Nikola,RAM, Hyundai, EVmatch, Xendee, Volvo Trucks NA, Cenntro, Geotab, Polestar, Rivian & Lucid.
In this Article
Nikola CARB Approved
Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emission transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, announced that it has received approval from the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) for Nikola’s Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (“FCEV”) to be eligible for CARB’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (“HVIP”) program. This approval will now enable customers of Nikola’s Tre FCEV to access a point-of-sale incentive starting at $240,000 and ranging up to $288,000 per truck, in 2023. Customers will also be eligible for a $40,000 clean commercial vehicle tax credit from the federal government due to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
RAM EV Named Ram 1500 REV
Ram Truck brand confirmed that its first battery-electric pickup truck will be known as the Ram 1500 REV. The announcement of the all-new Ram 1500 REV as the name of the brand’s first electric pickup truck marks the latest step in Ram’s electrification journey to bring the industry’s best electrified options to market.
Hyundai Intros Evolve+ Subscription Service
Hyundai Motor America in partnership with Hyundai Capital America announced its new Evolve+ electric vehicle subscription service at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show. This new service provides flexibility and affordability to the consumer who wants to drive Hyundai’s newest electric vehicles without committing to a purchase or longer-term lease. Evolve+ is a month-to-month subscription service that covers 1,000 miles, insurance, maintenance, registration, and road-side assistance at a starting price of $699 per month for a Kona Electric and $899 per month for an IONIQ 5.i The subscriber can cancel at any time during each subscription period and there is no long-term commitment required. Other subscription services require customers to lock into a 3- to 5-month minimum term. Evolve+ is currently available at select dealerships in six states with plans to add more by the year’s end. Consumers can find available dealers within the app.
EVmatch Universal Adapter
Through an exclusive license with Argonne National Laboratory, EVmatch has announced the summer 2023 launch of a handheld, universal adapter that will enable electric utilities, commercial property owners, and residential homeowners, to better leverage their non-networked Level 2 EV charging stations. The device will be first deployed in a frequency regulation program with an east coast utility provider. This low-cost retrofit technology unlocks new opportunities for charging station owners and utilities, including new revenue streams, reduced operating costs, and the ability to better integrate with renewable energy sources.
“We are thrilled to partner with Argonne to bring the EVmatch Adapter to market and support increased interoperability of EV charging assets, increase the profitability of charging station infrastructure investments, and reduce barriers to participation in behind-the-meter grid service programs,” said Heather Hochrein, Founder and CEO of EVmatch. “This exclusive license from Argonne supports EVmatch in achieving its vision of a distributed, equitable, and carbon-free energy economy.”
Key Features and Benefits of the EVmatch Adapter:
- Electricity metering and payment processing
- Easy, low-cost installation without an electrician
- Customizable remote access control to optimize start/stop time, scheduling, and user access
- Enables participation in utility demand response programs to reduce EV strain on the electrical grid
- Data collection for environmental credit generation, including carbon credits and low-carbon fuel standard credits
Availability:
The EVmatch Adapter will be available for pre-order in March 2023 and will begin commercial deliveries in summer 2023, exclusively through EVmatch.
Xendee Intro MOBILITY
Xendee, a provider of microgrid design and operation software, has released a new offering called MOBILITY that enables firms to rapidly design EV charging infrastructure along with supporting Distributed Energy Resources. With this offering, developers, engineering firms, and EPCs will be able to model EV charging stations for predictable returns and factor in site-specific properties like changing EV loads, time-of-use charges, demand charges, localized incentives, EV specific tariffs and building load tariffs on the same site.
Based on these factors, and organizational goals like reducing costs, increasing resiliency, and emission reduction, Xendee generates an optimal mix of DER technologies and a detailed charging solution for each site to maximize returns. Xendee can also help analyze different Charging-as-a-Service models. Analyses can then be quickly compared to see overall system capabilities and financial projections at a glance based on different levels of investment and technology mixes (EV chargers and DERs), and different site requirements such as the ability to ride through an extended outage.
Xendee’s MOBILITY includes considerations for multiple types of chargers, multiple tariffs and new or existing solar PV, battery systems, and generators which could support the charging infrastructure and/ or serve building load.
During the optimization process, teams can instruct Xendee to optimize for different organizational goals or Charging-as-a-Service models. Users can also run multiple optimizations to create a series of easily comparable scenarios that investors and business leaders can select from to meet their environmental and financial goals. Xendee’s MOBILITY can also support sales and business development professionals to run rapid viability studies and help them rank order potential charging sites based on RoI.
Liminal Funded
Liminal, a battery manufacturing intelligence company, today announced a $17.5 million Series A2 funding round, led by climate tech fund ArcTern Ventures, joined by new investors Northvolt and Ecosystem Integrity Fund, and with continued support from Chrysalix Venture Capital, Good Growth Capital, University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners, Volta Energy Technologies, Impact Science Ventures, and Helios Climate Ventures. Liminal will use this funding to scale its EchoStat® inspection systems into factory-integrated solutions for global battery manufacturers, tapping into the rapidly growing demand for safe, reliable, and more affordable EV batteries.////
Autel Chargers for Off-Road
Autel Energy, a leading developer of residential and commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, is providing chargers for the world’s first off-road event for electrified vehicles at the 2023 King of the Hammers (KOH) off-road race and rock crawling event. The event, dubbed the “Superbowl of off-road racing” by enthusiasts, is expected to attract more than 50,000 people to the Johnson Valley desert in Southern California to watch and take part in off-roading events. The runs Jan. 26 through Feb. 11.
