Category: Batteries

Ford on Wednesday announced plans to partner with Tesla co-founder J.B. Straubel's Redwood Materials on battery recycling. The plan is for recycled materials to be fed back into the United States EV battery supply chain, creating a so-called "closed loop," according to a Ford press release. This reduces costs, as well as the overall environmental...

General Motors on Tuesday revealed more about the motors and propulsion systems that will power a generation of Ultium-based electric vehicles. Motor design and efficiency is an unsung hero in the drive for pushing EV range higher without having to upsize the battery—and the demand on charging infrastructure—so GM’s...

As it works to replace battery modules in Chevrolet Bolt EV models to address battery-fire concerns, General Motors is asking owners not to park within 50 feet of other vehicles or on the open levels of parking garages, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The automaker started a recall, which now encompasses all of the roughly 140,000 Bolt EV and Bolt...

As United States battery manufacturing increases to support greater EV production, battery materials could become a potential choke point. It's this "less sexy" element that Tesla co-founder J.B. Straubel aims to address with his new company, Redwood Materials. As detailed in a recent Bloomberg profile, Straubel aims to move more of the...

Toyota on Tuesday outlined a battery-development push aimed at slashing costs and increasing battery lifespan. The automaker plans to spend $13.5 billion on battery development through 2030, with the goal of reducing battery cost per vehicle by 50% over the Toyota bZ4X, the electric crossover the automaker plans to launch next year, CTO Masahiko...

As it undertakes a massive recall of Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars due to alleged defects in battery cells, General Motors is talking up the benefits of multiple battery suppliers for future EV production. In an interview with Bloomberg released Thursday, GM CEO Mary Barra indicated the automaker would continue using LG as a battery supplier...

Rivian battery supplier Samsung SDI is considering a new battery plant near the EV hopeful's Illinois factory, local NPR affiliate WGLT reported last week. The report cites United States Senator Dick Durbin, who said Normal, home to Rivian's ex-Mitsubishi assembly plant, is a "finalist" for a planned Samsung battery factory. Durbin met virtually...

Chinese automaker BYD might supply its Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery tech to Tesla for Chinese-market electric cars, according to a report from a local news source. BYD will begin supplying batteries to Tesla in the second quarter of next year, and Tesla is already testing vehicles equipped with these batteries, according to the...

Tesla has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle claims that it used software to cut usable battery capacity on 1,743 Model S sedans, Reuters reported Thursday. Owners included in the lawsuit will get $625 each (the rest of the sum goes to fees and attorney costs), according to the report, which cites documents filed last week in the United States...

Battery supplier CATL on Thursday unveiled sodium-ion batteries, which the company claims offer quicker charging and greater thermal stability than conventional lithium-ion battery chemistry. A sodium-ion battery cell can charge to 80% in 15 minutes at room temperature, CATL said in a press release. It also has a capacity-retention rate of more...

Boston-based startup Form Energy claims to have achieved a battery breakthrough using one of the oldest materials known to industrialized civilization: Iron. The startup's first product will be an iron-air battery, which can be used in energy-storage applications for one-tenth the cost of current lithium-ion chemistry, according to an announcement...