Running discussion on SP, page-64471

*Speaking of CAT - Bosch - VW - etc

*To Remind

Bosch teams up with China's CATL in EV battery deal

German auto supplier Bosch is partnering with Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) to develop high-performance battery cells.

CATL will design, develop and manufacture electric vehicle (EV) battery cells to specifications given to by Bosch.

The partnership is part of the German company's development of 48-volt hybrid powertrain system, which is used to augment a combustion engine and charge the battery during braking, cutting fuel consumption by up to 15%.

Bosch has already undertaken powertrain projects for 50 different EV platforms and is the market leader in China, which is the largest and fastest-growing EV market in the world.

“In combination with our systems know-how and expertise in battery management, we will extend our strong position in the 48-volt battery market,” said Stefan Hartung, a member of the board at Bosch and chair of its Mobility Solutions unit.

Bosch is anticipating that by 2025, almost 20% of new cars sold around the globe will contain a 48-volt system and matching battery on board.

Bosch's facility in Wuxi, China, began production of the first generation of 48-volt battery at the end of 2018. The battery's latest version is both compact and passively cooled.

What this means is that automakers can easily integrate the battery into their vehicle and require no additional cooling.

Bosch Chief Executive Volkmar Denner said last year that in order for the company to produce its own EV battery cells, entering the market alone would require an expenditure of €20-billion.

https://industryeurope.com/


One-in-ten new cars in Western Europe were electric this year

With a little over a month remaining, the European car market has surged past expectations this year, with millions of new low and zero-carbon vehicles registered across Western Europe, according to the latest Schmidt Automotive Research report.

Driven by initiatives into decarbonising transport, every tenth new car registered across Western Europe was a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and the market saw an 80% year-on-year increase, despite the delays caused by the semiconductor shortage.

Germany was the largest single market for new electric vehicles, accounting for 31% of all sales, more than double the next highest market, the UK with 13.9%.

A number of key automakers in the region, such as Volkswagen and its subsidiaries, Ford, Rolls-Royce, and more recently Nissan, have all started looking into increasing EV production and diversifying their portfolios.


Bilfinger & Rock Tech Lithium partner on Europe's first lithium refinery

The plant will be built in Germany and when completed will produce 24,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide annually - enough for around 500,000 electric car batteries.


Plans laid for UK's first lithium refinery

Mineral processing company Green Lithium has appointed engineering specialist Wood as its owner’s engineer, as it progresses plans to build and operate the UK’s first commercial lithium refinery.

The partnership aims to fill the missing link in the electric vehicle supply chain, using a sustainable and low-carbon refining process, to connect Europe’s lithium battery and cell manufacturers with a secure supply of lithium hydroxide, produced from abundant international sources of raw lithium mineral ore.

The facility will be the first of its kind in Europe and will help to meet the growing demand for battery-grade lithium chemicals vital for the commercial viability of the European battery supply chain, the electric vehicle revolution and transition to net-zero.


France's €1bn plan to secure battery metals

The French government has unveiled a plan to raise €1 billion in an attempt to secure a steady supply of metals for sectors such as battery making, at a time when prices of raw materials are soaring.


Key moment as first "Made in EU" li-ion battery produced

Battery maker Northvolt has produced the first-ever fully European designed, developed and assembled lithium-ion battery cell at its facility in Västerås, northern Sweden.

The news is an important milestone for the company and the EU, one which the company described as "marking a new chapter in European industrial history".

Northvolt said the prismatic cell left the assembly line on December 28 and that commissioning and upscaling of the gigafactory will continue through into 2022, when the first commercial customer deliveries will be made.

Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt, said: "Today is a great milestone for Northvolt which the team has worked very hard to achieve. Of course, this first cell is only the beginning.

Over the course of the coming years, we look forward to Northvolt Ett expanding its production capacity greatly to enable the European transition to clean energy."

The company is aiming to increase production over the coming years towards its 60 GWh annual goal, which would fulfil more than $30 billion (€26.5 billion) worth of contracts that Northvolt has signed with its customers, which include Scania, Volkswagen, BMW, Polestar and Fluence.


Volkswagen & Bosch want to industrialise battery production

Volkswagen and Bosch have announced a partnership that aims for the two companies to become leaders in the industrialisation of battery production.

The two companies plan to supply integrated battery production systems as well as on-site ramp-up and maintenance support for battery cell and system manufacturers.

The aim is to establish cost and technology leadership in the industrialisation of battery technology and the volume production of sustainable, cutting-edge batteries.

Through the “local for local” production approach, this will also be a step towards the objective of carbon-neutral mobility.

In Europe alone, the Volkswagen Group plans to build six cell factories by 2030.

The companies aim to supply the entire range of processes and components needed for the large-scale manufacture of battery cells and systems.

In a press release, Volkswagen said that for both partners, this alliance was a further step towards playing leading roles in the world of eMobility and that the partnership will draw on complementary areas of expertise.

"While Volkswagen is an accomplished at-scale automaker and is on its way to becoming a major battery cell manufacturer, Bosch has excellent know-how in factory automation and systems integration," the release said.

Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group, said that Europe has the unique chance to become a global battery powerhouse in the years to come.

"Volkswagen and Bosch will explore opportunities to develop and shape this novel, multi-billion-euro industry in Europe. Setting out to establish a fully localised European supply chain for eMobility made in Europe certainly marks a rare opportunity in business history."

Rolf Najork, Member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch Group and Chairman of the Executive Board of Bosch Rexroth, said: "Together with Volkswagen, we seek a path to industrialise production processes for battery cells with standardised equipment.

"With more than 135 years of automotive experience and our proven industrialisation expertise, we want to serve the growing demand for batteries. European industry has the potential to become a technology driver for the ecological transformation of the economy."

https://industryeurope.com/