Follow PSR’s team of analysts as they track the rapidly expanding global battery electric power market, including, battery technology, transportation, eMobility, mergers and acquisitions and more.
South Korean battery giants LG Energy Solutions and Hyundai Motor have opened their first battery plant in Indonesia. The plant will produce batteries for electric vehicles to be sold locally and in neighboring countries. Indonesian President Joko made the announcement at a ceremony held July 3 in the Karawang region near the capital, Jakarta, to mark the opening of the new plant.
The investment is $1.2 billion, split 50-50 between LG Energy and Hyundai Motor. The annual battery production capacity is 10 GWh, which is equivalent to 150,000 electric vehicles. The plan is to invest an additional $2 billion in the second phase to increase the capacity to 20 GWh.
The company will produce lithium-ion batteries using a cathode material called NCMA. The high nickel content increases battery performance and range. The new plant will be LG Energy’s fifth production site in Southeast Asia, following those in South Korea, Poland, China and the U.S.
LG Energy has already supplied NCMA to Tesla, among others. In addition to Indonesia, the new plant will also serve as an export base for batteries used in electric vehicles sold by Hyundai Motor in neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, India, South Korea and elsewhere.
PSR Analysis: South Korea, which is positioning its battery industry as a key national industry, is moving very fast. The fact that it was able to get its battery plant up and running before its competitors may give it an advantage in its future business development in the region. But China’s CATL, the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer, plans to build new factories for batteries, battery materials and battery recycling in Indonesia in cooperation with local companies. The investment is about $6 billion. The news of the new plant in Indonesia is good news for South Korea’s automotive industry, but whether South Korea will be able to maintain a stable supply of EV battery materials in the future remains to be seen yet. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
ACT Company (AMPLIFY CELL TECHNOLOGIES LLC ), a Chinese a joint venture company, has broken ground for a battery production plant in Mississippi.
ACT Company was established by EVE Energy’s wholly owned subsidiary EVE Energy US, Cummins, Daimler Trucks, and Paccar. The joint venture will produce prismatic lithium iron phosphate batteries, mainly for designated North American commercial vehicle applications. It will have an annual production capacity of about 21GWh and will provide more than 2,000 local jobs.
The project is expected to start shipping in 2026, and the three foreign enterprises and their affiliates will become the main customers, purchasing most of the products from the factory.
ACT Company is the first project of EVE Energy’s CLS model, aiming to enhance the flexibility and competitiveness in the global cooperation process, and to work with more partners to jointly promote sustainable development. The successful beginning of this project marks the entry of EVE Energy into a new stage of global development.
Canada is preparing to join the tariff war against Chinese EVs, according to a report in the July 2024 issue of the Alternative Power Report prepared by Power Systems Research. Another article in the report notes that even thought EV sales are lagging, they’re positioned for long-term growth. And there’s plenty of battery news in this report prepared by PSR analyst Guy Youngs. PSR
China may place 25% tariffs on EVs in retaliation for similar moves by the US and the European Union. Read about this as well as articles on new battery development, the decline in diesel sales and a new battery from CATL in the June 2024 Alternative Power Report from Power Systems Research. PSR
The threat of masses of cheap EVs made in China has governments concerned in Europe and the US. The USA has introduced a bill that would raise the tariff on EVs from China to 100% to protect US auto workers “from the existential threat posed by China” but Europe has no such tariff protections. The lack of high import tariffs has encouraged Chinese manufacturers to look to Europe as a place where they can send boatloads (literally) of electric cars.
A report by the Financial Times claims that Chinese manufacturers are sending more EVs to Europe than they can sell, which has led to thousands of EVs being parked at port facilities. The port operators are displeased because the glut of cars is interfering with other port activities. Some now say they are no longer ports but rather car parks for newly arrived Chinese EVs
Volvo has received authorization from the Ministry of Transportation to begin testing its heavy electric trucks in Brazil. The vehicles will be part of a study and will be able to operate in urban areas, metropolitan regions, and short to medium-distance intercity transportation, aiming to evaluate their performance and impact on pavement in this type of operation.
The transport companies ReiterLog and Ritmo Logística will be the first to operate the Volvo electric trucks. Preliminary results from the study, led by Senatran (National Traffic Department), with technical coordination from Inprotran (National Institute of Traffic and Safety Projects), in partnership with Volvo, Prometeon, UNB, and UFRGS, indicate benefits of operating zero-emission CO2 vehicles, such as high energy efficiency, absence of noise, low vibration levels, and increased driver comfort.
Facing intense competition in China’s new energy vehicle market, Volkswagen has decided to increase investment in its Hefei base. On April 11, Volkswagen announced an additional investment of €2.5 billion in its production and innovation center in Hefei to further strengthen its local R&D capabilities.
It has been reported that this investment will also be used to accelerate the development and production of two Volkswagen brand smart electric vehicle models co-developed with Xiaopeng Motors. Volkswagen revealed that the first model, a mid-size SUV, is planned to enter production in 2026.
“India is a key market for vehicle electrification, particularly due to the government’s carbon neutrality goals, which makes securing cost competitiveness through localized battery production crucial,” Heui Won Yang, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s research and development division.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 5th Annual TWF (Two Wheeler Forum) took place on Feb. 21 and 22, 2024, at the India International Convention & Expo Centre in Dwarka, New Delhi. Hosted in partnership with Trak N Tell, the event spotlighted aspects of the Indian two-wheeler and three-wheeler industry, spanning both electric and internal combustion engines.
The landscape of electric vehicles (EVs) in India is undergoing a transformative shift, with the recent 2 wheeler, 3 wheeler, and EV show held in Delhi showcasing the industry’s dynamic evolution. Despite constituting less than 1% of total vehicle sales, the electric vehicle sector holds immense potential, and is projected to grow to over 5% in the years to come. Currently, the Indian roads host over 5 lakh electric 2 wheelers and a modest number of electric cars. However, the market’s growth trajectory remains subject to fluctuations, predominantly influenced by governmental incentives.
The electrification of the construction machinery industry in China continues to accelerate. For example, CATAL and Longgong have signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Ningde, Fujian, a move that follows the January cooperation agreement between CATAL and Lingong Heavy Machinery. According to the agreement, both parties will expand cooperation in the development and production of construction machinery, the development of power batteries for construction machinery, and jointly research and develop adaptive products and market promotion to jointly explore the new energy construction machinery market.
More and more construction machinery companies are turning their attention to the electrification market. Domestic and foreign engineering machinery companies such as XCMG, Sany, Zoomlion, and Carter have developed and launched electric products such as loaders, excavators, and mixer trucks.
