Batteries
McGill University researchers show that affordable materials could prove key for improving the batteries used in electric vehicles. The breakthrough was analyzed and confirmed with the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan. The research was funded by NSERC and supported by Hydro-Quebec.
Ecobat Battery Technologies has followed the launch of its One Box start-stop battery testing and installation solution with a new training, assessment and certification. The first step is a comprehensive video, viewable below, hosted by Ecobat’s Christopher Jones. This offers a step-by-step guide to battery assessment, removal, replacement and validation processes. It also introduces the four parts of the One Box package. Together, Ecobat says they allow technicians to tackle start-stop battery replacement with confidence.
Britishvolt has appointed automotive specialist Charles Morgan, to both its advisory board and board of directors, as a non-executive director.
Charles Morgan, whose grandfather founded world-renowned British brand Morgan in 1909, combines his automotive heritage with a deep global industry knowledge, and a passion for a sustainable, green future. In his new role, he will become a valuable contributor in guiding Britishvolt to realising the full potential of the UK automotive supply chain. Considering his experience in automotive production, the news is reminiscent of earlier analysis that gigafactory battery production could be poised to replace lost OE vehicle construction in the UK post-Brexit and now in the post-corona context.
Following the launch of its One Box start-stop battery testing and installation solution at Automechanika Birmingham last June, Ecobat Battery Technologies (Ecobat), has further developed its offering with the release of a free start-stop battery training, assessment and certification.
Britishvolt has shortlisted Bro Tathan in South Wales and one other site for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh Gigafactory. Britishvolt eliminated 40 other proposals in the process. When the project is finalised, the company says the initial wave of £1.2 billion of investment into the site will eventually lead to around 3,500 jobs.
The European car parc comprises more than 40,000 different models, which means – according to battery maker Varta – that not even workshop experts are able to identify the right battery for every single one of them. This is where the Varta Partner Portal comes in and provides assistance with finding the right fit. Varta has now updated its reference application database with an additional 7,176 vehicle models from 165 brands, representing 19.8 million additional vehicles on Europe’s roads. The database now covers 94 per cent of the models in the European market and no fewer than 99.6 per cent or 381 million of the registered vehicles. Customers and workshops can now search for 38,000 car models and their batteries on the industry leading Varta Partner Portal (www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/business-portal).
Hoppecke Industrial Batteries has appointed Stuart Browne as general manager. Having joined Hoppecke UK in 2015 as service director, Browne was promoted to operations director-sales and service in January last year. This specially created role was a significant move tied into the company’s decision to forge closer links between its sales and service divisions to enhance customer support.
Following news that Exide Technologies entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 19 May 2020, Exide has been bought by long-term lenders who have injected cash, but remains up for sale until the end of July. Specifically, the new owners of Exide EMEA and Asia-Pacific are subject to conditions outlined in the transaction document to “maintain continued employment of the company’s workforce in these regions”. For example, as part of the agreement, the ad hoc lender group has provided additional liquidity of up to $75 million. The agreement also includes a “go-shop” period with a bid submission deadline and auction to be held in early July 2020.
On 19 May battery manufacturer Exide Technologies entered chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announcing “a comprehensive strategy to best position its businesses in North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific to benefit its employees, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders across the globe.” In short, the strategy puts the Exide’s US business in chapter 11 and sells the Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to the firm’s long-term lenders.
The UK government is searching for 4 million square feet of industrial space to house an electric vehicle Gigafactory. According to Property Week, the Department for International Trade (DIT) has made the request for “an electric vehicle research, development and manufacturing plant in the UK”. In addition, the 650-acre Gravity site in Somerset has been specifically linked as prospective location for the apparent Gigafactory project. And what’s more Property Week has linked Tesla to the search for the site. Taken together, the scale of the project, DIT’s confirmation that it is for vehicle research, development and manufacturing, and the suggestion that it is all for Tesla mean the project is a prospective Gigafactory.
GS Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd are pleased to announce the establishment of a new sales company to serve their Nordic and Baltic export regions. GS Yuasa Battery Nordic began trading from a new distribution centre in Jönköping, Sweden in December 2019. The creation of a new sales company and distribution centre in Sweden represents a significant investment from the battery manufacturer, as it aims to increase market share in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
Roughly a year after reports suggested the UK could become home to a gigafactory, AMTE Power and Britishvolt announced plans to investigate collaborating to build the UK’s first full cycle battery cell GigaPlant, servicing the automotive and energy storage markets. Both parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focussed on each other`s complementary ambitions to create and expand an onshore manufacturing supply chain. The successful outcome of the collaboration would enable scalable production of a diverse product portfolio of lithium ion batteries to support the country’s Road to Zero targets and unprecedented transition to electrification.
Battery manufacturer Exide Technologies has unveiled its new GNB Sonnenschein Lithium Material Handling Battery, which was developed to meet the challenges of the modern warehouse environment. It has also introduced its new cloud-based fleet management software, GNB Fleet, which optimises fleet uptime, maximises efficiency and reduces total cost of ownership.
Idle vehicles around the UK as a result of Coronavirus lockdown measures introduced in late March could lead to considerable damage to car batteries. In-vehicle electrical systems and alarms drain the battery continually, alongside the natural loss in charge. These factors could result in significant numbers of batteries requiring recharging or replacement in the coming months. Aftermarket supplier The Parts Alliance is encouraging garages to offer a battery testing service to their customers proactively. The company has produced a range of marketing materials to help promote such an offering.
Britishvolt
Ecobat
Northvolt
Varta
Hoppecke
Exide Technologies
Gravity
Yuasa
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Yuasa