Under the non-exclusive license, PowerCo can manufacture up to 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year using QuantumScape’s technology with the option to expand up to 80 GWh annually, enough to outfit approximately one million vehicles per year. The companies believe this high-touch engagement represents the fastest way to achieve gigawatt-hour-scale production of solid-state technology to meet the growing global demand for better electric vehicle batteries. The agreement supersedes an earlier joint venture between the Volkswagen Group and QuantumScape to co-manufacture batteries.

The agreement creates a highly collaborative partnership that amplifies the companies’ core competencies – QuantumScape’s cutting-edge technology and PowerCo’s global capabilities in industrialization and manufacturing facilities. It will feature a combined workforce initiative to accelerate the industrialization of QuantumScape’s technology. A large, dedicated scale-up team, composed of experts from both companies, will execute on the industrialization activities.

QuantumScape’s technology platform is based on the company’s proprietary solid-state ceramic separator, which enables the use of a pure lithium-metal anode – a transformative innovation that is designed for exceptional energy and power density, fast charging and a robust safety profile. Together, the companies will target a product that will be scaled-up for integration in a Volkswagen Group vehicle series.

Article Source: VW’s PowerCo and QuantumScape sign license Agreement to Industrialize Solid-State Batteries – AutoTech News

Lithium (Li) secondary batteries, commonly used in electric vehicles, store energy by converting electrical energy to chemical energy and generating electricity to release chemical energy to electrical energy through the movement of Li- ions between a cathode and an anode. These secondary batteries mainly use nickel (Ni) cathode materials due to their high lithium-ion storage capacity. Traditional nickel-based materials have a polycrystalline morphology composed of many tiny crystals which can undergo structural degradation during charging and discharging, significantly reducing their lifespan.

One approach to addressing this issue is to produce the cathode material in a “single-crystal” form. Creating nickel-based cathode materials as single large particles, or “single crystals,” can enhance their structural and chemical stability and durability. It is known that single-crystal materials are synthesized at high temperatures and become rigid. However, the exact process of hardening during synthesis and the specific conditions under which this occurs remain unclear.

To improve the durability of nickel cathode materials for electric vehicles, the researchers focused on identifying a specific temperature, referred to as the “critical temperature,” at which high-quality single-crystal materials are synthesized. They investigated various synthesis temperatures to determine the optimal conditions for forming single crystals in synthesis of a nickel-based cathode material (N884). The team systematically observed the impact of temperature on the material’s capacity and long-term performance.

The researchers discovered that conventional polycrystalline materials synthesized below a certain critical temperature are prone to degradation with prolonged use in secondary batteries. However, when synthesized above this critical temperature, high-quality single crystals can be easily produced, leading to materials with superior longevity. This is due to a process called “densification“ which occurs above a certain critical temperature. During this process, the internal grain size of the material increases and the empty spaces within the material are densely filled.

Densified single crystals are extremely hard and resistant to degradation over extended periods, significantly enhancing their durability. Based on these findings, the team confirmed that synthesizing single crystals above the critical temperature is a more advantageous material design strategy. They also proposed an effective method for synthesizing high-quality single crystal materials.

Professor Kyu-Young Park of POSTECH stated, “We have introduced a new synthesis strategy to enhance the durability of nickel-based cathode materials.” He added, “We will continue our research to make secondary batteries for electric vehicles cheaper, faster, and longer-lasting.”

Article Source:Could high-temperature single crystals enable EVs capable of traveling up to one million kilometers? – AutoTech News

Wales’ Economy Secretary has officially launched a new publicly-owned renewables developer to accelerate the rollout of green energy projects across the wider Welsh public estate. Called Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru – which translates as Green Electricity Wales – the new venture will primarily focus on boosting onshore wind capacity in Wales and ensuring new projects deliver maximum value for the Welsh public.

Based in Merthyr Tydfil, the firm will work alongside Natural Resources Wales to develop wind farms on its woodland estate, for example, by engaging with communities near initial sites at the earliest opportunity.

Speaking at the launch event for the new venture, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy, and the Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, said the company would bolster the Welsh Government’s long-term plans for a greener, more sustainable energy system.

“There is no question that clean energy is central to a more prosperous Wales and a better future for our communities,” he said. “We are already making progress in offshore wind and today marks an important step in the right direction for onshore, and in particular large scale, Welsh owned onshore projects. There are enormous opportunities here.

“Owning our own renewables company on behalf of Wales will allow us not only to develop renewables in ways that fit with the natural environment but most importantly to provide us, and the people of Wales, with the ability to own the returns on what will be a significant investment. We have a long road ahead and we will not start generating income for Wales for some years – but the work to better secure our energy future starts today.”

