Battery Electric Trends & Analysis

Follow PSR’s team of analysts as they track the rapidly expanding global battery electric power market, including, battery technology, transportation, eMobility, mergers and acquisitions and more.

LG Chem To Build Plant for Auto Battery Materials in Korea

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT

LG Chem says it will build a cathode material plant for automotive battery materials in Gumi, central South Korea. LG Chem has the second largest automotive battery business in the world. They will continue to invest in increasing production in the materials field to meet the increasing demand and plans to start mass production by 2025 and will build a dedicated line for cathode materials with high nickel content, called NCMA, which can increase the output of batteries.

LG Chem’s new plant will be its fourth; it has two cathode material plants in operation in Korea and one in China. The current production capacity is 80,000 tons. LG Chemical produces its own cathode materials, separation membranes, and adhesives, and supplies them to LG Energy Solution, its battery subsidiary. LG Chem is working with Toray Industries, Inc. to secure the amount of separation membrane to be procured.

Read More»

Look for Unprecedented Launch of EVs in Japanese Market

JAPAN REPORT

The Japanese market in 2022 will be greatly affected by two factors: COVID-19 in its third year and the semiconductor shortage. Despite this, companies are making steady progress in their approach to the industrial issues of the environment and safety, and in particular, the full-scale development of EV products is positioned as a major step toward the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050. The launch of EVs in the Japanese market in 2022 will be on an unprecedented scale.

Nissan will start selling its new model “ARIA” at the beginning of the year. Nissan and Mitsubishi are also jointly developing a mini-EV which they plan to launch early in 2022. Toyota and Subaru will also gradually roll out their first jointly developed SUV in Japan and overseas markets starting in mid-2022. Toyota’s “bZ4X” and Subaru’s “SOLTERRA” are the best-selling mid-size SUV EVs globally and will be the touchstone for future EV development. Honda will launch its first two Honda-brand EVs in China in the spring of 2022. These are also SUVs and will be marketed under the name “e:NS1” by Dongfeng Honda and “e:NP1” by Guangqi Honda, both of which are local joint ventures, and will be considered for export from China to global markets.

Read More»

In 2025, China’s Construction Machinery Electric Drive Products May Reach 25%

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

Electrification has become one of the important directions of green development within China’s construction machinery segment. Domestic construction machinery leaders have increased the development of equipment electrification and have launched a variety of electrification products.

Some professional organizations predict that by 2025 the penetration rate of main products may reach 25%. The electrification of construction machinery initially replaces conventional diesel engine drive with electric drive and then the hydraulic device is replaced by an electric device. Concrete mixers, truck cranes, muck trucks, excavators and wheel-loaders are the most easily electrically driven products, especially for small construction machinery.

Source:  CLS     Read The Article

Read More»

Indonesia Aims at Lead in Integrated EV Production

INDONESIA REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Investment related to EVs is gaining momentum in Indonesia. While the government is aiming to upgrade the industry by mainly using nickel as a battery material, Hyundai Motor of South Korea and Hon Hai Precision Industry of Taiwan have announced their plans to produce EVs and automotive batteries. If the concentration of industries advances, the country will compete with Thailand, which is also making efforts to attract related industries, for the leading role in EV production in Southeast Asia.

At the Indonesia International Auto Show, which started in the suburbs of Jakarta on Dec 11, Hyundai Motor’s compact EV “Kona” attracted much attention. The company will begin production in 2022 at its plant in West Java province, which will soon be operational.

Read More»

Toyota Joins BYD To Build Affordable $30,000 Electric Car

JAPAN REPORT

Toyota reportedly has partnered with China’s BYD to develop an affordable electric car to launch next year. The Japanese automaker has widely been recognized as a laggard in the transition to electric vehicles. Years of betting on hydrogen fuel cells and hybrid vehicles has put Toyota behind on battery-electric vehicles.

Reuters reports Toyota is planning to release a “small and affordable electric sedan” in China next year:

The electric vehicle is reportedly going to be powered by BYD’s blade battery cells with LFP chemistry. LFP chemistry has improved enough in recent years that it is moving from mainly being used in electric buses to now electric cars. BYD’s blade battery has attracted a lot of attention – even from Tesla, according to reports coming out of China. A Toyota source talking to Reuters said that it is what is enabling the automaker to produce its first affordable all-electric car:

Read More»

Cummins Announces Hydrogen and Electrified Portfolio in Brazil

When completing 50 years in Brazil, Cummins announces the arrival of the New Power unit in South America. This includes Electric propulsion, NG Engines, cleaner Diesel Engines, Fuel Cell and mainly Hydrogen.

Source: M&T Magazine     Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  As part of its global strategy, Cummins in South America, leads in the first phase in market niches with NG Engines and follows with other new solutions in the following phases.   PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development South America, for Power Systems Research

VinFast Launches Two EVs, Announces US HQ and Manufacturing Plant

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

VinFast has selected Los Angeles as its US headquarters and recently shared plans to begin manufacturing in the U.S. in 2024. VinFast is the automotive manufacturing subsidiary of VinGroup, a Vietnamese conglomerate that develops everything from real estate to technology and healthcare. The VinFast subsidiary was founded in 2017.

VinFast is working to deliver its flagship EV, the VF e34, later this year in Vietnam. When that happens, it will be the first-ever EV sold in the entire Vietnamese market.

Last month, we reported that VinFast was ambitiously entering markets overseas, beginning with the US, Canada, and Europe at the same time.

Read More»

Chinese Higer Bus To Produce Electric Buses in Brazil by 2023

This Chinese OEM confirmed the plans to start the production of its vehicles in Brazil by 2023 after the initial phase of importing the first units in 2022. In 2021, road tests of the Azure A12BR will take place in São Paulo using the regular city bus fleet.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Higer Bus has announced an investment of US$ 10 million for production infrastructure but it has not announced the location of the manufacturing facility. Although they say there are many suppliers in Brazil, as ZF, Dana, Valeo, Bosch and Siemens, the amount seems low and limits the operation for something similar to a CKD with shared assembly infrastructure. PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America for Power Systems Research

Stellantis Confirms Second Electric LCV in Brazil

Soon after the recent launch of the Peugeot e-Expert, Stellantis announced the Citroën e-Jumpy on Friday Nov. 12. Price, drives, batteries configuration, autonomy have not been announced yet. However it announced the growth expectations from 1.2% Market Share to 4% with the new electric launches.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Although it has not been announced, the most likely scenario is that Citroën e-Jumpy will use the same configuration as its European product, the Peugeot e-208 GT. European Battery has 75kWh with Autonomy for 330 km per charge over the EMP2 platform. PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America for Power Systems Research

BMW Starts Production of CE 04 EV Motorbike

Emiliano Marzoli
Emiliano Marzoli

The CE 04 falls somewhere between a maxiscooter and a light electric motorcycle, with a distinguished concept style.  Initially, the rated power will be 42 Hp, giving the CE 04 a 2.6 seconds to 50km/h and 120 km/h max speed.   A second model will be soon available with 31 Hp, with slower acceleration but similar top speed.

Acceleration won’t be the only difference.  The battery in the faster model will be bigger, with 8.9 kWh of capacity and is rated for up to 130 km (81 miles) of range. The reduced power model has a maximum range of 100 km (62 miles).  It will be possible to charge the bike under different circumstances, at home, or public places.  Two built-in chargers will be available, ranging from 2.3 kW to 6.9 kw.  Charging will take from 1 hour and forty minutes to 4 hours depending on the selected option.  BMW said that 20 to 80% battery charge will take 45 minutes, making this a very practical vehicle.

Read More»