Just days before Christmas, Volkswagen and the labour union IG Metall have reached a compromise, ending the ongoing wage dispute. By 2030, 35,000 jobs are to be cut, and VW will reduce production capacity in Germany by more than 700,000 vehicles—including electric cars.
Japan-headquartered eVTOL aircraft manufacturer SkyDrive, South Carolina-based private jet charter company SAI Flight and Greenville Downtown Airport have signed an agreement to jointly develop air cargo, air taxi and emergency service opportunities using SkyDrive’s aircraft.
The three organizations are collaborating with local and state governments and local businesses to design practical routes originating from Greenville Downtown Airport to such destinations as the city center and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.
SAI Flight has placed a pre-order for 10 SkyDrive aircraft, and its SAI Flight Services division will oversee operations and maintenance from its base at Greenville Downtown Airport.
“This partnership marks a milestone in our efforts to drive business growth in South Carolina,” said SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa. “We will continue to deepen our cooperation with local partners, while making strategic preparations to fully realize our innovative business model.”
Source: SkyDrive
US-based EV charging software developer WeaveGrid has raised $28 million in financing led by Toyota’s growth fund, Woven Capital, to help automakers integrate their EVs with the electric grid while optimizing the charging experience for drivers.
WeaveGrid’s EV Management System (EVMS) enables grid-integrated EV charging and offers vehicle-to-grid capabilities and power distribution optimization.
The strategic investment builds on more than a dozen official integrations with automotive brands and EV charging suppliers such as an initiative with Toyota announced earlier this year. WeaveGrid supports utilities serving more than 40% of electric vehicles in the US.
“Toyota is a collaborator in overcoming one of the most complex challenges of decarbonizing the auto industry: ensuring electric grid reliability by transforming EVs into grid-interactive assets,” said Apoorv Bhargava, CEO of WeaveGrid. “Working together, we are accelerating the adoption of EVs by providing utilities with the tools they need to manage the grid. This investment will enable us to further expand our platform, invest in research and development, and forge deeper relationships with automakers and utilities.”
Source: WeaveGrid
Netherlands-headquartered automaker Stellantis and Chinese battery manufacturer CATL have agreed to invest up to €4.1 billion to form a 50/50 joint venture that will build a large-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Zaragoza, Spain.
The battery plant is targeted to start production by the end of 2026 at Stellantis’s Zaragoza site. It will be implemented in several phases, and could reach up to 50 GWh of annual capacity. This will depend on the evolution of the EV market in Europe and continued support from authorities in Spain and the European Union, the companies said.
The agreement follows a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) the companies signed in November 2023 for the local supply of LFP battery cells and modules and a long-term collaboration on two strategic fronts—creating a technology roadmap to support Stellantis’s EVs and identifying opportunities to further strengthen the battery value chain.
CATL operates battery manufacturing plants in Germany and Hungary. The Spanish facility will enhance its capabilities to supply European automakers as well as the global market.
Stellantis is employing a dual-chemistry approach—using lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The JV will enable the automaker to offer more electric passenger cars, crossovers and SUVs in the B and C segments with intermediate ranges in Europe.
“Stellantis is embracing all available advanced battery technologies to bring competitive electric vehicle products to our customers,” said Stellantis Chairman John Elkann. “This important joint venture with our partner CATL will bring innovative battery production to a manufacturing site that is already a leader in clean and renewable energy.”
Source: Stellantis
To make the fastest possible progress on long journeys, it is not only the consumption of an electric car that is important, but also how quickly the battery can be recharged. That is precisely what the P3 Charging Index evaluates. In the current edition, a German-made model is once again in the lead.
The US Department of Energy has awarded the American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) a grant of $144 million to build a lithium-ion battery recycling plant. The location will be able to process 100,000 tonnes of battery materials per year.
Chinese automaker GAC has introduced Govy, a new brand for eVTOLs, as well as the Govy AirJet. GAC plans to begin airworthiness certification of the Govy AirJet in 2025, set up production lines, and open reservations.
The state of New York has received an additional $28.5 million in government funding to install fast-chargers along major travel corridors in the US state. Some 21 million dollars had already been made available.
Hyundai not only gave the long-distance electric car a facelift, it also made some technical changes. The new Kia EV6 goes further thanks to a larger battery and remains a master of fast charging. Read our driving report to find out how the car manufacturer achieved this and which changes are really impressive.
A BMW team had allegedly been working on a purely electric super sports car. A clay model was ready to go, but the Board of Management shelved the project due to doubts about its profitability and technical feasibility.