Lucid Motors Goes Public Through Biz Combo
Churchill Capital Corp IV (“Churchill IV” or “CCIV”) (NYSE: CCIV), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and Lucid Motors announced the completion of their business combination, taking public a company that is setting new standards with its advanced luxury EVs.
Volta Chargers in Upper Marlboro MD & Partners with StreetLight Data
– Volta Industries, Inc. (“Volta Charging”), an industry leader in commerce-centric electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, announced a strategic partnership with StreetLight Data, Inc. (“StreetLight”), the leader in big data analytics for mobility, to use their combined analytics for the intelligent deployment of EV infrastructure. The partnership is intended to spur public sector agencies, utilities, transportation planners and engineering firms, among others, to accelerate EV adoption through Volta’s PredictEV™ SaaS solution and StreetLight’s industry leading mobility data.
PredictEV™ is a machine-learning tool that helps utilities, municipalities and companies predict electric vehicle adoption and demand for EV charging. Through this partnership, Volta Charging will provide its PredictEV™ tool to StreetLight customers needing comprehensive, data-driven analytics to intelligently place hundreds of thousands of EV chargers. StreetLight will also provide Volta Charging with opportunities to expand its market footprint across the U.S. through increased collaboration with transportation planners, engineering firms and public agencies focused on transportation electrification.
StreetLight CEO Laura Schewel said, “When I started StreetLight over 10 years ago, site selection for EVs was a prime use case and I am excited to partner with Volta Charging to help organizations accelerate their ability to capitalize on the electrification of transportation as it is one of the largest macroeconomic shifts of the century.”
Volta Industries, Inc. (“Volta Charging”), an industry leader in commerce-centric electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, which has entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II announced today that it has further extended its market penetration with the installation of new charging stations at Giant Food in Maryland. The exact address of these charging stations is 5700 Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772.
Rivian Installing Chargers in TN National Parks
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced it is partnering with electric vehicle (EV) automaker and automotive technology company Rivian to install Rivian Waypoint EV charging stations at Tennessee State Parks.
Rivian will oversee the design and installation of the Level 2 chargers, which are compatible with all EV models currently on the road. The open-network chargers can provide up to 11.5 kilowatts of power, enabling EV drivers to top up on miles while enjoying a day trip or an overnight campout. EV charging at Tennessee State Parks will initially be free and drivers will be able to easily monitor their vehicle’s charging session via the Rivian app. Any potential future cost to drivers may be dependent on systemwide utilization to recover electricity costs.
In addition to overseeing design and installation, Rivian will provide any necessary utility upgrades associated with the charger installation at no cost to the state or taxpayers. Rivian will also cover all network access fees, equipment service, and maintenance for 10 years.
Under the estimated timeline, Rivian will begin site surveys and engineering over the summer, with installation beginning as early as fall 2021 and stretching into March 2022.
The goal is to have charging stations available at all 56 state parks systemwide, depending on the availability of electricity and planned future park upgrades.
Arcimoto Battery Recycling
Arcimoto, Inc.® (NASDAQ: FUV), makers of affordable, practical, and joyful pure electric vehicles for everyday commuters and fleets, launched a battery recycling program with Redivivus®, a lithium-ion battery recycling company solving the challenges of large scale e-waste recycling through innovations in safe logistics and battery disassembly, and cost-effective recovery of materials in cells and battery modules.
Mark Frohnmayer, Arcimoto Founder and CEO, says, “Conventional battery recycling methods can be dangerous and harmful to the environment, and we are proud to join with Redivivus to pioneer a new hydrometallurgical process that is better for the planet. It’s the only one we’ve got.”
Redivivus will provide a battery processing solution to Arcimoto manufacturing plants, service and sales centers, based on its Redi-Shred process, designed to safely dispose and neutralize battery waste in a sealed and scrubbed environment. The neutralized materials will then be transported to a recycling line designed by Redivivus, reducing hazmat logistics and overhead. From there, using the Redi-Cycle process, the materials will be converted at a high purity to secondary materials through a hybrid solution of hydrometallurgical and electrochemical recycling, reducing mining demand, minimizing thermal emissions, and increasing end-user savings. One of the final products is a Nickel and Cobalt metallic alloy, called Redivivus Nickel, that bypasses the challenging and costly process of separating the elements. Redi-Cycle aims to be more environmentally friendly and cost-effective when compared to other battery recycling technologies.
