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Honda To End Mass-Produced EV “Honda e”
FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT
Honda plans to end production of the Honda e EV by January 2024. This is the company’s first mass-produced EV, but sales have been sluggish, falling short of the annual domestic sales target of 1,000 units. Going forward, the company will focus on commercial light EVs, which will be launched in the spring of 2024, to increase the electrification rate of the vehicles it sells.
The Honda e was launched in 2020. The vehicle is priced at 4.95 million yen and has a range of 259 km (WLTC mode). Sales in Europe have already been discontinued. Sales in Japan will also be discontinued once stocks run out.
The Honda e was not originally intended to be a high-volume model, but it did not meet its sales target. The company plans to expand the model lineup, starting with the N-VAN e:, a light electric vehicle to be launched next year.
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Hyundai Motor, Apple May Partner on Self-Driving EVs
FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT
Akihiro Komuro South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company and Apple Inc. plan to set up a partnership in the field of self-driving electric cars, according to Korea IT News. And recently another media outlet reported that Hyundai Motor and Apple plan to launch a self-driving EV in 2027.
In response to this news, Hyundai Motor announced that it was in early-stage talks with Apple. On Dec. 10, Hyundai Motor declined to comment on the Korea IT News report, reiterating its statement from Dec. 8 that it had received inquiries from various companies interested in collaborating on the development of self-driving EVs. Apple was not available for comment at the time of our publication.
Source: REUTERS
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Mahindra Plans To Double Tractor Exports
INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar “Our aim is that with the launch of Oja (platform), we will double our export in the next three years,” says Hemant Sikka, president of Mahindra’s farm equipment sector. “So, we want to increase exports from 18,000 to 36,000 in about three years.”
In collaboration with Mitsubishi Mahindra Agriculture Machinery, Japan, and an investment of INR 1200 crore, the new Oja platform could help Mahindra win 25% of the worldwide tractor demand. This includes tapping into new markets such as Europe and ASEAN, as well as strengthening its presence in sectors like horticulture.
Source: Economic Times Read The Article
PSR Analysis: The launch of Mahindra Tractors’ new Oja platform underscores a strategic move with several critical business implications. First, the entry into the 80,000 unit ASEAN market represents an expansion initiative, targeting countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This move aligns with the company’s global growth strategy, capitalizing on the increasing demand for tractors in these emerging markets.
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2024 Combine Production: 7,100 Units
A combine is a farm machine that harvests grain crops. Combines can reap, thresh and winnow crops into a single process. Crops include wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, etc. Combines overall boost crop output and farm income.
Trends: In 2022, production of…
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China Discovers Unique Battery Material
Guy Youngs A newly discovered ore containing vast quantities of an element widely used in semiconductors has been found in China. The discovery could propel new advances in battery technology.
Geologists have found the rare earth metal niobium inside the new ore named niobobaotite from north China’s Inner Mongolia. The rare earth metal is widely used in alloys for jet engines and rockets and has also been shown to have exceptional current conducting properties in low temperatures.
Researchers have said batteries made from niobium have several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries. The Brazilian Metallurgy and Mining Company (CBMM) has been working on new projects towards the use of niobium to make advanced lithium-ion batteries.
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Toyota Joins Race To Mass Produce Batteries
Toyota Motor Company is the latest automaker delving into solid-state battery technology, vowing to mass produce the safer and more energy dense cells in four years.
The Japanese automaker has recently changed its tune about building BEVs and is now claiming solid state batteries will be in vehicles starting in 2027.
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Could Toyota’s Ammonia Engine Bring the End of EVs?
The technology is the result of a collaboration of Toyota with the GAC Group, a Chinese state-owned manufacturer. The ammonia engine is a form of internal combustion engine (ICE) powered primarily by ammonia, (ammonia is comprised of a nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms). It does not contain carbon. As a result, when it’s burned in an ICE, it does not release carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases. In the effort to decarbonize, the potential of this type of technology is considerable.
Source: Hydrogen Fuel News: Read The Article
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White Hydrogen Could Reduce Decarbonization
Early this summer, scientists in northern France discovered what has the potential to be a huge white hydrogen deposit, (white hydrogen is naturally occurring H2). Not all forms of the hydrogen are equally clean, and this depends on how hydrogen is produced. Brown, black and grey H2, for instance, are all produced using processes with fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas and are therefore not environmentally friendly.
Depending on how this H2 is extracted, it could prove to be one of the cheapest and cleanest forms of hydrogen. The natural H2 deposit was found in July 2023 by Philippe de Donato and Jacques Pironon, scientists at the Université de Lorraine.
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