Kia has revealed technical specifications for the European version of its EV5 electric SUV, which gets a different battery from the Chinese-market car launched two years ago. It swaps that […]
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Honeywell has acquired Nexceris’ Li-ion Tamer business, maker of an advanced off-gas detection solution designed to provide early warnings of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. The acquisition expands Honeywell’s existing fire safety technology portfolio within its Building Automation segment and builds on its prior five-year partnership with Nexceris to enhance lithium-ion battery safety.
Li-ion Tamer’s technology detects the off-gases typically emitted prior to a lithium-ion battery thermal runaway event, providing warnings up to 30 minutes in advance. This advanced notice allows facility operators the opportunity to intervene and prevent battery fires before they occur. The Li-ion Tamer solution is used globally by leading battery OEMs.
Applications for the Li-ion Tamer product include battery-backed EV charging infrastructure, grid-scale energy storage systems and data centers.
“Li-ion Tamer’s early warning technology has been revolutionary for our customers and partners over the last five years,” said Billal Hammoud, President and CEO of Honeywell’s Building Automation segment. “Building on our legacy partnership, the acquisition of this product suite will position Honeywell as a leader in early gas detection and battery fire prevention. We expect this tuck-in acquisition to further bolster growth of our fire detection business.”
The Li-ion Tamer product portfolio, consisting of more than 30 global patents, will integrate with Honeywell’s existing advanced fire detection technologies, including its VESDA smoke detection solution and Connected Life Safety Services platform hosted on Honeywell Forge IoT.
Source: Honeywell
Scientists at the Illinois Institute of Technology and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new approach based on a four-electron reaction process to produce lithium-air batteries that have higher energy density than current Li-ion technology.
So far, lithium-air battery demonstrations have been limited to only one- or two-electron reaction processes, resulting in the formation of lithium superoxide (LiO2) or lithium peroxide (Li2O2), respectively. The reaction in the four-electron reaction process relies on the use of a solid-state electrolyte and a catalyst, trimolybdenum phosphide (Mo3P). This is important, as reactions involving more electrons create more energy storage.
The scientists have created a lithium-air battery cell consisting of a lithium metal anode, air-based cathode and solid ceramic polymer electrolyte (CPE). Upon discharge and charge, lithium ions (Li+) go from anode to cathode, then back.
Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries that use liquid electrolytes, the new battery uses a solid composite electrolyte based on nanoparticles containing lithium. The electrolyte is embedded in a matrix made of a special material called a ceramic-polyethylene oxide polymer. Researchers showed that the battery can be recharged for at least 1,000 charge-discharge cycles. With further development, the design could reach a specific energy of 1,200 Wh/kg.
The composite electrolyte embedded with Li10GeP2S12 nanoparticles exhibits high ionic conductivity and stability and high cycle stability. Low-dose cryogenic transmission electron microscopy carried out at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, a DOE Office of Science user facility, confirms the reaction mechanism, which favors four-electron reaction chemistry by reversible formation and decomposition of Li2O as the main product.
The research found that the battery is rechargeable for at least 1,000 cycles at room temperature, which the scientists say represents significant progress toward practical applications of lithium-air batteries.
Using a solid-state electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte would also reduce concerns around fire safety. The discovery also opens up novel ideas for designing lithium-based battery chemistry that works at room temperature. These future designs could achieve even greater energy storage, according to the researchers.
Renesas Electronics has announced three new 650 V high-voltage gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistors (FETs) developed specifically for e-mobility charging stations, AI data center and server power supplies (including 800 V HVDC architectures) and battery energy storage. The fourth-generation plus (Gen IV Plus) devices—named TP65H030G4PRS, TP65H030G4PWS, and TP65H030G4PQS—are based on the proven SuperGaN platform acquired through Renesas’ 2024 takeover of Transphorm, utilizing depletion-mode (d-mode), normally-off GaN technology.
