AltPwr | Power Systems Research

2024-01-23

General Motors and mining and construction equipment giant Komatsu plan to jointly design and validate the hydrogen fuel cell technology for the 930E electric drive mining truck. GM has been conducting hydrogen fuel cell research and product development for more than 50 years and has developed platforms for both lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.

Mining trucks typically operate at a single mine throughout their life, a situation that simplifies the challenge of rolling out hydrogen refueling stations. GM and Komatsu plan to test the prototype HYDROTEC-powered mining vehicle in the mid-2020s at Komatsu’s Arizona Proving Grounds research and development facility. The prototype mining truck will be powered by more than 2 megawatts of HYDROTEC power cubes.

Categories: AltPwr, Fuel Cells, Hydrogen, Industrial, Partnerships, Production

Office: United States Offices

Drivers of Heavy, Dirty Cars Pay Stiff Penalty Tax in France

Guy Youngs

As of Jan. 1, 2024, the French government has revised its “malus écologique”, a one-time penalty tax for registering bulky, CO2-emitting cars, to include many more ICE vehicles, even some of the most popular budget models.

Drivers of cars emitting 118 g/km of CO2 pay €50 (about $55), and this increases rapidly with higher CO2 emissions, with a maximum ceiling for vehicles reaching €60,000 ($65,590). Vehicles weighing 1,600 kg/1.6 tons or more will have to pay between €10 and €30 per additional kilo.

Categories: AltPwr, Emissions, Europe, Legislation, Passenger Cars, Minivans, and SUVs

Office: United States Offices

Survey: EV Range Anxiety Slips in Importance

Guy Youngs

Euromonitor International has released the results of its Electric Vehicle Readiness Index for 2023 survey, which evaluates the most prepared countries which can support widespread EV adoption.

Norway, Switzerland and Sweden ranked at the top of the index, due to EV market maturity and consumer buying power. Brazil, South Africa and India were ranked at the bottom, owing to limited government incentives, low incomes and the undersupply of public charging stations

Categories: AltPwr, Electrification, Global, Passenger Cars, Minivans, and SUVs

Office: United States Offices

Cathode Material for Cheaper, More Sustainable EVs Developed

Guy Youngs

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have invented and patented a new cathode material that replaces lithium ions with sodium and that would be significantly cheaper to produce. The cathode is one of the main parts of any battery. It is the site of the chemical reaction that creates the flow of electricity that propels a vehicle. Estimates suggest that a sodium-ion battery would cost one-third less than a lithium-ion one.

Categories: AltPwr, Batteries, Electrification, North America, Production

Office: United States Offices

2024-01-22

Deutz AG To Sell Torqeedo Shares To Yamaha

Natasa Mulahalilovic

Deutz AG signed an agreement Jan. 19, 2024, to sell its shares in Torqeedo to Yamaha Motor Co Ltd. The sale of Torqeedo’s shares were planned and announced at the Deutz Annual General Meeting held in April 2023.

Torqeedo is a market leader in developing and manufacturing advanced marine electric engines and propulsion systems.

Categories: AltPwr, Batteries, Electrification, Europe, Marine, Mergers & Acquisitions, Publications

Office: Europe Office

BYD Seeks To Acquire Lithium Mining Operation

Fabio Ferraresi

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT

BYD is negotiating to acquire Sigma Lithium, the largest lithium mining entity in Brazil, according to the Financial Times. The potential agreement could be valued at US$ 5 billion (R$ 14.3 billion). Sigma Lithium operates a lithium mining facility in the Jequitinhonha Valley in the state of Minas Gerais. The strategic intent behind this acquisition by the Chinese manufacturer is to secure a stable supply of raw materials essential for the production of batteries to power its electric vehicles.

BYD has expanded its presence in Brazil through the acquisition of the Ford plant in Camaçari (BA). This facility is earmarked for the production of light vehicles. Additionally, BYD operates a manufacturing plant in Campinas (SP), specializing in the production of bus chassis and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PhEV) panels.

Source: Financial Times Read The Article

PSR Analysis. After Tesla demonstrated interest in the same company, BYD advances its negotiations. It is in line with BYD’s strategy of verticalization and helps to solve one of the strategic bottlenecks of EV production, minerals availability and price. PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development South America for Power Systems Research

Categories: AltPwr, Batteries, Central/South America, Mergers & Acquisitions, Production

Office: Brazil Office

2024-01-19

Silicon Powder Yields 10X Battery Improvements

Guy Youngs

Sila’s Titan Silicon anode powder consists of tiny particles of nano-structured silicon that replaces graphite in traditional lithium ion batteries. Compared to graphite, silicon stores up to 10 times more energy, so using it instead of graphite for anodes — which release electrons when a battery discharges — can significantly improve a battery’s energy density.

However, the material swells during repeated charging, with the resulting cracks radically reducing battery life. The Sila technology allows for this expansion by using nano-scale carbon “scaffolding” to keep the silicon in check.

The silicon powder has several advantages. With it, EVs could soon be able to travel up to 500 miles without stopping to charge. When the need does arise to recharge, the Sila batteries could do so in about 10 minutes.

Source: CleanTechnica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Using silicon powder does not require new manufacturing techniques so the technology is proven and should be relatively cheap (but this wasn’t mentioned in the article) and it bypasses the virtual Chinese monopoly on purified graphite (China currently supplies 96% of the purified graphite used by the world’s battery makers). PSR

Guy Youngs, is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Categories: AltPwr, Batteries, Production

Office: United States Offices

Chinese Face More Restrictions on EV Exports

Guy Youngs

Inside China a state subsidy is the norm, but outside of China the position is very different. The level of involvement by the central government feels a lot like a subsidy, one that undercuts local manufacturers. The problem is especially acute when it comes to electric car production.

Many of China’s car companies are looking more and more to export markets to absorb some of their production. But for some countries, the electric car onslaught coming from China is seen as a threat to local companies and their workers. The EV revolution was never intended to displace domestic industries and workers but that seems to be happening.

Categories: AltPwr, Economics, Electrification, Europe, Legislation, Passenger Cars, Minivans, and SUVs

Office: United States Offices

Dieselgate 2.0: 600K Ram Trucks Recalled

Guy Youngs

Engine maker Cummins is recalling 600,000 Ram trucks as part of a huge US$2 billion settlement with federal and California authorities for using illegal software to cheat results of diesel emissions tests.

Categories: AltPwr, Commercial Vehicles, Emissions, Production

Office: United States Offices

Cathode Material Developed for Cheaper EVs

Guy Youngs

Categories: AltPwr, DataPoint, Production

Office: United States Offices

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