Category Archives: mobility company

Ford Collaborates with Chinese Huayou on EV Battery Nickel

“This framework gives Ford direct control to source the nickel we need – in one of the industry’s lowest-cost ways – and allows us to ensure the nickel is mined in line with our company’s sustainability targets, setting the right ESG standards as we scale,” said Lisa Drake, vice president for Ford Model e EV industrialization. “Working this way puts Ford in a position to help make EVs more accessible for millions and to do it in a way that helps better protect people and the planet,” claimed Drake. Unmentioned by Drake is that Vale is conducting research in bio-leaching, which eliminates acid for leaching metals from ore by using bacteria to convert the metals such as nickel into a soluble form. Continue reading

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Mazda Adding Renewable Solar Power to Japanese Plants

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MITI) provides subsidies to cover a portion of the expense of installing solar power generation facilities in cases where consumers of electric power coordinated with an electric power producer to establish such facilities. “These subsidies are intended to promote such collaborations and encourage wider adoption of independent initiatives to establish renewable energy sources, contributing to a reliable, long-term, supply-demand balance in energy use during the period up until 2030, thereby supporting the achievement of ambitious targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” Continue reading

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Ford Motor BlueOval City – 6000 Jobs go to Tennessee

BlueOval City will make Ford’s second-generation electric truck, code-named Project T3 with the capacity of  500,000 EV trucks a year at full production. Tennessee is a “right to work” (for less?) state, which means workers don’t have to be unionized. Tennessee sent at least $500 million in incentives from its taxpayers to close the deal announced back in September of 2021.

It’s ironic that the state of Michigan today repealed the state’s right to work law – the birthplace and longstanding home of Ford Motor. “Today, we are coming together to restore workers’ rights, protect Michiganders on the job, and grow Michigan’s middle class,” Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer said when signing the legislation. Continue reading

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Stellantis to Spend ~€130M in the Eisenach Assembly for EVs

Opel announced last fall that it would revive GSe as a new sub-brand for electrified models with GSe now standing for Grand Sport electric. The Opel Grandland GSe follows the Astra GSe and the Astra Sports Tourer GSe. Opel claims it is a high-performance, plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel-drive in the SUV compact class, arguably the fastest growing segment in Europe and Asia. The Opel Grandland currently produced at Eisenach includes plug-in hybrid variants. Opel wants a fully electric lineup by 2028. Continue reading

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Stellantis €1.5B Share Buyback Program Starts Tomorrow

The buyback is  under the authority granted by the general meeting of shareholders held on 13 April 2022, up to a maximum of 10% of the Company’s capital, or any renewed or extended authorization to be granted at a future general meeting of the Company. The purchase price per common share will be no higher than an amount equal to 110% of the market price of the shares on the NYSE, Euronext Milan or Euronext Paris. Continue reading

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Kodlin Customizes a BMW R 18 B Motorcycle

For the first time, Fred Kodlin has customize a BMW together with his son Len – the BMW R 18 B. Kodlin is of considerable reputation in certain Harley-Davidson circles. Since the 1990s, his custom bikes have won various Daytona shows – say, Rats Hole and Boardwalk – regularly. A native German, he was the first non-US citizen to be inducted into the Sturgis Hall of Fame. Continue reading

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Cadillac CELESTIQ Debuts With Hands-Free Driving Possible in Most Conditions Early in 2024. Caveats Apply

General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced today that Ultra Cruise1, the company’s next-generation advanced driver assistance system2 designed to enable hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios, will have a 360-degree view of the vehicle through a unique sensor suite when it launches on the ~$300,000 Cadillac CELESTIQ 3 in early 2024. There are of course many technical, regulatory and insurance issues the need to be resolved before full deployment is underway. Continue reading

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Honda Shows New Prototype Autonomous Work Vehicle

Honda aims to commercialize its AWV. Honda looking for partners to participate in field testing, as well as to improve functions and enhance services, especially in the areas of: Product distribution Product support and aftermarket sales, as well as software and attachment development. The AWV use Honda’s mobility technologies, and common components from its automobiles and other products. Continue reading

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Honda Using Fuel Cell to Back Up Power at Its Data Center

The power station uses Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell technology know-how and contributes to the company’s global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050.In the coming years, Honda will begin applying a next-generation stationary fuel cell system to Honda manufacturing facilities and data centers globally, thereby reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading

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Stellantis to Convert Three Indiana Plants to EV Components

As a result more than 265 jobs will survive. Stellantis* said that its total investments in Indiana since 2020 to support electrification goals will increase to nearly $3.3 billion, including gigafactory joint venture with Samsung SDI. This is to support the goal of 50% battery electric sales in the U.S. by 2030. Continue reading

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EVs – Honda, Ascend to Buy Recycled Nickel, Cobalt, Lithium

Through this collaboration, Honda will seek to acquire a consistent supply of nickel, cobalt and lithium that Ascend Elements reclaims from recycled lithium-ion batteries. Honda will then use these materials in its battery supply chain. Continue reading

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Nissan Testing Heavy-Duty EV Trucks for Vehicle Deliveries

The proof-of-concept project will help Nissan and its logistics partners understand more about the use of all-electric trucks for vehicle delivery. Following the initial trial with four BEV car hauler trucks, Nissan plans to deploy additional trucks in the Los Angeles area. Building on lessons learned from these projects, Nissan could eventually begin using BEV trucks for a variety of logistics uses. Continue reading

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Autonomous Vehicles, Entertainment: Mercedes-Benz Debuts a New Operating System in the Automobility Cosmos

This is only one aspect of a program intended to bolster the stated Mercedes-Benz desire to remain a preeminent luxury brand. Moreover, both are advanced aspects – or aspirations – of what the auto industry and its products are heading toward: a software defined vehicle and user experience, as well as the comprehensive use of data collection and artificial intelligence that will enable autonomous vehicles, along with ongoing software over-the air updates for entertainment feeds, traffic  alerts, subscription services, EV charging availability and range, among other aspects of a connected car from a connected car company and its connected dealers and other connected vendors. Continue reading

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Toyota Patents in Top Five of Intellectual Property Owners Assn

The ranking represents the highest ever achieved in the list’s 40-year history. Toyota said that this further reinforces its position as a leader in technology and innovation among the world’s best-known brands. Of the 3056 patents the company was awarded in 2022, nearly half are for future mobility, including 26% around electrification targeting vehicles, batteries and materials, and 14% focused on automation and safety. Continue reading

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Michigan Chemistry – Ford to Spend $3.5B on LFP Battery Plant

Lithium iron phosphate batteries use fewer high-demand, high-cost materials such as critical minerals nickel and cobalt. Ford said they will power a variety of Ford’s next-generation of EV passenger vehicles and pickups, starting this year with Mustang Mach-E. A US LFP battery plant is now central to the so-called Ford+ plan because in theory it helps Ford more EV production quickly thereby making EVs more affordable for customers. Ford’s goal is an 8% EBIT margin for Model e by 2026. It is being pushed hard here by General Motors* and other global automakers as they compete in the capital markets. Continue reading

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