Category: Newswire

China’s CATL unveils cell-to-pack battery platform

FUZHOU, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) — Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL), China's largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker, unveiled its focus on the development of cell-to-pack (CTP) batteries to improve efficiency and lower costs.
To safely and efficiently manage the battery cells mounted in an electric vehicle (EV), battery cells are installed in modules and packs. Generally, a cluster of cells make up a module and a cluster of modules make up a pack. Ultimately, each electric vehicle is installed with one pack.
CTP, the company's latest product platform, skips the process of battery modules and allows cells to be directly integrated into packs.
Using the CTP technology, which includes more than 70 core patents, CATL can increase mass-energy density by 10 to 15 percent, improve volume utilization efficiency by 15 to 20 percent and reduce the amount of parts for battery packs by 40 percent.
A CTP battery can increase the system energy density from 180 Wh/kg to more..

Goldbell launches accelerator programme for mobility startups

VEHICLE leasing company Goldbell Group has launched mobility accelerator programme Move.SG.The one-year programme will focus on mobility, transport and logistics.Beyond Enterprise Singapore, key industry partners of the programme include Shell, Avis Budget Group, ComfortDelGro, Momentum VC (the corporate venture arm of SMRT) and Airmaker (a subsidiary of Ascendas-Singbridge).

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso to make use of Heartect platform

Maruti Suzuki India’s upcoming car S-Presso will make use of the company’s fifth-generation Heartect platform.Designed for passenger protection, Heartect makes use of ultra and advanced high tensile steel.This engine is currently available with Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 but in a BS4 iteration.

SAIC Volkswagen to expand production at Xinjiang plant

URUMQI, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — SAIC Volkswagen's plant in China's far west Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is scheduled to increase production by mass-producing an SUV model in mid-2020.
The SUV production line has been installed and is expected to start mass production of the Tharu SUV model in July next year, said Fu Xuejun, general manager of the SAIC Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Co., Ltd.
The Xinjiang subsidiary previously only produced the new Santana sedan model, with the output exceeding 20,000 units last year.
After the mass production of the SUV model, total production at the Xinjiang plant is expected to increase to 50,000 units.
The subsidiary, based in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, is SAIC Volkswagen's first production facility in western China and also Xinjiang's first passenger vehicle assembly plant.

Jeep Gladiator recalled for potential driveshaft failure

The Jeep Gladiator pickup is being recalled to repair a problem that could lead to a fractured driveshaft.The vehicles were built from December 15, 2018 through June 25, 2019.The Wrangler-based Gladiator is Jeep’s most important new model this year and its first pickup since 1992.

FTC investigates BMW Japan for alleged pressure on car dealers

Fair Trade Commission investigators searched the Tokyo offices of BMW Japan on Sept. 11 over suspicions it set impossible sales targets for dealers and unfairly punished them when they failed to reach the goals.When dealers failed to achieve the targets, BMW Japan allegedly forced them to buy any unsold vehicles themselves.BMW Japan’s sales amounted to 285 billion yen ($2.6 billion) in 2018.