YUNEV Commercial Vehicle Weekly eMobility Global Headline Roundup
CATL launches new battery swap design; Lion Electric finds new owner; Durapower enters construction machinery sector; BYD's e-bus business under investigation; Nikola H2 FCEV trucks up for auction;...
Week of May 18, 2025
Only 2% of the roughly 1,400 global EV headlines we scan each week make it into our curated News Feed. And only half of those curated headlines are hand-selected for each week's Newsletter. We enjoy doing this work for our readers and trust it frees you up to move your eMobility technology to market faster and more efficiently, with easy access to the key news stories you need to keep up with today's dynamic marketplace. This week's newsletter includes updates on recent bankruptcy filings at Northvolt and Nikola, as well as a near-miss bankruptcy event at Lion Electric. BYD’s US-based electric bus business has attracted the unwanted attention of the US House Homeland Security Committee. Mercedes and Volvo are pushing the boundaries on HD e-Truck driving range in Europe. Honda formally outlined its massive pivot back to hybrids for the foreseeable future. Interesting headlines re: solid-state sodium battery development in Berlin and a sweeping H2 Development Report released by China's NEA. It may be time to head to the beach or the pool, but not before checking out this week's Headline Roundup. And for next week's Newsletter, we're pleased to report that industry colleague and friend, Jeff Seger, has agreed to step in as special guest editor while Kevin takes an early summer break. Enjoy the weekend!
Global Headline Roundup
CATL launches standardized battery swap pack for HDTs (Source)
Lion Electric finds buyer ahead of bankruptcy (Source)
CATL's battery complex in northern China goes into production (Source)
Vandijck Transport tests Mercedes eActros 600 on long haul route (Source)
Durapower partners with GEBA on e-construction machinery (Source)
ABS and SCAG partner to power next-gen commercial mowers (Source)
US lawmakers investigate BYD's electric bus business (Source)
Volvo’s long-haul e-truck to feature 780 kWh battery (Source)
Wrightbus’s First Bus deploys first “repowered” electric buses (Source)
SINEXCEL unveils 1.28 MW HD e-truck charging system (Source)
In Other News
Berlin battery institute to develop solid-state sodium batteries (Source)
China NEA issues “China Hydrogen Development Report 2025” (Source)
Chile’s Red Movilidad adds 300 new electric buses to its fleet (Source)
Nikola puts its hydrogen fuel cell trucks up for auction (Source)
China deploys 100 autonomous electric mining trucks (Source)
Honda reduces EV investments, shift focus to hybrids (Source)
Northvolt ends production at its main plant in Sweden (Source)
📈 Last Week’s Top Story
BYD EVs with all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) will arrive in 2027
The article from YUNEV’s May 16 Commercial Vehicle eMobility Weekly Report that received the greatest number of Likes, Opens, Clicks, and Shares online was BYD EVs with all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) will arrive in 2027. The article linked to this headline received 16X the social media engagement of the article with the least amount of traction last week.
The article on BYD’s plan to launch EVs equipped with all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) by 2027 likely caught attention because of BYD’s position as the world’s second-largest EV battery maker and its phased rollout of sulfide-based batteries offering key performance improvements.
BYD plans a limited demonstration phase from 2027 to 2029, with mass production starting in 2030. The batteries will be sulfide-based and will initially be deployed in BYD’s luxury brands, such as DENZA and Yangwang.
BYD has researched solid-state battery technology since 2013 and confirmed mass production feasibility in 2023. Testing includes 20 Ah and 60 Ah cells.
Competitor CATL also aims to start small-scale sulfide-based solid-state battery production in 2027.
BYD will continue producing lithium iron phosphate batteries for 15 to 20 years due to supply and cost constraints.
Here are the key details on this recent Top Story:
2/17 BYD expects its first EVs with all-solid-state batteries to arrive in 2027.
In 2027, BYD will use sulfide-based solid-state batteries that will mainly be used in higher-end vehicles.
BYD CTO said sulfide electrolytes can last longer, offer faster charging, and are more stable.
🔦 Below the Radar
Industry Report on commercialization efforts by major SSB companies
The least-engaged article from YUNEV’s May 16 Commercial Vehicle eMobility Weekly Report focused on a report highlighting the commercialization efforts of major SSB companies. By contrast, an article on BYD’s plan to launch EVs equipped with all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) by 2027, received 16X greater engagement online during the same reporting period.
While the MD Marine Electric report on commercialization efforts of major SSB companies may not have made major waves online, it provided a nice overview of technology and commercialization progress by major players like Toyota, Honda, CATL, LG Energy Solution, Samsung and technology startups like QuantumScape, Solid Power, ProLogium, Factorial, SES, Ilika and others.
Toyota plans mass production of a solid-state battery by 2027–28 with about 20% more range and 10–80% charging in under 10 minutes. QuantumScape shipped 5 Ah prototype cells in late 2024 with 844 Wh/L energy density, 12-minute fast charging, and over 1,000 cycles at >95% capacity retention. Solid Power’s 20 Ah pouch cells achieve up to 390 Wh/kg and 1,000+ cycles, supported by partnerships with BMW and Ford and a $50M DOE grant. Samsung, LGES, Honda, and CATL also report active development, with commercialization targets between 2026 and 2028. Several other companies, including ProLogium, are advancing solid-state battery pilots with integration planned for the late 2020s.
Here are the key details to the story:
3/26 The global race to commercialize solid-state batteries is intensifying, with major corporations and innovative start-ups announcing ambitious timelines and showcasing significant prototype achievements.
Toyota recently unveiled a comprehensive battery technology roadmap targeting the introduction of next-generation EVs between 2026 and 2028.
Honda inaugurated a demonstration production line for all-solid-state batteries in 2024, with plans to thoroughly verify mass-production processes in anticipation of a commercial launch around 2028.
Factorial, ProLogium, SES, and Ilika, among others, are developing their unique variations of “solid” batteries, with some utilizing semi-solid electrolytes as an intermediate step.
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