Carrie Hampel

The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has told its suppliers that it will provide them with financial support if necessary to accelerate technological innovation in battery materials and equipment to further reduce prices.

In Switzerland, the Federal Council has passed an ordinance regulating automated driving that will come into force on March 1, 2025. The regulations mean that drivers will be allowed to use autopilot functions on freeways and for parking, while fully autonomated routes for pilot projects have been made clear.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that its network of electric vehicle charging stations now reaches over 740 charge points across the city. Independent Charge Point Operator (CPO) licenses have also been issued to Tesla and UAEV.

In China, battery manufacturer Sunwoda and materials specialist XTC are joining forces to develop and industrialize preliminary products for solid-state

Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company Ehang has completed a demonstration flight of its autonomous air taxi in Shanghai. The EH216-S is the first passenger air taxi to receive certification worldwide and is fully autonomous—it does not require a pilot within the aircraft.

Mali has commissioned one of the largest lithium mines in Africa with Chinese lithium-producing giant Ganfeng Lithium. The Goulamina lithium mine in Mali is expected to produce 500,000 tons of spodumene concentrate annually.

In the Netherlands, the research organization TNO and the company SusPhos want to develop an economically viable recycling process for LFP batteries. The two aim to recover critical materials such as lithium and phosphate in a profitable process.

The Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has announced the location for its LFP battery factory, announced last year. Construction for the production facility is due to start this year in the city of Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture) in the southwest of Japan. Nissan expects to invest 53.3 billion yen (around 985 million US dollars or 950 million euros).

FedEx has announced the addition of ten new electric vehicles to its fleet in New Zealand. The EVs will be used in the company's pickup and delivery operations within high-traffic areas in Auckland. FedEx will deploy the LDV eDeliver 9.

Lubi Industries has been awarded a major contract by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to manufacture, supply, install, and commission 1,400 fast DC chargers across India.