Lohscheller, who previously served as CEO of Opel, VinFast and Nikola, will be tasked with expanding Polestar’s global footprint in the premium EV market. He said, “I am honored to join Polestar at such an exciting time in the company’s history. Polestar has already established itself as one of the most desirable and innovative brands in the EV space, and I look forward to working with the talented team to build on this strong foundation and accelerate our development.”

Winfried Vahland, Polestar’s incoming chairman, added, “Michael Lohscheller is the ideal leader to guide Polestar into its next chapter. His deep industry knowledge, especially in driving operational excellence, developing a coherent product strategy and strengthening the global market presence will be instrumental in the next chapter of Polestar’s growth.”

He also commended Ingenlath for his contributions to the company: “Thomas has been instrumental in shaping Polestar into the innovative and forward-thinking brand it is today, leading its transformation from a Volvo performance division into the only true global premium electric vehicle brand, with an outstanding focus on design, performance and premium qualities. We extend our deepest gratitude for his leadership.”

Ingenlath concluded, “I am very proud of what we’ve achieved together in the last seven years. We had the vision of an electric premium brand that puts performance and design at its core. And we made it, the dream became reality. I wish Michael and the team the best for the next chapter of Polestar.”

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The GBA says its vision is to achieve three fundamental outcomes, to which Siemens aims to contribute: establish a circular battery value chain, establish a low-carbon economy in the value chain, and safeguard human rights and economic development.

“Joining the Global Battery Alliance is a critical step that Siemens is taking to build our battery passport ecosystem, which aims to go beyond regulatory compliance and empower stakeholders to capture, access and manage battery value chain data,” said Puneet Sinha, senior director of battery industry for Siemens Digital Industries Software.

“We are delighted to welcome Siemens to the Global Battery Alliance to help drive our shared vision of driving adoption of digital transformation across all aspects of the production lifecycle, from ideation through engineering, production and disposal to increase efficiency and build a sustainable battery industry,” said Inga Petersen, executive director of the Global Battery Alliance.

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The E-Nomad’s body is constructed from flax fiber biocomposite panels, which are 9% lighter than carbon fiber and result in a 73% reduction in CO₂ emissions during production, according to the company. These panels were developed with composite manufacturer Bamd Composites and contribute to a 30% reduction in drag compared to the standard Nomad.

Powertrain

Developed in partnership with automotive and motorsport engineering specialist Rockfort Engineering and supported by the UK government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre and Niche Vehicle Network, the E-Nomad is part of Ariel’s broader Zero Emission for Low Volume program. The vehicle’s battery pack, weighing under 300kg, incorporates advanced cooling and heating systems to improve performance in various conditions. The powertrain, managed by a Rockfort Engineering control system, provides adjustable power delivery and regenerative braking, with modes for both Eco and Sport driving.

The 450-volt battery pack features Rockfort’s all-new Pegasus V3 modules that use high-energy lithium-ion pouch cells. The E-Nomad uses 12 Pegasus V3 modules with a total capacity of 41kW and power output of 210kW.

The E-Nomad uses a Cascadia Motion iDM 190 combined motor, gearbox and DX inverter drive unit. Powering the rear wheels is a Borg Warner eDM motor spinning to 12,000rpm and single-speed transmission with reduction gearing of 8.28:1. A limited slip differential and parking lock are also part of the vehicle’s specification. The drive unit is water-cooled via a secondary system, independent of the battery, from the front-mounted, split-circuit radiator.

Situated behind the driver, the single battery pack is
capable of AC (Type 2) and DC (CCS2) fast-charging. Ariel says this enables the E-Nomad to be charged at home on a normal domestic supply, or via a dedicated fast charger in under 25 minutes from 20% to 80%.

A revised power delivery management electrical system also manages battery power states, enabling the system to automatically ‘wake’ or ‘sleep’ for charging and battery management.

Simon Saunders, Ariel’s director, commented, “While the E-Nomad is a concept, it does show production intent for the vehicle and hints at just a small part of Ariel’s future. Once it has been through our usual, grueling testing regime we could opt to add the E-Nomad alongside its ICE Nomad 2 sibling, so we’ll take great interest in customer feedback on the concept car.”

Ariel plans to showcase the E-Nomad at the Cenex Expo 2024 at UTAC Millbrook on September 4. Although the E-Nomad is not currently available for purchase, Ariel says it will use the event to gauge public interest and guide future developments. The company intends to conduct extensive testing of the prototype to explore its potential applications.

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The plant will use green hydrogen, generated at Fortescue’s hydrogen facility — the largest of its kind in Australia — along with an electric smelting furnace to produce high-purity green metal. This green metal will be suitable for use in steel plants worldwide.

According to the company, the hydrogen plant at the Green Energy Hub can produce approximately 530kg of hydrogen gas per day, or around 195 metric tons annually. The facility is partly powered by solar energy and includes a gaseous hydrogen refuelling station, supported by a A$2m (US$1.35m) grant from the WA government’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund. This station is used to refuel a fleet of 10 hydrogen-powered coaches at Christmas Creek.

