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GM Ventures has invested $10 million in materials science company Forge Nano, which makes Atomic Armor, an innovative EV battery technology.

GM and Forge Nano

Capital investment into Forge Nano now exceeds $100 million; GM joins Volkswagen, LG, Hanwha, and Mitsui Kinzoku as shareholders.

GM and Forge Nano have also signed a strategic partnership agreement to use Forge Nano’s proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology, Atomic Armor, to develop thin-film coatings to enhance GM’s cathode active materials. Forge Nano will build prototype lithium-ion battery cells at its Colorado headquarters to improve GM’s EV battery performance and lifespan.

Atomic Armor is a surface coating that, when applied to an EV battery, prevents corrosion, strengthens properties, and improves performance. It results in a 20% increase in range and gives the EV battery the ability to fast charge in 10 minutes.

Forge Nano says it plans to use the money to continue to expand its battery material coating business, which includes in-house active material coating services, external equipment sales, and production of Atomic Armor-powered battery cells. It will also expand its footprint in semiconductors.

Forge Battery

Forge Battery is Forge Nano’s manufacturing business, which I visited at the end of September on a press trip arranged by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina to the state’s Battery Belt.

Forge Battery is currently fitting out a 277,000-square-foot space (pictured above) that it’s leased in Morrisville, North Carolina, where it will manufacture ALD-enabled, high-performance (307 Wh/kg) NMC/Si-G 21700 Li-ion cells. (Forge Battery also has a newly constructed gigafactory in Raleigh, where it’s begun to produce and ship 300 Wh/kg Atomic Armor-powered lithium-ion prototype cells.)

Forge Battery told us its target market includes heavy trucking, offroad vehicles, motorcycles, and defense.

The Morrisville site will have a 1 GWh per year production capability underway in 2026 and will grow to 3 GWh per year by 2029 once it gets the power it needs from utility Duke Energy. Forge Battery’s supply chain will initially be 90% US-sourced, with the goal of a 100% US supply chain by project completion. (The 10% isn’t yet made in the US; that’s sourced from South Korea.)

The US Department of Energy recently awarded Forge Battery $100 million as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it will use that money to expand its production capacity to 3 GWh/year. When we visited the vast space, which will be made even larger with the new funding, preparations were underway for a press conference the next day where Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) and US Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm were going to announce the funding officially.

That event had to be canceled due to Hurricane Helene’s impending arrival. We all left early, and at the time, none of us knew how devastating the damage would be to the western part of the state.

Read more: Forge Battery says its 21700 EV batteries fast charge in 10 minutes

Electrek’s Take

When people ask what the Biden administration has been up to over the last few years, Forge Battery is a great example of the mind-blowing domestic clean energy and EV growth the federal government (and the state of North Carolina) is supporting. It’s mind-boggling to think that all of this has happened in just a few short years. Good policy gets real-world results, and it was great to see it in person.

Forge Nano and Forge Battery are creating better-performing EV batteries. These should encourage more people to adopt EVs. They’re also creating direct and indirect jobs in North Carolina and elsewhere. And most importantly, the product they build encourages people to stop burning fossil fuels that warm the earth with emissions and create ever more intense hurricanes like Helene that devastate communities and lives.

If you are in a position to help, the state’s North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is accepting donations to support the communities most impacted.

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Blink + Hubject unlock easier EV charging across North America

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Blink + Hubject unlock easier EV charging across North America

Blink Charging (Nasdaq: BLNK) has struck a deal with Hubject to make charging easier for EV drivers across North America.

The agreement will bring Blink into Hubject’s intercharge eRoaming platform as a charge point operator. That means electric mobility service providers (eMSPs) and their customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico will soon have access to Blink’s charging stations through their existing apps. In turn, Blink drivers will gain better access to stations connected through Hubject’s network.

Hubject, which already connects more than 1 million charging points and 2,750 partners worldwide, expects the integration to strengthen its North American presence by adding Blink’s wide-ranging network of chargers, from Level 2 workplace stations to DC fast charging. Blink, meanwhile, anticipates more customers will plug in, thanks to Hubject’s reach.

“Our collaboration with Blink marks an important step in expanding our North American intercharge network,” said Trishan Peruma, CEO of Hubject North America. “By integrating Blink’s network into our eRoaming platform, we aim to help reduce barriers that have historically complicated EV charging and to support the continued growth of EV adoption across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”

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Blink Charging’s president and CEO Mike Battaglia added, “Connecting the Blink Network to Hubject’s platform will allow more drivers to benefit from interoperable charging while traveling.”

