Quantron AG officially announces insolvency

The Augsburg judiciary has officially announced the opening of insolvency proceedings: Quantron – founded in 2019 – has thus been under the supervision of a provisional insolvency administrator since 29 October. Lawyer Constantin Salm-Hoogstraeten will ensure that the company’s assets are secured until a final decision is made on the opening of insolvency proceedings. The Management Board, consisting of CEO Andreas Haller, CFO Beate Reimann and Head of Technology Rene-Christopher Wollmann, may therefore only dispose of the company’s assets with the approval of the provisional insolvency administrator. Quantron itself has announced that it intends to publish a statement on insolvency over the course of the day. The fact that Quantron has been struggling with a financial bottleneck for several months has recently become increasingly apparent. Quantron cancelled its stand at the IAA Transportation at short notice. Some employees of the commercial vehicle manufacturer from Gersthofen are said to be waiting for their wages, as various local media in Augsburg reported last week. Quantron told electrive on Friday that it did indeed have outstanding debts – including from the workforce. However, CFO Reimann referred to the imminent conclusion of a new investor deal. It now appears that instead of a new round of financing, Quantron is facing insolvency. It is unclear what the future holds for the approximately 90 employees. However, some employees – including those who have contacted the electrive editorial team – believe that orderly insolvency is a better option than the current situation. For example, wage claims have reportedly already been filed by employees at the labour court in Augsburg. Quantron emerged as a new player in the electric commercial vehicle market at the end of 2019 – launched by Gersthofen-based Iveco contract partner and commercial vehicle specialist Haller. Initially located in the retrofitting sector, the start-up quickly transformed itself into a system integrator with rapidly growing international ambitions. The management repeated more and more frequently that Quantron did not want to become an OEM, but a platform provider. The business model therefore consists less of the production and sale of e-trucks and more of the operation of an ecosystem. The activities were to be financed, among other things, by funds that Quantron wanted to raise in a B financing round. The company set a target of 100 to 200 million euros last year. This is precisely the crux of the matter: this financing round failed, whereupon Andreas Haller, the founder and CEO of Quantron AG, also took on the role of CEO at the turn of the year 2023/24. He took on the management role ‘with a particular focus on the successful conclusion of the B round’, as he said at the time. However, Haller currently has to take a break: According to his own statement, he suffered a serious heart attack during the IAA and is currently recovering from it. “Sorry, but my state of health has a reason – that was and is my unwavering belief and my fight for the German economy and for sustainable technologies, which also have a great future in Germany and we definitely need them,” Haller wrote on Linkedin. Quantron currently has around 200 vehicles on the market – including both battery and fuel-cell-powered vehicles. However, the company has not managed to take the step towards full-scale series production in the five years of its existence. To date, all trucks have also had to be individually approved by the regulatory agency TÜV, which drives up costs even further. This is one of the reasons why a customer recently switched its H2 truck orders from Quantron to Hyundai, according to industry insiders. presse-augsburg.de, insolvenzbekanntmachungen.de (both in German)

