The hour has gone back and the evenings are looking a little darker - but we have something to cheer you up, another edition of your monthly Electro Beat! From EVs reducing air pollution related illnesses, to EV batteries that can charge in five minutes, we have a variety of fun and interesting EV news for you!
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Let’s get plugged in…
The University of Toronto’s department of Civil & Mineral Engineering has done a study surrounding the positive impact of EVs and renewable energy when it comes to public health in the US. According to the research team, the combination of the two could result in an awesome $84bn - $188bn worth of health-related savings by 2050!
Whilst most studies tend to focus on CO2 and the acceleration of climate change - this study is centred around other pollutants and tailpipe fumes that are released by ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles and the potential health issues these can produce.
Respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses are major health concerns, but, if more vehicles go electric and the production of renewable energy continues (and increases!), the research team discovered that there would be fewer air quality-related illnesses!
Whilst EVs themselves aren’t producing tailpipe fumes, the study mentions that clean energy production is still very important as EVs can still indirectly contribute to pollution and should eventually be charged solely by renewable energy sources.
The study conducted two tests: one where ICE vehicles were slowly, gradually replaced by more efficient models, and another where the adoption of EVs was near immediate and all vehicles sold by 2035 were electric (a similar plan to that of the UK or Canada). Whilst both were beneficial, the study clearly showed that more immediate action would provide the best outcome for the US, whether that’s for health benefits or the economy.
Although this study was based in the USA, we like to imagine the amazing global health benefits which would come from everyone aiming to go electric by 2035 - just another reason to join the EV revolution!
In the past few weeks, the EU has confirmed its plan to ban the sale of new combustion engine cars by 2035. This confirmation comes hot off the heels of a wider discussion around competitiveness from Chinese auto manufacturers.
EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra has emphasised that the ban is essential for achieving the bloc's carbon reduction targets and enhancing the competitiveness of the EU automotive sector. While automakers, except Renault, have issued profit warnings ahead of the ban and some, like Volkswagen, are considering drastic measures like plant closures, EU officials argue that the rules provide stability for future investment and production.
Key countries like Italy, France, and Germany are pushing for modifications to the 2035 ban, with Italy warning of a potential crisis for carmakers and Germany advocating for combustion engines using alternative fuels. Despite calls for flexibility, supporters argue that relaxing the ban could undermine Europe’s EV manufacturing prospects and hinder the establishment of EU-based battery production facilities. Julia Poliscanova from Transport & Environment contends that Europe needs policies promoting clean, locally sourced EV production rather than delaying environmental measures.
The 2035 ban feeds directly into the EU’s wider mission, the Green Deal, which aims to cut emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Interested in learning more? You can read more about the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars here.
Battery tech company ProLogium has unveiled its latest innovation: a 100% silicon composite anode battery designed for electric vehicles (EVs). Presented at the Paris Motor Show, this new battery offers impressive advancements in energy density and charging speed. ProLogium claims it can provide up to 186 miles (300 km) of range from just a five-minute charge.
The numbers behind this small but mighty battery are especially exciting. The new system has an energy density of 321 Wh/kg, which is a big improvement over current EV batteries.
For comparison, the Hyundai Ioniq 6’s 53 kWh battery has an energy density of 153 Wh/kg, while Tesla’s 4680 cells are estimated at 232.5 Wh/kg.
This new battery also charges incredibly quickly, going from 5% to 60% in just five minutes and reaching 80% in 8.5 minutes—over 80% faster than most current charging technologies. This could help ease the strain on public charging stations and reduce wait times on the road.
In addition to performance, ProLogium’s batteries are built with a modular design, which makes them easier to repair, recycle, and could potentially reduce the cost of EV ownership.
ProLogium is moving towards commercial production and has partnered with German tech company FEV to begin manufacturing battery packs. This only adds to the current competitive pressure in the race to build the next generation of EV batteries.
