EVs

Australian miner IGO is claiming an Australian first in its joint venture with China’s Tianqi Lithium after producing battery grade lithium hydroxide, a key component in rechargeable battery technology, at its Kwinana refinery in Western Australia.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has made public its plans partner with Primobius, a 50:50 joint venture between West Australian company Neometals and Germany’s SMS Group. Mercedes has said its intention is to build a 2,500 tonne per year lithium-ion battery recycling plant in southern Germany with Primobius as its technology partner.

With the global demand for lithium accelerating, Australian miner Core Lithium has inked a deal to supply United States-based electric vehicle and battery maker Tesla with up to 110,000 tonnes of lithium spodumene concentrate.

Australian electric vehicle charging powerhouse Tritium continues to make inroads in the international market with United States President Joe Biden providing his backing for the company after it announced it will develop a new DC fast-charger manufacturing facility in the southern state of Tennessee.

Western Australia-based Altech Chemicals’ plan to develop a high-grade alumina coating plant for lithium-ion batteries in Germany has taken a crucial step forward with the acquisition of an industrial site that could potentially house the facility.

Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto’s ambition to become one of the world’s largest lithium suppliers has taken a battering with the Serbian government pulling the plug on the company’s $3.3 billion ($US2.4 billion) Jadar lithium-borates project.

With the spotlight shining bright on the nation’s transport industry as the Covid pandemic causes widespread disruptions to supply chains, the Australian Trucking Association has been quick to make the most of the attention, calling for urgent reform to deliver a new era of electric trucks in Australia.

Anglo-Australian multinational Rio Tinto has invested in European-based battery technology and manufacturing company Inobat Auto with the mining giant aiming to extend its operations throughout the electric vehicle battery value chain in Europe.

Urban transportation is key to modern civilization. It has enabled humans to travel long distances and is one of the building blocks of industry and leisure. But it has come at a cost. In the first quarter of 2022, pv magazine’s UP Initiative will focus on the rise of e-mobility. We will examine urban transportation and the role electric vehicles, trains, and two- and three-wheelers can play in greening the electricity grid. In addition to technological innovation, we will also investigate market projections, the policies and infrastructure required, and the role solar and storage will play in taking this nascent industry full throttle.

Federal Labor plans to increase the share of cheap renewable energy in the National Electricity Market to 82% by 2030 as part of its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by the end of the decade if it wins power at the next election.