EU imposes special tariffs on electric cars from China

The regulation adopted by the Commission is to be published in the Official Journal of the EU on Wednesday and enter into force the following day; Thursday, 31 October 2024. The Commission is thus following its own announcement after the decisive vote by the EU member states on the special duties. According to this, the Commission’s implementing regulation with the final results of the investigation must be published in the Official Journal by 30 October 2024 at the latest – which should now happen on Wednesday. In the vote, a sufficiently large majority of EU member states voted in favour of the Commission’s plans to impose special tariffs on electric cars produced in China. Following the lengthy anti-subsidy investigation, the EU considers it proven that some car manufacturers in China are supported by the local government with unlawfully high subsidies, which is why these companies can offer their products in Europe at more favourable prices than European companies that have not been subsidised accordingly. The exact special duties therefore also depend on the level of distortion of competition identified. The Commission therefore considers the countervailing duties to be necessary in order to secure the long-term future of the automotive industry in the EU. Germany had voted against the proposal as the German government fears a trade conflict with China – and the possible consequences for German car manufacturers and suppliers. Berlin had therefore endeavoured to secure its own majority to avert the tariffs proposed by the Commission in July. However, this was not successful. Further negotiations after the EU vote were also unsuccessful. One option was for electric car dealers to enter into price commitments and thus avert the tariffs. It remains to be seen how China will react to the now-finalised decision for the special electric car tariffs to come into force. Most recently, there were reports that the government in Beijing had put pressure on state-owned car manufacturers to stop their expansion in Europe, for example, plans for possible European plants in order to circumvent the import duties with local production. However, this is said to have centred primarily on the negotiations that were still ongoing at the time. As these have now failed, China’s future policy is also unclear. In addition to the already applicable import duty of ten per cent, e-cars from BYD will be subject to an additional 17.0 per cent from November, 27.0 per cent in total. For Geely, the final version is 18.8 and 28.8 per cent respectively, while the maximum rate for SAIC is 35.3 per cent special duty and therefore 45.3 per cent total duty. There is also a special regulation for Tesla: the US car manufacturer operates the Giga Shanghai itself and not in the form of a joint venture with a Chinese manufacturer. As a result, Tesla has also received fewer subsidies in China and therefore has a smaller competitive advantage from the perspective of the EU Commission. As a result, a special duty of 7.8 per cent and a total of 17.8 per cent were set here. All other manufacturers must pay at least a 21.3 per cent special duty when they import electric cars built in China into the EU. This rate applies if the manufacturers have cooperated with the EU. If they have not, the 35.3 per cent applies. For German car manufacturers, it depends on whether they have cooperated and what the situation is with their joint venture partners. In the case of SAIC-VW, for example, the maximum rate of 35.3 per cent applies. However, this is not relevant in practice, as SAIC-VW does not export electric cars to Europe. However, the joint venture with JAC, Volkswagen Anhui, builds the Cupra Tavascan, for example, for the global markets. The special duty here is 21.3 per cent. Update 30 October 2024 A few hours after the EU decision, an initial reaction was received from Beijing. China “neither agrees nor accepts” the additional tariffs. The country will “take all necessary measures to firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” explained a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing. China has filed a complaint under the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). ec.europa.eu, sueddeutsche.de (in German), bloomberg.com, spiegel.de (Update, in German)

British postal service to stock up on electric Peugeots

The supplier of the vehicles has now been finalised: Peugeot has been commissioned to supply 1,100 e-Partner and 1,000 e-Expert vehicles. The type of vehicle ordered had not been stated at the initial order announcement in July. In the press release, Peugeot specifies that the E-Partner now features an updated design, new technologies, and an increased all-electric range of up to 213 miles (according to WLTP). The E-Partner is powered by an electric drive that can deliver up to 270Nm of torque coupled with a 50kWh battery. A new regenerative braking system that can be activated at three different levels using steering wheel paddles has also been added. “Peugeot is proud to continue supplying electric vans to Royal Mail, a partnership that has been ongoing since 2009, which is testament to the quality and reliability of our vehicles,” said Eurig Druce, Group Managing Director of Stellantis UK & Managing Director of Peugeot UK, adding: “Peugeot’s electric vans are built in Britain for an iconic British brand and we will continue to uphold this historic partnership and support Royal Mail’s electrification ambitions.” In 2021, Royal Mail had stated the target of electrifying its entire fleet by 2030, and had started trials with an electric LEVC transporter van in 2020. “This is an important part of our work to expand the UK’s largest electric delivery fleet and to remain the UK’s greenest delivery company,” added Greg Sage, Royal Mail’s Deputy Director for Corporate Affairs and ESG. stellantis.com

Audi to close Brussels plant in February 2025

The 3,000 employees at the Audi plant in Brussels were hoping for a last-minute solution but have been disappointed: Audi is closing the site and informed the works council and trade unions of the decision on Tuesday. It is not yet known what will happen to the employees, but there will be no premature redundancies before the factory closes on 28 February. The closure is not a surprise, but has been on the cards for a long time: Audi had repeatedly publicly denounced the plant in the Belgian capital, where the Q8 e-tron and its Sportback offshoot are currently being built, over the course of the year. The successor to the Q8 e-tron is to be built in Mexico and Audi will not be outsourcing any new models to the Belgian plant. As German sites in the VW Group are now also on the brink of collapse, the chances for Brussels – even with another Group brand – had diminished further. In mid-September, Audi’s Chief Operating Officer Gerd Walker announced in an interview that the company was focussing on the search for potential investors. The successor to the Q8 e-tron will be manufactured in Mexico, and Audi will not award any new models to the Belgian plant. As some German sites within the VW Group are now also on the brink of collapse, the chances for Brussels – even with another Group brand – have diminished further. In mid-September, Audis Chief Operating Officer Gerd Walker stated in an interview that the company was focussing on the search for potential investors. Around a fortnight ago, Audi then announced that it had been unable to find a suitable investor for Brussels, which led to the scenario of a plant closure materialising. There were probably 26 interested parties and potential investors, but according to Walker, they were unable to present a “viable and sustainable concept” for the future of the factory. An internal search within the Volkswagen Group for future car production or alternative uses for the plant had also remained unsuccessful. This makes Brussels the first VW plant in Europe to be closed. As the responsible negotiator for the ACV-CSC union at the plant, Ronny Liedts, stated a fortnight ago, it is likely that the approximately 3,000 factory workers will lose their jobs. Liedts also levelled accusations against Audi: “The only thing they want is to close the plant as quickly as possible. None of the alternatives are an option for them.” Audi had repeatedly criticised that the location of the plant hindered expansion and internal logistics – both of which were necessary to operate the site economically. The plant is located directly on the railway line, which is why no expansion areas are actually accessible. In addition, there is no body shop on site, which is why stand-alone production is not possible in Brussels – important body components have to be supplied from other plants. However, regardless of the challenges at the site itself, Audi also has a problem with the demand for the model built in Brussels. The factory in Belgium is designed for a capacity of 120,000 vehicles per year. Audi reached its peak in 2022 with 47,900 cars built in Brussels, compared to 37,400 Q8 e-tron in 2023. According to the VW Group’s Q3 delivery figures, Audi has only delivered 23,900 units of the large e-SUV so far this year. In August, there was a media report stating that Audi was only planning to deliver 6,000 vehicles in 2025. automobilwoche.de, zeit.de (both in German)

