Latest news with #NextStarEnergy
Korea Herald
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Samsung SDI ready to roll out 46-series batteries: CEO
Samsung SDI President and CEO Choi Joo-sun said Wednesday the company is poised to start mass production of its new 46-series cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles, an upgraded version of the smaller 21700 batteries. 'We have secured customers for these batteries and have submitted sample products (to them),' said Choi during a press briefing at the InterBattery 2025 exhibition on Wednesday in Gangnam, Seoul, while declining to disclose specifics, citing confidentiality. The 46-series cylindrical battery, measuring 46 millimeters in diameter, is called a 'game changer' for its enhanced energy capacity and output and an emerging form factor selected by carmakers looking to power their high-performance electric vehicles. Samsung SDI has displayed the new lineup with four variants: 4680, 4695, 46100 and 46120 — all sharing a 46 mm diameter but differing in length (80 mm, 95 mm, 100 mm and 120 mm, respectively) in its exhibition but, while its rival LG Energy Solution also showcased the advanced tech. Regarding the company's US operations, Choi said, 'This year, we are taking a rather conservative approach on (whether to build) our own North American plant due to a notable decline in the (EV) demand compared to last year. Nonetheless, we are assessing our options, as long-term growth remains a top priority.' Choi added that the first battery cell manufacturing plant of NextStar Energy in the US, a joint venture with Stellantis, has ramped up production faster than expected, with the US Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit projected to be reflected in the first quarter of this year. While taking a cautious approach to completing the second plant of NextStar Energy and a joint venture facility with General Motors by 2027 and 2026, respectively, due to a downturn in the EV demand, Choi noted the company is considering meeting the construction deadline for now. When asked whether Samsung SDI plans to lower the operation rate of its Hungarian plant following Trump's proposed 25 percent tariffs on EU goods, Choi said, 'Our Hungarian facility is currently operating at much lower rates driven by a significant decline in customer demand compared to the past. Unfortunately, I cannot share specific figures (on the rate) due to confidentiality.' Choi projected that the company is expected to see a turnaround from the second quarter of next year while pledging to advance its technological prowess through investments even in the face of ongoing trade disruptions. Commenting on the recent business tie-up with Hyundai Motor Group on robotics, Choi hinted at bolstering a partnership with the auto giant on electric vehicles as well.
CBC
12-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
City of Windsor to extend bus service to Twin Oaks industrial park, research improved access
The City of Windsor will hire a transportation consultant to find both short and long-term solutions to enhance access to the Twin Oaks Industrial Park and will change the route of the Lauzon 10 bus to better service the park until a new route goes into effect. It will also look into sidewalks for the park, develop an active transportation plan for access, and speak with business owners in the park about possible temporary options to further improve transit service by using their properties as part of a route. City council passed a motion approving the actions at its Monday meeting. Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie requested the addition of the sidewalk, active transportation and improved temporary transit provisions. "[It's] really important that we deal with this immediately," McKenzie told council Monday. "There are ongoing traffic related issues that I have very very serious concerns about right now. I think there needs to be urgency and immediacy with whatever it is that we do." There's been public concern about traffic in the business park since 2022, when construction of the NextStar Energy battery plant left the intersection of Twin Oaks Drive and Lauzon Parkway as the only entrance and exit point. Increase in collisions Since then, there have been two emergencies in Twin Oaks, according to a report to council authored by Ian Day, the city's senior manager of traffic operations and parking. Both of those resulted in traffic being blocked from entering and exiting for a long period of time while emergency services responded – though NextStar agreed to open up E.C. Row Avenue East in order to let people out. Collisions at Twin Oaks Drive and Lauzon Parkway have increased in relation to the increase in traffic, according to the report. There had been no pedestrian-involved collisions between January 2015 and December 2024, but on Jan. 21 of this year, a woman was fatally struck by a vehicle as she was trying to cross Twin Oaks Drive on foot. Administration recommended in its report that council hold off on hiring the transportation consultant for four to six months until after NextStar has opened its dedicated access point off Banwell Road and traffic has had a chance to normalize. The city's Commissioner of Infrastructure Services, David Simpson, told council that the city also has significant road works planned for Banwell Road and Lauzon Parkway in its 10 year capital plan, and it does not want to do work prematurely that might not be needed in two to three years time. "The intersection at Twin Oaks and Lauzon is still functioning," Simpson said. "It's functioning at a reduced level of service, but it's certainly not at a point of failure." But McKenzie interrupted Simpson. "There was an accident there today – this morning," he said. Ward 8 Coun. Gary Kaschak, whose ward neighbours McKenzie's, said McKenzie is not exaggerating the traffic issues. The City of Windsor on Tuesday morning announced the new change to the Lauzon 10 bus service, which will last until the new 250 route serving Twin Oaks goes into effect. Starting Tuesday, Feb. 18, the southbound Lauzon 10 will service Twin Oaks Drive and Munich Court.
