Researchers improve load-bearing aircraft structures with integrated batteries

The European research project SOLIFLY (Semi-SOlid-state LI-ion Batteries FunctionalLY Integrated in Composite Structures for Next Generation Hybrid Electric Airliners), led by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), has successfully reached its final phase. The research institute reports that “significant progress has been made in the field of aviation electrification”, during the three years of development research. SOLIFLY focused on the development of special aircraft parts that perform two functions at once. Load-bearing structures in the aircraft are simultaneously capable of energy storage. The researchers explain, “the simultaneous storage of electrical energy and the preservation of mechanical strength contribute to a reduction in system weight.” The project can celebrate the development of an approach to integrate structural battery cells into aviation-grade, high-strength carbon composite components. The researchers say this is now possible without compromising their mechanical properties. The potential of this approach was demonstrated in the multifunctional project demonstrator, a high-strength, stiffened panel that the researchers chose as a representative standard component. According to the AIT, its findings proved that the integration of energy storage systems is compatible with the high mechanical requirements in aviation. The research teams involved have identified “load-bearing semi-solid-state electrochemistry” as a key element in the implementation of such multifunctional energy storage systems. The non-flammable, structural electrolyte plays a key role here. At the same time, the rest of the cell formulation must also be compatible with the structural materials and manufacturing processes recognised in aviation. Two concepts were developed as part of SOLIFLY. After the first development phase, the first concept has been created with a specific energy of 50 Wh/kg and a modulus of elasticity of 10 GPa. A series of larger, multi-layer structural battery cells were produced for the multifunctional project demonstrator. The second concept uses carbon fibres both as a structural element and as a current collector. The researchers say this variant is currently less mature, particularly in terms of electrical performance and scalability. “With SOLIFLY, we have demonstrated that integrating battery technology into structural components is possible without significantly compromising their mechanical properties,” says AIT researcher and SOLIFLY coordinator Helmut Kühnelt. “This is a crucial step for multifunctional energy storage as a key technology for future climate-neutral aviation. Through close collaboration between applied research and industry, we ensured that our developments are both pioneering and practical,” he summarised. The conclusion of SOLIFLY has informed the next focal points for continuing research work at AIT. In January this year, the follow-up project MATISSE started with a focus on developing multifunctional, structural components with an integrated semi-solid-state battery. To integrate the battery cells into the aircraft structure, the researchers want to investigate the suitability of solid laminate and sandwich structures, for example. In addition, sensors are to be built directly into the battery and the structure to measure safety and performance. ait.ac.at

Kontron books major wallbox order from German OEM

According to Kontron, the contract covers the development and delivery of fully networked wallboxes. Series production with an order volume of 120 million euros is set to begin in the third quarter of 2024 and the contract will run until 2028, according to the statement. The wall box chargers will be developed and manufactured on behalf of the customer for the European and Chinese markets and will also differ in their design for these two markets. The customer is a German manufacturer of premium vehicles with whom eSystems already has a long-standing partnership, according to the statement. The new wall box charging stations, which Kontron refers to as a new generation , is based on the ghostONE platform created by eSystems. This is a customisable white label solution. It is fully networked via Ethernet, LTE, WiFi, EEBUS, MODBUS/TCP, OCPP and ISO15118. “Our fully networked wallbox can do ‘smart charging next level’,” says eSystems Managing Director Jochen Paukert. “Charging an electric car is then not just a matter of refuelling with electricity. Our wallbox enables the safe integration of renewable energy into the grid, the use of self-generated PV power and lower costs thanks to dynamic tariffs.” The wallboxes also fulfil the highest security requirements for data and are supplied with updates remotely. The fact that Kontron, a specialist in computer technologies, has been awarded the contract is due to the fact that the Augsburg-based company acquired eSystems at the beginning of the year as part of the takeover of the Munich-based electronics company Katek. For Kontron, this is the second major project for intelligent wallboxes that the new subsidiary has landed in a short space of time. It was only in May that the company received approval to supply smart charging systems worth at least 200 million euros. “These major orders show: Our ’smart charging’ business unit is a central and extremely value-adding component in our portfolio,” comments Kontron CEO Hannes Niederhauser. “With this new project, we are further strengthening our growth in this forward-looking area.” Incidentally, Kontron has once again been owned by the Austrian company S&T since 2017. The purchase was co-financed by the Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn, among others, which in turn acquired a stake in S&T at almost the same time. group.kontron.com

