With its Net|Zero|Now immediate action programme to mitigate climate change, Continental said it would offer its customers the opportunity to achieve carbon neutrality for their businesses. The company said in a statement that the aim of the programme is to enable customers with ambitious sustainability goals to neutralise the currently remaining “carbon backpack” of their relevant business with Continental.

This carbon backpack includes all emissions generated by processes at Continental and its suppliers as well as following end of use, but does not include the customer’s use phase and emissions.

The carbon backpack is offset by an equal quantity of so-called negative emissions. Net|Zero|Now complements the reduction measures implemented by the company to date and sustainable innovations such as the Conti GreenConcept tyre, which are designed to achieve carbon neutrality in line with the Paris climate agreement, the release said.

The focus of Net|Zero|Now is on Continental products and systems used in emission-free vehicles – from electric cars to hydrogen-powered buses and streetcars, it said.

Continental generated sales of almost EUR 1 billion with emission-free mobility in the past fiscal year. The company said the 10 highest-volume electric vehicle brands worldwide in 2021 all placed their trust in Continental technology. The programme means that for these vehicles, zero-emission mobility is already possible when it comes to the share of CO2 emissions attributable to Continental. Not only are they emission-free during their use, but the value chain relating to Continental is also carbon-neutral, it pointed out.

Besides, Net|Zero|Now will be immediately available for the combustion-engine-vehicle and industrial business, thus helping companies meet the increasingly ambitious carbon neutrality targets on the market, it said. 

Dr. Ariane Reinhart, Executive Board member for Human Relations and Sustainability at Continental, said, “2021 in particular, with its devastating floods and forest fires, showed that climate change mitigation needs to be accelerated. We must use every means available to implement measures faster. At the same time, we must seize the opportunities associated with this transformation together with our partners.” 

Continental said it sees Net|Zero|Now as an important blueprint for other companies to better achieve the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement alongside ambitious reduction efforts and neutralisation measures.

Reinhart added, “Reaching net zero is the benchmark here. And for that, we need appropriate economic incentives as well as more courage. To date, for example, carbon neutrality has not been taken into account in the VAT rate.” 

Continental said its approach with its immediate action programme for climate change mitigation relies on the principle of negative emissions and therefore goes beyond conventional carbon offsetting. In mathematical terms, this means that no more emissions are generated for each product in the supply chain than are removed again from the atmosphere, for example through reforestation. On balance, net zero is thus achieved and there is no longer any burden on the climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which focuses on accelerating carbon dioxide reductions, is increasingly recommending negative emissions in order to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement. 

Continental said it has been working with recognised partners on high-quality and certified ecosystem restoration and reforestation projects to remove the appropriate quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere. Social aspects, the sustainability of reductions, such as safeguards in the event of forest fires, and other quality criteria also play an important role in the selection process, it pointed out.

The company’s sustainability ambition comprises four focus areas: carbon neutrality along Continental’s entire value chain, emission-free mobility and industry, a circular economy and responsible value chains. Continental aims to fulfill its ambition by 2050 at the latest.

Dr. Steffen Schwartz-Höfler, head of Sustainability at Continental, said, “The path to carbon-neutral mobility is both a marathon and numerous sprints. The actual reduction of emissions and our Net|Zero|Now neutralization measures are important complements to our goal of becoming carbon-neutral. Only with this combination can we successfully drive forward the transformation to a sustainable economy with the necessary speed.” (MT)

Pune-headquartered automotive component supplier Kinetic Group has announced that it has inaugurated its new advanced battery manufacturing facility in Ahmednagar for an investment of INR 500 million.

With this, the Kinetic Group is set to manufacture its Range-X brand of batteries for electric two- and three-wheelers. The new facility has a manufacturing capacity to produce 60,000 LFP and NMC battery packs per annum, which it also plans to supply to other OEMs. Additionally, the facility is developing prismatic cells for electric three-wheelers.

Kinetic Group shared that its Range-X batteries are powered by the latest Lithium Ion Phosphate (LFP) technology, features smart BMS Integration and uses an Eco-Conscious Design manufactured using non-toxic, recyclable and ethically sourced materials.

Ajinkya Firodia, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Kinetic Group, said, “Range-X is a result of pioneering work in batteries and a significant step towards India’s mobility transformation. The Ahmednagar facility represents our dedication to self-reliance, safety and sustainability in battery technology. By integrating cutting-edge automation and smart technology, the facility ensures reliable, efficient and clean energy solutions.”