CBC
06-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Hold off on permanent solutions to Twin Oaks traffic problem, says city report
Wait until the NextStar Energy plant is up and running before hiring a consultant or committing to new road infrastructure to address the traffic situation on Twin Oaks Drive. That's the recommendation to City of Windsor administration in a report that's going before council next week. According to the report, traffic patterns in the Twin Oaks business park should normalize once the EV battery plant is operational — four to six months from now. But Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie, in whose ward Twin Oaks Drive is located, believes short-term safety measures need to be taken now. "On Monday, I'm going to be pushing for some immediate action," McKenzie said. "I think a lot of people would agree... that there are issues we need to address as quickly as we can." The report comes after a pedestrian was fatally struck on Twin Oaks Drive on Jan. 21. The matter remains under investigation, but police have said that a woman was hit by a vehicle as she was trying to cross Twin Oaks Drive on foot. The drive has no sidewalks There's been public alarm about traffic in the business park since 2022 — when ongoing construction of the NextStar Energy facility effectively turned Twin Oaks Drive into a cul-de-sac. Currently, there's only one way in and out of Twin Oaks: The intersection of Twin Oaks Drive and Lauzon Parkway. Customers and employees of the businesses and workplaces in Twin Oaks are reliant on that intersection — as are the builders of the battery plant. Transit Windsor cancelled its bus route through Twin Oaks Drive due to the difficulty of turning buses around along the length of the cul-de-sac. Bus riders wanting to access the business park must walk from the nearest bus stop — on the other side of the E.C. Row Expressway. "We need to run a bus in there as soon as possible," McKenzie said. "There's options. There's partnerships, potentially with some of the existing property owners where we could bring a bus into a parking lot, for example. That's something we can do tomorrow: Run a bus in there." A new permanent bus route is in the works, but it won't be running until further road construction is complete. The report proposes a temporary bus route that would take buses into Twin Oaks Drive only as far as the first intersection — Munich Court. There's also been consideration of new road infrastructure, such as building a new exit to the expressway from Anchor Drive. But the report acknowledges that such a remedy would be years in the making. That's not fast enough for Twin Oaks business owners like Carey Vigneux — owner and director of Winstars Gymnastics Training Centre. "Find some temporary solution to be able to get better access into this area," Vigneux urged council. Vigneux pointed to two incidents in the business park — one of them being the Jan. 21 pedestrian death — when traffic on Twin Oaks Drive was backed up for hours and no alternate route was available. "There were children trapped in this area. Their parents weren't able to pick them up because they couldn't get down here," Vigneux said. The report notes that hiring a third-party expert consultant to review the situation would cost around $44,500. But once NextStar Energy has begun regular operation in the summer of this year, two changes are expected to have a major impact on Twin Oaks Drive traffic. One, access to the battery plant from Twin Oaks Drive will be restricted to approved transport trucks. Two, employees of the site will have dedicated access points on Banwell Road. But Vigneux says that still leaves the intersection with Lauzon Parkway as the only option for regular traffic. "With the number of industrial buildings and businesses in this area, we really need to have a second access point," Vigneux said. "And if there's any kind of emergency and there's a blockage — it certainly doesn't bode well for the emergency vehicles."