Xiaomi breaks ‘Nordschleife’ record with the SU7 Ultra

British racing driver David Pittard achieved a lap time of 6:46.874 minutes in the SU7 Ultra. By comparison, the current record for the Porsche Taycan on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife is 7:07.55 minutes, while the Rimac Nevera’s time is 7:05:298 minutes. This was not the first attempt at the record for Xiaomi, which had made an attempt in January and on October 10th, however, both attempts were foiled by rain. More attempts were launched on the 17th and 21st of October but also did not manage to deliver the expected results. Finally, on the 24th of October, the weather was sufficiently dry and clear, allowing for the record lap. According to the manufacturer, the model can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 1.97 seconds and can reach 200 kph in 5.96 seconds with a top speed of over 350 kph. David Pittard also has a history with the Nüburgring race track, winning the 2023 24-hour race on the track. Xiaomi has had prominent support for its luxury vehicles from unexpected sources recently, as Ford CEO Jim Farley sang praises of the SU7 just a few days ago. The Chinese technology manufacturer is currently ramping up a launch for more vehicles in Western markets, which it intends to supply with three vehicle models by 2026. Production is already being ramped up. cnevpost.com, carnewschina.com

Christian Sulser from Iveco: How the manufacturer is getting ready for its electric push

Iveco is making waves with the debut of its S-eWay electric vehicle, a significant step towards electrifying long-haul transport. Reflecting on the journey with partner Nikola, Christian Sulser noted, “We learned a lot from the cooperation… and now we delivered.” The S-eWay, which boasts a 750 kWh battery and a 500-kilometre range, is designed to cater to various customer needs, from regional and national logistics to more specialised applications like refrigerated transport. Sulser emphasised that electrifying heavy-duty vehicles presents unique challenges. “It’s not easy to electrify a long-haul vehicle,” he said, but the S-eWay’s flexibility aims to meet the diverse demands of the market. Fast charging and future innovations The S-eWay is not Iveco’s only venture into electrification. At the show, the company also highlighted a collaboration with Hyundai to develop a 3.5-tonne electric chassis cab for urban logistics. Sulser described the vehicle’s capabilities as “class-leading,” with a range of up to 300 kilometres and rapid charging, reaching 80% in under 10 minutes. Despite these advancements, Sulser acknowledged the challenges ahead. “We have a lot of issues with the infrastructures on the highways,” he admitted, indicating that infrastructure development is crucial for wider adoption. A multi-propulsion approach While committed to electrification, Iveco is not limiting itself to electric vehicles. “We are really strong in gas, H2 hydrogen, and methane,” Sulser explained, outlining a multi-propulsion strategy. He suggested that while electric solutions are gaining traction for smaller segments, heavy-duty trucks may still require alternative fuels like biofuels or hydrogen. Looking ahead, Iveco plans to continue expanding its electric and hybrid offerings, with deliveries of the SE-Way starting in mid-2024. As Sulser stated, “We need to get kilometres on the streets and get customer feedback.” Whether this bold strategy will steer Iveco through a smooth transition or another “roller coaster” remains to be seen.