These Gen IV Plus GaN components offer lower switching losses, smaller size, and increased thermal efficiency compared to silicon and silicon carbide (SiC) counterparts. Specifically, the devices use a die 14 percent smaller than the previous generation, achieving a reduced on-resistance (R_DS(on)) of 30 milliohms (mΩ)—a 14 percent improvement—and offering a 20 percent improvement in the on-resistance output-capacitance product figure of merit (FOM). The smaller die size directly reduces output capacitance, enhancing efficiency and enabling higher power density, ultimately resulting in lower overall system costs.
Available in TOLT, TO-247, and TOLL packaging configurations, these GaN FETs give engineers broad flexibility for optimizing thermal management and PCB layouts in power systems ranging from one to 10 kW, with higher ratings achievable through paralleling configurations. Surface-mount options (TOLL and TOLT) provide bottom- or top-side thermal conduction paths, optimizing cooling and aiding simpler device paralleling. The traditional TO-247 package offers enhanced thermal dissipation suitable for applications requiring higher power handling.
Renesas emphasizes the devices’ silicon-compatible gate drive inputs, allowing use of standard silicon MOSFET gate drivers rather than specialized drivers typically required by enhancement-mode (e-mode) GaN alternatives. This architecture lowers barriers to adoption, simplifies integration, and reduces complexity for engineers aiming to transition from silicon to GaN-based designs.
“The rollout of Gen IV Plus GaN devices marks the first major new product milestone since Renesas’ acquisition of Transphorm last year,” said Primit Parikh, Vice President of the GaN Business Division at Renesas. “Future versions will combine the field-proven SuperGaN technology with our drivers and controllers to deliver complete power solutions. Whether used as standalone FETs or integrated into complete system solution designs with Renesas controllers or drivers, these devices will provide a clear path to designing products with higher power density, reduced footprint and better efficiency at a lower total system cost.”
The new Gen IV Plus GaN FETs and associated 4.2 kW Totem-Pole PFC GaN Evaluation Platform (RDTTP4200W066A-KIT) are currently available for sampling and prototyping.
Source: Renesas Electronics
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are all the rage these days. Although they offer lower energy density than batteries based on NMC (lithium nickel manganese cobalt) chemistries, they tend to be cheaper, and their ingredients are more readily available, less toxic and less controversial. Automakers including Ford and Stellantis are steadily building production capacity for LFP cells in the US and Europe (generally in cooperation with Asian battery-makers).
LG Energy Solution has unveiled a new facility in Holland, Michigan to produce LFP batteries at scale. The company established its first gigawatt-size battery plant in Holland in 2012.
The new plant is producing LFP batteries specifically for energy storage systems (ESS)—stationary batteries, not battery packs for EVs. (LFP cells offer long cycle life, making them especially suitable for ESS applications.) Average annual production capacity is expected to be 16.5 GWh. The $1.4-billion plant is expected to employ up to 1,700 people
“We have a solution where we can provide energy storage in any location where the energy is being produced and where it can be used in an efficient way to optimize the grid,” said Bob Lee, President of North America for LG Energy Solution, adding that the company is prepared to more than double its current capacity if demand grows.
The Holland facility will also produce NMC cells and modules for the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which LG Energy Solution previously produced in Poland.
LG Energy Solution currently owns four battery manufacturing facilities in the US—two in Holland, one in Lansing, and one in Queen Creek, Arizona.
CleanTechnica’s Paul Fosse got a chance to tour the new plant and observe the manufacturing process: creating slurry, coating foil, stacking cells with safety-reinforced separators, sealing in aluminum pouches and injecting electrolyte. The process is now operational on two lines, and a third is expected to go into service by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Tesla says it is “nearing completion” of its own new LFP battery manufacturing facility, near its Gigafactory Nevada.
While Ford entered a technology licensing agreement with Chinese battery giant CATL for its Michigan battery plant, Tesla purchased manufacturing equipment from the company, a strategy that has allowed Tesla to avoid the political complications that have plagued Ford’s CATL partnership.