Redivivus® announced that it has successfully completed a proof of concept (PoC) to build Redi-Cycle™, a novel lithium-ion battery recycling process.
Redi-Cycle converts battery materials at a high purity to secondary materials through a hybrid solution of hydrometallurgical and electrochemical recycling, reducing mining demand and increasing end user savings. The final product is a Nickel and Cobalt metallic alloy, called Redivivus Nickel, that bypasses the challenging and costly process of separating the elements. Redi-Cycle is more environmentally friendly and cost-effective when compared to other battery recycling technologies.
Unlike many commercial and R&D efforts, Redi-Cycle decouples recovered materials from battery production flow and inserts them as an alloying feedstock into metallurgical operations of the stainless steel and superalloy industries. However, Nickel and Cobalt are infinitely recyclable and can be placed back into battery production flow as cost-effective technologies develop.
As part of this trial, the PoC demonstrated a 92% minimum recovery rate of Nickel and Cobalt at high purity to create Redivivus Nickel. Additional elements such as Copper, Manganese, Iron and Lithium were recovered at high levels. The success of this PoC will help to further strengthen Redivivus’ business advantage to drive new revenue opportunities with metallurgical consumers.
CEC Gives Grant to EVmatch
– The California Energy Commission (CEC) announced Thursday that EVmatch, an electric vehicle sharing software and technology provider, will receive a grant of $728,250 to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at multi-unit dwellings targeted at underserved communities across California. The BESTFIT Innovative Charging Solutions, part of the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program, funds technologies that demonstrate transformative energy solutions leading to the successful deployment of EV charging capacity.
In addition to constructing new charging stations in underserved communities, EVmatch will also provide their proprietary national online social platform to connect available charging station hosts with EV owners, a service needed in the industry. Anyone in the U.S. can download their free app and start accessing charging stations.
EVmatch plans to use the funds to construct 120 publicly available Level 2 EV charging stations – currently the most affordable charging option available – with their unique sharing software at apartment buildings throughout Santa Clara, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties. The grant allows EVmatch to address the increasing demand for charging stations for residents at apartment buildings, plus provide sharing capabilities for their surrounding communities.
SKYCHARGER Partners with JuiceBar
SKYCHARGER, a one-of-a-kind company dedicated to creating environmentally conscious communities, today announced a new partnership with JuiceBar, an industry leader in fast electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The introduction of this partnership is a step forward in meeting the evolving demands of the expanding EV market.
JuiceBar provides a premium-level charging experience that is faster, safer, and more reliable, with options for brand customization to amplify host sites’ commitment to sustainability. Together, JuiceBar and SKYCHARGER will expand the EV charging infrastructure while eliminating the challenges that many businesses may face by hosting EV charging stations.
Nott Co Works with Zeus Electric Chassis
Minnesota native Nott Company announced its partnership with Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. (Zeus). The two companies headquartered in the St. Paul metro area have formalized a long-term Joint Development and Supply Agreement, positioning themselves to become a force in the industry.
“Zeus and Nott Company have been working closely together for over 3 years and have formed a strong relationship. The team has a market-leading approach to integrating an EV cab-chassis with traditional auxiliary body functions, ensuring a safe and productive solution that meets customer needs,” says Bill Brandt, Zeus VP of Business Development & OEM Sales.
Nott Company’s scope of work on the Zeus cab-chassis includes all electronic controls, telematics, HMI integration, traction motors, e-Pump for steering & braking, high power electronic cooling sub-systems and on-board charging/export power. “Nott Company has an outstanding portfolio for any electrification (low or high voltage) or hydraulic solution and combination thereof. We are partnering with innovative companies like Zeus to transform the electric vehicle landscape,” notes Markus Rauchhaus, Nott Co. CEO.
Nott Company, a distribution and systems engineering integrator, primarily covers the Midwest states while also solving electrification needs with customers nationwide. Over the past 5 years, Nott Co. has executed on a strategy to become a leader in electrification systems integration. Nott Co. has added market-leading global component manufacturers to their portfolio and built a strong system engineering team to create innovative solutions.
Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. is bringing to market a leading class 3-8 electric work truck solution in North America. The Zeus business model includes leveraging strategic partners such as Nott Co., and enabling existing OEM body manufacturers to create uncompromising and fully integrated electric vocational work truck solutions. This includes integrating all hydraulic and electric work functions/tools with a common control system architecture.