Testing the Kia EV9 – the South Korean luxury SUV

In the 1980s, the German automobile industry decried that Japan was moving to export its cars to Europe. A decade later, South Korean companies like Hyundai and Kia were seen as the new threat. With their emphatically simple and affordable cars, the new manufacturers catered to customer groups that the German carmakers could no longer reach. However, the reputation of South Korean cars was not good at first: to put it kindly, they were not considered to be of particularly high quality and only partially reliable, but they were cheap. Almost 30 years later, the development could hardly be more dramatic. In front of us is a test car for well over 82,000 euros – with the Kia logo on the bonnet. As a rear-wheel drive model, the EV9 is “already” available from 72,490 euros, but for the test, Kia sent the all-wheel drive model in GT Line equipment. The brand has developed enormously since its European launch and, thanks to its affiliation with the Hyundai Group and access to its platforms, has brought ever-better cars onto the market. Kia has used the shift towards electric mobility to expand its own range upwards. The result, which is being tested here, is the EV9 – a 5.01 metre-long electric SUV that is actually aimed at the Asian and American markets. However, as Kia sees the potential to sell a few vehicles in Europe as well, the EV9 is also offered in Germany. And with data that is quite impressive. The battery holds 99.8 kWh, can be charged to 80 per cent in less than 25 minutes thanks to the 800-volt system and the electric all-wheel drive with two motors, it delivers 283 kW. Not just the data that impresses However, our experience after over 1,000 kilometres in the EV9 also shows that it is not just the figures on paper that are convincing, but also the things that cannot be easily squeezed into a table of technical data – driving behaviour and software, to name just two examples. However, nothing is perfect and there is room for improvement in the EV9. Take fuel consumption, for example. A car as large and angular as the EV9 is, of course, no miracle when it comes to consumption, but even at temperatures in the double-digit range, the EV9 could only be brought below 20 kWh/100 km on routes that were driven very efficiently. With the driving style in our test, the average was 25.4 kWh/100km, which gives a calculated range of 391 kilometres. The onboard computer of the test car was last reset 3,334 kilometres ago and shows an average of 27.5 kWh/100km for this route, although we cannot make any statement about the driving style of other users. With this consumption, 361 kilometres would still be possible with a full battery charge – and if you calculate the usual long-distance range of ten to 80 per cent charge level, this results in only 262 kilometres between two charging stops. Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal Image: Sebastian Schaal For large parts of our test, we were travelling in very good conditions. On a section of the motorway, we were able to see that consumption can be noticeably higher in poorer conditions. It had cooled down to just four degrees overnight, the embankment was lightly covered in snow, the road was damp – and the interior temperature was set at 21 degrees. And the fuel consumption in the 120-130 kph speed range rose towards the 30 mark. That brings the calculated real-world range closer to 300 kilometres and the 70 per cent value in the order of 215 to 230 kilometres. For a car with a 99.4 kWh battery. Considering the aerodynamics with the high, massive front and the steeply sloping rear, which leaves a large hole in the air, this is almost an expected result. Every extra kilometre per hour on the motorway has a noticeable effect on fuel consumption. On the test average with country roads and some city traffic, however, the range is fine again. In addition to range, a good long-distance electric car also needs good charging behaviour. And this is where the EV9 can play to its strengths. However, the charging curve differs significantly from other models on the E-GMP platform, which the EV9 also uses. The 77.4 kWh battery, familiar from the EV6 or Hyundai Ioniq 5, charges at up to 240 kW at its peak, but reduces somewhat at higher charge levels. Not so in the EV9: here we didn’t see more than 205 kW on the display. On the other hand, an output of around 200 kW is constantly available up to just over 60 per cent charge level. And even then, the power is initially only reduced to 175 kW before dropping to 104 kW at 80 per cent. A constant 200 kW over this wide range is nevertheless remarkable. Such a constant charging curve is almost reminiscent of the BMW i3 – only by a factor of 4 higher. While there is little to criticise about the fast charging itself, the charging planning is still not quite ideal: the Kia always planned the charging stops on the way to the destination up to 100 per cent, which is unrealistically long, however, this can be altered in the vehicle’s settings. The sat nav’s initial prediction of when you will arrive at your destination is therefore not useful. A detail criticism that you might be able to get over in another price category. However, the fact that an 80,000-euro car does not have a function that numerous free smartphone apps offer could be improved. The selection of charging stations that the sat nav should take into account, on the other hand, can be filtered well – for example by provider or charging capacity. If a fast charging stop is automatically scheduled, the car automatically…