“By providing our MaxiCharger DC fast chargers, Autel is enabling electric vehicle drivers to participate in this momentous event,” said Autel Energy Chief Operating Officer John Thomas. “Seeing electric vehicles and chargers at recreational events such as the King of Hammers is a testament to the growth of electric vehicle market created by consumers who are mindful of the cost of fuel and their impact on the environment. Autel is honored to support this growth and evolution.”
Autel chargers are in Hammertown, the campground that houses KOH guests. They have up to 260 kW of power which allows them to create 62 miles of range in only five minutes. The chargers and power are available at no charge to attendees.
Volvo Trucks NA Reduces Carbon Footprint
Volvo Trucks North America continues to demonstrate its commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its supply chain by scaling up the number of zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric trucks that service its North American assembly plants. In collaboration with four carrier partners, a total of 15 battery-electric Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric trucks will transport inbound parts and components to the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Assembly Operations (NRV) in Virginia and the Volvo Group’s Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) plant in Pennsylvania.
“We believe in leading by example, and this project is an important part of our strategy to create a world-class, sustainable transport system ,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “By collaborating with our local carrier partners to deploy our own zero-tailpipe emission VNR Electric trucks to service our plants, we are able to improve sustainability within our value chain and in the communities in which our own employees work and families live.”
Working with local suppliers and carriers, Volvo Trucks North America has deployed eight Volvo VNR Electric trucks to service its New River Valley Assembly Operations (NRV) in Virginia. The project was first announced in 2021, when Watsontown Trucking Company and Camrett Logistics ordered their first Volvo VNR Electric trucks. A third local carrier, Online Transport, has now joined the project, further decreasing Volvo Trucks’ supply chain emissions.
The Volvo VNR Electric trucks are dedicated units for the NRV plant, with each truck running several daily round-trip routes across two shifts. The fleets take advantage of opportunity charging during drivers’ 30-minute lunch on both the first and second shift, and then fully charge the trucks at the end of second shift when the companies can utilize off-peak utility rates. All three fleets have installed their own charging infrastructure at their facilities to support the VNR Electric trucks.
In December 2022 Ryder System began operating seven Volvo VNR Electric trucks to transport assembly kits of components for heavy-duty trucks at the kitting facility for Mack Trucks’ (LVO) plant in Pennsylvania. The battery-electric trucks replaced the diesel trucks that were previously servicing the route to further support the Volvo Group’s sustainability goal of reducing CO2 from its global operations.
CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (“CEMEX”) announced that Volvo Trucks has supplied it with the world’s first fully electric and zero-emission heavy concrete mixer truck at a joint event in Berlin, Germany. The truck is the latest development of an agreement signed between the companies in 2021 to closely collaborate to improve productivity and carbon emissions reductions through the global implementation of electromobility solutions on mobile construction equipment and trucks, productivity solutions, and uptime services.The Volvo FMX electric truck can be used a full day’s work with a single top-up charge. It will be operating at the Berlin Spandau ready-mix plant in Berlin, starting this month. As fully electric heavy-duty transport is gradually increasing, Volvo and CEMEX are working to discover, pilot, and scale the technologies needed to make emissions-free transport also a reality in the construction industry.
Cenntro Starts LFP Battery Pack Assemby in NU
Cenntro Electric Group Limited (NASDAQ: CENN), a leading EV technology company with advanced, market-validated electric commercial vehicles, announced that it has begun to assemble and produce battery packs using lithium iron phosphate (“LFP”) battery cells and Cenntro’s proprietary battery management technologies. The battery packs are being assembled at Cenntro’s Freehold, NJ facility and the Herne Plant in Germany.
The resulting battery packs will offer longer cycle life and faster rates of charge, along with safer operations. The battery packs will initially be installed in Cenntro’s Metro Series commercial vehicles.
“By manufacturing our own battery packs, we hope to enhance supply chain efficiency, improve battery resilience, and ultimately have better control over one of the most strategic elements in our supply chain,” said Peter Wang, Chairman, and CEO. “Our ability to support multiple battery assembly operations demonstrates our effort and commitment to promoting local sourcing and local production.”
The in-house assembly of the battery packs will initially utilize externally sourced battery cells. Cenntro will continue developing additional battery packs for its product line and, in the future, incorporate battery cells produced by its subsidiary Cennatic Power, Inc.
Geotab Intros EV Analysis Tool–Weather & Range
Geotab Inc. (“Geotab”), a global leader in connected transportation solutions, announced its new electric vehicle (EV) range analysis, examining the impact of speed and temperature is now available on the Fleet Electrification Knowledge Center. The interactive analysis, showcased for the first time at Geotab Connect 2023, uses de-identified, aggregated data from 3 million EV trips and 550,000 hours of driving time to better understand the relative range impact of temperature and speed.