Zeus is well-networked within the e-Mobility ecosystem, partnering with market leading technology suppliers, work truck body OEM’s, end-user fleets, and non-profit industry leaders with the mission of accelerating EV adoption nationwide. The ground-up approach and willingness to co-develop allows Zeus customers to reimagine their future business model.
Nott Co offers a complete product line of ePumps and hydraulic controls sized specifically for EV work truck applications that provide optimum efficiency, safety and productivity.
Blink Charging for TAPCO
Traffic and Parking Control Co., Inc.manufacturer, distributor and service provider of traffic and parking control products, is proud to announce it is now a distributor of Blink Charging’s electric vehicle charging stations, including installed and portable stations.
Blink Charging offers a large variety of uniquely designed electric vehicle (EV) equipment sold globally. They have deployed over 30,000 charging ports across 13 countries, many of which are networked EV charging stations, enabling EV drivers to easily charge at any of the Company’s charging locations worldwide. Global EV purchases are expected to reach 10 million in 2025 from roughly 2 million in 2019.
Volvo Gives 250kWH Electrify America Charging to C40 Drivers
Electrify America today announced an agreement with Volvo to provide drivers of the all-electric XC40 Recharge and upcoming C40 Recharge with 250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of complimentary charging on the nation’s largest open ultra-fast DC charging network.
As the 2022 Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge arrive at showrooms soon, owners will feel confident knowing they have seamless, ultra-fast charging readily available at more than 635 public Electrify America stations and over 2,700 individual ultra-fast chargers coast-to-coast. Drivers will enjoy access to the fastest charging technology available today – taking advantage of Volvo’s 150 kW charging capability – so electric vehicle (EV) enthusiasts can spend less time charging and more time enjoying the open road.
Program benefits will apply to first owners of all 2022 XC40 and C40 Recharge vehicles. Additional models and benefits will be announced.
Once drivers have used all of their complimentary charging, they will automatically be eligible for Electrify America’s Pass+, enabling drivers to charge at discounted rates, with membership fees covered courtesy of Volvo for an entire year.
“Electrify America is on a steadfast mission to increase electric vehicle adoption by giving consumers the confidence to choose the future of transportation, and making the transition as seamless as possible,” said Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America. “We’re proud to collaborate with Volvo in support of their XC40 Recharge and excited by the growing number of EV options available for consumers.”
As part of the collaboration, Volvo and Electrify America engineers worked closely together at Electrify America’s Center of Excellence technology lab to ensure quality charging experiences for Volvo drivers. From end-to-end, Volvo customers will be supported by Electrify America’s dedicated 24-hour Customer Contact Center, and will be able to manage their fast-charging plan through Electrify America’s industry-leading mobile app. The app puts EV charging at the fingertips of drivers, and was recently redesigned with thoughtful usability enhancements including streamlined account creation, guidance throughout the charging experience, optimized contactless payment and an intuitive display of charging station information.///
Mustang Mach-e Lowest Energy By EV in Guinness Book of Records
Ford’s latest all-electric car, the Mustang Mach-E, is a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ holder after demonstrating its ultra-efficiency between John O’Groats and Land’s End.
Awarded for the lowest energy consumption in an electric car, independently verified data showed that the Ford Mustang Mach-E traveled over 6.5 miles per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electrical energy.
With 88kWh of available battery capacity, the efficiency achieved reflects well over 500 miles of range, adding more than 120 miles to Mustang Mach-E’s official 379-mile range – and trebling the miles per kWh target set by GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ for this new electric vehicle record.
The record-breaking performance on Britain’s most lengthy journey necessitated stopping for under 45 minutes of charging.
Leaving John O’Groats on full charge, the 840 miles to Land’s End required only two main charging stops at Wigan, in North West England, and Cullompton, Devon.
Ford’s Mustang Mach-E team took on setting a new benchmark “miles per gallon” for electric vehicles to help banish range anxiety fears. Easily tackling the UK’s most extreme direct distance with short charge stops proves the Mustang Mach-E’s viability for all everyday journeys.
With the Highway Code recommending a break from driving of at least 15 minutes every two hours, the record feat shows that safety-conscious drivers pause journeys longer to refresh than charge their vehicles.
