As Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system slowly evolves, it seems to be requiring ever more computing power. Back in 2016, Tesla announced a hardware upgrade, including a new computer from Nvidia, which it said would enable full self-driving capability, with future software updates. Since then, Tesla has upgraded the computer twice. In 2019, it introduced the… Read more »
EV startup Rivian has announced that South Korean battery giant Samsung SDI will supply cells for its vehicles. The automaker, which plans to begin production of an electric pickup and an SUV this year, has been working with Samsung throughout the process of developing the new cells. Rivian’s vehicles are aimed at the outdoorsy set,… Read more »
Samsung SDI has begun injecting capital into EcoPro EM, a joint venture with EcoPro BM, a supplier of EV battery cathode materials. Samsung said it will contribute 48 billion won ($39 million) to the joint venture for a 40% stake, while EcoPro BM will contribute 72 billion won ($58 million) for a 60% share. EcoPro… Read more »
In 2019, over 59,000 tons of nickel and 14,400 tons of cobalt were deployed globally in passenger EV batteries, a one-year increase of 39% and 34%, respectively, according to data from Adamas Intelligence’s EV Battery Capacity and Battery Metals Tracker. Panasonic used 51% of the global market share of nickel (down from 56% in 2018),… Read more »
Battery system manufacturer BMZ is launching a long-term cooperation with Samsung SDI, and plans to order just under $1 billion worth of Li-ion cells over the next five years. BMZ says its European automotive customers will double their EV production volumes in the coming year, and is responding by expanding manufacturing capacity of its Li-ion… Read more »
The Volkswagen Group has added South Korean battery cell manufacturer SK Innovation (SKI) to its stable of battery suppliers. SKI will supply the batteries for VW’s North American sales and a portion of the batteries for its European pure EVs. VW’s Roadmap E strategy calls for the Group to bring 50 new fully electric models… Read more »
Volkswagen says it has lined up 20 billion euros ($25 billion) worth of battery supplies to support a significant increase in EV production over the next few years. The world’s largest automaker will equip 16 factories to produce EVs by the end of 2022, compared with the three it has today. VW says it plans… Read more »
Samsung SDI has completed construction of a new EV battery plant in Hungary. Located in the town of Goed, 30 kilometers north of Budapest, the plant is capable of producing batteries for 50,000 vehicles annually. Operations are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2018. The new plant will allow the company to save… Read more »
EV startup Lucid Motors and battery giant Samsung SDI have entered a partnership under which Samsung will supply lithium-ion cells for the Lucid Air executive sedan, which is scheduled to begin production in late 2018. The two companies have collaborated to develop next-generation cylindrical cells that they say exceed current performance benchmarks in energy density,… Read more »
Samsung SDI has decided to make Hungary its Li-ion battery production base in Europe, and will build a new battery plant north of Budapest on a 330,000-square-meter site, using an existing facility that the company built in 2001, and used to make cathode ray tubes. Aiming to start commercial production in the second half of… Read more »