All articles by Marcus Williams
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ArticleValmet Automotive’s battery business to become an independent company
Valmet Automotive is making its battery-producing Electric Vehicle Systems business an independent company with its own leadership
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ArticleAntolin, Gestamp and Fersa using AI to improve production operations
Spanish parts makers are pushing process improvements across their businesses using the latest digital technology
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NewsBMW builds gigafactory for Neue Klasse in Mexico
BMW Group has started construction of a battery manufacturing facility next to its San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico to safeguard Neue Klass production in 2027 and cut transport emissions
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NewsGestamp joins Catena-X digital supply chain exchange
Parts maker Gestamp has joined the Catena-X digital platform to advance its circular economy and technological innovation
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ArticleSMMT reports UK car output increase as supply shortages ease
UK car manufacturing showed an increase in output in the first three months of this year, with exports helping to drive growth, but the SMMT has warned that high energy costs and business rates threaten competitiveness
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ArticleBritishvolt bought by Australian company Recharge Industries
According to the BBC, Recharge Industries intends to start by focusing on batteries for energy storage and hopes to have those products available by the end of 2025. It then intends to produce batteries for high-performance sports cars.
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ArticleBritishvolt collapse a shock to UK’s electric vehicle goals
Britishvolt’s business in the UK, which included the first first largescale battery manufacturing facility, has gone into administration, a setback for EV manufacturing in the country
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NewsOliver Blume to replace Diess as CEO of Volkswagen Group
Porsche CEO and former production chief Oliver Blume will take over from Herbert Diess as VW Group CEO from September.
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ArticleToyota to build battery plant in North Carolina
Toyota is building a battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina to supply hybrid and pure EV production in the US. The site offers multimodal logistics advantages for US-wide distribution
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ArticleWolfspeed ahead for GM’s Ultium Drive supply
GM has signed supplier agreement with US electronic subcomponents supplier Wolfspeed (formerly Cree) to secure the supply of silicon carbide devices that the carmaker said will enable it to install more efficient propulsion systems for its electric vehicles (EVs).
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ArticleRobert Engelthorn replaces Knudt Flor as president of BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg
BMW Manufacturing in the US has appointed Dr Robert Engelthorn as its new president and CEO, replacing Knudt Flor who has retired, overseeing BMW’s largest global production plant.
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ArticleLightweighting the EV is a challenge to celebrate
There is a new impetus to save weight as vehicles become powered by electric powertrains. Reducing the weight of a vehicle by optimising the mix of materials and the application in design is now a key focus.
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ArticleCross-sector partnership to promote sustainable materials sourcing in Chile
Daimler, VW, BASF and Fairphone have set up the Responsible Lithium Partnership to to promote sustainable development and tackle the negative impacts of material sourcing, beginning with a multi-stakeholder initiative into the impact of lithium mining in Chile
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NewsAudi cuts production again because of chip shortage
Audi has confirmed that it will be putting 10,000 of its employees working at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm assembly plants in Germany on reduced hours in June. A shortage in the supply of semiconductors, which is affecting the automotive industry globally, means Audi is having to cut output at the plants.
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ArticleFord and SKI form JV to localise battery supply in US
Ford has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with lithium-ion battery maker SK Innovation (SKI) for a joint venture to manufacture battery cells and finished packs in the US.
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ArticleSeat adds logistics cobots at Martorell
Spanish carmaker Seat has started using two autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its plant in Martorell for the picking of parts from its onsite storage warehouses.
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ArticleVW cuts transport emissions by expanding Zwickau press shop
Volkswagen’s electric vehicle (EV) assembly plant in Zwickau, Germany, has taken another step into sustainable manufacturing by investing €74m ($95m) to expand its press shop.
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ArticleBattery 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.
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NewsVW to have 240 GWh of battery plants in Europe by 2030
Volkswagen Group plans to significantly increase battery cell production capacity and reshape the EV battery supply chain in Europe, with plans to have six ‘gigafactories’ by the end of the decade – including an expansion of its partnership with Sweden’s Northvolt.
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ArticleCarmakers forced to extend shutdowns because of microchip shortage
Ford and GM have been forced to extend assembly plant closures because of a shortage in the supply of semiconductors, a problem that continues to disrupt vehicle production globally.