CATL, the leading battery manufacturer in China, has shared new plans to create a $5 billion facility to recycle used batteries for their earth materials such as cobalt and lithium. The facility will be erected as a joint venture at a time when EVs are becoming more and more in demand globally.
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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
Chinese EV automaker XPeng Motors has officially launched its new P5 sedan in China, ahead of deliveries in October. With the P5, XPeng looks to enter one of the largest vehicle segments in China currently dominated by ICE competitors, and introduce a technologically advanced EV that is competitively priced. From what XPeng has now shared, the P5 has the advanced features and affordable pricing to find success in multiple markets.
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Chinese consumer electronics company Xiaomi has officially entered the EV market after completing its industrial and commercial registration in China as Xiaomi Automobile Co. Ltd. In a recent announcement of the new EV entity, Xiaomi Automobile has revealed that it already has a team of nearly 300 employees.
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Battery systems manufacturer SVOLT has unveiled a cobalt-free battery pack at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. The company now claims to be the first to create a cobalt-free battery that has reached series production, although other battery manufacturers have claimed similar production achievements.
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With its official debut at the Chengdu Motor Show in China, Volkswagen’s ID.3 is now available for pre-order ahead of deliveries this October. The ID.3 will now join Volkswagen’s ID.4 and ID.6 EVs overseas as the German automaker looks to expand its presence in China.
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Chinese EV manufacturer GAC Aion has officially debuted its A480 fast charger, capable of charging its upcoming Aion V SUV from 30-80% in under five minutes. While still impressive, the fast charger’s top charging power of 480 kW sits well below rumors last week speculating this debut would showcase a 600 kW charger.
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EV manufacturer GAC Aion continues to tout its charging capabilities in China. Following a demonstration last month showing charging speeds of five to eight minutes, the company is reportedly about to introduce an even more powerful fast charger on Monday.
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Chinese automaker XPeng has officially begun its first venture overseas as it has loaded its P7 EVs on a ship headed for Norway. This initial batch of smart electric sedans represents XPeng’s commitment to a full-scale operation in Norway and an eventual expansion further into Europe.
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Footage of a man recklessly driving his Li Auto ONE SUV has gone viral in China after he tricked his SUV into “full self-driving” mode. The video shows the driver reclining his seat all the way back with his hands off the wheel, allowing the car to drive itself using driver assist features.
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A team at University of Science and Technology of China has developed a new material that could potentially help lower the production costs of solid state lithium batteries and accelerate their commercialization into EVs. The new material, lithium zirconium chloride, offers a reduced material cost and necessary performance, all while remaining stable.
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After unveiling the ID.6 in Shanghai this past spring, Volkswagen has officially begun delivering the all-electric mid-size SUV to Chinese customers. The first version of the SUV to see deliveries is the Volkswagen ID.6 CROZZ, a result of a joint venture with state-owned automotive manufacturer FAW Group.
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Over the weekend, US automaker Ford unveiled a new, long-range RWD version of its Mustang Mach-E in China, priced at 282,000 yuan ($43,450) to qualify for state-led subsidies. This long-range SE version of Ford’s Mach-E is the fifth to see the EV market in China, but only the second priced low enough to qualify for subsidies.
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A new flying car prototype with autonomous capabilities has been unveiled by XPeng Huitian, a division of XPeng Motors in China. The X2, as its being called, is the fifth-generation flying car from XPeng, and according to the company’s Chairman and CEO, “marks another step closer to a more widely available and safe flying car.”
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Chinese automotive design and manufacturing company SAIC Motor says it will launch 40 to 60 Robotaxis capable of Level 4 self-driving throughout Shanghai and Suzhou before the end of 2021. The bold statement was made by Zu Sijie, vice president and chief engineer of the company, during this year’s World Artificial Intelligence Conference.
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Automotive conglomerate Geely has announced that it will exit as the majority shareholder of Zeekr, a premium EV brand launched in China earlier this year. By pulling out as majority shareholder, Geely now opens the door for outside financing in Zeekr. However, while Geely’s name may no longer be listed in any investor meetings at Zeekr, the automotive manufacturer is still very much tied to the EV brand and its future.
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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
We tend to cover a lot of big news pertaining to electric vehicle market leaders (by value and recognition). That said, there are a lots of lesser-known electric vehicle companies that don’t get as much love. The plan is to change that. This is the first of several pieces focusing on electric vehicle companies you may not know yet. One is Weltmeister aka WM Motor, based in China. Below is a quick background on Weltmeister, so you can casually name drop them next time you’re discussing the global EV market.
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China plans to require that all new cars sold after 2035 be eco-friendly “new energy vehicles” according to Nikkei Asia. The plans were announced in a future road map for new energy vehicles and will be regulated under China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The specifics of the plan state that as of 2035, 50% of new cars sold in the country will be either electric, plug-in hybrid, or fuel cell vehicles, and 50% of new cars will be conventional hybrids, which still run entirely on gasoline.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (above), in a surprise announcement yesterday, told the United Nations General Assembly via video that China would achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. This will require a radical reshaping of the Chinese economy.
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Tesla made about $354 million in Q1 2020 by selling regulatory credits. Fiat Chrysler and General Motors, among others, buy billions of dollars in CO2 credits a year to avoid paying fines. What if a similar credit system to get individuals to drive an electric car, or avoid driving altogether, were put in place? That’s what the Beijing Environmental Exchange launched today.
The first 500 units of the all-electric Aiways U5 SUV are on their way to Europe. Their arrival will mark the first batch of Made-in-China EVs to be put on European roads, paving the way for a new level of affordability for long-range electric vehicles.
In the latest update to Bloomberg’s “Electric Vehicle Outlook,” forecasters say the world will never buy as many traditional gas-powered cars and trucks as we did in 2017. While gas cars will continue to make up more than half of global auto sales for years ahead, gas cars have already peaked – and EVs will now take over.
Huawei’s 5G-based HiCar technology is not just another auto infotainment system. It’s more like an interface to the car’s core operating system and a vehicle-to-X channel to the road. HiCar will first appear on the BYD Han EV in June, before arriving in models from about 30 different auto brands.