Suzuki electrifies model range in the UK

The Swace, Swift Sport, Ignis and Jimny models are affected by the measure, and no new combustion vehicles will be introduced. As a result of this decision, the entire Suzuki range in the UK will be electrified by 2025 – the exact timing will depend on how quickly dealers can sell the stock of vehicles with combustion engines. After the end of pure combustion engines, Suzuki will still sell the full hybrid versions of the Swift small car and the Vitara and S-Cross crossovers – as well as the Across PHEV. In Germany, the Swace mid-size estate is also offered as a full hybrid, but this model is not mentioned in the British media reports. What is clear, however, is that Suzuki UK also intends to offer the brand’s first electric model in the future, which is due to be launched in 2025. The eVX concept car from 2023 provided a preview. As reported, half of Suzuki’s development budget is to be channelled into electric cars by 2030. “The departure of these models will make room for EV and enable us to compete during a period where our sales ratio of hybrid versus EV products will drive our business,” says Dale Wyatt, Director of Suzuki UK & Ireland. “We’re exiting the ICE era with a focus on SUV’s and new Swift, then starting in the second half of 2025 we’ll begin a period of EV growth.” suzuki.co.uk, gbnews.com

Fisker wants to sell off remaining Ocean stock

Fisker wants to sell up to 3,231 Ocean to the US leasing company American Lease – for a total price of 46.25 million dollars. That is just over 14,300 dollars per vehicle on average. According to the documents submitted by the insolvent company to the US bankruptcy court in Delaware, the cheapest but partially damaged examples are even expected to change hands for just 2,500 dollars. American Lease, based in New York, intends to lease the vehicles to drivers of chauffeur services. As reported, all ride-sharing services in New York must have switched to purely electric vehicles by 2030. For American Lease, the Fisker Ocean would be just the thing at a bargain price. Owning and operating vehicles from an insolvent company that may soon be wound up is not without its problems, such as the future supply of spare parts. In the case of modern, software-driven vehicles such as the Fisker Ocean, there is an additional factor: without access to software and important servers, there is a risk of restrictions on the use of the vehicles – for which new customers once paid up to 70,000 dollars. This is because the Ocean will probably not only require mechanical repairs, but also work on the software. One example: As InsideEVs reports, the Ocean will need to connect to the Fisker cloud in order to use some functions. This is not just about pure software features (which would be understandable), but also about opening and closing the sunroof or the “dog window”, i.e. the retractable rear window in the boot lid. In the USA, the ‘Fisker Owners Association’ (FOA) was therefore founded in June. The group has already grown to 2,000 members and hopes to keep their vehicles on the road for as long as possible. The FOA has commissioned a law firm to represent the Ocean owners in Fisker’s insolvency proceedings. Among other things, the aim is to gain access to Fisker’s own diagnostic tool. insideevs.com, yahoo.com (both lease deal), insideevs.com (FOA)

EU Commission slightly adjusts China vehicle tariffs

With the provisional special duties that have now been imposed, the actual duty rates differ slightly from those announced by the EU Commission in mid-June. According to the latest announcement from Brussels, 19.9 per cent special duty will be imposed on imports of electric Geely models, whereas 20.0 per cent had been announced. SAIC’s rate remains the highest but has been reduced by 0.5 percentage points to 37.6 per cent. There is no change at BYD with 17.4 per cent. Electric cars from other Chinese manufacturers that cooperated with the EU in the investigation will be subject to a special duty of 20.8 per cent. For companies that have not cooperated, the rate will be corrected to 37.6 per cent, similar to SAIC. The special duties – whether manufacturer-specific or in one of the two groups – are calculated in addition to the ten per cent import duty that applies anyway. The actual customs duty is therefore ten percentage points higher and thus amounts to a maximum of 47.6 per cent. ‘Provisional’ in the context of the special duties means that the duties are calculated but not yet collected for the time being. The provisional special duties will apply from 5 July for a maximum of four months until 5 November. By then at the latest, the EU member states must have adopted a decision on the definitive duties. If this decision is adopted, the special duties will apply for five years. And the amounts calculated since 5 July will then be collected retroactively. However, security deposits for the provisional duties must be lodged immediately. Final decision by 5 November It remains to be seen whether this will happen. On the one hand, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently intervened in the proceedings with his own proposal, while on the other, negotiations between Brussels and Beijing are once again underway. “Consultations with the Chinese government have intensified in recent weeks, following an exchange of views between Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao. Contacts continue at technical level with a view to reaching a WTO-compatible solution, which adequately addresses the concerns raised by the European Union,” the Commission announced. It also reiterates its own position: “Any negotiated outcome to the investigation must be effective in addressing the injurious forms of subsidisation identified.” The EU Commission presented the plans for the special tariffs in mid-June following a month-long anti-subsidy investigation. The investigation is said to have revealed that Chinese electric car manufacturers have unacceptable competitive advantages thanks to high subsidies from the government in Beijing and can therefore offer their electric cars in Europe more cheaply than domestic manufacturers. For this reason, the special duties were not levied across the board, but rather on a manufacturer-specific basis according to the subsidies identified in the investigation. This includes not only Chinese brands but pertains to all electric cars built in China. This means that non-Chinese manufacturers who produce electric cars there and sell them in Europe must also bear the special tariffs. These include Tesla with the Model 3 from Shanghai, BMW with the iX3 from Shenyang and Cupra with the Tavascan from Anhui. If the companies have cooperated, they will have to pay 20.8 per cent special duty. cnevpost.com, ec.europa.eu

