Schaeffler, The Motion Technology Company, will showcase a number of new technologies related to software-defined vehicles, automated driving, magnet-free systems that eliminate rare earth minerals, and modular powertrain solutions at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January. Among the innovations Schaeffler will be presenting: “Schaeffler’s presence at CES this year reflects how rapidly we are… Read more…

The US Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) will award up to $134 million to projects establishing domestic supply chains for rare earth elements (REEs). The funding will support projects that demonstrate the commercial viability of recovering and refining REEs from unconventional feedstocks including mine tailings, e-waste and other… Read more…

French battery manufacturer Verkor has inaugurated its first battery cell gigafactory, in Bourbourg near Dunkirk. The facility has an initial annual production capacity of 16 GWh. The commercialization of the first batteries is planned for 2026 for the A390 electric compact crossover SUV produced by French auto manufacturer Alpine. Verkor aims to reach 50 GWh… Read more…

Chinese battery manufacturer CATL‘s marine battery system has obtained the type approval certificate issued by the Italian Classification Society (RINA). The approval follows certifications from classification societies in France, the US and Norway, adding another crucial “passport” for CATL’s entry into the global market, the company said. The Jining 6006 electric cargo ship, developed by… Read more…

US-based 6K Energy, a division of 6K, has been awarded a research and development grant of $1.9 million from the Battery Network (BATTNET) Program III from the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The grant will help the company develop and scale up the production of single-crystal (SC) NMC721 battery cathode powders using 6K’s UniMelt microwave… Read more…

Chinese EV components supplier Suzhou Inovance Automotive Systems and gallium nitride (GaN) power device manufacturer Innoscience (Suzhou) Technology have integrated their 6.6 kW onboard charger (OBC) system powered by 650 V GaN devices. The two-in-one power system integrates the OBC and the DC-DC converter. The optimized architecture and Innoscience’s high-voltage GaN devices, which feature ultra-low… Read more…

Nissan has started production of the third generation of its LEAF EV at its plant in Sunderland, England. The new LEAF features a 75 kWh battery pack, and boasts a range of up to 386 miles per charge. The UK government has confirmed that the Leaf will qualify for the full £3,750 electric car grant…. Read more…

VisIC Technologies, which is developing gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors for EVs, has announced the second closing of its Series B funding, securing $26 million. The round was led by an unnamed global semiconductor company and included participation from automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia. The lead investor’s focus on advancing critical semiconductor technologies complements VisIC’s… Read more…

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI has signed a three-year contract through its US subsidiary to start supplying prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) in North America from 2027. The contract is valued at more than 2 trillion South Korean won ($1.35 billion). Michigan-based Samsung SDI America will manufacture the… Read more…

Metal and mining giant BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia has started on-site testing of Caterpillar’s Cat 793 XE Early Learner electric haul trucks in collaboration with Rio Tinto. Once commissioned, the trials will begin to test the viability of electric trucks as an alternative to diesel in large-scale iron ore… Read more…

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy has signed a second deal with Spanish ship owner Mureloil to supply diesel electric hybrid systems. AYK will deliver the same 4.2 MWh Aries+ battery system to Mureloil’s 8000 DWT product tanker Bahía Beatriz as its sister vessel the Bahía Candela, also a 8000 DWT tanker. Bahía Beatriz is currently… Read more…

New research from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) claims to have solved a battery mystery that has led to capacity degradation, shortened lifespan and, in some cases, fire. In a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers uncovered some of the root causes and ways to… Read more…

Designed specifically for OEM system architects, mobile hydraulics engineers, product managers, and application specialists, this 60-minute webinar (45-minute panel discussion plus 15-minute Q&A) delivers practical, actionable guidance on selecting, integrating, and validating efficient electrified mobile hydraulic architectures. Get in-depth insight into core subsystems (traction, steering, work functions, and ePTO), control strategies (positive/negative flow control, power-on-demand,… Read more…

Kempower has released technical details about the cybersecurity architecture of its ChargEye charging station management system. The company reports this is the first time it has publicly shared information about the security foundations of ChargEye, which is developed and designed exclusively in Finland by Kempower’s internal engineering team. ChargEye’s software development lifecycle is certified under… Read more…

The Flemish public transport operator De Lijn has ordered 80 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses, which are scheduled for delivery beginning in early 2027. This order is part of a framework agreement under which De Lijn will take delivery of 500 Daimler electric buses. Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij De Lijn (just “De Lijn” for non-Flemish speakers), headquartered in… Read more…

Renesas Electronics has expanded its software-defined vehicle (SDV) offerings with the introduction of the R-Car X5H, a multi-domain automotive system-on-chip (SoC) produced using 3 nanometer (nm) process technology. The R-Car X5H is designed to run advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), and gateway functions simultaneously, according to the company. Sampling of the Gen… Read more…

AmpUp has released its new Pricing Recommendation Engine, a feature within the AmpUp EV Cloud charging platform designed to help EV charging site operators set competitive and data-driven pricing. This tool is available at no additional cost to AmpUp’s Pro Plan customers and is intended to streamline the pricing process for charging site hosts. AmpUp… Read more…

NewGenium, a technology company based in Pasadena, California, has announced its SuperSynth process, a direct brine-to-lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) manufacturing technology. According to NewGenium, SuperSynth reduces the cost and complexity of LFP production by enabling extraction of lithium directly from brine, consolidating extraction and synthesis steps and eliminating the need for offshore processing. The company reports that… Read more…

Korea-based battery materials supplier POSCO Future M and solid-state battery pioneer Factorial have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate on the development of all-solid-state battery technology. Under the MOU, the two companies plan to develop materials for all-solid-state batteries, which are expected to offer higher safety, superior energy density and better charging performance… Read more…

Gilbarco Veeder-Root has launched the Konect 400 kW all-in-one EV charger platform, designed specifically for fuel and convenience retail operations. The platform is built to address the integrated payment, software, and operations needs of forecourts and convenience stores transitioning to support EV charging. The Konect charger delivers up to 400 kW of charging power and… Read more…