FEV, ProLogium, EVGO, Stellantis & AIAG.
In this Article
Schnieder Electric Buys EV Connect Inc.
EV Connect, Inc., a premier electric vehicle (EV) charging solution provider, announced that it has been acquired by Schneider Electric, the leader in energy management and automation. With a strong foundation in sustainability and eMobility, Schneider Electric’s acquisition of EV Connect will enable the Company to accelerate its growth. Along with the current management team, CEO and founder Jordan Ramer will continue to lead EV Connect’s operations as a distinct subsidiary, with continued focus on customer service and the Company’s overall mission.
Polestar PSNY Listed On NY Stock Exchange Through SPAC
Polestar Performance AB and its affiliates (“Polestar” or the “Company”), the global pure play, premium electric performance car company, and Gores Guggenheim, Inc. (“Gores Guggenheim”), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”) formed by affiliates of The Gores Group and Guggenheim Capital, LLC, announced today the completion of their previously announced business combination (the “Business Combination”). The combined company will retain the Polestar name and will commence trading on the Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol “PSNY” on June 24, 2022. The Business Combination was approved at a special meeting of Gores Guggenheim, Inc. stockholders on June 22, 2022.
Polestar is showing a development prototype of the Polestar 5 in public for the first time at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 23-26). Polestar 5 is a high-performance electric 4-door GT with proper sports car credentials, and the production evolution of the Precept concept car first shown in 2020.
The car is planned for launch in 2024 and is the third of three new EVs expected to be launched by Polestar in the coming three years, following the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 electric SUVs.
InoBat & Ideanomics Invest in Indian Plant
InoBat Auto and Ideanomics (NASDAQ: IDEX) are expanding the strategic partnership established in January 2022 to develop, produce, and distribute integrated battery pack solutions for the US market. InoBat Auto’s cutting-edge R&D capability and manufacturing model enable the rapid designing, engineering and creation of bespoke EV battery solutions that exceed current industry standards and meet customer needs. InoBat Auto’s first-generation NMC 622 pouch cell achieved 25% quicker charging from 5-80% capacity, 20% extra cycle life, 6% higher capacity, 28% better capacity retention at -20°C (-4°F) than the benchmark pouch cells (with same dimensions and weight) from a globally present East Asian battery manufacturer. The European company is already delivering their 4th generation cells to customers for vehicle prototyping purposes. These advanced battery solutions will provide a significant technological edge for Ideanomics’ vehicle, charging, and energy solutions to meet fleet operations’ growing needs for clean mobility and infrastructures.
FEV Partners with ProLogium
FEV and ProLogium Technology, a leader in solid-state batteries, signed a MOU to cooperate in the development of solid-state battery systems. Both parties are leveraging their expertise to jointly develop energy storage systems based on ProLogium’s unique solid-state batteries (SSBs) technology. SSBs, whose properties and innovative internal structure require new battery concepts, have a variety of advantages. Among other things, they are a suitable energy storage alternative with particularly high energy density for a wide range of applications, such as the transportation sector.
Under the MOU, FEV – a globally leading engineering service provider – and ProLogium will focus their joint efforts on battery system development for customers, sales activities and cell/module verification based on ProLogium’s solid-state battery technology.
“As a technology-open development service provider, we are working on solid-state battery solutions in the field of e-mobility. With ProLogium, we have been able to gain a renowned cell manufacturer as a partner in this area who is a leader in SSB technology,” said Prof. Stefan Pischinger, President and CEO of FEV Group. “ProLogium ideally complements our 360-degree battery development. Due to our unique development and testing capabilities we are able to design cutting-edge technology, which meets all regulatory requirements and customer demands around the world.”
FEV has many years of experience in battery development. The tailor-made design and integration of battery systems consider the battery management system as well as cells, modules and packs. Depending on the application, the company offers solutions with high specific power density or high energy density. With eDLP near Leipzig, Germany, FEV operates the world’s largest independent battery development and test center for high-voltage batteries.
