GUINNESS WORLD RECORD® for Highest Altitude in an Electric Vehicle, Lucid News, BMW–CATL Battery Deal — EV News Today
From an attempt to drive an electric vehicle at a higher altitude than any before, to BMW signing a battery deal with CATL from 2025 onward, to various Lucid news and Tesla news, below is a roundup of electric vehicle stories you might have missed.
“LG Energy Solution (LGES; KRX: 373220) became a part of history [last week], as Rainer Zietlow, a world-record driver, set another world record with an electric vehicle powered by LGES batteries. Zietlow and his Challenge4 team set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the highest altitude achieved in electric cars, by driving up the dormant Uturuncu volcano in Bolivia, reaching 5,816 meters in altitude.
“The team’s vehicle of choice, the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, is powered by LGES’s battery cells and modules that employ high energy density for long-distance driving, high-speed charging and even high-altitude drives.
“Zietlow’s team successfully broke the previous record on May 18, and was awarded with the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® certificate in La Paz, Bolivia on May 23. Previously, in 2021, Zietlow achieved the title for the longest continuous journey by electric vehicle in a single country by driving through the U.S. with the VW ID.4.”
Lucid News
Nicolas Minbiole replaces Peter Hochholdinger to oversee Lucid’s manufacturing quality
“Business Insider reports ‘Lucid Motors is shifting the roles of two top executives as the company pushes to address the ongoing quality issues that have hampered production, sources familiar with the changes told Insider.’
“Peter Hochholdinger, Lucid’s manufacturing vice president and a longtime Audi veteran and former VP of production at Tesla, will no longer oversee manufacturing quality. VP of global quality Nicolas Minbiole will now oversee quality for manufacturing, suppliers, and packaging, in an attempt to address ongoing supply and production snafus, three sources with direct knowledge said.”
Lucid Motors issues recall for glass cockpit instrument panel for 1,117 Lucid Air EVs
“Lucid Motors has sent emails to some customers who have already received their Lucid Air EVs about a new recall. This one is specific to the ethernet wiring harness for the Glass Cockpit instrument panel. Lucid Motors said this harness may have not have been secured properly. This seems to impact both Dream Edition and Grand Touring models but how many were actually impacted is hard to know. The NHTSA site says that the potential number of units affected is 1,117.”
From the Lucid owner’s forum:
“Tesla2.0” said: “I’m at Houston Service Center to troubleshoot my charging cable and showed them the recall notice. They told me it only affects certain batch of production, but not my batch. So I guess I’m lucked out? Meanwhile, I’m joying the waiting lounge.”
Tesla News
“New Driving Visualizations: Tesla has synchronized the driving visualizations for both the FSD Beta and non-FSD Beta car owners, as we have discussed above. In the new driving visualizations, rendering of bicycles and motorcycles has been improved and is particularly interesting as some of the Tesla owners have identified in their tweets,” Tesla Oracle says.
New bike graphic is 👌 👌 pic.twitter.com/tpVLHSfhtx
— Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesLa) May 23, 2022
EV Charging
EV charging in America: putting chargers where people shop, dine, bank, and more
“EV charging company Electrify America is tackling this head-on by collaborating with businesses like Westfield Shopping Centers to place ultra-fast electric charging stations at multiple locations where people shop, dine, bank and more.”
“Bank of America and Electrify America today announced plans to more than double the number of financial centers equipped with electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations by the end of 2023.
“As of the beginning of this year, 172 Electrify America individual EV chargers have been installed at 46 financial centers – totals the companies intend to grow to more than 350 chargers at over 90 financial centers by the end of 2023.”
Lloyd’s Register and partners unveil “Silk Alliance” green corridor project
“Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and partners launch ‘The Silk Alliance’ to develop a Green Corridor Cluster beginning with intra-Asia container trade.
“Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub is working with 11 leading cross-supply chain stakeholders to develop a fleet fuel transition strategy that can enable the establishment of a highly scalable Green Corridor Cluster.
“Initiated by the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, The Silk Alliance brings together a diverse group of organizations whose collaboration can advance the decarbonization of the maritime industry. These include shipowners, such as MSC Shipmanagement Ltd., Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd (PIL), Wan Hai Lines, X-Press Feeders, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.; shipyard, Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M); bunker logistical supplier, Singfar International; engine manufacturer, Wärtsilä; ship manager, Wilhelmsen Ship Management; and financial institutions, the Asian Development Bank and ING. “
EV Manufacturing News
CATL says to supply BMW with cylindrical cell from 2025
“Chinese battery giant CATL on Friday said it will start supplying cylindrical cells to BMW from 2025 to power its new series of electric vehicles. The battery maker has signed an agreement with BMW in which it is nominated as the supplier of the cylindrical cells for the German carmaker, CATL said without elaborating.”
BMW Group opens new automated steel pressing facility at Swindon plant
“The building has numerous environmental features including water harvesting from the roof to provide water to all non-drinking water supplies. There is also a system which uses the heat from the press hydraulics to heat the main hall. This along with smaller touches such as LED lighting and the long glass roof windows running down the centre of the building have a significant impact, creating a light bright working environment, reducing the reliance on artificial light and contribute significantly to achieving energy saving and sustainability targets.”
New research highlights aluminum mass reduction dynamics in battery electric vehicles
“Among three vehicle segments studied, analysis finds vehicle cost decreases as aluminum share initially increases. New research commissioned by the Aluminum Association confirms aluminum will continue to be a key player in the electric era as an economically attractive mass reduction tool improving performance and efficiency in battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The study, conducted by Auburn Hills-based FEV North America, concludes aluminum offers significant cost savings to automakers as net zero priorities drive vehicle development, particularly in high volume programs.”
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