Battery Technology’s Michael C. Anderson says video footage released by Tesla appears to confirm that the company has implemented a wet coating process for electrode manufacturing at the Nevada facility. This matches CATL’s predominant manufacturing methods for LFP, but contrasts with the dry coating process that Tesla is developing for its 4680 cells in Texas.
Tesla’s new facility is expected to start with approximately 10 GWh of annual production capacity. The initial output is expected to be used in stationary storage products such as Tesla’s Powerwall and Megapack rather than in EVs—the same approach taken by LG Energy Solution with its new Michigan LFP facility.
Sources: Tesla, CleanTechnica, Battery Technology
A general perception about Teslas and electric vehicles is that their large battery packs are prone to catching fire in accidental scenarios.
However, in many Tesla vehicle accidents, a very minimal number of incidents were reported to have caught fire. The reasons for these fires may be different than the battery pack’s high voltage sparks.
For an ultimate validation of Tesla battery pack fires in case of an accident, YouTuber Danny Duncan performed a unique test. The influencer sacrificed his previous-generation Tesla Model 3 and pushed it off a high cliff.
This is one of the most brutal forms of putting a vehicle through a safety test, beyond the conventional crash safety testing.
Interestingly and historically, Tesla electric vehicles tested for crash safety by NHTSA, Euro NCAP, and ANCAP have never caught fire during testing. However, pushing the vehicle off a cliff gives us further proof of whether Tesla battery pack fires are real or a myth.
So, Danny and his friends arranged for a Tesla Model 3 to be launched off a cliff to see if it catches fire or not. In the middle of the long vlog by the YouTuber, he also tested Tesla’s body and glass by hitting them with tin cans using a hydraulic pressure gun.
The Tesla glass survived this intense hit test. The can hitting it at high velocity didn’t pass through the window of the Tesla Model 3, while the ICE vehicle’s window broke, and the can entered the car’s cabin.
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The test result must have come as a surprise to Tesla critics. The Tesla vehicle did not catch fire after falling off the cliff. The vehicle was destroyed, but it busted a myth of Tesla battery fires in accidents.
A previous generation of the older Tesla Model 3 was used in this test. The latest generation Model 3 Highland and the entire new lineup is much better than the legacy generation in terms of safety features and crashworthiness.
So, if an older Tesla doesn’t catch fire after dropping off a cliff several meters down, the newer generation is expected to perform even better. A Cybertruck even sustained a bomb blast at the Trump Hotel earlier this year, and it didn’t catch fire.
So far, the video has received 2.3 million views on YouTube and 1.3 million views on Musk’s X (Twitter) and generating heaps of discussion about Tesla vehicle safety.
Video: Danny Duncan launching his Tesla Model 3 off a cliff.
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Featured image: Danny Duncan / YouTube.
Note: This article was published earlier on Tesla Oracle. Author: Iqtidar Ali.
Workingman Capital, in partnership with Hilco Commercial Industrial, has announced the auction of Lion Electric’s EV battery manufacturing facility in Mirabel, Quebec. The facility features a high-output battery production line with an annual capacity of 1.7 GWh, scalable to 5.0 GWh.
Online Timed Auction: Monday, July 8, 2025 – 11:00 AM ET
Inspection: Sunday, July 7, 2025 – 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: 9900 Irénée-Vachon Street, Mirabel, Quebec J7N 3C5
The auction includes a complete 2023 robotic production line designed for NMC2 lithium-ion battery packs. Equipment highlights include Fanuc industrial robots, 21 Asterion AST-EV wire bonders (2022), JR Automation controls, Bosch conveyors, and tooling for Lion’s 70 kWh and 105 kWh battery packs, certified in December 2023 and June 2024, respectively.
Also included are five NHR 9300 high-voltage battery test systems, Laserax cleaning lasers (2022), and Keyence 14-head etchers. The full process flow spans cell placement through module assembly, bonding, pack testing, and final validation. The facility was designed to support up to 5,000 EVs annually and operates with approximately 10 production staff.
