AD #4171 - Samsung Partners with BMW On Solid-State Batteries; China Eases Export Restrictions on Chips; GM Restructures Software Developmen

Speaker 1: This is Online Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. GM says it's going to combine

its software in product divisions into one organization, and as a result, it's losing one of its top software executives.

The company's vehicle, software engineering and global product teams will now be brought together in an effort to speed up how GM develops and implements new technology. The new organization

will be led by Sterling Anderson, who was hired in May as Executive VP of Global Product and Chief Product Officer.

Anderson previously helped develop the Tesla Model X and autopilot, and co founded autonomous trucking company Aurora that experienced No doubt played a role in GM having the confidence to give a more responsibility with its software division. However, the

company's former senior VP of Software and Services Engineer Dave Richardson, has quote elect to step down from his role at GM. Richardson,

a former Apple executive, was brought into GM along with another Apple exec in June of last year to take over for the company's former head of Software, Mike Abbott, who left due to health reasons. Due to current ev

market conditions, that five billion dollar battery plant that Stillantis and LG built in Canada is not going to make cells for electric vehicles anytime soon. Their partnership called Nextstar Energy,

was established in twenty twenty two and was supposed to make batteries for Stilantis EV's built across North America. But

Stillantis and most other automakers have pulled back on some of their EV plans, which is why Nextstar is quote expecting a prolonged slowdown in the EV market, so it's transitioning to energy storage systems. While that might seem like

a bad thing, next Star says there will be little difference and expects to need about the same amount of workers.

It will run two shifts on one line to start, and hopes to add another line and more workers in the future. Energy storage systems is an expanding market, and

Tesla even just reached a two point one billion dollar agreement with Samsung SDI to supply it with batteries for energy storage systems over the next three years. And speaking

of Samsung, it's joining BMW's efforts to develop all solid state batteries. BMW has been working on the tech since

twenty sixteen, with startup solid Power, which it's also invested in.

Solid Power will supply sulfide base solid electrolyte to Samsung, which it will use to build cells that will then be evaluated for use in test vehicles. The companies say

the all solid state batteries offer increased energy density and longer vehicle ranges than current batteries.

Speaker 2: Ford is also.

Speaker 1: An investor in Solid Power, but it's not part of this partnership, and good news for auto makers they should soon be getting relief from that Nexperia chip shortage. China

agreed to loosen export restrictions as part of last week's trade talks with President Trump. China's Commerce ministry released a

statement over the weekend saying that it will allow eligible companies to be exempted from its export ban. However, China

didn't say when it will grant exemptions or when they'll take effect. Automakers have been warning for the last several

weeks that production could soon be halted because of the chip shortage, and it all started when China banned Experia exports in retaliation to the Dutch government taking control of the company. Nexspurias based in the Netherlands, but it's owned

by Chinese company Wingtech.

Speaker 3: The automotive and industrial sectors are undergoing an historic transformation electrification, digitalization, supply chain reinvention, regulatory shifts. The pace is accelerating and

the pressure to adapt is real. This is not a

time for hesitation. It's a time for bold decisions backed

by fast, effective execution. You need a partner who understands

complexity from factory floors to boardrooms and delivers measurable results.

That partner is Alex Partners when it really matters.

Speaker 1: Renault and Gili are making a partnership, they announced early this year official Gili bought a twenty six point four percent stake in Renault's Brazil operations. As part of that investment,

Renault will start making both Renault and Glely branded vehicles at its plant in Brazil, and Gili gets access to Renault sales and service centers in the country. Gili's Ex

five and electric suv is already on sale at Renault dealerships in the region, but a whole lineup of Gili's zero zero and low emission vehicles will eventually be offered in Brazil. As for its part, Renault will be able

to increase production at that plant, plus it will get access to Gili's GEA platform so it can develop its own zero and low emission vehicles for Brazil. And Renault

must really be seeing some benefit from this partnership because Reuter's reports that it's also in Talx with other Chinese automakers like Cherry to jointly produce and sell cars. However,

there are no new projects to announce at this time, and going back to Gili for a moment, I thinks Delantis could take a page from its book. We once

worried that Gili had too many brands, but it has started to make moves to consolidate. It merged Zeker and

Lincoln Co, then took Zeker private again. It also integrated

to other brands it controlled into one called Gili Galaxy, and the moves could be starting to pay off. Gilie

sold more than three hundred thousand vehicles in a single month for the first time ever. The official number was

just over three hundred and seven thousand units, up thirty five percent compared to last year, and for the full year, it sold nearly two point five million vehicles, an increase of over forty four percent. A lineup full of both

hybrid and electric vehicles, is allowing JIL to adapt to market conditions, and it's even going to buy out an old GMSAIC plant to make its enyvs. It looks like

Weimo wants to expand into Canada. Records show the consultants

working on behalf of Weimo registered to lobby the Canadian government on autonomous vehicle regulations, while the filings don't indicate Weimo is planning to operate in Canada. In a statement

to Automotive News, Weimo said it is pushing for regulations that will quote allow us to serve Canadians in the future.

Weimo entered its first international market, Japan in April, and next year it plans to test vehicles in the UK.

There is currently autonomous vehicle testing in Canada, but not for ride hailing. It's mostly focused on commercial vehicles or

more limited programs like autonomous shuttles running on fixed routes or delivery robots with no passengers. Toyota is showing off

a hydrogen powered to coma over landing concept that the Semas show in Las Vegas. The truck features a second

generation Marie fuel stack and three hydrogen tanks housed within its frame rails. The powertrain also includes a nearly twenty

five kilowide hour battery pack, along with a front and rear electric motor that combined for five hundred and forty seven horse power. One of the truck's unique features is

an exhaust water recovery system, which captures and filters one of the only byproducts of a fuel cell stack water and uses it for camping and outdoor use. The water

is essentially distilled, containing no minerals, making it suitable for washing and showering, but not recommended for drinking. The Tacoma

H two Overlander concept was created by the Toyota Racing Development engineering teams in California and North Carolina. But that

brings us to the end of today's show. Thanks for

making autoline a part of your day.

Speaker 2: Auto Line Daily is brought to you by alex Partners.

When it Really Matters CSP, the Composites Solution Partner, Intrepid Control Systems, Over the Air Engineering Boost your game and thanks to the following YouTube and Patreon members.

Speaker 4: Developing today's vehicles. Issues can happen in an instant. When's

the best time to solve a problem? The minute you

know you have one me Wireless neo fig Cloud. You're

secure off the shelf solution, empowering real time collaboration for quick resolution. With wireless neovi Cloud, your team can prevent

issues before they can escalate. Driver communication data and remote

diagnostics to analyze and resolve your problems using OTA, allowing your executives oversight throughout the process. Wireless neovi Cloud your

vehicle update solution and production and on the road intrepid control systems driven by your data.

Speaker 2: At CSP, we work with OEM engineers across the country on their journeys to lighter, safer, and more eco friendly vehicles.

Learn more at VCSP dot com.

AD #4171 - Samsung Partners with BMW On Solid-State Batteries; China Eases Export Restrictions on Chips; GM Restructures Software Developmen

Tesla Model

Tesla Model X

Toyota Tacoma

About this episode

Original notes