Daimler Truck builds ‘front box’ for eActros 600 electric truck in series production

Daimler Truck describes the so-called front box as a complex technology module with several control units, high-voltage components and an electric air compressor. It contributes to the operation of the heavy-duty eActros 600 – but not to the drive itself. A type of front box was already used in the eActros 300/400 with a market launch in 2021. The bigger brother is now receiving an enhanced version, which is now rolling off the production line at the engine plant in Mannheim-Waldhof. The front box will then be installed in Wörth, where the actual series production of the eActros 600 is based. “Accommodating this high number of components in a very confined space was a particular challenge during the development process. In the end, this was achieved by means of a so-called ‘layered structure,’ in which the individual components are built up from bottom to top,” says the truck manufacturer, which has formed a production team of 25 employees for the new area, which could “expand to up to 170 employees in the future.” Daimler Truck spent around a year renovating a 5,500 square metre area at its traditional plant in Mannheim in order to integrate the production line and logistics zone for the new module. Care was taken to make it particularly future-proof: The line offers “a high degree of flexibility for different quantities, product variants and subsequent generations,” according to the manufacturer. Specifically, the assembly line is made up of four consecutive sections, each of which houses different assembly stations with their own material zones and pre-assembly. Each section concludes with a ‘quality gate’ for inspection, completed by the so-called end-of-line inspection. Meanwhile, final preparations for the eActros 600 are also underway at the component plants in Gaggenau and Kassel, as these sites will also be supplying parts, including axle and transmission components. The electric long-haul truck will officially make its series debut at the end of November in Wörth, where everything comes together. The first customer vehicles will then be manufactured and registered before the end of the year. The vehicle is known to have celebrated its world premiere in October 2023. Meanwhile, those responsible in Mannheim are satisfied that a central part of the alternatively powered eActros 600 has been localised in Mannheim. Andreas Moch, site manager for the Mannheim plant, says: “The front box is an assembly-intensive unit for battery-powered vehicles. After a successful prototype phase, we are now pleased to be able to move into series production.” Mannheim is the centre of excellence for battery technology and high-voltage systems at Daimler Truck. “With the start of production of the front box, we are already reaching the second milestone this year, after we opened our Battery Technology Center in the summer,” says Moch. Bruno Buschbacher, Chairman of the Works Council at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim, also believes that the site is well positioned for the transformation: “I am very pleased that we have successfully launched the first product, the front box, under the agreement concluded in 2021, and that part of the powertrain for the alternative drives is now located in Mannheim. This is an important step in the transformation of our long-standing engine plant. The vertical range of manufacture of the future must continue to enable us to produce essential components ourselves.” daimlertruck.com

Moment Energy to construct EV battery reuse Gigafactory in Texas

Thanks to the US$428 million initiative by the Biden-Harris Administration to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in former coal communities across the United States, Canadian-based EV battery repurposing company Moment Energy has been awarded US$20.3 million to initiate the first UL1974 Certified manufacturing facility in Texas. Moment Energy is set to establish a state-of-the-art gigafactory that will produce an annual generation capacity of 1 GWh, by the time the facility operates at full capacity. According to Moment Energy, the design and development plans of the facility will start by Q1 of 2025. Leveraging UL1974 certification, the company boasts rigorous safety standards as it seeks to produce safe, reliable, and affordable battery energy storage systems from repurposed EV batteries. “We are honored to be selected for this transformative initiative,” said Edward Chiang, CEO of Moment Energy. “Our mission to provide worldwide access to clean, affordable, and reliable power aligns perfectly with the DOE’s goals, and this facility will be instrumental in our commitment to enable all retired EV batteries to be repurposed by 2030.” Moment Energy will also take advantage of the funds to contribute to the Justice40 Initiative in an attempt to boost the economic sector in Taylor, Texas, and surrounding disadvantaged communities. The company aims to achieve this by providing over 50 manufacturing jobs and 200 new permanent positions. Moment Energy says that the project will see to “critical energy supply chain vulnerabilities” and strengthen America’s clean energy supply chain. What’s more, the company will take advantage of the project to make progress in its vision of enabling all EV batteries to be repurposed by 2030. momentenergy.com Author: Abdulwaliy Oyekunle