Scania and DHL Group have collaborated for the development of the EREV, an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator, allowing for the transition to battery-electric road transport without the need for a comprehensive charging network. The vehicle helps to overcome challenges such as a shortage of charging ports, the high costs of providing enough charging capacity at depots, the load on the grid and high spot prices for power on calm winter days while also allowing DHL to run on 80 - 90 percent renewable electricity.

In order to assess the new e-truck's performance in daily operations before further vehicles are added to DHL's fleet, the Post & Parcel Germany division will use it to deliver packages between Berlin and Hamburg in February. In a fully electric truck that is not required for most of the transport routes, the fuel-powered generator takes the place of one of the battery packs, lowering the range of the batteries but still supplying backup power. If necessary, the car may be refuelled at any traditional petrol station, and its potential range is between 650 and 800 miles.

The EREV is a 10.5-metre-long truck with a maximum weight of 40 metric tonnes. It is propelled by an electric motor that produces 230 kW (295 kW peak). A 120-kW fuel-powered generator and a 416-kWh battery provide the energy. The truck can go up to 800 km thanks to the onboard generator, which is first fuelled by petrol and then diesel fuel or HVO. Software that limits the use of the fuel-powered generator can be installed in EREVs, lowering and restricting CO2 emissions to a predetermined amount. It can carry about 1,000 packages and has a top speed of 89 km/h. With an extra swap body, the vehicle can tow a trailer as well.

Tobias Meyer, Group CEO, DHL, said, “It is going to take some time before renewable electricity, the grid and charging infrastructure are available and robust enough to rely fully on battery-electric trucks, especially for a large-scale system like the German parcel network of DHL. Instead of waiting for this day to come, DHL and Scania are collaborating on a pragmatic solution for making logistics more sustainable and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 80 percent. This vehicle is a sensible, practical solution that can make an immediate contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in freight transport short-term. Such reductions should be proportionally reflected in the road toll pricing and EU fleet emission scheme. We see this collaboration as a successful innovation project of two companies committed to battle climate change.”

Christian Levin, CEO, Scania, said, “The future is electric, but perfect must not be the enemy of good as we are getting there. The vehicle we have developed together with DHL is an example of interim solutions that can enhance the scaling of decarbonised heavy transport before the transport system eventually becomes 100 percent electrified. An effective climate transition requires that policymakers accept such solutions while ramping up their investments in public infrastructure and other enabling conditions.”

South Korean automotive major Kia Corporation has unveiled the exterior design of its PV5 Passenger and Cargo models ahead of the second Kia EV Day, scheduled to be held in Tarragona, Spain, later this month.

The PV5 is based on Kia’s new ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ global business strategy and was first showcased as a concept at CES 2024. The EV is designed to meet broad customer base by having flexible and customisable modularity.

The Korean automaker aims to introduce PV5 in various configurations to meet the diverse customer needs in both passenger and cargo offerings.

Karim Habib, Head of Kia Global Design, said, “While the PV5 is offered in three different body styles to provide innovative solutions for a diverse range of customer needs, they all embody the same consistent design values inspired by Kia’s design philosophy, ‘Opposites United’. Each model confidently expresses a solid, bold, futuristic character and a highly capable attitude.”

American electric truck manufacturer Nikola has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The EV maker will sell its assets, which is estimated to be around USD 500 million and USD 1 billion, while its liabilities on the other hand were between USD 1 billion and USD 10 billion. As per the bankruptcy filing, the company had USD 47 million in cash on hand.

Nikola now joins the list of alternative energy-focused automotive and allied companies globally, who aimed at disrupting the market with their potential solutions, but ended up burning millions of dollars in investor money.

A statement issued by the company said, “Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic factors that have impacted our ability to operate. We have taken numerous actions in recent months to raise capital, reduce liabilities, strengthen our balance sheet and preserve cash to sustain operations. Unfortunately, these efforts were not sufficient to overcome the current challenges. Nikola’s Board of Directors has determined that Chapter 11 is the best possible path forward for the company and its stakeholders. This will enable the company to restructure its debt and implement an orderly wind down of the business, while conducting a structured process to solicit interest in the sale of all, substantially all, or a portion of its operations.”

Steve Girsky, CEO & President, Nikola, said, “With the dedication of our employees and support from our partners, Nikola has taken significant steps to move zero-emissions transportation forward, including bringing the first commercially available Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks to market in North America and developing the HYLA hydrogen refuelling highway, connecting Northern California to Southern California. Our customers have accumulated approximately 3.3 million fleet miles across both our FCEV and BEV truck platforms and our HYLA fuelling network has dispensed well over 330 metric tons of hydrogen.”

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona Nikola has a manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona.