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Battery prices—especially in China—are in near freefall, as recent analyses show, with electrive.net reporting the trend. This price drop is impacting the entire value chain and affecting the Chinese auto market, where electric vehicles are now often cheaper than their gas-powered counterparts. DRIVEN explores the causes of this development and potential implications for the European market.

When it comes to stationary energy storage, most discussions have centered on lithium-ion batteries using Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) as cathode material. However, a technological shift has been evident over the past two years. The trend is rapidly moving towards Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are expected to dominate with over 90% market share soon. This change is making stationary energy storage more affordable, driving market growth.

They represent the gold standard for harmonizing grid security and renewable energy: Virtual power plants combine decentralization, digitization, and democratization because almost every electricity consumer can also become a producer. Their future prospects are promising—provided they are intelligently linked with energy storage systems.

The energy storage market is experiencing rapid growth. In 2023, the global market nearly tripled, marking the largest year-over-year increase to date. In Germany, the sector saw a 46% increase compared to the previous year, driven primarily by the rising demand for home energy storage systems. To sustain this momentum, political frameworks for large-scale storage facilities must be adjusted to facilitate accelerated expansion.

It’s widely accepted that energy storage is essential for advancing the energy transition, but the range of energy storage options is vast—from residential systems to large-scale industrial storage. DRIVEN explores the key segments driving this crucial market.

Energy storage systems are key to the energy transition. Despite double-digit annual growth in market volume and storage capacity, numerous legal, technical, and bureaucratic obstacles still hinder their widespread adoption.

DRIVEN demonstrates in an illustrative animation how cells at SVOLT are first assembled into modules and then installed in battery packs for electric cars. Alternatively, cells can also be assembled directly into a battery pack using the cell-to-pack process. Safety, cleanroom environment and quality are the top priorities here.

Energy storage in the form of lithium-ion batteries has been indispensable for the operation of smartphones, laptops, and e-bikes for many years. They have also established themselves as the technology for the traction batteries of electric cars and are used in storing energy from renewable sources like solar and wind power. But: Who invented the battery storage?

Climate protection is unthinkable without electromobility across all transport sectors. Electromobility, in turn, needs energy storage. We are familiar with lithium-ion batteries from smartphones, laptops, and e-bikes. But how are high-voltage storage devices like lithium-ion battery packs actually manufactured?

Good news: The share of renewable energy has reached a new high. In the first half of 2024, 58 percent of Germany’s electricity production came from renewable sources, up from 52 percent the previous year. However, the energy transition risks stalling due to lengthy approval processes and opaque funding measures, particularly for energy storage systems.

Energy storage is essential for the expansion of renewable energies. However, the variety of storage options is vast, ranging from large pumped storage power plants to decentralized battery stations. Which energy storage should one rely on?

Stationary power storage is essential for the energy transition. With the increasing share of renewable energies in power production, load management becomes increasingly important as power production and demand fluctuate over time. Integrated into local and municipal power grids, discarded drive batteries from electric cars can have a second life and play a central role in grid stability.

India is taking a big step towards a sustainable future. The Khavda solar park is inaugurated in Gujarat. It covers an area five times the size of Paris and has a capacity of 1,000 MW of electricity production in its first expansion phase. A total capacity of 30 GW is to be realized. As the world's largest energy park, the megaproject will supply millions of households with sustainably generated electricity.

Fears loomed large when Germany’s last nuclear power plant was taken offline about a year ago. However, after the first winter without nuclear power in Germany, it can be confirmed: supply was consistently secure, prices significantly cheaper than in the winter of 2022/2023, and the share of renewable electricity has risen markedly again – a trend also observable in other European countries.

In 2023, Germany achieved a historic milestone: over half its electricity came from renewables, leading the EU with a 56% share. Wind energy now surpasses coal, highlighting the nation's green transformation. Despite progress, the expansion of wind turbines remains slow, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced storage technologies to secure a sustainable future.

In 2023, Germany made significant strides in reducing emissions but also faced challenges. Despite successes in industry and energy production, the transportation sector lags behind climate goals. Innovative solutions are more in demand than ever for sustainable action...

2023 marks a historic turning point for the bicycle industry and two-wheeled e-mobility: For the first time in Germany, more e-bikes were sold than traditional bicycles, making it a pivotal year. In the European context, Germany, along with the Netherlands, leads the pack. However, the percentage of e-bikes in China is even higher. Despite this surge, the potential of e-bikes to contribute to a transportation revolution is far from being fully realized.

Car manufacturers are stepping up their efforts to expand the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen are investing in their own charging infrastructure, while Tesla continues to expand its existing Supercharger network.

In order to offer drivers of electric cars a simple way of assessing the state of health (SOH) of the battery over its entire service life, TÜV Rheinland is now offering a "Battery Quick Check" in collaboration with Twaice.

One goal in battery development is to maximise the number of battery cells in the battery pack of an electric car. But SVOLT's high-speed stacking is about more than that: the process has many significant advantages.

According to the media, it is the “electric car game changer” that makes “electric mobility truly affordable for everyone”: the new Citroën ë-C3 will be launched in spring 2024 and can already be ordered now.