World record team members Paul Clifton, BBC transport correspondent, and co-drivers Fergal McGrath and Kevin Booker, who already hold petrol and diesel economy records between them, said: “This record is about demonstrating that electric cars are now viable for everyone. Not just for short urban trips to work or the shops, or as a second car. But for real-world use on long cross-country journeys. We’ve proved that, with this car, the tipping-point has been reached.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E world record team was supported on their overnight journey from the tip of Scotland to the western end of Cornwall by the AA’s current Patrols of the Year for roadside assistance and recovery, Ben Sheridan and Simon Blake respectively, co-driven by Vince Crane and Dave Baker.
Official record set
Lowest energy consumption driving from John O’Groats to Land’s End in an electric car is 6.54 miles per kWh, achieved by Kevin Booker, Paul Clifton (both UK) and Fergal McGrath (Ireland) from 3-4 July 2021.
MyEVroute Network Converts to EV Connect
One of the largest electric vehicle charging networks in North America, EV Connect, today announced that the Company will migrate most MyEVroute Network customers to the EV Connect Network in the coming months. Previously owned and managed by Koben Systems Inc., MyEVRoute Network customers will benefit from EV Connect’s trademark ability to simplify the set-up, management, and optimization of EV charging with premium driver support.
EV Connect ULC offers an integrated EV charging platform with advanced machine learning hardware diagnostics, grid management, and driver support to serve charging hosts, network operators, and fleet managers. As part of the MyEVroute migration, EV Connect has agreed to transition approximately 200 EV charging stations to the EV Connect Network and take over operations and maintenance support for those stations. Former MyEVroute Network charging hosts will be given access to EV Connect Management Software, and the Company is working with charging hosts to provide service and maintenance on qualified equipment.
“Addressing climate change and reducing our carbon footprint has been a top priority for our city,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “We are excited to welcome companies like EV Connect to the region as we evolve our electric vehicle charging infrastructure and continue to build up an environmentally friendly city.”
To ensure a smooth transition over to the EV Connect network with minimal service interruptions, EV Connect has begun collaborating with many of the former Koben Systems charging hosts in Canada, including parking lot operators, nationwide banking, hospitality, and real-estate companies, community centers, and more. EV Connect is also establishing relationships with Canadian resellers such as OZZ Electric and Signature Electric, among others. EV Connect is supported by Toronto Global, a team of experienced business advisors assisting global businesses to expand into the Toronto Region, the Government of Ontario’s Trade and Investment Office in California, and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service.
“Acquiring the MyEVroute Network is the first step to a big commitment to Ontario and Canada,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, Chief Operating Officer of EV Connect. “EV Connect is thrilled about our Canadian expansion, and we look forward to scaling charging infrastructure to support Canada’s decarbonization goals fully.”
EV Connect is one of the premier EV charging solution providers and runs one of the largest charging networks in North America, with over 8,000 charging stations under management and over 100,000 EV drivers subscribed to its service. EV Connect streamlines the management of EV charging ecosystems from the initial configurations of installations, to deployment and maintenance, and finally to exemplary customer service and field servicing.
BASF Chosen by Cellforce for Next-Gen Batteries
BASF has been selected by Cellforce Group, a joint venture between Porsche and Customcells, as the exclusive cell development partner for its next generation lithium-ion battery. As part of the collaboration, BASF will provide high-energy HEDTM NCM cathode active materials to contribute to high-performance battery cells for fast charging and high energy density. Cellforce Group, based in Tübingen, Germany, will produce the high-performing battery. Its battery production plant is expected to start operations in 2024 with an initial capacity of at least 100 MWh per year, powering 1,000 motorsport and high-performance vehicles.
As a global leading supplier of high-performance cathode active materials with a strong R&D network, BASF is ideally positioned to work with partners to contribute to a circular economy. With its production plants for precursor cathode active materials in Harjavalta, Finland, and for cathode active materials in Schwarzheide, Germany, BASF will be able to provide battery materials with an outstanding sustainability record for both responsible and reliable sourcing of raw materials aiming for the lowest carbon footprint along the supply chain as of 2022. To close the loop, production waste from the future Cellforce Group battery plant will be recycled at BASF’s prototype plant for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese will be recycled in a hydrometallurgical process and re-introduced into BASF’s production process for cathode active materials.