Batteries
Fleets of hydrogen taxis are picking up across Europe
Europe's market for hydrogen-powered taxis is becoming increasingly competitive, with French company Hype, which has developed them in Paris since 2015, being among the frontrunners. EURACTIV France reports.
Raw materials: why Europe needs to ramp up its battery game
Europe can play a special role in setting standards that have a global impact and prevent batteries from being discarded prematurely, writes Claudius Jehle.
Responsible sourcing of raw materials vital as fossil fuel era ends
Robust regulation is needed at EU-level to ensure that workers and the environment are protected during the extraction of battery metals, write Mark Dummett and Julia Poliscanova.
EU ministers reach broad consensus on batteries regulation
EU environment ministers adopted on Thursday (17 March) a general approach for the EU batteries regulation, centred on France's compromise proposal, which had drawn all-around praise for being "balanced" and "ambitious". The Council and the Parliament will now negotiate to agree on the final draft.
France to speed up adoption of battery regulation
France, currently at the helm of the EU Council presidency, hopes to make as much progress as possible on the battery regulation in the coming months. EURACTIV France reports.
France should start mining lithium at home, minister says
France should start exploiting its own lithium resources to meet increased demand stemming from a shift away from fossil fuels, Barbara Pompili, the country's environment minister, said in a video interview published on Thursday (17 February) by business daily Les Echos.
EU tests blockchain certification scheme for rare earths, EV batteries
An EU-funded certification scheme using blockchain is being developed for rare earths as automakers demand proof that materials used to make magnets for electric vehicles (EVs) are not linked to toxic pollution. The system will set global standards and give...
Canfin: Battery Regulation to enter into force ‘six months’ early
In an interview with EURACTIV France , Pascal Canfin spoke about the EU Parliament's proposals to improve the battery regulation, and the actions to be taken to accelerate the transition towards full electric mobility in the EU.
Lithium from German geothermal plants could supply a million electric vehicles a year from 2025
Batteries made with zero-emission lithium from geothermal plants in Germany could power one million vehicles per year by the mid-2020s, according to Vulcan Energy, a company setting out to produce climate neutral lithium in Europe.
‘Battery arms race’: how China has monopolised the electric vehicle industry
Think of an electric car and the first name that comes to mind will probably be Tesla. The California company makes the world’s bestselling electric car and was recently valued at $1tn. But behind this US success story is a tale of China’s manufacturing might. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian Environment, reports.
Industry anxious about mandatory recycling targets in EU battery law
Requiring companies to use recycled metals in new electric vehicle batteries is necessary to prevent manufacturers from opting for cheaper, freshly mined virgin materials, the EU says. Still, the automotive sector, battery makers and the mining industry are all anxious about the upcoming EU battery regulation.
Mining industry warns against Europe’s drive for raw material ‘autonomy’
Relying solely on raw materials sourced within Europe could incentivise the use of cheaper, non-recyclable batteries, increasing the need to mine virgin materials to power electric vehicles, industry has said.
Sustainable sourcing of battery raw materials
EV batteries are critical to achieving the EU´s climate change targets. Europe has therefore set itself the ambitious goal of establishing - within a very short time frame - a complete and competitive electric vehicle battery value chain.
Simona Bonafè MEP: Recovery of raw materials is cornerstone of EU battery law
The European Commission has proposed new standards which would make batteries produced and sold in Europe the greenest in the world. MEP Simona Bonafè spoke to EURACTIV about the EU's battery regulation and the future of battery production in Europe.
Brussels defends EU battery law against charges from car industry
The European Commission has brushed off industry criticism that the upcoming EU battery regulation could raise the cost of electric vehicles, arguing that prices will fall thanks to increased manufacturing capacity ushered in by EU policies.
EU aims to dethrone Asia as world’s battery powerhouse
Brussels plans to wrest the title of global electric vehicle battery leader from Asia by supercharging Europe’s battery production and imposing strict green criteria that will make European products the de facto global standard.
Responsible sourcing: The case of batteries
An industry that is particularly susceptible to the issue is battery manufacturing, as it is largely dependent on critical raw material imports. In the past few years, stakeholders have highlighted supply chain risks related to raw materials in batteries, comprising environmental, social and governance risks.2.12.0.0
European battery law will set global standard for the car industry, EU says
Proposed EU legislation to ensure materials for batteries are sourced ethically and sustainably will push up global standards, making Europe a "trailblazer" in the field, the European Commission has said.
Swedish electric carmaker Polestar to go public
Electric car maker Polestar, controlled by Sweden's Volvo Cars and its Chinese owner Geely, said on Monday (27 September) it plans to go public in a stock market debut that could value it at around $20 billion (€17 billion).
Opel battery cell plant to get $500m German grant
Opel will receive a €437 million government grant for its battery cell factory in Kaiserslautern, Germany's economy ministry said on Thursday (2 September), as part of a wider European initiative to create a homegrown battery industry.
‘Game-changer’ for geothermal energy as UK plant unlocks vast supply of lithium
A geothermal power plant in the UK has discovered the highest concentration of lithium ever found in geothermal fluid, opening the door to a new business model for the renewable energy source.
EU signals end of internal combustion engine by 2035
Sales of new cars and vans that produce carbon emissions will be banned as of 2035, proposals tabled by the European Commission revealed on Wednesday (14 July), a move which all but guarantees that the era of the internal combustion engine (ICE) is drawing to a close in the EU.
EU, Ukraine sign ‘strategic partnership’ on raw materials
Kyiv will be invited on Tuesday (13 July) to join EU industrial alliances on batteries and raw materials, with a view to develop an entire value chain of the extraction, refining and recycling of minerals in Ukraine to supply the EU market for electric cars and digital equipment.