The manufacturing and R&D equipment from Enevate’s silicon-dominant lithium-ion battery operation in Irvine, California will be sold at live webcast auction on May 21 at 10:00 a.m. PT. The sale is conducted by CA Global Partners in conjunction with Onyx Asset Advisors.
Enevate was developing high energy-density, silicon-dominant Li-ion battery technology for EV applications. The auction covers the full contents of its Irvine operation across several categories.
Pouch cell manufacturing equipment includes tooling for mixing, coating, calendering, slitting, drying, stacking, welding, filling, sealing, degassing, formation and pressing. Battery test and cycling systems include equipment from Arbin, Bluekey, Bio-Logic and EL-Cell. Analytical laboratory instruments include DSC/TGA systems, FTIR analyzers, particle sizing instruments, gas chromatographs, viscometers and conductivity tools. Metrology assets include Keyence digital microscopy, thin-film measurement and precision measurement equipment. Facility support items round out the catalog.
Inspection is by appointment at 101 Theory, Suite 200, Irvine.
Wi-Fi 7 positions itself as a key technology for advanced automotive connectivity, supporting up to 16 spatial streams and a 320MHz channel width. Its high bandwidth capacity addresses the data transmission requirements of ADAS and autonomous driving applications.
This paper, titled “Murata Wi-Fi 7 Automotive Connectivity and Efficiency White,” outlines Wi-Fi 7’s capabilities and its relevance to the automotive industry.
Here at Charged, we often call out the hypocrisy of automakers, which routinely issue platitudes about emissions reduction, butterflies and grandchildren, meanwhile continuing to lobby against environmental (and safety) regulations, lavishing investment and advertising on gas-guzzlers and, as GM and Ford have recently done, cancelling EV programs in response to dips in monthly sales figures (or political pressure?).
We’re skeptical of any and all greener-than-thou claims, but Polestar does seem to be making a sincere effort to reduce emissions across its entire manufacturing process. (Granted, Polestar is a very small, EV-only brand, and 75% of its sales are in the far greener markets of Europe.)
Polestar recently released its 2025 Sustainability Report, which details how the company has reduced its GHG emissions per sold car by 31% since 2020. During the same period, Polestar has grown annual retail sales to over 60,000 cars.
“As climate commitments slip across the car industry, policy signals waver and combustion engine investment continues, Polestar moves in the opposite direction,” claims the company. “Europe’s only pure EV company continues to deliver measurable progress instead of pledges, despite a volatile and challenged industry.”
The reduction in emissions reflects the company’s focus on increasing the use of renewable energy for battery production and manufacturing, and the use of low-carbon materials. Polestar 4 is the company’s lowest-carbon-footprint car to date, and increased sales of this model have been “a significant factor” in the emissions reduction.
“If you are not reducing emissions while growing, you are choosing not to,” said Michael Lohscheller, Polestar CEO. “Electrification delivers clear value for customers: lower running costs, lower emissions and greater peace of mind, as volatile oil prices and fuel scarcity mean pump anxiety is increasingly replacing range anxiety. As clean electricity scales, electric vehicles are becoming not just the sustainable choice, but the smarter, more reliable one.”
The company’s Polestar 0 project has the goal of producing a net-zero car without offsets by 2035. (Even Polestar has done a bit of backsliding—the original timeline was 2030.)
“The Polestar 0 project pushes us into new territory,” said Head of Sustainability Fredrika Klarén. “While much of the industry invests in hybrids and combustion engines, we focus on solutions that eliminate emissions entirely.”
In 2025, Polestar partnered with five Swedish higher education institutions and six companies to establish Mission 0 House, a center for emissions reduction research. Projects under development at Mission 0 House include:
Heliox, a Siemens business, has partnered with transit agency King County Metro to conduct a pilot of the company’s new Flex Pro DC fast EV charger.
King County Metro provides bus, trolley, on-demand, paratransit, vanpool and water taxi services in the Seattle metro area.
The Heliox Flex Pro delivers up to 480 kW of power in a compact footprint (12 sq ft) that’s suitable for high-density transit depots. The system supports CCS1 charging at 250 A, and inverted pantograph chargers in 250 A or 600 A configurations. This offers the flexibility to support high-power pantograph charging for rapid turnaround or to connect with up to six depot pantographs and plug-in dispensers for off-shift charging.
Flex Pro can distribute power in 80 kW increments across up to six outlets and serve up to six vehicles at the same time. Customers can choose dynamic or static power sharing to match site needs and operating priorities: dynamic power sharing continuously optimizes available power across charging points, while static power sharing provides predictable output and greater control.
Flex Pro is backward-compatible with existing Flex dispensers and includes built‑in support for future expansion. A modular power architecture allows charging sessions to continue at slightly reduced output if a power module or group fails.
Flex Pro includes a 24‑month warranty, offers preventative maintenance, and is available in both Build America, Buy America compliant (BABA) and non‑compliant versions.
Hirect has announced commercial availability of three copper conductor product lines: Continuously Transposed Conductors (CTC), Paper Insulated Copper Conductors (PICC) and Enameled Paper Insulated Copper Conductors (EPICC). The products are manufactured at Hirect’s newly commissioned copper processing plant and are targeted at power transformers, traction motors and high-power wound components for grid, railway rolling stock and catenary power supply systems.