Miles also today announced the publication of a cross-government Heat Strategy, setting out plans for decarbonising the heating of homes, commercial properties, and industry across Wales.

Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru’s goals include developing a minimum of 250MW of new renewable energy generation capacity by 2030 and an additional 750MW of new capacity by 2040, subject to grid capacity being available.

The firm has already identified large areas of the Welsh Government’s Woodland Estate – which covers more than 126,000 hectares, or almost six per cent of the country’s total land mass – that could be suitable for wind energy development.

“In Wales, we have a history of social collaboration and engagement, which Trydan will continue,” said chief executive officer Richard Evans. “For people to support more and faster deployment, the renewable sector will need to visibly embed benefits into local communities, invest more in Welsh and UK supply chains, and help residents and businesses worried about energy bills.”

Article Source: Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru: Welsh Government launches publicly-owned green energy developer | BusinessGreen News

Hyundai Mobis has developed an AI system utilizing sound for quality inspection, which is now implemented in its production lines. This innovative approach leverages artificial intelligence to analyse the subtle sounds generated during product inspection to determine quality accuracy.

On June 18, Hyundai Mobis announced that it has recently completed a pilot implementation of an Acoustic AI-based inspection system at its Changwon plant, which produces EPS.

Acoustic AI represents a new generation of artificial intelligence technology, distinguished from generative AI, which relies on language for Q&A tasks. It remains relatively untested in the manufacturing industry.

The key to Acoustic AI is developing algorithms that assign meaning to specific sounds and facilitate appropriate judgments. Hyundai Mobis has invested significant effort in developing various AI-based technologies over the past few years, now showcasing production technologies specialized in quality control.

Hyundai Mobis plans to extend the Acoustic AI inspection system from the Changwon plant to other component production lines, prioritizing parts like braking systems that inherently generate noise due to their operational nature.

Choi Nak-Hyun, Vice President and Head of Digital Transformation at Hyundai Mobis, stated, “This initiative marks a pioneering example of process innovation not only in the automotive sector but across the global manufacturing industry. We will continue introducing differentiated AI-based technologies for production, R&D, and improvements in work environments.”

Article Source: Hyundai Applies AI System using ‘Sound’ for Quality Inspection – AutoTech News

The technical centre houses a range of “state-of-the-art machines” that have been specially developed for the production of electric drives. To this end, Daimler Truck entered into a cooperation with the Baden-Württemberg specialist Gehring in autumn 2022. The jointly operated “technical centre” will now build prototypes of so-called “truck-e-fied” electric engines and further develop and test the production processes.

Around 20 employees currently work in the 900-square-metre facility. In addition to office and meeting rooms, there is also a so-called clean room, which is used for measurements with special cleanliness requirements and stable temperatures. Over the course of 2023, the layout of the technical centre was simulated in order to optimise the hall layout. In order to pass on the knowledge generated in the technical centre, a learning workshop is also integrated into the premises, for example, to train apprentices.

One of the key areas of development will be hairpin windings. Here, solid copper rods in the eponymous hairpin shape form the coils for the stator’s electromagnet, which ensures a higher copper fill level compared to coils made of wound copper wire – and therefore a higher energy density. However, there is no indication of when electric motors with this technology will be used in electric trucks with the three-pointed star.

Daimler Truck and the works council had already agreed in 2021 that the company’s aggregate plants should focus on various components of electrified drives. The Kassel plant is expanding its previous focus on commercial vehicle axles to include electric drive systems. In Mannheim, the leading plant for commercial vehicle engines, the plan is to build the competence centre for zero-emission mobility (KEM) located there. Gaggenau, which specialises in heavy commercial vehicle transmissions, is to develop into a centre of excellence for electric drive components and the assembly of hydrogen-based fuel cell units. The Gaggenau plant already supplies components for the battery-electric eActros 300/400 and eEconic trucks to the Wörth site.

“The Gaggenau plant is in the middle of a transformation. The opening of our technical centre represents an important milestone in this process,” says Thomas Twork, site manager for the Gaggenau plant. “This is where we will develop innovative technologies and associated production processes for electric motors in the future. I would like to thank everyone involved, who have been working hard on this project for many months.”

Article Source: Mercedes-Benz Trucks puts technical centre into operation in Gaggenau – electrive.com

We make the best cars,” proclaimed a defiant Elon Musk at a business event last November. “Whether you hate me, like me, or are indifferent: do you want the best car, or do you not want the best car?”

