Porsche Consulting will design lithium-metal and solid-state battery maker Sakuu’s first 3D-printing gigafactory for commercial production.
Sakuu, which says it’s the “developer of the world’s first 3D printed solid-state battery,” has paired up with Porsche Consulting because it wants to tap into the automaker subsidiary’s large-scale factory design expertise.
With respect for its deep expertise in automotive plant ideation and execution, we ultimately selected Porsche Consulting due to our belief that its team exhibits mastery in designing large-scale manufacturing plants – start to finish.
Sakuu, which opened a 79,000-square-foot energy-producing pilot line facility in San Jose, California, in August 2022, says it will build gigafactories to meet its 2030 annual energy output goal of 200 GWh across its product line. It plans to break ground on two gigafactories in 2024.
The 3D-printed battery maker says sustainable design is a priority, and it also wants to figure out a way to maximize manufacturing efficiency so it can be rolled out and replicated internationally.
Sakuu’s first plant design will accommodate roll-to-roll manufacturing for its line of high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is when a flexible base material known as a “substrate” is unrolled on an assembly line, and then modifying materials are layered onto that substrate one at a time with re-rolls – and that’s why it’s called “roll-to-roll.”
The battery maker also plans to build “first-of-their-kind plants” that feature Sakuu’s “Kavian” 3D printing method in order to make its Swift Print solid-state battery line.
Sakuu’s Kavian platform “can enable high-volume, automated, and cost-effective production of Swift Print battery cells – in any size or shape.” Its website states that its Swift Print lithium-metal sample cells, which have higher capacity and longer life and “can charge to 80%,” will ship this year.
Because the batteries are customizable, Sakuu can make batteries for everything from EVs to electric bikes to grid energy storage.
Gregor Harman, CEO of Porsche Consulting, North America, said of Sakuu:
Their seminal and scalable additive manufacturing approach can bring incredible innovation to major industries transitioning to new energy solutions – automotive and beyond.
Electrek’s Take
Sakuu falls into the “one to watch” category. Since they hired Porsche Consulting, it’s apparent that it’s going to prioritize the 3D printing of EV batteries.
In an August news post, Sakuu said it was aiming for “60 GWh by 2028.” It’s upped its production goal considerably since today it said that it’s now aiming for 200 GWh by 2030.
We look forward to seeing what happens next and which EV and clean energy companies it works with. My money’s on Porsche.
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A dozen Tesla vehicles burned at a store in Toulouse, France. Arson is suspected amid global protests and vandalism attacks against Tesla and Elon Musk.
Last night, a dozen Tesla vehicles burned down at Tesla’s retail and service location in Plaisance-du-Touch near Toulouse, France.
Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 4 a.m. and contained the fire to the vehicles. Eight of them were completely destroyed, and four were greatly damaged. The damages are estimated at over 700,000 euros.
According to the local news (translated from French), the police suspected arson as a hole was found in a fence, and threats had been made over the last few weeks. The Tesla location remained closed all day.
In France, there were a few protests planned, but some extremist groups are calling for widespread arson against Tesla stores:
I won’t share the link to the article since it gives step-by-step instructions on how to burn down Tesla stores without getting caught, but the manifesto explains that they are going after Tesla as a “symbol of capitalism,” although they also list a dozen other reasons including the fact that they think it’s “doable and cheap.”
Electrek’s Take
This is getting nuts. It’s not only dangerous, but it’s also not super effective in achieving the goal they claim to want to achieve.
Have they never heard of insurance? Tesla is having issues selling cars right now. You are burning unsold inventory that they can then claim to their insurance.
Sure, it disrupts their operations for a short period of time, but it’s not worth it.
Their manifesto does say to avoid violence and not to target vehicles owned by individuals – though it doesn’t sound like a strict rule for them, but I think these people are likely going to end up in jail for having achieved nothing.
The protests and boycotts are going strong. You don’t need to burn cars to make yourself heard.
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Is Ford’s electric pickup in trouble? Sales have been down for months, and February showed no relief. What’s going on with the Ford F-150 Lightning?
Ford F-150 Lightning sales drop again in February 2025
Ford’s US sales dropped by 9% last month. Although electrified vehicles, including EVs and hybrids, both notched double-digit growth, sales of Ford’s gas-powered (ICE) models, which accounted for over 85% of deliveries, fell nearly 13%.
Hybrids saw higher demand with sales up 27.5% to 15,357, while EV sales increased 15% to 7,326. The Mustang Mach-E was a bright spot with 3,312 models sold in February, up 13% from the prior year.
With 6,841 Mach-Es sold through the first three months of 2025, Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains a top-selling EV in the US.
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Ford’s electric pickup didn’t fare as well. F-150 Lightning Sales were down nearly 15% last month with only 2,199 units sold. Through March, Ford has sold 15% fewer Lightning models than it did at this time last year.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Black (Source: Ford)
Sales of the electric pickup have been slipping for months now. In the final three months of 2024, F-150 Lightning sales were down 10%.
The Lightning, alongside Rivian’s R1T, are no longer the only electric pickups on the market. Ford is facing new competition with the Tesla Cybertruck, Chevy Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV, arriving.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash (Source: Ford)
According to Cox Automotive, the Tesla Cybertruck slipped past the Lightning to become the fifth best-selling EV in the US last year with nearly 39,000 units sold. Ford’s Lightning was sixth with just over 33,500 models sold.
Ford extended its “Power Promise” promo earlier this year to boost demand, giving EV buyers a Level 2 home charger and other benefits, but Lightning sales are still down.
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)
The American automaker cut Lightning production at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center last year, citing slower-than-expected demand. A new report from Automotive News claims Ford is now ending a pilot program to stock and distribute EVs through regional hubs after it failed to catch on. It was designed to speed up deliveries.
Although Ford plans to launch a smaller midsize electric pickup, it won’t arrive until at least two more years. With new competition, like the Ram 1500 REV and Volkswagen Scout pickup, hitting the market over the next few years, Ford may find it even harder to attract buyers.
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Costco’s Auto Program recently introduced some new member-only incentives, and the 2025 Volvo EX90 BEV is now on its list.
Volvo is offering Costco Executive Members $2,000 off the 2025 EX90. Costco Gold Star and Business members are eligible for $1,500 off. The incentives are available on all versions of the Volvo EX90 for members who purchase or lease from February 24 to April 30, 2025. It’s the only non-GM EV that’s that’s eligible for an incentive through the EV program.
The offer is compatible with A-Plan pricing for employees, as well as Affinity Pricing for teachers and first responders. Costco members will have had to have been members as of February 23 and be the primary members on the Costco account to qualify.
Volvo EX90 interior (Source: Volvo)
However, CarsDirect gave the heads up on how buyers can get up to $10,000 off the EX90’s MSRP. As we stated, if you’re a Costco Executive Member, that’s $2,000 off. Then, add the $7,500 EV Lease Allowance and a $500 loyalty discount on leases if you currently own or lease a Volvo or have owned or leased a Volvo within the past six months.
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With the destination fee included, the base EX90 MSRP starts at $81,290, so that brings it down to $71,290, a more than 12% discount, a pretty good deal.
The 2025 AWD Volvo EX90, which can seat seven passengers comfortably, has a range of up to 310 miles and is NACS-compatible. It has a 510 hp engine, 110 kWh battery capacity, and can go from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds.
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