The integration will use the industry-standard OCPI protocol to keep billing and communication between networks secure and reliable. Deployment is planned in phases throughout 2025, with full integration targeted for the end of the year.

Read more: Blink just made it a lot easier to find its charging stations


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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N gets a new Essentials trim in Korea and a lower price tag

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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N gets a new Essentials trim in Korea and a lower price tag

Hyundai wants to make the electric sports car for everyone. Not just those who can afford it. The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim was launched in Korea on Monday, offering a lower price tag but the same thrilling drive.

Hyundai launches new IONIQ 5 N Essentials in Korea

The IONIQ 5 N is Hyundai’s first EV sports car under the IONIQ series. Initially launched in 2023, the IONIQ 5 N marked a new era for Hyundai’s high-performance N division.

Hyundai’s electric hot hatch not only looks the part with added sporty “N” branded elements scattered inside and out, but it’s also packed with fun features, advanced tech, and a host of drive modes.

Based on a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, the IONIQ 5 N delivers up to 641 horsepower when N Grin Boost is engaged. Even without it, the electric sports car packs 601 hp.

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It also draws power from an 84 kWh battery, good for an EPA-estimated range of 221 miles. On the WLTP scale, it’s rated with an official range of 278 miles (448 km). The added power results in a lower range than other IONIQ 5 trims.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)

Although it was already one of the most affordable sports cars, EV or gas-powered, Hyundai is lowering the price even further.

After launching the new Essentials model in South Korea on Monday, Hyundai said the new trim “is characterized by lowering the barrier to entry so that customers can experience the overwhelming driving performance of the IONIQ 5 N at a reasonable price through optimized specifications.”

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai focused on core convenience features while including the same high-performance motors, battery, and N-specific elements as the base model.

A Hyundai official said, “The Essential trim of the IONIQ 5 N is a new trim that offers greater cost-effectiveness to lower the barrier to entry for high-performance electric vehicles.”

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)

The IONIQ 5 N features advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including highway driving assist and navigation-based smart cruise control. Hyundai has also added an exclusive new “Parking Assist Lite” package, offering safety and convenience features such as surround view monitoring and rear parking assistance.

The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim starts at 74.9 million won ($54,000), including tax benefits. Hyundai said it will continue to make competitive products so more buyers can experience high-performance EVs.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-N
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)

Although the Essentials trim is not available in the US, the IONIQ 5 N is still more affordable than most sports cars. The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N starts at $66,200. But, with the $7,500 tax credit, which is set to expire on September 30, leases are currently listed as low as $549 per month.

Looking to test the IONIQ 5 out for yourself? You can use our link to find the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and high-performance N models near you today (trusted affiliate link).

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In a blow to Trump, judge clears Ørsted’s Revolution Wind to resume

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In a blow to Trump, judge clears Ørsted’s Revolution Wind to resume

A federal judge has cleared the way for Ørsted’s nearly complete 704-megawatt (MW) Revolution Wind offshore wind farm to restart construction, overturning a stop-work order imposed by the Trump administration.

Reagan-appointed senior US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction in Washington, DC, calling the government’s conduct “the height of arbitrary and capricious government conduct.” He added, “If Revolution Wind cannot meet benchmark deadlines, the entire project could collapse. There is no doubt in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.”

Ørsted welcomed the ruling and said in a statement, “Revolution Wind will continue to seek to work collaboratively with the US Administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution. Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.”

The decision marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to stall offshore wind development. Revolution Wind is already about 80% complete, with all turbine foundations and 45 of 65 turbines successfully installed, and expected to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Earlier this month, the two states’ attorneys general announced they were suing the Trump administration to overturn its “baseless” decision to halt Revolution Wind. That underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order will continue to progress.

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Oceantic Network CEO Liz Burdock said, “Today’s decision allowing work to resume on Revolution Wind is welcome news for the hundreds of skilled workers who can now return to their jobs while the legal process continues. This Made in America energy project is putting Americans to work building reliable, affordable power to communities across New England that desperately need it.”

Read more: Connecticut, Rhode Island sue Trump to save 80% complete offshore wind farm


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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