Germany’s BASF and Russian miner Nornickel have struck a nickel and cobalt supply deal to meet the EV battery demand. This provides fresh impetus to European efforts to create a battery cell manufacturing capacity in a market dominated by Chinese and Korean producers.
The industry is working to boost the nickel content at the expense of cobalt over the next two years in an effort to raise the energy storage capacity and save on more expensive cobalt, much of which comes from artisanal mines in Congo – where human rights abuses are rife.
EV adoption under FAME programme lagging in most Indian states
State data in India has shown inconsistent Electric Vehicle (EV) sales under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) programme. Experts say the EV sector is grappling with high battery prices, fund crunch and scarce testing facilities. Since the inception of FAME in 2015, Maharashtra has sold the maximum number of EVs (32,402), followed by Gujarat (30,686) and UP (25,531). Sales were the lowest in in Meghalaya (3 units).
North Indian state to buy 500 electric buses as trial run achieves success
The Uttrakhand govt will buy 500 electric buses in the next three years, after conducting a successful test run. The state will buy 51 buses in the first phase, and in the next three years, all the 500 buses will be procured. The new buses will run in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Charge your electric car in 15 minutes
Sydney-based Chargefox is planning 21 ultra-rapid charging stations vowing to charge electric cars in just 15 minutes on long-distance road trips at a proposed national network of charging stations.