“Our recent agreement with FEV reflects the continued development of ProLogium and our global business strategy,” said Vincent Yang, CEO, and founder of ProLogium Technology. “It brings together two like-minded and complementary partners focused on creating new value in a traditional industry. We believe our collaboration will help the automotive industry achieve innovative, clean and efficient energy consumption of electrified vehicles faster.”
Demands on BEV batteries strongly increase in terms of safety, energy density, costs and lifetime. Solid-state batteries are among the most promising technologies to offer advantages over lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes, which are mostly used in e-mobility. In addition, SSBs impress with an extra mileage advantage because of their lighter weight and smaller volume for the same capacity. “To get the most out of this technology, the core competencies deal with cell development, but also with the integration at the pack level and the algorithms for controlling the technology. Otherwise, advantages in terms of energy density, service life and safety could only be partially realized,” said Pischinger.
EVGO Seleted by CEC for DCFC for MFH
-EVgo Inc. (NASDAQ: EVGO), the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) and first powered by 100% renewable electricity, announced that the company was selected for proposed awards for two new California Energy Commission (CEC) Reliable, Equitable, and Accessible Charging for multi-family Housing (REACH) grants totaling $3.6M. These funds will be used to deploy new high-powered direct current fast chargers (DCFC) near multi-family housing (MFH) units. In addition, local community residents will be eligible for discounted EVgo rates as part of the project.
In November 2021, the CEC released a grant solicitation and application package entitled “Reliable, Equitable, and Accessible Charging for multi-family Housing (REACH)” as part of its Clean Transportation Program. The solicitation was an offer to demonstrate replicable and scalable business and technology models for large-scale deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure capable of maximizing access and EV travel for multi-family housing (MFH) residents, from DCFC nearby those residents to level 2 (L2) chargers in and around the residential buildings themselves. The solicitation defined MFH as residential properties with multiple dwelling units, but excluded single-family dwellings (detached), duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and mobile homes. Projects under the REACH grant must include charger installations that will benefit and be used by MFH residents within disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, or a combination of both.
As part of EVgo’s commitment to Electric for All, EVgo integrates the EPA’s EJ Screening Tool – an environmental justice mapping and screening tool based on nationally consistent data — to identify potential site locations that can increase infrastructure access for low-income individuals, people of color and underserved communities, as these communities tend to have the fewest charging options while experiencing greater impacts of pollution. Public charging options, and fast charging in particular, can help mitigate this disconnect while fueling the transition to electric by servicing more densely populated areas. In 2021, EVgo achieved its goal to increase such access to charging each quarter and reached a PM2.5 EJScreen demographic score of 51% for its chargers – meaning a majority are within a ten-minute drive of areas with high particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in the air. Today, the company is developing new benchmarking strategies to improve equity and access to its solutions.
Stellantis Invests in Vulcan Energy for Zero Carbon Lithium
Stellantis N.V. and Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd. today announced Stellantis’ €50 million (A$76 million) equity investment in Vulcan and an extension of the original binding offtake agreement to 10 years. The equity investment will go towards Vulcan’s planned production expansion drilling in its producing Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF). Vulcan is already producing geothermal energy from its URVBF and plans to produce lithium hydroxide with zero fossil fuels and net zero carbon footprint as part of the Zero Carbon Lithium™ Project.
As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced plans of reaching 100% of passenger car battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the United States by 2030. Stellantis will be the industry champion in climate change mitigation, becoming carbon net zero by 2038, with a 50% reduction by 2030.
Stellantis recently announced its North American lithium hydroxide supply agreement.
More ESG from AIAG
Ford joined other major automotive manufacturers globally, along with the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and Drive Sustainability, to make needed changes and additions to the “Automotive Industry Guiding Principles to Enhance Sustainability Performance in the Supply Chain.” The revised document addresses the latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations and trends in the automotive supply chain.
The revised Guiding Principles document now includes sections on circularity, carbon neutrality, animal welfare, biodiversity, land use and deforestation. A companion piece to the Guiding Principles, the supplementary “Global Automotive Sustainability Practical Guidance” has also been updated to better reflect current legalities and practicalities of meeting industry expectations.