EV Battery & Charging News: Phoenix, Kia, WiTricity, Cenntro, Li-Cycle, Exro Tech, Solectrac, ZEVX, Inmotive, Nikola, PowerFlex, Wallbox, Toshiba & Vehya

In electric vehicle, battery and charging news are Phoenix Motors, Kia, WiTricity, Cenntro, Li-Cycle, Exro Tech, Solectrac, ZEVX, Inmotive, Nikola, PowerFlex, Wallbox, Toshiba & Vehya.

Phoenix Motor Delivers Electric Shuttles to WallyPark

Phoenix Motor Inc. (Nasdaq: PEV) (“Company” or “Phoenix”), a leader in manufacturing of all-electric, medium-duty vehicles,  announced delivery of three new all-electric shuttle buses to WallyPark (“WallyPark”), a parking service provider. The addition of these new all-electric shuttle buses augments WallyPark’s current fleet of over 30 electric shuttle buses, supporting its mission to lower fleet maintenance costs and to support the energy transition by providing cleaner air.

Georgia West Point Kia Factory Transformation for EV9 3-Row SUV

Kia Georgia’s West Point assembly plant is undergoing a transformation that will allow for the assembly of the all-electric 2024 EV9 three-row SUV in the second quarter of 2024. This over $200 million expansion will create nearly 200 additional jobs in Troup County with EV9 joining the Telluride, Sorento and Sportage SUVs and the K5 mid-size sedan as the fifth model to be assembled at Kia Georgia.

“Like Telluride, EV9 has the potential to be another ‘game changer’ for Kia,” said Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America. “This will be the most sophisticated vehicle that we have ever built and will be a standout in the EV market and on the road. Best of all, it will be assembled in West Point, Georgia.”

EV9 will be the first EV for Kia to be assembled in North America and combines all the best SUV elements of the award-winning Telluride with the best EV elements of the award-winning EV6. EV9 will mix capability with technology and refined elegance.

WiTricity FastTrack Integration

WiTricity, the pioneer in wireless EV charging, today announced the FastTrack Integration Program for automotive OEMs that allows for an initial vehicle integration in just three months, dramatically accelerating automaker testing of wireless charging on existing and future EV platforms. Wireless charging will be fully enabled and operational on the automaker’s EV platform using the WiTricity Halo™ receiver and the WiTricity Halo™ 11kW charger.

New Ontario CA Plant for Cenntro Electric

Cenntro Electric Group Limited (NASDAQ: CENN), a leading EV and alternative fuel technology company with advanced, market-validated electric commercial vehicles, announced the addition of an assembly plant in Ontario, California. The facility has been under preparation and is scheduled to be operational this quarter, allowing the company to expand sales and large-scale deployment on the West Coast.

The Ontario facility is Cenntro’s third assembly facility in the U.S., joining assembly plants in Jacksonville, Florida, and Howell, New Jersey. Since opening in the first quarter of 2023, both facilities have moved from pilot production to full-scale assembly and deliveries to Cenntro customers in the U.S. Both the Jacksonville and Howell sites assemble and support Cenntro’s North American commercial EV portfolio including the Class 4 LS400, the Metro, and the Teemak. Vehicles produced at the Jacksonville facility support sales and distribution in the Southeastern region while the Howell facility supports the Northeastern region of the United States.

“The addition of our California facility follows certification of both the LS400 and the Metro by the California Air Resources Board and will allow the company to scale sales on the West Coast, one of the largest markets in the U.S. and a region that is very forward-acting with respect to EV and renewable technologies,” said Peter Wang, Cenntro Chairman and CEO. “With our assembly facilities in Florida and New Jersey fully operational, we are delivering our vehicles to customers throughout the United States.”

Li-Cycle MOU with EVE

Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (NYSE: LICY) (“Li-Cycle” or the “Company”), a leading global lithium-ion battery resource recovery company, and EVE Energy Co., Ltd. (“EVE” or “EVE Energy”), a leading lithium-ion battery technology company, are pleased to announce that they have signed a memorandum or understanding (“MOU”) to collaborate and explore lithium-ion battery recycling solutions for EVE battery materials.