Hyundai Motor Group to launch BaaS in South Korea this year

The Hyundai Motor Group aims to launch a battery subscription service in South Korea in the second half of this year. According to a company official, it is currently in the service demonstration stage and will roll out utilisation plans upon completion. Additionally, the company faces a legal hurdle in introducing BaaS in the home market. The current ‘Automobile Management Act’ in South Korea bars companies from launching a battery subscription service. It states the battery is a product linked to the car and doesn’t allow automakers to separate its ownership. The government is already working on an amendment to give interested companies like HMG the green signal to launch BaaS. HMG will offer BaaS in commercially available vehicles like the Kia Niro Plus. The Purpose-Built Vehicle (PBV) based on the first-gen Kia Niro Electric uses a 150 kW/395 Nm motor and a 64 kWh battery pack and can travel 392 km on a full charge. It costs KRW 46 million (approx. €31,000) onwards and its price includes a 10-year/200,000 km warranty for the high-voltage battery pack. The traction battery pack is the most valuable single component of an EV. In South Korea, it accounts for about 40% of the cost of an electric car worth KRW 50 million (approx. €33,500). Excluding the battery’s full cost can lead to a significantly lower upfront retail price, making them significantly more affordable. Battery swapping will give customers more flexibility, as they can upgrade to a more advanced battery pack when they need more range or downgrade when they don’t need as much range and want to save more. businesspost.co.kr (in Korea), bloomberg.com (paywall)

CTEK and APCOA join forces on electric car charging in UK car parks

CTEK will be installing an undisclosed number of Chargestorm Connected 3 (CC3) charging stations in APCOA car parks. The CC3 chargers are ready for bidirectional charging in line with the ISO 15118 standard, which also enables drivers to feed energy back into the grid for load balancing if suitable technology is installed in the vehicle and the grid utility is similarly technologically prepared. CTEK specialises in load-balancing capabilities for grids and is ensuring that the technology it installs is future-proof. The chargers are also similarly Plug&Charge ready, ensuring interoperability and secure transactions between the vehicle and the charger. The charging power of the stations is not enormous, delivering up to 22kW, as is suitable for charging while the car is parked anyway. The CTEK CC3 charging stations support the latest Open Charge Point Protocol, ensuring interoperability with various systems. The initial implementation phase in this new cooperation includes installations in car parks managed by Hillingdon Council in West London and 37 railway station car parks operated by APCOA for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). This will mark a continuation of APCOA’s focus on electric car charging in UK car parks. Currently, APCOA car parks in the UK already feature over 1000 EV charge points, with an additional 300+ installations planned for this year. The company says that existing charge points serve important destinations, which include rail stations, hospitals, educational institutions, hospitality venues, retail centres, local government sites, and airports. Just over a year ago, the company gave the green light for 500 chargers in UK car parks. Both companies are proactively embracing the latest technologies to reduce emissions as well as city traffic. APCOA points out that it decreases the volume of logistics traffic and vehicles searching for parking for which it also utilises its digital services and intelligent Traffic Management System. Via its open digital platform, APCOA Connect, the company also connects on-street and off-street car parks with owners, partners, customers and their vehicles. APCOA is using this technology to transform its car parks into urban hubs that create the physical and digital infrastructure for mobility, logistics and EV charging. CTEK offers electric vehicle solutions range from individual chargers, to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations that require grid load balancing (hence the bidirectional charging capability) and integrate with monitoring and payment equipment. In 2020, CTEK and Brighton-based EVC announced a new partnership for CTEK to supply 100,000 chargers. ctek.com

