Priorities, Batteries & Strategies: Trending Mobility News

Gear up for a ride through what is happening in mobility! This edition of KPIT's Mobility Roundup features a packed itinerary, exploring everything from change of priorities for some OEMs to cutting-edge battery technology pushing electric vehicles further than ever. We'll also be diving into the design philosophies shaping Hyundai's hybrid future, witnessing the autonomous driving scene in Shanghai, and checking in on Suzuki's future strategy. So, gear up for some exciting news and get ready to be chauffeured through the future of mobility!

Hyundai Motor Shifts Gears: Prioritizes Hybrid Vehicles Amid Market Challenges

In a strategic pivot,?Hyundai Motor Company , a prominent player in the electric vehicle (EV) market, has adjusted its electrification strategy to encompass both hybrid and electric powertrains. This decision emerges against the backdrop of a sluggish global transition to electric vehicles and growing uncertainties in the United States, Hyundai’s largest market.

Previously, Hyundai had positioned itself at the forefront of the EV revolution, but recent developments have prompted a reassessment. Industry sources reveal that Hyundai is now prioritizing the expansion of its hybrid vehicle lineup as a central component of its electrification strategy. This shift represents a departure from last year’s mid-to-long-term plan, which heavily favored electric vehicles.

Hyundai Motor Shifts Gears: Prioritizes Hybrid Vehicles Amid Market Challenges - AutoTech News

SAIC Motor Set to Launch Autonomous Driving Services in Shanghai by August

On July 24, as reported by the Securities Times, SAIC Motor, a leading Chinese?autonomous driving ?company, has been granted a license to operate autonomous taxis (Robotaxi) in Shanghai. The company plans to launch the service to the public in August.

This announcement comes on the heels of the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, where several companies, including SAIC Motor, Pony.ai , and?Baidu ?Apollo, were licensed to operate unmanned intelligent networked vehicles in Shanghai.

SAIC Motor’s CTO, Yu Qiankun, shared that their Robotaxi service has been under testing for a year in Shanghai’s Lingang New Area, a region spanning approximately 68 square kilometers. Each “R” marker on the app indicates a pick-up point. To date, the service has logged over 300,000 kilometers, with a safety officer present in the passenger seat during this testing phase.

SAIC Motor Set to Launch Autonomous Driving Services in Shanghai by August - AutoTech News

VW battery company and QuantumScape to industrialise solid-state EV batteries

Volkswagen Group’s battery company PowerCo and QuantumScape have entered into a groundbreaking agreement to industrialise QuantumScape’s next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. Upon satisfactory technical progress and certain royalty payments, QuantumScape will grant PowerCo the license to mass produce battery cells based on QuantumScape’s technology platform.

Under the non-exclusive license, PowerCo can manufacture up to 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year using QuantumScape’s technology with the option to expand up to 80 GWh annually, enough to outfit approximately one million vehicles per year. The companies believe this high-touch engagement represents the fastest way to achieve gigawatt-hour-scale production of solid-state technology to meet the growing global demand for better electric vehicle batteries. The agreement supersedes an earlier joint venture between the Volkswagen Group and QuantumScape to co-manufacture batteries.

PowerCo & QuantumScape to industrialise solid-state EV batteries | Autocar Professional

Suzuki Tech Strategy: Light Vehicles, Small Batteries, SDV

Suzuki Motor Corporation on Wednesday said it will focus on aspects like light body structures and usage of small batteries to power its models including electric vehicles across various markets, including India. Outlining the company's technology strategy for the next ten years, the Japanese automaker stated that compact and light vehicles not only reduce CO2 emissions during use, but also reduce the resources and CO2 emissions in production, thus contributing to resource conservation and CO2 reduction.

Suzuki Tech Strategy: Light Vehicles, Small Batteries, SDV: Rediff Moneynews

BMW?bats for open-source software, joins Eclipse Foundation SDV Working Group

The BMW Group has joined the Eclipse Foundation’s Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) Working Group as a strategic member. The Eclipse SDV Working Group facilitates global collaboration on open-source software technologies for use in modern vehicles.

The BMW Group has over 20 years of experience in in-house software development and has set industry benchmarks in many important areas, such as digital vehicle access via smart devices, over-the-air upgrades across all functional domains and powertrains, as well as vehicle backend structures.

“BMW has mastered software from chip to cloud and has done so for generations. The number of digital functions in cars is growing rapidly. All players in our industry can benefit significantly from more cooperation in developing and securing software that does not differentiate from competition. That is why we are contributing our expertise to the Eclipse SDV Working Group,” said?Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development.

BMW?joins Eclipse Foundation SDV Working Group | Autocar Professional

What did you find most exciting in this week's roundup?? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Stay tuned for the next KPIT Mobility Roundup, where we'll keep you in the driver's seat of the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of how we move.