electric vehicle

Sion Power readies for Licerion batteries launch

Arizona-based Sion Power is to launch production of its patented Licerion Ion rechargeable lithium metal batteries by the end of this year from a facility at its base in Tuscson.

The privately-owned firm is targeting the electric vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles market with its “ultra-high energy density” battery tech.

Sion Power

Licerion-Ion system

lithium metal batteries

Arizona

electric vehicle

unmanned aerial vehicles

Toyota invests in lithium producer Orocobre

Japanese car giant Toyota has confirmed plans to acquire a 15% stake in Australian-based lithium mining company Orocobre with an estimated investment of AUD292 million ($229m).

The move will help secure stable supplies of a key mineral for future electric vehicle batteries to meet anticipated market demand, Toyota said.

Olaroz Lithium Facility

Mass EV markets are still a long way off— Anderman

Electric vehicle penetration at 20% of the global car fleet will not be reached by 2025, according to Menahem Anderman (pictured), the renowned battery and EV market analyst.

Speaking at AABC Europe, part of a conference series Anderman founded nearly 20 years ago, he said the age old arguments of lithium-ion battery costs remain the key barrier to market, though pack size and range have changed enormously in the last five years. Auto OEMs are offering a plethora of battery-powered vehicles with more than 180 available across the globe with the great majority being made in China.

Canadian solid-state licensing deal for China

Solid-state lithium battery technology developed by a Canadian utility has been licensed for use in electric vehicle batteries made for the Chinese market.

Hydro-Québec said the licensing deal with Dongshi Kingpower Science and Technology includes cooperating on building a pilot battery assembly line at Kingpower’s factory in China.

Solid-state lithium battery

electric vehicle

Hydro-Québec

Dongshi Kingpower Science and Technology

china

Continental ‘mulling solid-state batteries’ move

German automotive supplier Continental is reportedly mulling investments in solid-state battery production in a bid to compete with electric vehicle battery manufacturers in the US and Asia.

CEO Elmar Degenhart (pictured) was quoted as telling German trade publication Automobilwoche: “We could well imagine getting into the production of innovative batteries. That also goes for producing battery cells.”

CATL plans $1.98bn IPO for domestic battery sites

Chinese lithium battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) is planning a CNY13.12 billion ($1.98bn) initial public offering to expand its automotive battery business.

CATL said in a Shenzhen Stock Exchange announcement the move will ensure the firm keeps pace with the rapidly-expanding electric vehicle and energy storage markets.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL)

Chinese car firm signs lithium supply deal

Chinese car marker Great Wall Motor Co Ltd., said it has taken a 3.5% stake in Australian lithium miner Pilbara Minerals Ltd., to help secure supplies of a key mineral for its electric vehicle development plans.

Great Wall said it would take the equity interest in Pilbara for around AUD28 million ($22m) through its wholly-owned Hong Kong-registered subsidiary Billion Sunny Development Ltd.

Camel invests in Croatian battery tech start-up Rimac

Chinese battery maker the Camel Group is investing EUR30 million ($35.3m) in Croatian electric vehicle technology firm Rimac Automobil.

Zagreb-based Rimac, whose products include battery packs and battery management systems for the automotive, nautical and bicycle markets, said the deal represented the “single largest foreign direct investment in a Croatian technology company”.

Panasonic expects profit from Tesla batteries by year-end

Electronics giant Panasonic expects to see a profit from Tesla’s Model 3 batteries by the end of the year.

Panasonic began battery cell production for the mass-market electric vehicle at their $5 billion Gigafactory in Nevada, USA, in June.

Former Tesla employees plans for Europe’s first Gigafactory

Two former Tesla workers are set to beat their former employee in making lithium-ion cells for electric vehicle and energy storage applications in Europe.

Northvolt AB’s ambitious plans to build Europe's first Gigafactory in Sweden were given a boost when investment firm InnoEnergy, announced a €3.5million (around 35MSEK or $3.7million) investment.