Electric vehicle (EV) fire safety continues to be a critical topic. Data continues to support the fact that EVs are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. However, as a new technology, EVs get more press, and besides, even a very low occurrence rate still poses significant risks to vehicle occupants and surroundings.

Thursday 22 February 2024 - Discuss the key components of a PEM fuel cell, including their purpose, form factor, and possible material choices; Highlight innovations in alternative materials and manufacturing processes with respect to the incumbents and the impact of proposed regulations; Outline key technology trends for materials, including the driving forces behind these trends; Overview of the PEM fuel cell market within the context of the broader fuel cell electric vehicle market

Electromagnetic interference shielding is becoming more adapted to the meet demands of growing communications technology. Personal devices are everywhere. As they get thinner, the components in each device are getting closer together, and EMI shielding is becoming well-known as the mastermind.

Thursday 29 February 2024 - An overview of the need for fire protection materials; Thermal management strategies and cell-to-pack battery structure; Options and examples for fire protection materials in OEMs; The impact of sodium-ion and solid state batteries on EV safety and material needs; Fire protection material benchmarking; Market share predictions

IDTechEx's new report, "Future Automotive Technologies 2024-2034: Applications, Megatrends, Forecasts", highlights the biggest changes coming to cars over the next ten years. Electrification will change what powers cars, and automation will change how they are driven, but one of the biggest opportunities is connectivity and software definition, which will change how cars are monetized.

With the growing hydrogen economy, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are the subject of ongoing innovation, especially in terms of materials development. Dominant incumbent materials are seen for certain components, but alternative competitive options are emerging, and the technology landscape is beginning to shift.

Many people were surprised when HiNa revealed their lineup of sodium-ion battery cells, as well as a prototype of an electric car, in February 2023. But it had been a long time coming. The low-cost Sehol E10X microcar uses a 25 kWh battery pack made from cylindrical sodium-ion cells from HiNa.

The sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars have largely stalled from 2021 onwards, but does this mean there is no market for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the future, and what is required to make them a success?

People and penguins can all benefit from the use of hydrogen in pursuing cleaner energy sources, and hydrogen is one of the main tools for decarbonizing industries. With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.

As the volume of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources penetrating electricity grids increases globally, so does the need to manage the increasing uncertainty and variability in electricity supply.

Thursday 8 February 2024 - Introduction to LDES; why and when LDES technologies will be needed to support growth of VRE penetration; Key countries and states expected to be earlier adopters of LDES technologies; LDES technology overview including funding, energy and power decoupling, introduction to technology benchmarking, and duration of storage of upcoming LDES projects; Overview of grid supply-side and demand-side flexibility; LDES market applications; Key customers that will benefit from LDES technologies; LDES revenue generation opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions; IDTechEx's outlook and conclusions

Demand for Li-ion batteries continues to grow in sectors such as electric vehicles, stationary energy storage, and consumer electronics. From its market report, "Li-ion Battery Recycling Market 2023-2043", IDTechEx estimates that in 2023, total demand for Li-ion batteries was 750+ GWh across these sectors, which will increase to almost 10 TWh in 2043.

Tuesday 30 January 2024 - An overview of the megatrends changing the automotive industry; Explanation of what hardware/services are associated with each trend; CAGR growth rates for each of these technologies; Hardware vs services, where the biggest opportunity is

Electric motors are a core component of electrification in the automotive market. The market has heavily relied on rare earths for the permanent magnets used in these motors, but, as many will be aware, there is a drive to eliminate these rare earths due to their price volatility and environmental impact. Alternative motor technologies can often present a new and increased demand for copper.

The automotive market is a huge industry, and its evolution has spawned several giant corporations with many sub-brands, many of which are household names. However, the automotive industry is arguably undergoing the greatest technological shifts it has ever seen. Electrification, autonomous driving, and a shift to software-defined vehicles.

Thursday 25 January 2024 - Materials for sodium-ion cell design; Sodium-ion battery value proposition; Opportunities and challenges in the sodium-ion battery market; Sodium-ion battery players and commercialisation efforts; IDTechEx outlook for sodium-ion batteries by 2030

Autonomous driving, electric vehicles, connected and software-defined vehicles, and in-cabin monitoring are all megatrends reshaping the automotive industry. Together, these technologies combine to form a US$1.6 trillion opportunity by 2034, nearly a 10-fold increase compared to 2023.

IDTechEx have launched a new monthly podcast, 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx', bringing you up to date technology trends. In each episode our host will interview an industry expert from IDTechEx, offering insights into a range of emerging technologies.

Green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean industrial feedstock and the future's energy carrier. Central to green hydrogen production is the water electrolyzer. Historically, the alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE) has dominated the market due to its maturity and development

Decarbonization efforts have gained momentum globally in recent years. Renewable energy, electrification, and battery storage are primary solutions. However, some sectors remain difficult to decarbonize using such methods, including heavy industry, heating, and certain transport sectors, such as aviation and shipping.