Tesla may use new battery supplier for cars made in China factory

Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016
Tesla is reportedly exploring the idea of buying local batteries for its factory in China, from a supplier other than Panasonic.

Panasonic has been Tesla's partner in creating batteries for its electric cars from the outset of Model S production and co-owns the Nevada battery-production Gigafactory that produces far more electric-car batteries any other.

According to a new Reuters report, Tesla has signed a preliminary agreement with Chinese battery manufacturer Lishen to supply batteries for the Model 3 sedans that will be made at Tesla's new Chinese factory as soon as later this year. The report cites two people familiar with the agreement, speaking Chinese, which could indicate anything from a preliminary agreement, as the U.S. business community might understand it, to a mere formal acknowledgement.

READ THIS: Tesla breaks ground on China factory for Model 3 and Model Y

One said it was a preliminary agreement, while the other indicated that Lishen and its batteries still have to go through Tesla's lengthy supplier certification.

Both companies denied to Reuters that they had signed such an agreement, though Tesla acknowledged it gathered a quote from Lishen to supply batteries for the Chinese Model 3.

Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016

In a tweet in November, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company would source batteries locally for cars made in China and that it planned to diversify its supply sources, including batteries.

One of the Reuters sources said that Lishen was still working out what size cells Tesla would need, and neither knew how many the company might order.

Lishen currently produces batteries for some Hyundai hybrid and electric cars, as well as for Apple and Samsung electronics.

CHECK OUT: Tesla Model S catches fire—twice—after flat tire in California

Tesla's batteries, up until now supplied exclusively by Panasonic from the Nevada Gigafactory, have become known for their performance and longevity, if also for their occasional flammable properties in accidents and sometimes otherwise.

When he announced the groundbreaking for the new Chinese factory, Musk said it would produce lower-end, more affordable versions of the Model 3 there, and eventually the company's upcoming Model Y smaller SUV.

If the cars are to be more affordable, more affordable batteries may be in order too.

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Mahindra Electric launches NEMO Life

Mahindra Electric launches NEMO Life

Celebrates over 100 million e-Kilometres on Indian Roads

Bengaluru, January 16, 2019: Mahindra Electric, a leader in the development and manufacturing of electric vehicles (EV) & technologies and a part of the USD 20.7 billion Mahindra Group, today launched the all new 'Next-Generation Mobility app' – NEMO Life. This announcement coincides with the completion of over 100 million electric kilometres by Mahindra EVs on Indian roads.

Mahindra Electric has studied the usage pattern of EVs in India for 100 million ekm and has conceptualised the perfect Connected Mobility solution that will allow personal users to take control of their mobility, including the EV ecosystem, with the touch of a finger.

Incorporating valuable feedback from its customers, Mahindra Electric, undertook the study of EV usage patterns and various parameters including, but not limited to, the charging cycle, real-time driving data, vehicle controls, etc. The company has used its learnings to develop many unique first-in-segment features on the NEMO Life Mobile App, with the aim of making mobility – Clean, Connected and Convenient.

The 100 million plus eKilometers done by Mahindra's electric vehicles has helped save over 11,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions in India. This translates into the need to plant over 5 lakh trees to absorb the equivalent levels of emission. This milestone marks a shift toward a greener future, as India readies itself to embrace electric mobility.

Speaking on this milestone, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric said “I would like to thank all our customers, dealers and all stakeholders for their continuous support that has helped us to become India's first automaker to complete over 100 million electric Kilometres. To put this number into perspective, one can imagine going around the earth 2,500 times. The learnings from this milestone have gone into the creation of the NEMO Life app for our personal car users, for them to experience the very best of connected electric mobility.”

Mr. Babu further added, “It took 4 years for our electric cars to complete the first 50 million eKms and now the second 50 million eKms milestone is achieved in less than two years. This indicates that the pace of adoption of EVs is increasing in India and once again affirms Mahindra’s role in moving the world towards electric mobility.”

With over 40* new features NEMO Life is set to usher in a modern era of Clean, Connected and Convenient mobility. NEMO Life 'Next-Generation Mobility' is aimed at delivering an advanced gamut of connected mobility experiences. It is based on NEMO, a cloud based platform that enables a new generation of shared and connected services to enhance urban electric mobility.

Under the NEMO brand, Mahindra Electric already has NEMO Driver and NEMO Commuter mobile apps along with NEMO Integrated Mobility Centre for our fleet customers. NEMO Life will now help personal electric car users to overcome some of the major barriers to adoption of EVs such as range anxiety, battery performance, and multiple user management, among others.

It provides deep insights into the vehicle performance and delivers essential vehicle control to the users'. The new mobile app sets a benchmark in the connected mobility space and is available to download on both the iOS and Android platforms.

Download the NEMO Life Mobile App now:

Android Play Store

Apple App Store

Customer Benefits of NEMO Life :

Convenience:

Manage multiple users, cars through one app, get reminders to charge your car, and insights into your driving and charging performance.

Safety and Security:

Manage multiple verified users for your car through user authentication. Get alerts for unlocked doors & handbrake not engaged.

Control:

Remotely access your car – lock/unlock doors, start or stop charging or even check your cabin temperature and remotely control the A/C unit.

Good Bye Range Anxiety:

Check if your car can complete your planned trip or how much more charge you need to reach your destination. Forget range anxiety with all the information right on your fingertips, just tap and drive.

Assistance:

Get 24×7 road side assistance and extra emergency range with REVive.

Social:

Doing your bit for the environment? Let your friends and family know about it! Easy login into NEMO Life with your social profiles and share eco-savings and contributions.

About Mahindra Electric

Mahindra Electric, a part of the USD 20.7 billion Mahindra Group is a global pioneer in the development and production of electric vehicles. Mahindra Electric is India's only EV manufacturer with indigenously developed EV technologies that have won global accolades. The Mahindra Group has one of the most diversified portfolios of electric vehicles with the e2oPlus hatch, the eVerito sedan and the eSupro mini-van and Mahindra Treo range of three-wheelers.

Pushing the limits of technology and innovation, Mahindra has acknowledged the need to redefine mobility at every step. This has led to a vision with a desire to transform; a vision which provides an imagination which is more sustainable and more dependable. Venturing into the paradigm of alternative technology has helped Mahindra enable a clean, green and a smarter tomorrow.

About Mahindra Group

The Mahindra Group is a USD 20.7 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, speedboats, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defence and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 240,000 people across 100 countries.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise

Media contact information:

Mohan Nair
Vice President (Communications)
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Landline – + 91 22 28468510
Email: nair.mohan@mahindra.com

Tesla is entering the Model 3 into Pwn2Own, one of the world’s toughest hacking contests

Tesla is handing over its new Model 3 sedan to Pwn2Own this year, the first time a car has been included in the annual high-profile hacking contest. The prize for the winning security researcher: a Model 3. Pwn2Own, which is in its 12th year and run by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative, is known as… Continue reading Tesla is entering the Model 3 into Pwn2Own, one of the world’s toughest hacking contests