The MOU includes a framework to explore global sustainable recycling solutions for EVE lithium-ion battery materials in the North American market, as well as battery manufacturing scrap generated at EVE’s planned lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Malaysia and Hungary. The collaboration is also expected to support EVE’s environmental goals through a closed-loop supply solution and continue to support the global movement towards electrification. EVE is one of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers, with global manufacturing facilities and customers that include global automakers.

Exro Tech Contracts with Major Automaker

Exro Technologies Inc. (TSX: EXRO) (OTCQB: EXROF) (the “Company” or “Exro”), a leading clean-technology company that develops new generation power-control electronics that expand the capabilities of electric motors and batteries, is pleased to announce an innovation agreement with a Major Automaker, to mutually explore powertrain innovations in the Company’s electric passenger vehicles utilizing Exro’s advanced power electronics technology.

Innovation Agreement

The purpose of the collaboration is to determine the performance of Exro’s Coil Driver™ product for improving the continuous power and torque output of the powertrain in the OEM’s vehicles. Under the terms of the agreement, the Parties will work together to design a proof-of-concept Coil Driver™ plus motor system that would specifically fit into a defined electric machine housing. The proposed Coil Driver™ product will utilize the latest advancements in power electronics technology, paired with an optimized machine design, to deliver higher continuous power and torque output compared to conventional 3 phase inverters.

Under the agreement, the Parties anticipate completion of the proof-of-concept Coil Driver™ plus optimized motor design system by the end of Q4 2023, followed by delivery of functional prototypes to the OEM by the end of Q4 2024. The prototypes are then expected to enter a period of testing, including performance, durability, and reliability while determining next steps. Signing the agreement does not constitute any exclusivity to either of the Parties.

Solectrac Models Eligible for CA Core Vouchers Starting 7/18

Solectrac  announced the eligibility of its e25G and e25H electric tractors for the California CORE Voucher Program, which aims to accelerate the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment. The program, which is tailored to small business and government entities, opens on July 18 and pays up to 50% of the initial purchase of eligible zero-emission off-road equipment.

“Thanks to the state of California, the CORE program is helping get more electric tractors into the hands of customers and allowing Solectrac to grow our product offerings. We encourage small business owners and government entities to take advantage of this opportunity to switch their polluting equipment to our zero-emission electric tractors,” said Mani Iyer, CEO of Solectrac. “Electrifying off-road machinery will help customers realize the benefits of zero-emission operations, including less pollution, quieter operation and lower total cost of ownership compared to diesel-powered tractors.”

The California CORE Voucher program provides vouchers at the point of sale to make eligible zero-emission equipment similar in price to diesel-fueled equipment. Solectrac tractors are eligible for the incentive and are an ideal solution for California’s hobby farms, golf courses, sports fields, equestrian centers, educational institutions and municipalities that need to electrify their tractor fleets to comply with California’s climate regulations.

Solectrac assembles its tractors in Windsor, California, at one of the largest dedicated electric tractor assembly facilities in the United States. Recently expanded, the facility supports local green jobs and has an annual assembly capacity of 6,000 units per year.

Solectrac electric tractors are as powerful as their diesel counterparts, without the noise and pollution associated with diesel tractors, and can be charged from renewable energy such as wind and solar. Both the e25G and e25H electric tractors accept all standard PTO implements and offer available options such as a front loaderbackhoe attachment, cab and three types of tires to suit a wide variety of applications.

Solectrac is the first company to create a national USA certified dealership network and is now partnering with its dealerships to offer an electric tractor rental program, allowing customers to experience the benefits of Solectrac electric tractors on a monthly basis. The Solectrac dealer network currently includes 40 dealers with 86 locations across the country, with 8 of those locations In California.

Earlier this year, Solectrac rallied with “Farmers for Climate Action”, a grassroots alliance of farmers and farmer allies supporting climate change policy in the 2023 Farm Bill. Solectrac is also directly advocating with members of Congress for a 2023 Farm Bill that empowers farmers to implement climate-friendly agriculture practices through technical assistance and incentives.

