Off-road electric vehicle manufacturer Taiga Motors Corp. reached a $1.3-million revenue milestone in the third quarter of 2022, thanks to the deliveries of over 40 electric Orca jet-skis to Canadian consumers.

SustainableBiz reported on the initial deliveries of its Nomad electric snowmobiles in March. Both the snowmobiles and jet-skis were included in Time’s list of the best inventions of 2022.

“The third quarter presented supply chain challenges which limited our ability to produce but gave us an opportunity to review and revamp our production plan. We have made strong progress in developing a high-volume supply base and production process to help further our lead in electric powersports,” said Samuel Bruneau, Taiga’s CEO, in a statement.

“As such, we have revised our production plan for the Montreal facility to soon allow simultaneous production of the personal watercraft and snowmobile for added flexibility. This is yet another benefit of our modular approach to manufacturing our vehicles and powertrains."

Orca deliveries will continue in Canada and will be initiated in the Southern U.S. in the coming weeks.

Taiga (TAIG-T) will also begin production of its 2023 Nomad snowmobile in Q1 2023.

The company expects to significantly scale-up production to deliver 2,500 to 3,500 units in 2023.

Lion Electric enters agreement with li-ion battery supplier

Lion Electric Company has entered into a four-year agreement with a "top-tier" lithium-ion battery supplier. In response to a query from SustainableBiz, a Lion spokesperson said the company cannot identify the supplier at this point.

Thirty-nine million battery cells are to be purchased by Lion Electric (LEV-T) in 2023 and 2024. The volumes for 2025 and 2026 are yet to be decided.

Either party has termination rights and penalties in the event specified volumes are not met in the allotted period.

In August, SustainableBiz reported on Lion Electric's second-quarter sales. The Saint-Jérôme, Que.-based company had over 700 electric vehicle (EVs) on the road and approximately 1,300 employees on its payroll in the second quarter of 2022.

Hypercharge listed on the NEO Exchange

Hypercharge Networks Corp., a smart EV charging solutions provider, has been listed on the NEO Exchange, becoming the first Canadian-founded company in the sector to go public.

The Vancouver-based company (HC-NE) launched its EV charging solutions in April. It has sold over 600 charging ports at 102 sites across North America and has built a pipeline of projects over $9 million. A release says its next steps are to expand in Canada and the U.S.

“There is a clear and growing trend towards the broad adoption of EVs in both the consumer and commercial auto markets,” said David Bibby, CEO and co-founder of Hypercharge, in a statement on the listing. 

“Developing the infrastructure to support this growth is crucial for the success of widespread EV adoption. We are delivering this and taking it one step further, by offering smart EV technology that can support the success of a range of customers including multi-unit residential, commercial retail and fleet operators.”

In June, SustainableBiz reported on AXSO’s partnership with Hypercharge to provide EV software solutions to Hypercharge users.

A 2022 BloombergNEF report forecasted EV adoption to reach 52 per cent in the U.S by 2030, and Natural Resources Canada estimates EV adoption to reach 60 per cent in Canada by 2030, up from eight per cent where it currently sits, in a 2022 report.

Fortune Business Insights projects the global EV charging stations market size to grow from $23.54 billion in 2021 to $149.76 billion by 2028.

Euro Manganese begins Chvaletice demonstration plant commissioning

Vancouver-based Euro Manganese Inc. has begun commissioning of its Chvaletice mining project in the Czech Republic. The project, which involves reprocessing old tailings from a decommissioned mine, is the only sizable manganese source in the European Union.

Manganese can be a key element in the manufacture of lithium-ion and other types of batteries.

Six companies involved in the EV battery value chain and the specialty alloy industry have requested demonstration plant samples, which will be delivered beginning in Q1 2023.

Another six companies, including European and North American automotive original equipment manufacturers, battery manufacturers and cathode manufacturers are expected to request similar samples, according to a release.

SustainableBiz previously reported on the project’s life-cycle assessment in August. Euro Manganese (EMN-X) had stated it could fulfill 20 per cent of the projected 2030 European demand for high-purity manganese.

Samples from a second pilot plant project in China are ready for shipping.

The company is also exploring opportunities to produce manganese products for the North American market in the Bécancour, Que. industrial park. A scoping study is currently underway.

The demand for North American high purity manganese is expected to rise to approximately 200,000 tonnes per year of metal equivalent by 2031.

RHT RailHaul debuts self-propelled electric freight

Vancouver-based RHT RailHaul Technologies Inc. has completed the design, manufacture and assembly of its first battery-powered autonomous rail car.

The company claims its studies of mining clients’ haul routes show potential cost savings of 30 to 40 per cent and up to 95 per cent reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

“We have already seen strong interest in our approach and our technology from leading mining companies, ports and railway operators in North America,” Michael Price, RailHaul’s president, CEO and co-founder said in a statement. “This first vehicle is an important step in proving that we can deliver the performance and value we have been discussing.”

The initial focus will be in open-pit mining applications, ports and remote communities. Production is planned for mid-2023.

BluWave-ai launches version 2.0 of fleet electrification SaaS

Ottawa-based renewable energy optimization firm BluWave-ai has launched version 2.0 of its EV Fleet Orchestrator software-as-a-service (SaaS) product, aimed at helping fleet operators electrify their vehicles.

That can include municipal mass transit, last-mile delivery, airport ground support, corporate vehicle fleets and taxis.

The software manages the live operation of EV transport systems, including operating vehicles and managing buildings’ electricity utilization, real-time market price management and peak-shaving targets.

It can also simulate fleet operations to assist in planning and managing assets.

BluWave-ai has completed analysis and simulation for Dubai Taxi's fleet operations, which showed an initial 13 per cent reduction in emissions and energy costs.

FedDev Ontario provided a $1.7-million loan as part of the $6-million project. The funding supports testing to bring the Fleet Orchestrator to production.

SustainableBiz previously reported on BluWave-ai’s other SaaS platform, EV Everywhere, whiich pools the storage and charging capabilities of EV batteries to reduce demand peaks and take advantage of lower-cost energy at off-peak hours. SustainableBiz also reported on its solar energy system powering a Bryan Adams concert in Summerside, P.E.I.