Electrification

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NORMAL, IL—Rivian Automotive Inc. will assemble its much-anticipated R2 on a "technologically advanced production line that runs on smart and connected digital systems."

Zonal architecture organizes electrical components and their connections by physical zones within a vehicle, rather than by functions or domains. 

DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Co. is developing an affordable battery-powered truck that features extended range capabilities.

AUBURN HILLS, MI—BorgWarner has secured a contract with a major North American automaker to provide an 800-volt secondary integrated drive module.

WASHINGTON—Implementing a domestic content threshold on EV chargers could undermine the U.S. clean vehicle industry.

WOLFSBURG, Germany—Volkswagen recently produced its 5 millionth electric drive unit.

The placement of the battery introduces new challenges for engineers, such as packaging, structural reinforcement and crash management. Also, heavy battery packs must be offset with lighter and stronger structural components to improve cornering and suspension load.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia—Porsche AG is assembling its new Cayenne Electric at a flexible factory here.

FREMONT, CA—Tesla Inc. plans to stop making electric vehicles at its flagship factory here and scale up production of humanoid robots instead.

MUNICH—The third generation of the BMW Group’s hydrogen drive system will be manufactured in Steyr starting in 2028; and the company’s competence centers in Munich and Steyr are already building the first prototypes.