Less-affluent EV fans have been hoping Tesla would produce a budget-priced EV since…well, since the company’s founding. Over the last few months, we’ve seen growing evidence that a cheaper Tesla—which the chattering classes have unofficially dubbed Model 2—is in the works. In April, Tesla revealed Master Plan Part 3, which included teaser-level info about three… Read more »
Lithium producers are hustling to establish production in North America, and that’s a positive thing. However, it’s not going to happen at Silicon Valley speed. The mining industry has its own complex product cycles, and its own terminology, complete with plenty of acronyms. Piedmont Lithium’s joint venture partner, Sayona Mining, has released a definitive feasibility… Read more »
Belgian circular materials technology company Umicore has purchased a minority stake in California-based solid-state battery manufacturer Blue Current. This investment complements the companies’ joint development agreement (JDA) to integrate Umicore’s battery materials into Blue Current’s solid-state battery technology. By providing capital—in addition to supplying battery materials under the JDA—Umicore intends to drive market adoption of… Read more »
Two North American EV charging network companies, California-based EVCS and Quebec-based ChargeHub, have announced a partnership: EVCS will join ChargeHub’s Passport Hub platform as a charge point operator (CPO). The aim, according to EVCS, is to open its network to a broad range of EV drivers using a variety of e-mobility service providers (eMSPs), and… Read more »
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded British aerospace, defense and nuclear engineering company Babcock International a one-year contract to assist the British Army in assessing the application of electric propulsion to its military vehicles through Project LURCHER. Babcock, in collaboration with British electric conversion company Electrogenic, will convert four military Land Rovers, two… Read more »
Q&A with Qmerit founder and CEO Tracy K. Price EV chargers aren’t the kind of hardware that’s typically installed by the customer—whether that customer is a homeowner who’s charging one EV, or a company with dozens of charging sites. An EV charger deployment generally requires the services of an installer (and larger projects sometimes involve… Read more »
China-based Gochin has approached the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum with a proposal to invest $10 billion in Afghanistan’s lithium mining sector. The Chinese company suggested that if it is awarded the lithium mining contract, it will invest in several significant Afghan infrastructure projects, including tunnels, a power dam and highways, according to the… Read more »
EV battery startup Chemix has introduced MIX, an AI-powered design platform, to expedite the commercialization of next-generation batteries. The MIX platform integrates battery-specific AI algorithms and datasets to expedite and enhance battery design, testing variations in materials and chemistries. Chemix has utilized MIX to test over 2,000 battery material designs in over 40 commercially-relevant battery… Read more »
Volta Trucks has confirmed the start of production of its Volta Zero electric truck, which is taking place at Steyr Automotive in Steyr, Austria. The first series of vehicles has entered the production line, according to the company. The initial batch of vehicles will be used in the Volta Zero Driving Experience Program. This test… Read more »
Canadian materials company Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) and Caterpillar have signed agreements to supply NMG’s Matawinie Mine with an integrated solution that covers a zero-emission fleet, supporting infrastructure and services. The agreements encompass machines such as hydraulic excavators, mining trucks, wheel loaders, dozers and motor graders, as well as charging and energy storage infrastructure and… Read more »
