North America News
Battery makers settle legal dispute over supply to US
LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation are settling their legal dispute relating to EV battery supply in the US and South Korea.
AMS E-mobility 2021 – Electric vehicle production powers up
Our latest AMS digital edition is out with a special focus on the acceleration towards an all-electric future for automotive industry. The issue offers in-depth insight into leading carmaker’s and tier supplier EV strategies, looking at drivetrains, battery assembly and specialist materials, with interviews featuring Schaeffler, Atlas Copco, Outokumpu and more.
Register: Electrifying Production – How to build an electric future (Pt.2)
In the second part of our Electrifying Production Livestream series, AMS explores how OEMs are ramping up electric vehicle production. We get an insider view on manufacturing innovations from Volkswagen Group and Ford, and further insights from manufacturing specialists Renishaw and Atlas Copco.
Magna’s new US facility to build EV battery enclosures
The new Magna Electric Vehicle Structures plant will be built in St. Clair, Michigan
BMW to construct new US training centre at Spartanburg
The OEM has broken ground on the new 67,000 sq. ft. building at its South Carolina manufacturing site
Ultium Cells completes steel building structure
The joint venture between General Motors and LG Chem has taken another step towards start of production of Ultium battery cells with the completion of the steel work for the new manufacturing facility at Lordstown, Ohio
Texas winter storm blackouts hit automotive sector
Severe weather conditions in the US state of Texas over the last ten days have closed down manufacturing locations, including vehicle and parts supplier plants, as well as disrupting delivery routes.
SK Innovation banned from the US for 10 Years following LG lawsuit
The US International Trade Commission has imposed a 10-year ban on SK Innovation for the importation, domestic production, and sale of electric vehicle batteries within the US because of intellectual property theft from rival LG Chem. It is a tough sentence, but perhaps unsurprising given the context of the global push to electrification.
AMS Tier Supplier 2021 – Adapt, survive and thrive
Our latest AMS digital edition is out with a special focus on how tier suppliers are seizing the opportunities emerging from the shift to e-mobility. The issue features in-depth insight on EV drivetrains, chassis development, electronics supply and creating smart interiors, with interviews featuring ZF, Gestamp, Yanfeng and more.
Localised battery production key to EV penetration in North America
Electric vehicle sales in North America have lagged other regions, but changing US policy and new technology is set to change that – as long as the region can develop a local lithium-ion battery value chain
East Liberty Auto plant starts production of new Acura MDX
The fourth-generation MDX, has been designed, developed and manufactured by a team of associates in Ohio and California, and is underpinned by an all-new light truck platform
AI and automation in automotive production need people and quality data to succeed
Experts from BMW, Ford, Symbio Robotics and Cosmo Tech discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in automotive production need fast ramp-up times and adoption by employees to succeed. High-quality data and use of simulation are also key.
AMS Winter 2020 – Supporting production through automation and AI
The latest AMS edition is out with a special focus on automation opportunities, including for artificial intelligence and cobots. The issue features in-depth insight on robotics and new processes, with interviews featuring BMW, Fraunhofer, Drishti and many more.
Watch: Supporting production through automation – from AI to cobots (EP.2)
This Livestream Hour episode discusses how automation and AI can support automotive manufacturing with technology leaders from BMW and Ford, together with systems and software specialists.
Integrating robotics and electric powertrains in BMW production
BMW is on an EV offensive and is taking the opportunity to revamp its plants with automation and digital twins. Mark Smyth spoke to the global boss of production, Milan Nedeljković, about the challenges and opportunities
AMS Environment and Sustainability 2020 – Greener production, battery recycling, decarbonising materials and more
For the automotive industry environmental sustainability is not just important for the vehicles they produce, it is also a key factor in the production process. This edition of AMS takes a close look at sustainable production, utilising recycled materials and renewable energy sources
Audi introduces closed-loop systems for aluminium, wastewater and plastic
Audi has detailed how it is introducing closed-loop systems to its plants as part of its goal to make all its five plants carbon-neutral by 2025. This includes aluminium, wastewater and a pilot project for chemical recycling of plastics.
Lordstown development moves GM closer to all-electric future
GM says it will create more than 1,100 new jobs in Northeast Ohio with the construction of its Ultium Cells LLC battery cell manufacturing facility in Lordstown
Stable growth post-Covid will depend on greater supplier collaboration
At last week’s Livestream Hour Joe McCabe, CEO and president of AutoForecast Solutions, said 2021 was going to be a recovery year in global vehicle production and that continued recovery to 2027 would be based on greater stability. A more globally integratred supply chain, thanks in part to revision of Trump policy following last week’s election, and provide opportunities for tier suppliers, who are getting more involved complex subassembly
GM invests $4 billion to prepare Spring Hill and Detroit-Hamtramck plants for EV production
General Motors is moving forward with investments to equip its factories to produce electric vehicles (EVs). The Spring Hill, Tennessee plant gets a $2 billion upgrade to produce the Cadillac Lyriq and the and Detroit-Hamtramck plant will see $2.2 billion invested to produce the recently unveiled GMC Hummer EV.