Solectrac is a subsidiary of Ideanomics (Nasdaq: IDEX), a global company with the mission to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. Solectrac has been a Certified B Corp since 2019 and continues to maintain the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability.

ZEVX Partners with Breezeline

ZEVX™, a worldwide leader in intelligent EV systems, announced it partnered with Breezeline, the nation’s eighth-largest cable operator, to introduce the world’s first fully electric light aerial bucket truck. With this news ZEVX begins delivering both drivetrain and accessory electrification, while helping Breezeline move one step closer to its 2050 net zero emissions goals.

The Breezeline bucket truck was built on a 2019 Ford F-450 Chassis with an existing boom system outfitted with the ZEVX Athena Extended Range conversion, delivering 124kWh to power both the drive train as well as the power take-off (PTO) system of the boom system.

“Building on our significant work to transform today’s traditional fleets into highly efficient EVs we are excited to work with Breezeline to introduce the first fully electric bucket truck,” said Sydney Dunn, SVP of Sales & Field Operations at ZEVX. “We’re further gratified that by expanding our offerings to include powered accessories, in addition to core power systems and fleet management software, we can also help companies like Breezeline move quickly toward bold lower emissions targets.”

“Lowering our carbon footprint and modernizing our fleets are key initiatives at Breezeline,” said Sean Brushett, Vice President of Technical Operations for Breezeline. “This partnership with ZEVX is enabling us to adopt technologies that will help us make meaningful progress toward our sustainability goals.”

ZEVX is a rapid innovator in battery electric power systems and data intelligence for e-mobility applications. The company has a series of premier battery electric powertrain and power system products that can quickly migrate Class 2-5 commercial fleet assets and auxiliary power tools to zero carbon. The ZEVX platinum service mission starts with customers, operating through a deep partner network using existing automotive service infrastructure and tier 1 fleet management companies (FMCs).

Inmotive Two-Speed Transmission for Major OEM

Inmotive has received confirmation from a major global OEM that its Ingear™ two-speed EV transmission is the world’s most efficient two-speed transmission for electric vehicles – a claim Inmotive has made since the launch of the EV technology based on its own in-house testing.

Validation was conducted via an efficiency test bench at the OEM’s facilities using a full transmission assembly with torque cells mounted at the input (motor) and output (CV shaft), which showed that the Ingear achieves over 99% peak efficiency. Simulations show a two-speed Ingear increases EV range by 7-13% compared to the range of a single speed.

Beyond the major OEM, in May 2021 Inmotive reported a Tier One automotive supplier had confirmed the results, as has another Tier One transmission supplier since.

Nikola Partners with BayoTech

Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via its HYLA brand, and BayoTech, Inc. (“BayoTech”), an innovator in hydrogen production, transportation and storage solutions, announced an agreement to advance reliable hydrogen supply for zero-emission commercial fuel cell electric vehicle fleets. The strategic supply agreement includes Nikola Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, BayoTech HyFill™ bulk hydrogen transport trailers, and hydrogen produced at BayoTech’s distributed network of hubs.

As the anchor hydrogen offtake customer, Nikola expects to take delivery of low-carbon hydrogen produced by BayoTech commencing in Missouri this year and California in 2024. Nikola plans to acquire up to 10 BayoTech HyFill™ transport trailers, facilitating the distribution of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen from the production sites to refueling stations that serve fuel cell electric vehicle fleets.

PowerFlex Supplies Solar EV Power for DHL Express

PowerFlex, a national provider of intelligent solar, storage, and EV charging solutions for commercial customers, completed the installation of 415 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) for DHL Express, the world’s leading provider of international express shipping services. The chargers, installed at DHL service center facilities in major U.S. markets, are equipped with PowerFlex X, energy management software that monitors, tracks, and reports on charging activities, integrating with DHL’s telematics platforms to optimize Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) operations. The initiative demonstrates the commitment of DHL to sustainability as the company electrifies its fleet to reduce its climate impact and foster eco-friendly operations. DHL is the first logistics company to commit to a zero-emissions target, and their fleet electrification is an important step in their green logistics plan.