Recently, Panasonic announced that its compact 4680 cells are entering mass production, and they are working with Sila to improve battery energy density by 25% through silicon anode technology. Sweden has also entered the race and is currently exploring carbon-fibre technology that could make batteries “massless” by integrating them into the car’s structure.
We can’t wait to see how these innovations help to close the gap and make EV ownership more accessible.
In October, Mercedes-Benz took a big step toward greener EVs with the launch of its first battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, Germany. This new plant uses an innovative approach called “integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical” recycling, designed to recover over 96% of the valuable materials in EV batteries, like cobalt, nickel, and lithium.
Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management Mercedes-Benz Group has said:
"Mercedes-Benz has set itself the goal of building the most desirable cars in a sustainable way. As a pioneer in automotive engineering, Europe's first integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical battery recycling factory marks a key milestone toward enhancing raw-materials sustainability,"
The plant starts by shredding used battery modules, then uses a process to separate out materials like plastics, copper, aluminium, and iron. What’s left—called “black mass”—undergoes a special process to extract the valuable minerals. The best part? This whole operation runs on solar power, and while it can handle up to 2,756 tons (2,500 tonnes) of batteries a year, Mercedes plans to ramp things up as they learn more.
Recycling these materials doesn’t just help reduce waste; it also cuts down on the need for new mining and strengthens local supply chains, which can be prone to disruption. Plus, recycled minerals might actually perform better than newly mined ones, making this an all-around win for the EV world.
MAN Truck & Bus (leading European commercial vehicle manufacturer) has launched its first electric 40-tonne truck, the eTGX, marking a momentous (and positive!) shift towards sustainable heavy transport. The truck was delivered to automotive supplier DRÄXLMAIER Group, which will use it to transport Porsche Macan Electric batteries to the Porsche plant in Leipzig, utilizing renewable electricity at DRÄXLMAIER’s site. This milestone follows years of planning, testing, and development.
MAN CEO Alexander Vlaskamp said:
“This is a milestone in our company's history. MAN presented the first diesel truck 100 years ago. Now we are entering a new electric era. Our very first eTruck goes to DRÄXLMAIER. We are very pleased about the trust in MAN. After years of planning, development and many tens of thousands of kilometres of test drives, we are finally getting started.”
The eTGX has a 534 kWh battery (480 kWh usable), 450 HP, and a 375 kW charging capacity. The truck’s range could reach 650 km (403 miles) with an anticipated seventh battery pack. MAN’s megawatt charging standard (MCS) aims to allow an 80% charge within 30 minutes, paving the way for long-distance electric transport.
With the success of the eTGX, by 2030, MAN expects battery-electric trucks to comprise half of its deliveries!
As EVs in the UK drop in price, demand for them shoots up! The car market is changing rapidly - from COVID to the electric takeover, SMMT news has compiled a bunch of car market statistics and we have the September 2024 highlights for you:
Compared to last September (2023)*, the car market overall went up by 1%.
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) registrations have risen by 24.4%!
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) registrations have risen by 32.1%!
56,387 BEV registrations in September was a record - driven by the recent massive EV discounting. This is 11,064 more than 2023!
*All statistics are in comparison to September 2023!
The uptake of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) had the fastest growth out of all other fuel types in the month, up 32.1% and taking an 8.9% share of the market!
A new record volume of demand for the latest battery electric vehicles (BEVs) took place in September, up 24.4%!
Fleets drove a high amount of this growth, accounting for more than three quarters of BEV registrations (75.9%)! Private BEV demand also grew up to 3.6%!
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
September’s record EV performance is good news, but look under the bonnet and there are serious concerns as the market is not growing quickly enough to meet mandated targets. Despite manufacturers spending billions on both product and market support – support that the industry cannot sustain indefinitely – market weakness is putting environmental ambitions at risk and jeopardising future investment. While we appreciate the pressures on the public purse, the Chancellor must use the forthcoming Budget to introduce bold measures on consumer support and infrastructure to get the transition back on track, and with it the economic growth and environmental benefits we all crave.
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