Building confidence in EV range is critical for widespread adoption. The analysis allows users to explore two significant factors that impact range, namely outdoor temperature and a vehicle’s drag at different speeds. Understanding the functional range of an EV helps increase confidence that vehicles are operating efficiently and that the right vehicle is selected for the job and present conditions. The analysis compares the range of two vehicle body types by modeling an electric sedan and a light cargo van, both adjusted to represent a 65 kWh battery.
From the analysis, Geotab observed that the speed at which vehicles drive influences the relative impact of temperature. At low speeds, temperature can significantly impact range, and at higher speeds, temperature becomes much less relevant. The size and shape of the vehicle also influence the optimal conditions to maximize EV range, and larger vehicles lose range more quickly with increased speed. These insights reveal that the best strategy to optimize EV range should consider the context of the trip. For a highway route, avoiding speeding will be the best strategy to conserve range, especially for larger vehicles. For slower routes, there will be more seasonal variability in range, so mitigating the impact of temperature will have the best results.
“Electrification is an important component in reducing carbon emissions in fleets. To help businesses feel confident about integrating EVs into their fleet, Geotab provides exceptional data insights that support informed decision-making,” said Charlotte Argue, Senior Manager of Fleet Electrification at Geotab. “Backed by real-world EV data, the analysis is intended to be used as a resource to help educate users on factors that impact EV range and build awareness of strategies to optimize EV deployment.”
With one of the largest data science teams in the industry and processing more than 100 thousand data points per second, Geotab has the expertise and scale to help fleets solve today’s challenges and plan for tomorrow’s world. Led by its mission to help fleets accelerate their rate of carbon reduction, Geotab offers educational resources on its Fleet Electrification Knowledge Center and a full suite of tools powered by one of the largest data set for real-world EV performance data to help companies make intelligent and sustainable decisions, that are in the best interest of their organization and the planet.
Polestar & Rivian Reports Automotive Industry is Off-Track
Polestar (Nasdaq: PSNY) and Rivian (Nasdaq: RIVN) have collaborated on a ‘Pathway Report’ which concludes that the automotive industry is set to overshoot the IPCC’s 1.5-degree pathway by at least 75% by 2050. The two pioneering EV makers initiated the report in response to the climate crisis. The report, which uses existing, open-source data to model the current trajectory for emissions stemming from the car industry, was carried out by global management consulting firm Kearney.Passenger vehicles currently account for 15% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally.1 The IPCC has stated that all GHG emissions need to be reduced by 43% by 2030 and the report makes clear that the automotive industry is far off track, and, alarmingly, will have spent its full CO2e budget already by 2035 without urgent action.
Despite the gloomy outlook, the report suggests that the car industry still has a chance to get on track. By redirecting resources and focus, the industry can rapidly build the momentum required to remain in line with the Paris Agreement. The Pathway Report focuses on the current decade and outlines immediate, clear actions that car manufacturers can take between now and 2030, including some that can be triggered immediately.The data presents a pathway based around three key levers. Lever 1 looks at the speed at which fossil fuel-powered cars need to be replaced by electric cars but points out that this alone will not be enough. A lot more work will be required for levers 2 and 3:
- Increasing renewable energy in power grids
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing supply chain
Pulling just one or two levers in isolation will be insufficient and only reduce the overshoot. Collective action from automakers is needed on all three levers, in parallel, at a global level. Firstly, the industry must accelerate the transition to electric vehicles by investing in manufacturing capabilities, as well as implementing a firm end date for fossil fuel car sales globally. Secondly, build out renewable energy supply to global grids that enable EV’s to reach their full potential through green charging. Thirdly, decarbonise the manufacturing supply chains for these vehicles through switching to low carbon materials, and investing in renewable energy solutions for supply chains.
Stratus Materials Out of Stealth for Cathodes
-Stratus Materials Inc., a developer and manufacturer of next-generation cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries, came out of stealth today. The company, previously operating as 33 Tech Inc., was founded in early 2022 to commercialize a set of highly promising, manganese-rich, cobalt-free cathode innovations by a team led by Dr. Jay Whitacre, a Carnegie Mellon University professor and serial entrepreneur.For years, the lithium-ion battery industry has been seeking the performance and cost advantages of a high-manganese cathode chemistry, but these cathodes have faced persistent challenges with stability and cycling. Utilizing proprietary formulations and production processes, the Stratus Materials team has developed manganese-rich, zero-cobalt cathode materials that deliver outstanding functionality, energy density, stability, low cost, and input materials availability, overcoming the challenges that have hindered high-manganese systems to date. The company is focused on scaling the production of these novel cathode materials, which are being specifically targeted at light- and medium-duty electric vehicles as well as other applications with similar performance requirements.
Lucid Provides Its Own $7,500 Incentive
Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID), setting new standards with the longest-range, fastest-charging electric car on the market, announced that customers can receive a $7,500 EV credit on the purchase of the award-winning Lucid Air. Starting today, this limited time offer is available for select configurations of Lucid Air Touring and Air Grand Touring models purchased by March 31, 2023.1