Proterra Powered LLC has introduced its new H2-23 battery pack designed for Class 8 trucks and other commercial vehicle applications. The product was unveiled at the ACT Expo as part […]
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Some expect sodium, which is cheaper and more readily available than such materials as lithium, cobalt and nickel, to power the next generation of EV battery technology. Now Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) says it expects to bring its Naxtra sodium-ion EV battery pack into mass production by the end of 2025.
“Sodium-ion battery technology is no longer a research achievement in laboratories,” Gao Huan, Chief Technology Officer for EV Business at CATL, told reporters. “We have achieved a breakthrough not only in terms of energy storage density and cost, but also found a new key to environmental protection.”
Gao said the new battery delivers specific energy of 175 Wh/kg, nearly on par with the 185 Wh/kg achieved by the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries currently used in most Chinese-made EVs.
The Naxtra Battery product line includes two categories: the Naxtra passenger EV Battery, which CATL says offers a 500-kilometer range and can achieve over 10,000 cycles; and the Naxtra 24V Heavy-Duty Truck Integrated Start-Stop Battery. Both versions are capable of performing across the full temperature range from -40° C to +70° C.
CATL first unveiled its sodium-ion battery technology in 2021. In 2023, the company said Chery Automobile had become the first customer for its sodium-ion batteries.
Source: CATL, South China Morning Post
Chinese electric truck OEM Windrose Technology has officially launched its battery-electric R700 Class 8 tractor in the US. The company plans to open an assembly plant in Georgia in 2025.
The Windrose R700 earned its certificate of conformity from the EPA in January, certifying that it meets federal fuel economy and emissions requirements.
As Jay Traugott reports in Clean Trucking, Windrose recently partnered with Phoenix-based JoyRide Logistics and EO Charging for a demonstration drive. The R700 has already undergone real-world testing in Asia, Europe and North America, including a 2,800-mile cross-country road trip in the US using public charging stations.
The Windrose R700 features an 800-volt architecture, a drag coefficient of 0.2755, a 729 kWh battery pack, 4 motors with total peak output of 1,400 hp, and a loaded range of 670 km (416 miles). It supports megawatt-level dual-inlet charging. A base price of around $250,000 is rumored.
“This isn’t just a prototype or promise—this is a fully operational, long-range electric truck that’s ready to haul freight today,” said Wen Han, founder, Chairman and CEO of Windrose. “We’ve validated our technology globally and are proud to bring it to the US—one of the most important logistics markets in the world.”
“Partnering with Windrose allows us to stay ahead—not just on sustainability, but on total operational performance,” said Adis Danan, President at JoyRide Logistics, a regional carrier with a 250-vehicle fleet operating in six states. “We’re talking fuel savings, reduced maintenance, and a future-ready fleet that our customers can get behind.”
Source: Clean Trucking
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Germany-based Daimler Buses, a segment of Daimler Truck, is introducing measures to extend the useful life of electric buses, including the remanufacturing of electric bus batteries and expansion of its product range in 2026 to include a latest-generation battery replacement with longer range.
The new services will be offered initially for the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city bus; it will be equipped in 2026 with the significantly improved next-generation NMC4 lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, which will be manufactured by BMZ Poland. The services may also be offered in the future for the Mercedes-Benz eIntouro intercity bus. This model is projected to be available in 2026 and will be equipped with the same lithium iron phosphate batteries as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 long-haul truck.
Daimler’s battery maker is now remanufacturing first-generation NMC1 batteries, and in the future, the “reworked” range will be extended to NMC2 and NMC3 batteries. Starting in 2026, Daimler Buses will also replace previous generation NMC1 to NMC3 batteries—depending on the customer’s planned duration of use—with the latest NMC4 models, which offer increased capacity and range.
Remanufacturing and battery replacement will also apply to the new NMC4 generation for its used vehicle range in the BusStore. Customers can also purchase used e-buses with high battery capacity or the latest battery technology.
“Our first-generation Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses are still in successful use today,” said Daimler Buses CEO Till Oberwörder. “The new e-services will help to ensure that this remains the case for many years to come.”
Source: Daimler
Leak detection systems provider INFICON has highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive testing of all EV battery cells, modules and packs.
North American EV battery manufacturers currently do not test 100% of individual cells assembled into battery packs for electrolyte leakage, leading to missed defects and possible battery fires, higher warranty costs and potential reputational damage.