Wallbox Joins US DOE V2X MOU

Wallbox (NYSE:WBX), a leading provider of electric vehicle (“EV”) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, today announced that it was selected to join the United States Department of Energy’s Vehicle-to-Everything (“V2X”) Memorandum of Understanding in its latest round of signatories.

Wallbox joins other industry leaders in signing the MOU, a first-of-its-kind collaborative in the United States that brings together cutting-edge resources from the DOE, DOE national labs, state and local governments, utilities and private entities to evaluate and accelerate technical and economic feasibility of vehicle-grid integration (VGI), including bidirectional charging, into energy infrastructure. The MOU will also advance cybersecurity as a core component of V2X charging infrastructure.

“As a global leader in bidirectional EV charging, Wallbox is proud to join the U.S. Department of Energy ‘s V2X collaborative alongside industry leaders to help accelerate development and deployment of the technology,” said Enric Asunción, CEO of Wallbox. “V2X charging has the potential to enable a new energy paradigm by offering cost savings for everyday customers, facilitating the adoption of electric vehicles, and helping build the infrastructure required for a climate resilient future.”

“Bidirectional EV charging will play an increasingly important role in supporting the electrical grid and improving the country’s energy security and resilience in coming years,” said Rima Oueid, DOE’s V2X MOU lead and senior commercialization executive at the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT). “We are excited to continue expansion of the collaborative with more participants that are committed to demonstrating the momentum and successfully scaling the deployment of V2X technologies to support our energy infrastructure.”

An early mover in the field of bidirectional charging, Wallbox will leverage its technical expertise and resources to actively address barriers and expedite the commercialization of technologies. Wallbox has a track record of leadership in V2X and bidirectional charging. Wallbox has been recognised for its innovations in the area by the likes of TIME Magazine, Fast Company, TechCrunch and Reuters. The company has also been selected for a number of current and upcoming V2X programs including the Octopus Energy Powerloop program, and a V2X research project funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in the UK. Most recently the company offered live demonstrations of V2X using the latest generation of its bidirectional charger, Quasar 2, at the world’s largest clean energy event, The Smarter E Europe.

Toshiba’s New SiC SBDs

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (“Toshiba”) has launched the “TRSxxx65H series,” the company’s third and latest[1] generation of silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) for industrial equipment. Volume shipments of the first 12 products, all 650V, start today, with seven products housed in TO-220-2L packages and five in DFN8×8 packages.

The new products use a new metal in a third generation SiC SBD chip that optimizes the junction barrier Schottky (JBS) structure[2] of the second generation products. They achieve industry-leading[3] low forward voltage of 1.2V (Typ.), 17% lower than the 1.45V (Typ.) of the previous generation. They also improve the trade-offs between forward voltage and total capacitive charge, and between forward voltage and reverse current, which reduces power dissipation and contributes to high efficiency of equipment.

Vehya Supports NACS

Vehya, the leading marketplace dedicated to helping individuals and businesses achieve their goals through the sales, installation, and service of innovative products such as EV chargers, solar panels, and battery storage, is excited to announce its expanded support for electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with both CCS (Combined Charging System) and NACS (North American Charging Standard) charging technologies.

As the demand for sustainable transportation solutions continues to rise, Vehya remains committed to providing comprehensive services that cater to the diverse needs of electric vehicle owners. By extending its support to both CCS and NACS charging standards, Vehya ensures that all charging infrastructure and equipment can be serviced seamlessly.

CCS and NACS are two prominent charging standards utilized by electric vehicle manufacturers globally. CCS, also known as Combined Charging System, integrates AC and DC charging capabilities into a single connector, making it compatible with a broader range of electric vehicles. On the other hand, NACS offers an alternative charging standard that is more compact, providing an efficient and flexible solution for specific electric vehicle charging needs.

With a commitment to excellence, Vehya’s network of certified installers and technicians provides professional installation and ongoing maintenance services, ensuring optimal performance and customer satisfaction.