Audi launches two new variants of the A6 e-tron

The model available for this price is simply referred to as the A6 Sportback e-tron without any further name affixes. The corresponding A6 Avant e-tron electric estate starts at 64,450 euros. The new all-wheel drive models are sold as the A6 Sportback e-tron quattro and A6 Avant e-tron quattro and are priced at €79,800 and €81,450 respectively. Audi presented the electric A6 in the summer with a rear-wheel drive model called A6 e-tron Performance and the sporty top model S6 e-tron quattro There are no major surprises in terms of the naming or the technology of the new variants with regard to the Q6 e-tron range, but there are slight differences – like the A6, the e-SUV is also based on the PPE. The new base model combines a 210 kW rear-wheel drive with an 83 kWh battery (75.8 kWh net), while all other drive variants utilise the large 100 kWh battery (94.9 kWh net). However, as the A6 e-tron is more aerodynamic and lighter than the Q6 e-tron and also has more power (185 to 210 kW or 210 to 240 kW with Launch Control), the base model accelerates from a standstill to 100 kph a whole second faster – in six instead of seven seconds. The maximum charging power (225 kW) and charging time (21 minutes for ten to 80 per cent) are the same, however. The difference in aerodynamics becomes particularly clear when looking at the range: while the Q6 e-tron can ‘only’ travel 533 kilometres with the small battery (in the WLTP), the A6 Sportback e-tron has a range of 627 kilometres, while the Avant still has a range of 598 kilometres. A6 e-tron A6 e-tron Performance A6 e-tron quattro S6 e-tron quattro Drive RWD RWD AWD AWD Performance 210 (240) kW 270(280) kW 315 (340) kW 370 (405) kW Acceleration 7.0 (6.0) s 5.4 (5.4) s 4.7 (4.5) s 4.1 (3.9) s Top speed 210 kph 210 kph 210 kph 240 kph WLTP Range 627/598 km 750/720 km 716/685 km 670/640 km Battery Capacity 83 kWh 100 kWh 100 kWh 100 kWh Charge capacity DC 225 kW 270 kW 270 kW 270 kW Charging time DC 10-80% 21 min 21 min 21 min 21 min Price 62,800/64,450 Euro 75,600/77,250 Euro 79,800/81,450 Euro 99,500/101,500 Euro Values in brackets: With Launch Control The new Quattro variant with the large battery is positioned between the 270 kW rear-wheel drive model and the 370 kW S model. However, there is a difference to the SUV. While the Q6 e-tron quattro has an output of 285 kW, Audi specifies 315 kW for the A6 e-tron quattro and 340 kW with Launch Control. This means that the all-wheel drive A6 accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, a full 1.4 seconds faster than the Q6 e-tron quattro. Despite the additional power, the difference in range is similar to that of the base model: the range is up to 716 kilometres (A6 Sportback e-tron quattro) and up to 685 kilometres (A6 Avant e-tron quattro). The Q6 e-tron quattro, on the other hand, has a maximum range of 625 kilometres, a difference of up to 91 kilometres. The charging system, on the other hand, is again identical: with a peak output of 270 kW, the standard charging process from ten to 80 per cent charge level takes 21 minutes under optimum conditions. audi-mediacenter.com, audi.de (price list as PDF)

Lilium officially files for insolvency

The air taxi developer first announced its intention to file for insolvency for Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH on Thursday in a notification to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Lilium is now informing its investors that the company’s management filed for insolvency on 28 October. According to the German publication Handelsblatt, this means that more than 1,000 employees at the administrative headquarters in Gauting and at the special airport in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich now have to fear for their jobs. Potentially around 1.5 billion euros in investor funds have been lost. Last Thursday, Lilium wrote that it was not in a position to raise sufficient additional funds to continue operating the subsidiaries – “despite continuous and ongoing fundraising efforts.” The limited liability companies are “over-indebted […] and will not be able to pay their liabilities as they fall due within the next few days.” Lilium has filed the insolvency petitions with the Weilheim district court, which is responsible for the company’s Oberpfaffenhofen site. However, it is not clear whether the applications will be granted. According to Lilium, it hopes to be able to go through the insolvency proceedings in self-administration. In the SEC announcement on Thursday, the company explained that this option under German insolvency law ‘is generally aimed at preserving and continuing the company’. In this context, Handelsblatt quoted a company spokesperson last week as saying: “After all, the application is not yet a death sentence. The proceedings will buy us time.” Lilium endeavoured to obtain state aid in Germany for a long time. However, it has been clear since mid-October that neither the federal government nor the Free State of Bavaria will provide any funds. The Handelsblatt now writes that in the event of a positive decision on state aid, the existing investors would also have injected 32 million euros in fresh money. However, this hope vanished into thin air when the Bundestag’s budget committee voted in favour. A few weeks ago, during the protracted decision-making phase regarding state aid, Lilium threatened to leave Germany. With the insolvency of the German subsidiaries, this scenario could materialise – should there still be a future for Lilium. This is not a matter of course. The parent company Lilium N.V, which is listed on the US stock exchange, is also in financial difficulties. And the company’s shares, which were already under pressure, have lost another three-quarters of their value since Thursday alone. Their price is now only in the cent range. investors.lilium.com via handelsblatt.com