On 12 January, Phoenix Motor announced that it had completed its acquisition of the Proterra Transit, and on 2 February, Volvo announced that its acquisition of Proterra Powered had completed.

The project’s explicit goal is to “reduce the overall time and cost of battery production by at least 20%, in addition to lowering the number of physical experiments required and reducing material costs.” This will ultimately increase the competitiveness of the European battery industry.  

Order volumes have not been disclosed but we do know that the battery pack cells will utilise an LFP chemistry, specifically tailored for the long-distance travel demands of electric city buses.  

The importance of fire suppression systems in vehicles can be seen first-hand in January this year, with an electric double-decker bus catching fire in Wimbledon, UK.

The JV aims to manufacture battery cells for commercial electric vehicles at a 21-gigawatt hour (GWh) factory that is anticipated to cost between USD 2-3 billion and come online in 2027.

Improving the eCitaro’s environmental footprint will further contribute to Daimler Buses' environmental and sustainability goals as well as improve its ESG score.

The money will serve two purposes: it will expand the production of cathode materials and battery cells in the gigafactory, and it will expand the capabilities of the adjacent recycling plant.

No financial details have been announced, but in the agreement, BASF will be responsible for the collection, packaging, transportation and entire recycling operation, mechanically processing the batteries into black mass** from which lithium, cobalt and nickel will be extracted and then reused in the manufacturing of new batteries.

This real-time monitoring software should enhance battery performance and improve the operational efficiency of the e-buses. The new BDS is set to debut in February 2024 in a range of 51 electric buses rolled out by the transport authority Metrobús, based in Mexico City.

The company believes this appointment will enhance its path toward using climate technology (cleantech) and provide valuable experience in the capital markets. Berkenfeld has been acting as a special advisor, to company CEO Dr Sankar Das Gupta since 2022.

Isuzu has announced plans to build an electric vehicle development and testing facility within its Fujisawa plant, to help it achieve its target of having a full range of carbon-neutral vehicles by 2030.

Founder Mujeeb Ijaz steps down from his role as CEO to serve instead as Vice-Chairman of the board and Chief Technology Officer.