eMobility Update: Honda & Nissan electrify Europe, VW Battery Plant in Valencia, BYD & Shell EV-Deal

Hello and welcome to our "eMobility update" on Friday. Today’s news: ++ Honda and Nissan electrify line-ups in Europe, ++ Volkswagen confirms battery plant in Valencia, ++ and BYD and Shell strike a deal for EV charging.

#1 - Japanese carmakers electrify in Europe

Nissan will not invest in developing Euro 7 standard cars anymore. Instead, the Japanese company will concentrate on electric and hybrid drives and only introduce low-emission vehicles in Europe next year. By 2026, Nissan expects seventy-five per cent of sales to come from hybrid and electric cars. These shall make all sales in Europe by the end of the decade. Just the share between pure electric or hybrid has been left open. So far, they have announced three hybrid cars and three fully electric vehicles. Some are still in the pipeline. Nissan offers the classic Leaf, the new Ariya and the Townstar van as all-electric vehicles. The Townstar will succeed the eNV-200 and shares a platform with Nissan partner Renault. Also mentioning the Alliance, Nissan called the decision to move away from Euro 7 a “landmark moment” for their EU business.
Another Japanese carmaker is on a similar trail. Honda just launched the Civic:e in Europe. The hybrid is another step for Honda to electrify its entire European lineup this year. The new Civic:e also means the end of combustion engines in that line. Honda said it wants to bring further electrified models in 2023 and thus “create the most comprehensive product programme here in many years”. However, as with Nissan, hybrid cars play a big part. So far, the Honda e is the only electric car in Honda’s lineup. Another BEV will come in next year, just not the sports coupé some hoped to see but a B-segment SUV. Honda also announced a prototype full hybrid SUV in the C-segment. And there’s the new CR-V to become available as a plug-in hybrid for the first time in Europe next year.

https://www.electrive.com/2022/03/24/... (Nissan)
https://www.electrive.com/2022/03/24/... (Honda)

#2 - VW confirms battery plant near Valencia

Volkswagen has confirmed plans for its next battery cell factory in Spain. News that had come out previously already positioned the plant in Sagunt. The industrial area is north of Valencia and offers Volkswagen direct access to a motorway, a railway line, and even a port.
But there is more to it. “It’s our ambition to electrify Spain,” said Thomas Schmall, VW Boardmember for Technology and responsible for Seat, when announcing the plans. Volkswagen and suppliers were “willing to invest more than seven billion euros,” he said, as the company is looking to set up an entire e-mobility value chain in Spain.

The Gigafactory in Valencia will be Volkwagen’s second plant after Salzgitter since Northvolt runs the third facility in Sweden.

Volkswagen aims to produce 40 gigawatt-hours in Sagunt and plans to employ more than 3,000 people in Valencia. The company also announced it would build the “next-generation cell production” there. “A standardised factory producing Volkswagen’s unified cell while using renewable energy would enable sustainable battery production,” Schmall said. Volkswagen expects this to create a “strong pull” in the battery value chain in Spain and beyond. Construction will start this year.

https://www.electrive.com/2022/03/23/...

#3 - BYD & Shell strike deal

China’s leading vehicle manufacturer BYD (sprich Bi-Wei-Di for Build Your Dreams) and the Dutch oil corporation Shell have made a strategic deal to develop new EV charging offers for clients in China and Europe. To start with, Shell will allow BYD drivers access to two-hundred-seventy five charge points. The companies also mentioned fleet solutions. Both partners listed home energy devices like solar panels or Vehicle-to-Grid services to offer globally in the future. Before, however, they will set up joint service centres in key European markets.
The cooperation will run even deeper in China through a joint venture between BYD and Shell. The combined company is to build out charging infrastructure for Chinese electric vehicles. The partners have already agreed on installing ten-thousand charge points across the megacity of Shenzhen. They said more cities were to follow.
The deal with BYD is the second advance for Shell in China. In November, an earlier agreement with newcomer Nio saw the oil giant work on battery swap stations for Nio cars.

https://www.electrive.com/2022/03/21/...

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