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BASF and the energy company Eni are jointly developing a new technology to produce bio pro panol from glycerol, which is a byproduct of industrial biodiesel production. The sugar alco hol will be converted into propanol using a cata lytic hydrotreating process. The new approach involves subjecting a catalyst to a highpressure hydrogenation reaction to produce biopropanol with a high yield and purity while minimizing byproducts, according to BASF. Biopropanol offers the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 to 75 % compared to fossil fuels and can be blended with gasoline as a dropin biofuel, the company claims. Because of its better physicochemical properties compared to bioetha nol and its very high octane number, biopropanol is a valuable ingredient for the production of premium gasoline.
Lighting and electronics specialist Hella and Faurecia have signed an agreement on the merger of the two companies. Faurecia will acquire a 60 % block of shares from Hella's pool shareholders; the French auto motive supplier has also announced a voluntary public takeover offer to acquire the remaining shares. The closing is subject to regula tory approvals and is expected for the beginning of 2022. Hella's cur rent pool shareholders are to retain an interest in the listed parent company via a reverse shareholding of up to 9 %. Through the merger, the two companies will become the seventhlargest automotive supplier worldwide and aim to expand their market position, particularly in key growth areas such as electromobility, autonomous driving and vehicle interior design.
Akasol has opened its Gigafactory 1, Europe's largest factory for commercial vehicle lithi umion battery systems. The annual produc tion capacity of the factory in Darmstadt (Ger many) is 1 GWh in the first expansion stage, which is to be successively increased to 2.5 GWh by the end of 2022 through the commissioning of further production lines. If demand is suffi cient, expansion to 5 GWh is possible; this quantity corresponds to battery systems for more than 10,000 commercial vehicles. The 15,000 m 2 , twostory production, assembly and logistics hall also houses a test and vali dation center for testing cells, modules and systems and ensuring the highest quality standards.

© BASF SE
Biopropanol can be used as a drop-in fuel in the production of gasoline

© Akasol
A solar plant with 600 kW maximum power feeds the production facility, office spaces and more than 60 charging points for electric vehicles

© Hella
Hella and Faurecia join forces to become the seventh-largest automotive supplier worldwide

Fraunhofer IPT | Battery Cell Research Production Starts
The Fraunhofer Research Production Battery Cell (FFB) has started up a mixing and coating facility in Münster for testing electrode pro duction. The aim of the employees of the FraunhoferGesellschaft and the MEET Battery Research Center of the Westphalian Wilhelms University (WWU) Münster is to optimize the electrode formu lation as well as the produc tion steps of mixing and coating with regard to cell quality. The concept provides for a combina tion of labo ratory and production research for different battery cell formats. Among other things, the focus is on new cell chemistries and formula tions for the socalled slurry -a paste with which the copper foil of the electrode is coated after the mixing process.

© Studio Wiegel
The copper foil is continuously coated with the slurry using a slotted nozzle NEWS PEoPlE + ComPAniES Dr. Johannes Liebl Editor in Charge ATZ | mTZ | ATZelectronics | ATZheavyduty

KIT | HIU | Lithium Metal Battery
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) have developed a novel lithium metal battery. This type of battery is char acterized by a high energy density, but is usually not very stable because the electrode materials react with ordinary electrolyte systems. The remedy is to use a lowvolatility, nonflammable ionic liquid electrolyte with two anions (ILE). "With the help of the ILE, the structural changes at the nickelrich cath ode can be substantially contained," reports Dr. GukTae Kim of the Battery Electrochemistry Research Group at HIU. To achieve high energy density, the researchers use a lowcobalt, nickelrich layered cathode (NCM88). The result of this combination is an energy density of 560 Wh/kg. In addition, 88 % of the battery capacity is retained even after more than 1000 charging cycles.
A new combination of materials makes the lithium metal battery powerful and stable © Amadeus Bramsiepe | KiT

IMPULSES A Fascination with Cars
The concept of electric mobility has transformed car powertrains and the automotive industry as a whole. Features that arouse an emotional response, such as high-revving gasoline engines or powerful diesels, engines with a large cylinder capacity or small turbo-charged powerhouses, silky smooth in-line sixes or compact V6 engines, the roar of a V8 or an impressive V12 no longer play a role in the gut-feel decisions when it comes to buying an electric car.
The industry needs new ways of ensuring the emotional loyalty of its customers. Design and high-quality functions can help to revive our fascination with the car. Electric mobility not only involves the electrification of the powertrain, but also has a significant impact on the entire car and its integration into its environment. High-and low-voltage electrical systems allow for new functions. Customers' demands on these new functions will be based on the options available on the internet and on their smartphones. The functions must be user friendly and intuitive and all their features must be impressive.
An engineering-based approach that has been perfected over decades will not take us where we need to go. To meet the needs of its customers, the automotive industry must acquire an understanding of the functional interactions throughout the car as a whole and outside it. The first few companies are starting to promote a function-based approach in their development departments that will allow them to create customer-focused innovations. Some are going as far as developing scalable operating systems and establishing their own software and electronics expertise. Their success or failure will ultimately be determined by their customers on the basis of what will often be emotional arguments.

Continental | Management Team Changes
Continental has appointed HansJörg Feigel as