS certified marine fuel and a lower-emission solution for marine professionals, including cargo owners and... Read more →

Australian battery technology company Li-S Energy recently announced the development of its first 20-layer battery cells utilizing third-generation (GEN3) semi-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery technology. Key benefits Li-S Energy’s GEN3 lithium-sulfur battery cell include: a 45% improvement in volumetric energy density, reaching 540Wh/l; higher gravimetric energy density of more than 400Wh/kg; and... Read more →

A study led by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) examines the causes behind the ordering, or pattern formation, of ions that carry a positive charge, also called cations, in double perovskite oxides, a type of metal considered promising as a potential source of cleaner,... Read more →

Global technologies and materials group Haydale will contribute to Viritech’s development of fuel cell hydrogen electric vehicles (FCHEVs). Viritech secured a major role in Ford Motor Company’s three-year hydrogen fuel cell E-Transit trial. (Earlier post.) For the Ford project, Viritech will develop hydrogen pressure vessels using its proprietary integrated mounting... Read more →

H2X Global has been awarded a contract valued at up to 240 million Swedish Kronor ($US22.9 million) to supply hydrogen fuel-cell trucks for the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. Upon completion, this contract will establish the largest fleet of its kind in Sweden. The award, received by H2X Global’s subsidiary H2X... Read more →

RINA, an international company specializing in inspection, certification and engineering consultancy, and Eni have signed an agreement jointly to develop initiatives that can contribute to the energy transition and decarbonization of their respective operations and particularly maritime transport, where RINA and Eni can benefit from each other’s expertise. Specifically, the... Read more →

Antwerp Terminal Services (ATS), a joint venture between MSC PSA Europe Terminal (MPET) and PSA Antwerp (PSAA), recently launched the first hydrogen dual-fuel straddle carrier in the Port of Antwerp. Using H2 dual fuel combustion engine technology developed by cleantech company CMB.TECH and integrated into a straddle carrier with the... Read more →

Neste and ITOCHU have agreed to extend their collaboration with a licensing agreement allowing ITOCHU to become an official distributor of Neste MY Renewable Diesel in Japan. Based on this agreement, the availability of Neste MY Renewable Diesel will be expanded in the market, for example, to the area around... Read more →

India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) said that oil output from the Sakhalin-1 project in Russia has returned to a plateau level of 190,000 - 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) from zero. Sakhalin-1 produced an average of 227,000 bpd in 2021. Following the onset of sanctions against Russia... Read more →

Cirba Solutions, a battery materials and management processor for end-of-life batteries and gigafactory manufacturing scrap, has agreed to partner with Volta Energy Technologies, a venture capital firm backed by some of the biggest names in energy and energy storage materials. Cirba Solutions and Volta will be collaborating in numerous strategic... Read more →

ElDorado National (ENC), a subsidiary of REV Group, secured an order for 19 Axess EVO-FC hydrogen fuel cell buses from California public transit provider Foothill Transit. Foothill Transit currently operates a fleet of 359 buses, which includes zero-emission models, and serves Southern California’s San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, including Pasadena... Read more →

The Cushing Economic Development Foundation, Inc. and the City of Cushing, Oklahoma announced that Southern Rock Energy Partners, LLC (SREP) has selected Cushing as the site for its 250,000 BPD next-generation, full conversion crude refinery. The project is expected to have $5.56 billion in capital investment and supply 423+ full-time... Read more →

The Ohio State (OSU) & Wilberforce University Team has been named the winner of Year One of the EcoCAR Electric Vehicle (EV) Challenge, taking the lead in the four-year collegiate engineering competition. West Virginia University took second place and University of Alabama finished third in the judged competition, which was... Read more →

Natilus, a designer and developer of new autonomous blended-wing body (BWB) cargo aircraft, and ZeroAvia announced a strategic partnership jointly to develop hydrogen-electric engines for the Natilus Kona cargo aircraft. ZeroAvia’s ZA600 will be the sole hydrogen fuel cell powertrain offered for the novel Kona short-haul feeder UAV, with the... Read more →

Toyota will enter the ENEOS Super Taikyu Series 2023 Round 2 NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hours Race, to be held from May 26 to 28, with the #32 ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 Concept (hydrogen-powered Corolla) running on liquid hydrogen. (Earlier post.) It is the first time in the... Read more →

MAHLE Powertrain and Clean Air Power have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combine their efforts in providing rapid and cost-effective solutions for net-zero fueled internal combustion engines. The two companies have a longstanding collaborative relationship that has delivered results across a number of research projects. As part of these... Read more →