Budget permitting, it’s a question that tens of millions of people weigh up as they shop for a new vehicle. But as competition heats up in the electric vehicle (EV) market, there is increasing reason to doubt that the best electric car will be made by Tesla.

“I can’t tell you how many people who, without question, without any consideration of an alternative, bought a Tesla a year ago – or five years ago in my case – who are [now] quite open the next time around to consider other brands,” Len Sherman, a former auto industry consultant who is now a professor at Columbia Business School, tells The Independent.

Once unchallenged for the EV crown, Tesla now faces growing rivalry not only from specialist EV firms such as Rivian and Lucid Motors but traditional household names such as Toyota, General Motors, BMW, and Volkswagen. In 2024, for the first time ever, Tesla was overtaken in EV sales numbers by the Chinese electric giant BYD.

At the same time, global demand for EVs has hit a speed bump as mainstream buyers remain sceptical of the technology and leery of high prices, leading many big auto companies to slash their investments.

All of which raises the stakes for Tesla’s ongoing issues with the quality of its cars. Having rapidly built its own manufacturing and dealership system in the space of two decades, it remains dogged by reports of scratched bodywork, ill-fitting components and broken control systems.

Nor are all these problems mere aesthetic niggles. The company, which did not respond to an interview request from The Independent, is under investigation by US regulators for a host of issues including alleged steering failures and “phantom braking”.

Last June, a Washington Post investigation found that Tesla’s vaunted “autopilot” technology has been linked to 736 of the 807 US crashes involving driver assistance technologies since 2019.

Article Source: Tesla under Elon Musk made the first best electric vehicle. But will it make the next? | The Independent

BMW’s 1 Series and 2 Series will spawn i1 and i2 EV models. The two new EVs are already in development in Munich. BMW plans to sell the more electric 1 and 2 Series models alongside the gas-powered models, according to sources close to the matter.

BMW is expanding into new segments and looking to attract younger buyers. According to AutoCar, the BMW 1 Series EV will be available as an electric hatchback or sedan. Meanwhile, the i2 will be the i3’s “spiritual successor,” according to insiders.

Head of product and brand management, Bernd Koerber, told AutoCar that BMW wants to “connect with the younger generation” and expand in all markets.

“Of course they have lower profitability but they also fulfil a different purpose in getting younger customers and developing [BMW] in certain markets,” Koerber explained. BMW’s product boss confirmed they are still part of the strategy, adding, “It’s good that we have two brands in the segment, with, of course, Mini playing a big role.”

With rival Mercedes-Benz retiring the A-Class in 2026, BMW sees it as an opportunity. Koerber said that with the A-Class out, an electric 1 series could take market share.

The Electric 1 series is expected to launch in 2027, followed by the i2 in 2028. Although they will be sold alongside the gas models, the 1 and 2 series EVs are expected to ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform.

With rival Mercedes-Benz retiring the A-Class in 2026, BMW sees it as an opportunity. Koerber said that with the A-Class out, an electric 1 series could take market share. The Electric 1 series is expected to launch in 2027, followed by the i2 in 2028. Although they will be sold alongside the gas models, the 1 and 2 series EVs are expected to ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform.

BMW revealed the Neue Klasse platform last September, a preview of the brand’s high-tech, efficient future. The Neue Klasse sedan and X concepts showcase future BMW EVs. BMW’s “New Class” EVs will feature “30% more range, 30% faster charging, and a 25% efficiency improvement.”

BMW is on track to launch its first Neue Klasse model, the sedan, in 2025. It will be followed by the SUV.

Article Source: BMW 1 series going electric as an affordable EV for young buyers (electrek.co)

Europe’s largest solar power plant was officially inaugurated at Witznitz near Leipzig in eastern Germany on a former lignite open pit mine – with most of its green power produced going to Shell which will then sell much of it on to Microsoft.

Shell Energy Europe last year had secured a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 600MW out of the 650MW of solar capacity now installed by developer Move On at the Witznitz Energy Park to strengthen its “low-carbon power portfolio”.

The oil supermajor has separately agreed to sell the power generated by 323MW of the solar capacity to Microsoft, helping the internet giant to meet its commitment of having a 100% supply of renewable energy by 2025.

The massive solar array is not only showing how the country is moving from dirty to green energy increasingly stabilising the power grid, transmission system operator 50Hertz said.

The TSO said the plant injects electricity directly at extra-high voltage to the grid and helps to maintain grid stability in a region with an already very elevated share of renewables in the system.