The CTC line handles 5 to 63 strands per conductor, with strand dimensions from 2.5–12.0 mm wide and 1.0–5.0 mm thick, and transposition pitches adjustable from 25–200 mm. The PICC and EPICC lines cover copper widths up to 20 mm and thicknesses up to 8 mm. Insulation options span four enamel types and paper wrapping to 32 layers for CTC and 8 layers for PICC, with overall insulation thickness controlled between 0.25 mm and 5 mm. The CTC production area is dust-free and air-conditioned.
In-line quality control runs across 100% of output on all enameling lines. “We have integrated 100% in-line optical testing across all enameling lines, utilizing online pinhole and blister detectors alongside precision measuring equipment capable of maintaining tolerances of ±5 microns in drawing and rolling processes,” said Shailesh Jadav, VP Operations.
The facility is ISO 9001:2015 certified, with in-house testing covering Tan Delta, high-voltage breakdown, interstrand shorts and proof stress. The supply chain is compliant with EU Conflict Minerals Regulations and the Responsible Minerals Initiative.
Hirect is exhibiting at CWIEME 2026, May 19–21, Hall 27, Booth E72.
The reECONIC electric waste collection vehicle can collect waste to be sent for recycling—so it’s fitting that the truck itself is partly made of recycled materials.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks worked with 33 partners to create this concept EV. The companies demonstrated that, theoretically, around 80 percent of the materials used to build the truck could be replaced with recycled, natural and bio-based materials.
Sustainable materials are found in just about every part of the truck except the powertrain.
The FAUN reNew VARIOPRESS body is partially made from recycled materials.
The front axle and two side members are made of carbon dioxide-reduced steel. The flat steel used for the side members is produced using innovative electric arc furnace technology and contains an average of 88 percent recycled steel. The axle housing is made of forged steel with a recycled content of 97 percent.
The cab frame and battery protection structure are largely made from recycled aluminum using the extrusion process. The installed aluminum components contain at least 75 percent post-consumer recycled material.
The developers partially replaced the petroleum-based plastics and fiber-based reinforcing materials used in the production vehicle with a range of more sustainable alternatives, including recycled polymer, reused fillers, and interior trim elements made from natural and bio-based materials.
The reECONIC uses retreaded tires, which enable the existing carcass to be reused multiple times. This process increases the proportion of recycled and renewable materials to 80 percent after just the first retreading.
With an average recycled glass content of 64%, the glazing significantly reduces the use of virgin raw materials and CO2 emissions during manufacturing. Only the glass for the side and front mirrors and the display covers was sourced from series production.
Elements in the floor, on the wheel arch, and on the fender are made of wood. In the driver’s cab, the seat shell and cab roof are also made of wood. Beech wood is a renewable raw material that absorbs additional CO₂ from the atmosphere as it grows.
The fenders consist of 92 percent recycled plastics, and the control panel carrier is made almost entirely from recycled material.
“Together with our European partners, we have done pioneering work in the field of material recycling and the use of natural materials and bio-based alternative products,” said reECONIC Project Manager Roland Dold. “It consists, among other things, of materials with a history—from fishing nets to automotive parts. Even after the end of their useful life, many of these components can be converted back into their raw materials and reused. We expect to be able to incorporate our findings and experience into series production so that more trucks with high recycled content will hit the roads in the future.”
The reECONIC is scheduled to undergo real-world testing in the second half of 2026, and Daimler says it will then transition into a “practical use phase.”
“Sustainability is an integral part of our strategy,” said Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “On the one hand, we are consistently decarbonizing our products. On the other hand, climate-friendly and resource-efficient production and supply processes make a significant contribution.”
BorgWarner has secured three electric motor contracts with Asian OEMs—one in South Korea and two in China—spanning battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicle applications. Production across the three programs runs in phases from June 2026 through September 2027.
In South Korea, BorgWarner will supply a stator assembly for a new battery-electric B-segment SUV, with production starting in September 2027. The contract follows BorgWarner’s earlier hairpin eMotor supply to the same customer for a multi-purpose vehicle platform.
In China, BorgWarner secured a P2 motor contract using its patented S-winding technology for global plug-in hybrid platforms. The motor is designed for integration with 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged engines, targeting compact packaging and high power density in hybrid drivetrains. BorgWarner says S-winding enables high performance in a smaller footprint than conventional winding configurations. Production is expected in February 2027.
The third contract, also in China, covers a generator motor for a three-speed hybrid transmission system. This motor uses BorgWarner’s ultra-short hairpin winding, which the company says improves efficiency and packaging over standard hairpin approaches. Production launches in June 2026, supplying both domestic Chinese programs and hybrid vehicles for export markets.
“BorgWarner’s patented S-winding design enables peak performance and enhanced power efficiency within a compact space, and we’re excited to expand its application to hybrid vehicles,” said Dr. Stefan Demmerle, VP at BorgWarner and President and General Manager of PowerDrive Systems.
