Renault

Will More OEMs Drive the Fuel Cell Car Market Upwards?

As battery technology rapidly advances in cost, performance, and reliability, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are struggling to gain market traction. While FCEVs are seen as ideal for long-haul trucking, they aim to break into the larger passenger car market. IDTechEx explores their potential in this space by examining automaker strategies, past trends, and tech comparisons

Ionic Materials

Ionic Materials, a Massachusetts-based startup founded in 2012, emerged as a promising innovator in the field of solid-state battery technology. The company focused on developing solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) and advanced materials for lithium-ion batteries. Despite its technological breakthroughs and significant industry partnerships, Ionic Materials ceased operations in mid-2024 due to financial difficulties and the competitive nature of the advanced battery sector.

EU Weakens Key Sustainable Plastics Goal for Automakers

The EU has revised its End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive, lowering recycled plastic targets from 25% to 20% due to supply chain limitations, while maintaining stricter rules on recyclability, producer responsibility, and vehicle exports. IDTechEx forecasts that automakers will still face major hurdles, including limited material availability, high costs, and fragmented supply chains, in meeting these goals by 2035.

Electric Light Commercial Vehicles: Emission-Free Zones Transportation

By 2035, the EU plans to impose a ban on all cars and vans that produce emissions, with the UK potentially bringing this date forward to 2030. There are nearly 30 low or emission-free zones across 18 European countries, meaning there is lots of incentive for electrification. In some cities, such as London, there is a charge for driving through emission-free zones, meaning eLCVs may become increasingly necessary.

Iron and Phosphate to Unlock the Mass-Market EV at Last

By far, the biggest factor that determines the range and cost of an electric car is the battery. The now ubiquitous lithium-ion battery comes in a variety of chemistries. The first commercialized Li-ion batteries were lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), which remains the chemistry of choice in portable electronic devices, but the quest for a higher range has led to a search for new chemistries.

Why Hydrogen Vans Will Lose Out on the Future of Cargo Movement

Electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs) now make up nearly 5% of the global light commercial vehicle (LCV) market - but an overwhelming majority of these have been battery-electric (BEV). With hydrogen fuel cell vehicles yet to impact in this segment of commercial vehicles, the question has to be asked whether they will ever have a place in the future of LCVs.

Updated Emissions Regulations and Market Drivers to Electric Trucks

Historically, heavy-duty trucks have proven difficult to electrify, with the average annual mileage of a truck approximately ten times that of a passenger vehicle, regularly driving hundreds of km a day. 2024 has seen further growth in the global electric truck market, with progressive emissions reductions mandated by governments projected to propel further uptake.

Key eLCV Manufacturers in Global Markets

Innovation map of key eLCV manufacturers in global markets.