The solar plant’s 3,500 inverters are equipped with additional software to supply reactive power, which the TSO can draw on to stabilise voltage levels if needed.

“In the early months of this year, renewables covered around 75% of electricity demand in eastern Germany and Hamburg [50Hertz’s coverage area],” 50Hertz CEO Stefan Kapferer said.

“The Witznitz Energy Park has already contributed to this, showing that the expansion of solar power is now moving to a whole new level.

“By activating reactive power and incorporating the solar plant into our congestion management, we’re once again doing pioneering work to make as much electricity from renewable energies usable as the grid will allow.”

For electricity to reach the consumer, reactive power is needed as well as actual active power, the TSO explained. It acts like a lubricant for transmission and is deployed to regulate individual grid sections depending on regional feed-in and offtake scenarios.

Article Source: Europe’s biggest solar farm switched on for Shell and Microsoft | Recharge (rechargenews.com)

Cyber insurance premiums are falling globally as businesses become more adept in curbing their losses from cyber crime, even as ransomware attacks are rising, broker Howden said in a report.

Insurance premiums to protect companies against cyber attacks rocketed in 2021 and 2022, as the COVID-19 pandemic drove cyber incidents.

But premiums have been dropping in the past year, according to the annual Howden report. The cyber insurance market saw double-digit price reductions in 2023/24, Howden said.

Added security such as multifactor authentication has helped to protect companies’ data, reducing insurance claims.

“MFA is the most basic thing you can do, it’s like locking the door when you leave the house,” said Sarah Neild, head of UK cyber retail at Howden.

“Cyber security is a many-layered beast,” Neild added, pointing also to greater investment in IT security, including staff training.

Greater appetite by insurers to offer cyber insurance is also leading to price decreases, Neild said, even with attacks rising.

Global ransomware attacks fell following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as hackers in those countries focused on the military effort.

However, recorded ransomware incidents rose 18% in the first five months of 2024 compared with a year earlier, the report said.

Ransom software works by encrypting data. Typically, hackers offer a pass code to victims of an attack, enabling them to retrieve the data in return for cryptocurrency payments.

Business interruption is usually the biggest cost following a cyber attack, but businesses are able to reduce those costs with better back-up systems, such as through the use of cloud providers, the report said.

Most cyber insurance business is in the United States, but growth in the $15 billion global cyber insurance market is likely to be fastest in Europe in the next few years, given lower penetration levels currently, the report said.

Article Source: Cyber insurance rates fall as businesses improve security, report says | Reuters

Right before the Unpacked event, Samsung announced that it was looking at a staggering profit increase of 1,400% in Q2 2024 compared to the same period in the last fiscal year. Its regulatory filing revealed that profits would rise to 10.4 trillion won – equivalent to $7.54 billion – from earnings of 670 billion won posted last year.

Sales will also likely see a 23.3% bump to 74 trillion won, with another batch of smartphones and tech wearables scheduled for release in the coming months.

However, this remarkable increase is unrelated to the latest shiny devices showcased in Paris at Unpacked 2024. The growth is primarily driven by the AI gold rush, which has significantly increased demand for advanced chips.

The company’s success is further bolstered by its strong position in high-capacity SSDs, crucial for AI applications. According to TrendForce analyst Avril Wu, “The development of AI has driven the demand for high-capacity SSD.”

Inexorably changing the fate of the semiconductor segment, South Korea’s chip exports surged to the highest in two years, at $11.7 billion in March 2024.

Looking behind the curtain of the Samsung Unpacked Event in Paris, the contrast between Samsung Electronics’ soaring profits and its labor unrest is quite literally striking. Although it had predicted an astounding 1,400% growth in Q2 profits, thousands of Samsung workers walked off the assembly lines demanding better working conditions.

The three-day strike of the National Samsung Electronics Union, representing about a quarter of the South Korean workforce, was called to demand better pay, more leave, and an overhaul of bonuses. The contrast shows how this tension between corporate success and employee satisfaction is increasing in the tech industry.

Despite Samsung estimating a dramatic surge in second-quarter operating profit, union officials argue that rank-and-file workers are not seeing equitable benefits. While unlikely to significantly impact production due to automation and low participation, the strike symbolizes a pivotal moment for Samsung as it navigates both the opportunities of the AI era and the evolving expectations of its workforce.

Workers at Samsung Electronics workers began a three-day strike for better pay. The union said 6,540 workers will be striking at manufacturing sites and in product development, but the firm maintained there was no disruption in production.

Article Source: Samsung’s Mobile AI event overshadowed by worker strikes despite a 1,400% profit jump | Cybernews