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Driven by multiple factors such as government support, market demand, and battery technology upgrades, the battery swap solution is attracting much attention from the market.
NIO Energy has obtained a strategic investment of 1.5 billion yuan from Wuhan Guangchuang Xingxin Technology Phase I Venture Capital Fund Partnership and other institutions. Earlier, FAW Group signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with NIO[ it is the seventh car company to sign a battery swap cooperation agreement with NIO, following GAC Group, Changan Automobile, Geely Holding, Chery Automobile, Jianghuai Automobile Group, and Lotus. This covers almost half of the mainstream domestic car companies.
Competition in the battery swap track involves more than just NIO and several passenger car companies. Recently, power battery enterprises, commercial vehicle companies, and mobility platforms also have been aggressively entering this field. On May 16, 2024, CATL signed a framework agreement for a battery swap project cooperation with GAC Aion and Era Electric Service; in the commercial vehicle sector, Nanjing Golden Dragon, Sany Automobile, China National Heavy-Duty Truck, Dongfeng Liuzhou, and Hanma Technology have all started to plan the layout of battery swap heavy trucks. In addition, State Power Investment, GCL New Energy, and Sany Group are also positioning to layout heavy truck battery swap stations.
Hyundai and Kia have announced that they plan to work together to create a new hydrogen engine that will better overcome the challenges faced by previous generations of the technology. A lack of refueling infrastructure has been a top issue in this area.
With a focus on this issue, the goal of the collaboration between Hyundai and Kia is to greatly enhance the range of the hydrogen engine. In fact, they are aiming for an unprecedented range to greatly improve the appeal of using H2 for zero-emission transport and transportation.
PSR Analysis: There has yet to be a passenger vehicle that is ready for drivers to purchase and use for their everyday needs in a realistic, practical, and affordable way. As a result, in order to overcome the lack of infrastructure, the range and appeal of this, will need to be massive, and in fact it may not be possible. PSR
The May 2024 Alternative Power Report from Power Systems Research features several stories on Chinese EVs and the impact they are having on European and US markets. There also are stories on hydrogen development and hydrogen fueling stations. PSR
CATL has launched a battery pack with Yutong Bus Co to power commercial vehicles like buses and trucks. Yutong said the new battery packs will be used in upcoming electric vehicles and that the new long-lasting EV battery has zero degradation through the first 1,000 cycles.
The new EV battery pack, made with CATL, has a 932,000 mile (1.5 million km), 15-year warranty. Yutong calls the long-life battery an industry first. The bus manufacturer introduced another battery with a 10-year and 621,000 mile (1 million km) lifespan.
The April 2024 Alternative Power Report by Power Systems Research features several articles on batteries including one on sodium ion batteries as an alternative to Lithium Ion batteries, and another on the dropping cost of EV batteries. Hydrogen power sources show increasing promise, and there is an article on Chinese manufacturer CATL launching a battery pack with Yutong Bus Co to power commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks that has a 15-year warranty. PSR
Caterpillar and CRH have collaborated to test electric mining trucks capable of hauling up to 100 tons, aiming for sustainable heavy equipment solutions and decarbonization. The electric 793 mining truck, capable of carrying 265 tons, features advancements such as autonomous hauling and regenerative braking, emphasizing its potential in safety, performance, and operational efficiency without immediate recharging needs. Electrek’s analysis underscores the significant reduction in carbon emissions and noise, highlighting the move towards a greener future in heavy machinery and mining industries.
Toyota Motor Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation have announced the joint development of a hydrogen production system. The two companies plan to begin demonstration tests at Toyota’s main plant in fiscal 2025 and hope to begin marketing the system around fiscal 2027.
The system will produce hydrogen by electrolyzing water. It will have an output of about 5 megawatts and will be able to produce about 100 kilograms of hydrogen per hour. The new plant has a footprint of 6 meters wide by 2.5 meters deep, about half the size of a typical plant. By linking multiple plants, the production volume can be significantly increased.
On Jan. 20, 2024, Lingong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. and CATAL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop electric construction machinery.
Lingong Heavy Machinery is a leader in the global wide body mining truck and high-altitude operation platform industry and is also an active advocate and strong promoter of green, intelligent, international, and low-carbon environmental protection development in the engineering machinery industry.
CATAL is a leading global new energy innovation technology company, committed to providing first-class solutions and services for global new energy applications, and has a wide range of vehicle factory partners around the world.
General Motors and mining and construction equipment giant Komatsu plan to jointly design and validate the hydrogen fuel cell technology for the 930E electric drive mining truck. GM has been conducting hydrogen fuel cell research and product development for more than 50 years and has developed platforms for both lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.
Mining trucks typically operate at a single mine throughout their life, a situation that simplifies the challenge of rolling out hydrogen refueling stations. GM and Komatsu plan to test the prototype HYDROTEC-powered mining vehicle in the mid-2020s at Komatsu’s Arizona Proving Grounds research and development facility. The prototype mining truck will be powered by more than 2 megawatts of HYDROTEC power cubes.
Battery development news continues to lead the way in the current issue of the Alternative Power Report produced by Power Systems Research. In this issue, read articles about silicon anode powder used in batteries and a new cathode material that provides cheaper and more sustainable power. This issue contains news about government regulations aimed at EVs and GM and Komatsu joining forces to produce hydrogen powered mining trucks.
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