The introduction of SAE testing standard J3277 establishes a method for ensuring battery pack integrity, including methods for water ingress and coolant ingress testing. This testing ensures that battery packs are leak-free at the time of inspection, but it does not guarantee the long-term safety of individual cells or modules within the pack.
“Every battery cell, prior to assembly into a module and again after module fabrication, should be leak tested,” said Thomas Parker, automotive market sales manager at INFICON. “Cells and modules require testing at multiple stages. Once a battery pack is completed, internal battery cooling circuits also become part of the leakage requirements. Leaking cooling circuits may rapidly degrade battery performance and safety.”
“There is a critical need for more thorough testing of individual cells before they are assembled into packs,” Parker added. “Each metal-ion cell now preferred for EV propulsion must be leak-free to prevent liquid or atmospheric moisture from causing dangerous degradation over time.”
“The lifetime of a battery strongly depends on the tightness of the cell housing, because of the harmful effects caused by the interaction between the electrolyte and water vapor,” Parker said. “Rapid detection of leaks in the production of battery cells is absolutely essential to achieving necessary service life and safety requirements.”
Source: INFICON
The three-year, Finland-based BATCircle3.0 project led by Aalto University has launched with a strategic focus on battery material refining and battery recycling.
In October 2024, Business Finland granted the consortium €13.4 million in funding for the next three years. BATCircle3.0 is a key project in Business Finland’s Hydrogen & Batteries—Dual Helix of Decarbonization program. The consortium targets the material transition in energy storage and aims to build on the first two iterations of the project that ran from 2019-2024.
BATCircle3.0 aims to enhance the circulation of valuable battery materials and develop feasible solutions for components that are currently not recycled. The consortium is looking to develop next-generation battery chemistries and characterization methods as well as to understand the recyclability of future battery waste fractions to establish a common approach to processing, recycling and chemical circulation.
BATCircle3.0 comprises three universities (Aalto University, University of Oulu, LUT University), one research center (VTT), and several private companies.
“We are honored to continue the BATCircle saga with a focus on material transition in energy storage,” said Mari Lundström, Principal Investigator of BATCircle3.0 and Associate Professor at Aalto University, School of Chemical Engineering. “Research focus has reformed from previous projects with a major emphasis on battery recycling and battery materials processing. We expect to create new innovations and future business potential for domestic battery metals ecosystem enabling the growth of a European ecosystem and further strengthening Finland´s position in the field.”
Source: BATCircle3.0
US-based low-voltage battery manufacturer Clarios has produced its one-millionth 12 V lithium-ion battery for EVs.
Clarios manufactures lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells in Michigan and assembles systems in Europe, close to its customers. It also produces low-voltage lithium-ion batteries in Hanover, Germany. The company has also produced six million 10 Ah LTO prismatic power cells as part of its transition from a pure lead acid battery manufacturer to a chemistry-agnostic energy systems supplier.
Clarios is also working on other battery technologies such as sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitor solutions and dual-voltage systems. The company plans further investments in research and development as well as the expansion of its product portfolio.
Source: Clarios
Cambridge-based Nyobolt has raised $30 million in new funding, bringing its total investment to $100 million. The round was led by IQ Capital and Latitude, with participation from strategic partners […]
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The Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University is working with research and industry partners to optimize the fast charging capability of prismatic lithium-ion batteries.
The aim of the new, three-year SchnelleZelle project, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, is to expand the performance of batteries by reducing charging times and increasing charging power without compromising on safety and lifespan.
From initial development to cell integration, the project aims to innovate cell design, electrode interconnection, sensor integration and the development of improved cooling and control strategies. The aim is to increase the charging rate by several percentage points in the State of Charge (SoC) range of 10-80%.
By integrating location-resolving sensors into the battery cells and using machine learning algorithms, charging processes will be optimized and adapted to individual battery conditions. An optimized connection of the electrode stack to the cell housing is designed to improve thermal stability and minimize internal resistance. The results will be implemented as prototypes of individual cells and cell networks.
“The improvement of fast charging capability in lithium-ion technology is a dominant topic in both research and industry and can be tackled separately or in combination with the help of various levers,” said PEM Director Professor Achim Kampker. “This can be achieved by integrating sensors into the cells and with the help of innovative approaches to cell design, cooling and charging algorithms,” added PEM Professor Heiner Heimes.
Source: PEM