All articles by Peter Murphy – Page 3
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NewsHyundai Motor and Boston Dynamics invest $400m to found robotics research institute
Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics will jointly invest $400 million to create a robotics and AI research institute to tackle key challenges in the field.
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NewsMercedes-Benz to buy battery cells from €7.4 bn CATL Hungary plant
Mercedes-Benz will be the first to receive cells from CATL’s forthcoming Hungarian plant, placing the largest initial order.
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ArticleSnapshot of automaker comments on production in latest earnings reports
Despite lower output for most automakers versus the April-June quarter of 2021, several noted a pick-up in output starting from June.
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ArticleGigafactories give N. America, Europe more skin in EV game but minerals supply a worry
Battery metals prices have become a significant threat to automotive’s pursuit of electrification with growing EV output calling for higher volumes of minerals production.
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NewsContinental to offer low-carbon biomass-based plastic for car interiors
Continental said the biomass-derived PVC’s equal performance to conventional plastics makes the material a straight swap from petrochemical use but with a smaller carbon footprint in manufacturing.
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NewsBMW intensifies battery component production at Leipzig after farewell to i3
The new line marks a further incremental step towards BMW Group’s target of switching half its annual sales to EVs by 2030.
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NewsEnergy, mineral supplies could be bottlenecks to EV and battery production
Battery experts say energy costs and the supply of renewable energy could mean it takes longer for Europe to reach zero-emission mobility targets.
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ArticleWhat Vorsprung durch Technik means for Audi manufacturing in 2022
Audi is making progress in production through virtual reality, AI and software prototype builds, modular assembly, quality control and energy conservation.
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NewsSchaeffler to buy the Ewellix Group for €702m to expand in linear technology
The acquisition of Ewellix, an affiliate of the Triton Fund V will strengthen Schaeffler’s market position in the linear business.
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NewsWaygate Technologies and UKBIC sign MOU to speed up battery development for EVs
The two companies would seek to develop a digital twin or virtual blueprint of an optimised manufacturing process for producers of battery cells.
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NewsFord secures new battery supplies, overhauls Cologne plant on path to producing 2m EVs a year
With a $50bn investment, the carmaker aims to produce 600,000 EVs a year by late 2023 and 2m by 2026, incoporating new battery chemistries and updating plants.
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NewsCars à la carte – Audi trials modular production to control customisation costs
The premium OEM is applying the efficiency focus that has fine-tuned production lines over many years to the more bespoke tasks in modular assembly as EV and supply complexity increases.
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NewsRenault and Vitesco partner on compact EV power electronics unit
The automaker will partner with Vitesco to produce power electronics units, part of a trend of OEMs, supplier and battery producers partnering to ramp up EV and battery output.
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NewsMan and machine: Using technology to push efficiency boundaries in logistics and assembly
Experts discuss how they are using digital technology to streamline time-consuming and expensive processes from supply chain monitoring to assembly planning.
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NewsBosch to invest €3 billion to expand semiconductor production
The EU and German government will part-fund expansion of semiconductor manufacturing which the bloc has identified as an area of strategic importance.
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ArticleUK’s 2030 end to gasoline car sales ‘not possible’, says gigafactory entrepreneur
Seven remaining years are probably too few to establish battery production and energy infrastructure at the scale electrification will require.
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ArticleUK automakers sound alarm on skills shortages, unfilled engineering roles
The pace of electrification is getting ahead of the time taken to train the engineers with the skills needed for an auto industry transitioning to producing EVs.
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NewsVolkswagen launches battery cell-making company PowerCo
PowerCo could produce enough cells for 3m electric vehicles a year by 2030 across six ‘standardised’ European gigafactories.
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NewsMercedes-Benz to invest €1.3 billion in digital skills training by 2030
The automaker will spend €1.3 billion on training and upskilling staff through 2030 to prepare staff for a greater focus on electrified, connected products.
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ArticleStellantis shifts east France plants towards hybrid and EV future
The strategic purpose of the investments is to gain greater control over the global electrification value chain through vertical integration.