Fortescue executive chairman Dr Andrew Forrest AO and Fortescue Metals CEO Dino Otranto marked the start of civil works at the Christmas Creek site with a ceremony. Forrest said, “Today is a celebration of innovation, collaboration and stretch targets, and marks a pivotal moment in Fortescue’s journey to build a green metal supply chain.”

He also noted the environmental importance of the project: “Iron and steel are the backbone of our infrastructure, but traditional production processes are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By rethinking the entire iron and steel value chain, we can create a new, green industry in Australia.”

In addition to hydrogen production, the Green Energy Hub features a hydrogen liquefaction facility, liquid hydrogen storage and a refuelling station. It also supports Fortescue’s zero-emission decarbonization prototypes, including a hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype and a battery electric haul truck prototype with a 3MW fast charger.

WA Premier Roger Cook highlighted the broader impact of the project: “WA is on its way to becoming a global clean energy powerhouse and a major producer, user, and exporter of green iron.”

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The current Kodiak implementation is an FAA-compliant industrial snow blower vehicle capable of meeting the minimum FAA requirements to move 7,000 tons of snow per hour at operating speeds of 25mph. Anticipated to premiere in early 2025, the vehicles are also eligible for federal grant programs, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

The Roush collaboration will produce a platform design that Kodiak can use to transfer to other vehicle types that require significant power output. For areas where megawatt charging standard infrastructure is unavailable, the design includes a series hybrid option for use with hydrogen, propane, biodiesel or petro-diesel when required.

Kodiak Technologies says it is conversing with more than 35 US airports interested in ordering and implementing the HEV that was recently unveiled at the 2024 Snow Symposium summit in Buffalo, New York. Public and government locations and sectors are also expected to adopt the technology.

Manning has more than 20 years of experience as a consultant and previously led transit bus engineering and acquisition at Chicago Transit Authority and Los Angeles Metro, where he supported the procurement of over US$1bn in transit buses with electric, CNG and diesel powertrains.

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Enteligent, a developer of solar-powered DC-to-DC chargers for electric vehicles (EVs), has raised US$6m from investors to scale the production of its photovoltaic (PV) module-level power optimizers and its DC-to-DC-based bidirectional EV chargers.

The company is supplying a long-dwell-time 25kW DC-to-DC EV charger to a large logistics company to power its newly electrified delivery fleet. The funding round was led by global technology investor Taronga Ventures and brings the company’s total fundraising to US$19m since 2021. Taronga Ventures’ program arm, RealTechX, selected Enteligent as one of 12 companies internationally to participate in its ESG Impact program in 2023.

“Enteligent’s technology sets a new standard in maximizing solar energy efficiency,” said Jonathan Hannam, managing partner at Taronga Ventures. “Their holistic approach to solar power optimization offers practical solutions with real-world applications that meet the needs of global real asset owners and operators. Together, we can significantly advance decarbonization efforts for real assets.”

The company’s NMax PV module power optimizers with rapid shutdown safety capabilities are designed to ensure that each panel operates at maximum output continuously.

Alongside its 25kW DC-to-DC fleet charging platform, Enteligent is making its solar-powered TLCEV T1 EVSE available for pre-order. This runs directly from the sun and provides immediate daytime charging from on-site solar generation.

“Our mission is to drive a paradigm shift in energy consumption habits by leveraging abundant solar power and our innovative technology to facilitate society’s transition to electrification,” commented Sean Burke, CEO and co-founder of Enteligent.

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Unlike the ultra-high-performance nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries designed for commercial vehicle customers, the 565Ah LFP batteries are tailored to meet the needs of ESS with long-term performance and reliability.

The company says it is shifting its focus to producing LFP battery systems at its Clarksville, Tennessee, facility, moving away from NMC battery solutions. This consolidation includes relocating ESS operations from Colorado to Clarksville, to enhance operational efficiencies and speed up deliveries for its US business.

“Our ME6 energy storage solution can be used for any application where electric energy supply is needed,” said Yang Wu, CEO of Microvast. “We are excited to introduce this efficient solution and look forward to advancing the industry together with partners in the US and worldwide.”

The LFP-based ME6 energy storage solution features cycle life exceeding 10,000 cycles, the company says, with a lifespan of up to 30 years, courtesy of its overhaulable battery design. The system has an energy density of 6MWh in a compact 21ft container, as well as an integrated modular cooling system to extend battery life and enhance round-trip efficiency.

The 565Ah LFP cell is specially designed for ESS applications, providing a longer cycle life and durable performance over time.

Dr Wenjuan Mattis, chief technology officer of Microvast, explained, “Utilizing our high-performance LFP cells, we have developed a ME6 container that boosts capacity and stability while providing an exceptional lifespan of up to 30 years and supporting more than 10,000 cycles.

“Our pioneering nitrogen protection technology helps prevent fires and combat corrosion, and when combined with our sturdy IP55 and C4 designs, can greatly improve both the reliability and longevity of our systems. Moreover, our integrated modular liquid cooling system helps ensure consistent battery temperatures, optimizing performance through active cell balancing and enhancing round-trip efficiency while reducing heat loss.”

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