E-mobility in Brazil. Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus collaborates with Moura for the e-Delivery trucks
The series production of the first e-Delivery electric trucks will start this semester. Volkswagen has also recently announced the investment of further 500 million euro in sustainable battery activities with young but already primary Swedish battery cell manufacturer Northvolt.
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (VWCO) has reached an agreement with the local battery supplying company Moura Batteries about the e-Delivery, the first electric truck in Brazil. Moura joins the Consórcio Modular and other VWCO partners with the responsibility of supplying lithium battery systems and their components, in partnership with CATL (here’s a post about CATL cooperation with Daimler), and be responsible for several processes related to electric mobility, such as the assembly, parameterization and testing of the electric systems of the e-Delivery.
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus: e-Delivery trucks
The series production of the first e-Delivery electric trucks will start this semester, but in the laboratory-factory, installed in the productive complex called Pilot Plant, an experimental stage has already started last year.
The whole infrastructure of the VW Caminhões e Ônibus factory is also being updated for the new electric reality: new chargers have just arrived, with capacity to recharge the batteries of the e-Delivery trucks in up to 1 hour. The equipment will be used to replenish the energy of the assembler’s test vehicles, in action in laboratory analyses and certification runs before the start of series production. All the energy consumed at the plant is of renewable origin.
«The production of the e-Delivery marks the beginning of vehicular electrification in Brazil in a structured way and Moura is very proud to be part of this process together with VWCO», stated Sérgio Moura, president of the Board of Directors of Moura Accumulators.
Further significant investment in battery cell manufacturer Northvolt
Within the Volkswagen world, the matter of batteries is quite a hot one. The Group has recently announced the investment of further 500 million euro in sustainable battery activities with young but already primary Swedish battery cell manufacturer Northvolt.
According to the press release, «Volkswagen is participating, with a contribution of US$620 million (about €500 million), in a financing round of its Swedish battery partner Northvolt AB with a total volume of US$2.75 billion. The Group will thus maintain its stake in the company constant at about 20 percent. The funds are to be used for capacity expansion in the fields of production, recycling and research and development. Among other activities, Northvolt intends to expand the capacity of its Northvolt Ett gigafactory in Skellefteå, Northern Sweden from 40 GWh to 60 GWh per year, in order to meet higher demand from customers».
Six cell factories in Europe expected by 2030
Volkswagen had already invested about €900 million in Northvolt in June 2019, acquiring about 20 percent of the shares in the company as well as a seat on the Board of Directors. The production of Volkswagen premium cells is to be concentrated at Skellefteå in cooperation with Northvolt. Production of these cells is due to start in 2023.
Volkswagen expects to commission six cell factories in Europe by 2030 together with its partners with a view to safeguarding the ramp-up of electric vehicle production.
