Learn more about the latest in new battery technology and discover the next generation in battery and energy storage with expert analysis by Power Systems Research analysts.
Brazilian WEG has announced plans for a new 6,000 m2 plant in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, to produce battery packs for EVs. With the investment, the annual capacity will be 1 GWh in battery packs. WEG plans a highly automated plant, with 140 direct employees; WEG’s timeline calls for completion of the plant in 1H 2024.
PSR Analysis: WEG aims to supply EV production for OEMs located in Brazil. With strong background in drives and industrial electrical components, WEG could be a natural selection for many OEMs in Brazil. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director of Business Development-South Americafor Power Systems Research
Walking CONEXPO 2023, the giant international construction show in Las Vegas this month, it was obvious that OEMs are devoting huge amounts of resources to developing alternative power sources for their compact equipment.
Hydrogen powered units and battery packs were common and new products powered by alternative energy sources were popular with attendees. New technology was the name of the game at this year’s show.
However, there were several prototypes that were built only for the show, according to some exhibitors, and were not likely to be put into mass production anytime soon. In fact, one manufacturer told us, “This was manufactured for the purpose of the exhibition and is not intended for mass production.”
There is a recent report from the Washington Post with a scary title: “EV Battery Recycling Has Boomed Too Soon.” There aren’t enough used electric vehicle batteries to meet even 10% of the raw material demand for electric vehicles made in the US, the Washington Post says.
Meanwhile, the US already has more battery recycling capacity than it has batteries available to recycle, with more public and private battery recycling facilities planned or under construction. The Post concludes its report with this pithy statement: “Many of these investments are destined to fail. Those few that succeed will do so only by diversifying away from recycling, at least temporarily.”
Most owners of electric cars have wished for a battery pack that could power their vehicle for more than a thousand miles on a single charge, and Range Anxiety is a big issue for EV adoption. Researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a lithium-air battery that could make that dream a reality.
The main new component in this lithium-air battery is a solid electrolyte instead of the usual liquid variety. Batteries with solid electrolytes are not subject to the safety issues of liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion and other battery types, which can overheat and catch fire.
In the August 2022 issue of PowerTALK, we reported that Tesla had deployed cube lounges at Supercharger stations with automated coffee, food, and even a swimming pool. Well, the Subway sandwich folks want to get in on the act, too.
Subway is teaming up with Miami-based GenZ EV Solutions to provide an “EV charging oasis” of the future so you can eat while your EV charges. Starting in 2023, “Subway EV charging oasis” parks with multiple spots, picnic tables, Wi-Fi, restrooms, green space, and playgrounds will be installed at select locations. As part of the plan, new or freshly remodeled stores will get small-format, fast EV charging stations.
Hydrogen power continues to be a hot topic as an alternative power source, as you’ll see when you read the March 2023 issue of the Alternative Power Report from Power Systems Research. Development of the charging infrastructure is a hot topic, too, as we see with the article on Subway tying its sandwich shops in with charging stations. PSR
Read about the 240 ton electric mining truck that can charge in 30 minutes in the February 2023 issue of Alternative Power Report produced by PSR’s Guy Youngs. The same issue contains articles about Volvo’s electric concrete mixer truck and its wheel loader. Europe’s charging corridor will make driving easier for MHVs. PSR
A 240-ton mining haul truck is being fitted with a 1.4 megawatt-hour (MWh) prototype battery system that global green energy company Fortescue has developed with equipment maker Liebherr.
UK-based engineering company WAE Technologies, (acquired by Fortescue in March 2022), completed and delivered the battery system to Fortescue’s workshop in Perth, Australia. The battery will be assembled and installed in the mining haul truck before it’s transported to the Pilbara in Western Australia for onsite testing this year.
The battery system marks several firsts for an electric mining haul truck battery: In addition to having energy storage of 1.4 MWh, it also has the ability to fast-charge in 30 minutes, and it can regenerate power as it drives downhill.
PSR Analysis: This is a good view of the potential for all mining trucks, but it should be noted that a lot of these huge mining trucks are diesel-electric to start with, (a diesel generator powering electric drives), so this is a matter of replacing the generator with the battery pack. They also can recharge on the way down, so the battery size can be relatively smaller. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
According to John O’Leary President and CEO of DTNA, charging infrastructure is the greatest barrier to adoption for battery electric heavy trucks. Speaking to journalists in Las Vegas, he said customers are happy with the electric vehicles they have received but they are unable to expand their fleets with additional electric vehicles primarily due to the lack of charging infrastructure.
“Overwhelmingly, infrastructure is slowing us down in terms of EV deployment,” said Daimler Truck North America President and CEO John O’Leary. “Site prep, permitting, and construction delays all contribute to deployment times being measured in years, not weeks or months.”
“There’s a lot of will in the regulatory and political arenas to make that happen, but when you start talking about moving large megawatt lines of electricity around and building new substations, it just takes time,” he said.
Hitech Electric to produce 100% electric LCVs by March, with sales plans of 1,000 vehicles per year. In partnership with Positivo Tecnologia, (and its corporate venture capital (CVC) program) the assembly line will start with 50 units per month and possibly expand to 100 in the short term. The plant will be located in Campo Largo, Parana.
The vehicles will have a powertrain and battery produced by WEG, the Brazilian Electric equipment manufacturer. The batteries will feature non-flammable lithium iron phosphate. Product lineup includes a last mile utility vehicle and a 1.2-ton light truck.
CONEXPO 2023 Features Hydrogen, Electric Equipment 