Assets will be offered first as a complete package, then individually. Private treaty offers are accepted in advance.
Advanced Robotics:
Wire Bonding & Battery Assembly:
Battery Testing & Material Handling:
Precision Equipment:
Production Capabilities & Line Overview:
comemso has announced SmartCal, a fully automated calibration system for its Battery Cell Simulator (BCS), targeting developers and testers of battery management systems (BMS) in electric vehicle and high-voltage test environments. The SmartCal system enables on-site or in-lab calibration and adjustment of BCS units, designed to maintain long-term measurement accuracy in EV battery testing.
SmartCal integrates an automated process and user interface with a 6.5-digit digital multimeter calibrated to ISO 17025 standards. For in-house use, calibration and measurement data are stored in a centralized comemso database. When used at the customer’s facility, the data is saved locally and automatically exported as a PDF calibration report.
The system supports both verification and channel adjustment functions, allowing precise tuning of individual simulator channels. It can be rented or purchased and deployed flexibly across laboratory and production environments. comemso says the system helps ensure consistent measurement quality while eliminating downtime caused by device returns.
“If you want to develop good BMS, you have to be able to test them precisely,” said Dr. Kiriakos Athanasas, CEO of comemso. “With SmartCal, we ensure that our customers can maintain the high measurement quality of their BCS over many years—simply, automatically and precisely.”
SmartCal is designed for use in EV development, BMS end-of-line test systems, and energy storage applications. By enabling decentralized calibration, the system reduces logistical effort and minimizes testing interruptions.
Source: comemso
GÖPEL electronic has introduced a modular, high-voltage battery test bench designed for safety and functional testing of EV battery packs. Developed for use in automotive development and production environments, the system is intended to support fast and cost-efficient quality assurance of battery cells and packs.
The test bench delivers up to 500 kW of power and supports test voltages up to 1,000 V DC and currents up to 800 A DC. It includes a central measurement unit with integrated computer and display, a control cabinet, and a unit for power electronics, all of which can be configured to meet specific testing needs. The platform also features regenerative energy capability, enabling energy recovered during discharge cycles to be fed back into the grid, improving overall energy efficiency.
Key functions include insulation testing up to 7.5 kV, evaluation of AC impedance, cell dynamics under alternating current, and detection of critical defects. According to the company, test results provide insights into electrochemical processes, cell aging and internal resistance across frequency ranges. The system interfaces with a battery management system (BMS) via CAN-BUS and performs a charging/discharging cycle followed by state-of-charge verification.
Final test data are automatically exported to a production database and presented in customizable reports. The system also verifies quiescent current, confirms the battery’s final charge state, compares sensor and error memory data, and performs the final flashing of customer software onto the battery before delivery.
Source: GÖPEL electronic
An order that was placed in 2024 for Scania buses to be deployed in and around Åre, Sweden, a region where temperatures can vary some 60° C during the course of a year, is now to be fulfilled, and the buses put into operation.
The buses are built on the Swedish manufacturer’s battery electric platform that was launched in October 2023 and recently added a three-axle variant. The company will start the deliveries this summer. The initial batch includes two-axle low-entry buses of the Scania Fencer f1 model, equipped with four battery packs. The second batch of three-axle low-entry Scania Irizar i3 buses with five battery packs will follow at the end of the year.
The buses will be delivered through a collaboration with local Scania dealer Berners and operator Connect Bus and used in city and suburban operations. The 14 buses will be charged using local and sustainable hydropower.
Electric Scania buses are already in operation nearby and have proven to run smoothly despite the region’s temperature variations, ranging from +30° C in summer to -30° C in winter.
“We listened to the market and developed an electric bus platform that meets today’s transport needs. This order demonstrates that customers and authorities appreciate its benefits,” says Anna Ställberg, Head of Urban Solutions at Scania. “In addition to having zero tailpipe emissions, the buses are also equipped with the latest road safety technology, including new advanced driver assistance system functionalities.”
Source: Scania