Follow PSR’s ongoing global coverage of eMobility across a wide range of segments, including electric cars, commercial vehicles, electric motorbikes and e-buses.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, have developed a new electrolyte system for magnesium anodes, which they claim demonstrates a potential alternative to lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries through superior performance.
The team suggests halide-free Mg batteries surpass previous batteries in terms of safety, efficiency and stability. The aging effects of energy storage are also apparently mitigated with magnesium, which the team claimed would lead to a longer lifespan of the battery.
US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imported automobiles (again), and one reaction from the UK is to reconsider its policy on electric vehicle subsidies, especially since it is providing so much money to Tesla buyers.
“Tesla has benefited from £188m in UK taxpayer subsidies in nine years,” The Independent writes.
After imposing a 25% tariff on automobiles exported from the UK to the US, it’s quite natural for British people in the auto industry and politicians to say, “Hey, we’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars to subsidize your cars, and now you want to slap a tax on ours? Let’s reconsider how our EV policies work….” UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government is reviewing its electric vehicle transition rules, amid calls for reciprocal tariffs on Tesla imports,
PSR Analysis: The backlash against the Trump tariffs is slowly starting to take shape and a lot of this is directed at Tesla because of Elon Musk and his support for Trump. Given that Tesla put an end to the myth that Europeans won’t buy American cars, it’s a very odd place for Tesla to be in and they probably will remain there until such time as the dump Musk or go bankrupt. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
KG Motors, which manufactures and sells the ultra-compact “mibot” EV, is moving toward mass production of the units. It will start mass production in October 2025 at an assembly plant it has built near its headquarters. The company plans to produce 300 units in FY2025, 3,000 units in FY2026, and 10,000 units in FY2027.
The mibot is a one-person vehicle designed for short-distance travel, with a range of 100 kilometers per charge. The planned price at the time of mass production is 1.1 million yen ($7,700 USD), including consumption tax.
The assembly plant in Higashi Hiroshima City consists of a single production line with a main line of seven processes and a subline of four processes. Since there are only a few parts, the number of processes is less than that of a normal automobile production line.
Zeekr, an electric vehicle (EV) maker within the Geely Auto group, has integrated its self-developed fast-charging battery technology, based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry, into its latest vehicles
According to the company, the 75 kWh battery pack supports ‘5.5C ultra-fast charging,’ enabling vehicles to charge from 10% to 80% in just 10.5 minutes using 800V charging at Zeekr’s proprietary stations.
PSR Analysis: Until this, all Lithium -ion batteries using NMC cathodes were faster than LFP batteries. This reverses that and means that this ultra fast charging together with safer LFP chemistry could eventually replace standard NMC battery chemistries
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
The E-bike market size was estimated at USD 38.3 billion in 2023 and is forecast by Power Systems Research to increase to $97.3 B in 2033 with a CAGR of 9.77% between 2024 and 2033. Cities globally are investing in dedicated bike lanes, charging stations, and bike-sharing initiatives for facilitating easier e-bike usage. Moreover, consumers are drawn to the substantial cost savings offered by electric solutions compared to conventional vehicles.
E-Bike Market Trends. Several important technological trends have boosted the production and sales of e-bikes.
Battery Technology. Improved batteries provide lighter weight, lower cost, longer range and quicker charging times.
Smart features, such as GPS navigation, app connectivity, and digital displays enhance the user experience, making e-bikes more appealing and user-friendly.
Shared micro-mobility is part of the public transportation ecosystem. As a flexible transportation option with comparatively low overhead and operation costs, shared micro-mobility can complement higher-volume fixed-route transit services by offering mobility services for many trips at a lower per-traveler cost.
Hyundai Motor in August announced plans to expand its lineup of hybrid vehicles from seven to 14 models in response to slowing global demand for electric vehicles. The company will also use HVs for the first time in its Genesis luxury car brand. The company also announced plans to increase its annual global sales volume by 30% from 2023 to 5.55 million units by 2030, and to invest 120.5 trillion won (about 13 trillion yen) in R&D and capital investment over the 10 years out to 2033. The company will focus on advanced technologies such as next-generation HVs, in-vehicle batteries and automated driving technology.
China may place 25% tariffs on EVs in retaliation for similar moves by the US and the European Union. Read about this as well as articles on new battery development, the decline in diesel sales and a new battery from CATL in the June 2024 Alternative Power Report from Power Systems Research. PSR
Volvo has received authorization from the Ministry of Transportation to begin testing its heavy electric trucks in Brazil. The vehicles will be part of a study and will be able to operate in urban areas, metropolitan regions, and short to medium-distance intercity transportation, aiming to evaluate their performance and impact on pavement in this type of operation.
The transport companies ReiterLog and Ritmo Logística will be the first to operate the Volvo electric trucks. Preliminary results from the study, led by Senatran (National Traffic Department), with technical coordination from Inprotran (National Institute of Traffic and Safety Projects), in partnership with Volvo, Prometeon, UNB, and UFRGS, indicate benefits of operating zero-emission CO2 vehicles, such as high energy efficiency, absence of noise, low vibration levels, and increased driver comfort.
On March 28, Kubota unveiled the first prototype of a fuel cell-powered tractor. Although no release date has been set, the company will consider installing fuel cells in unmanned, automated tractors. Kubota is also developing battery-powered agricultural equipment, but the company believes that hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be effective for medium-large sized agricultural equipment.
Kubota is rushing to commercialize fuel cells because it believes demand will grow in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and the United States as a result of the trend toward decarbonization. The prototype machine has about 60 horsepower and has three hydrogen tanks installed above the cabin, which are used in Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell car. It generates electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen to power the engine. In the experiment, a tractor was equipped with a plowing unit to till the soil.
“India is a key market for vehicle electrification, particularly due to the government’s carbon neutrality goals, which makes securing cost competitiveness through localized battery production crucial,” Heui Won Yang, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s research and development division.
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