Ferrari plans battery swap programme for plug-in hybrids

Vehicles from Ferraris are not just cars, but also financial investments on wheels. And even if plug-in hybrids largely run on their combustion engine, the battery is an expensive and important component. Due to its performance decreases over time, not only does the electric range of the vehicle decrease, but the vehicle may also no longer be able to achieve the specified drive power – if the ageing battery can no longer supply enough energy to the electric motor: Not exactly a good prospect for the residual value of such an expensive car. With the new battery replacement programme, Ferrari is now offering a kind of warranty extension that regulates the replacement of the batteries at fixed intervals. The “Warranty Extension Hybrid Programme” officially extends the current five-year warranty to eight years. In the event of a problem, Ferrari will replace the battery at no extra cost. The additional “Power Hybrid Programme” extends the warranty on all important drive components (including the battery) to a total of 16 years after these eight years of the first warranty extension. This m The two programmes include the SF90 Stradale models, the associated SF90 Spider convertible, the two sports versions SD90 XX Stadale and SF90 XX Spider as well as the 296 GTB and 296 GTS, which are built in significantly larger numbers. It is not yet known whether Ferrari will also extend the range to its first electric model, which is due to be launched next year. Incidentally, the battery cells for the plug-in hybrids and the electric Ferrari come from SK On. autonews.com, wardsauto.com

Polestar widens Q1 losses

With 7,200 vehicles delivered in the first quarter, Polestar generated sales of 345.3 million dollars. At the start of 2023 – back then with the Polestar 2 as the only model – the figure was USD 543.4 million, although this figure has since been adjusted (more on this in a moment). Instead of a small gross profit, the balance sheet for Q1 2024 shows a gross loss of 30.8 million US dollars. If you deduct the (fairly constant) “selling, general and administrative expenses” and research and development expenses from this and add other operating income, the operating loss amounts to USD 231.7 million. A year ago it was “only” 219.9 million dollars. Polestar explains the 36 per cent or 198.1 million dollar drop in turnover with lower global vehicle sales, higher discounts as a result of inventory management measures and “complexities in connection with revenue recognition for car sales to Chinese joint ventures”. The Swedish company can credit the reduced selling and administrative expenses as a success, as “active cost management measures offset the costs of promotional activities related to commercial campaigns and events for the global launch of Polestar 3 and Polestar 4”. However, the “active cost management measures” also include the massive job cuts in 2023. What seems worrying in this phase of falling deliveries: Polestar has invested almost 24 million dollars less in research and development. However, the company emphasises that it is “continuing to invest in future vehicles and technologies”. The lower development expenditure is said to be a result of higher capitalisation and also write-downs on the Polestar 2 IPs in stock. Polestar is currently in a difficult situation: demand for the brand’s high-priced electric cars has not developed as expected (despite regular updates for the Polestar 2). As a result, the brand has produced expensive stocks that can now only be reduced with discounts. And promising models such as the Polestar 3 have been delayed for a long time. There are also internal management problems: deficiencies have been identified in previous balance sheets, which is why these had to be revised and corrected. Polestar only presented its financial figures for the full year 2023 (loss of 1.17 billion dollars) a few days ago. And the presentation of the Q1 figures at the beginning of July is also unusually late – this publication had also been postponed. The publication of the Q1 business figures therefore now coincides with the announcement of deliveries in the second quarter. From April to June, Polestar delivered around 13,000 vehicles, around 80 per cent more than in Q1. However, with 20,200 vehicles in the first half of the year, the brand has not yet reached a growth trajectory for the year as a whole: over 56,000 vehicles were delivered in 2023. In the coming months, Polestar is hoping for a further boost from the Polestar 3 and, in the long term, more from the Polestar 4, production of which is already underway in China. However, this would mean that the vehicle would be affected by the announced tariffs in the USA and the EU. From the second half of 2025, the Polestar 4 will also be built in South Korea – and can then be sold much more cheaply in the USA and Europe. Production of the Polestar 3 in South Carolina is scheduled to start at the end of the summer – the SUV has already been in production in China since February. “We have strong momentum as we enter the second half of the year. Our two new SUV’s have received stellar reviews from the global media and first test drive slots were booked out and additional slots are filling up fast,” says Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “Our retail sales model shift is accelerating in Europe and we have strengthened our sales management team.” poelstar.com