As governments stretch to meet their Paris Agreement goals and other sustainability targets, global demand for light-duty road freight is set to more than double between 2020 and 2050. A growing global population, rising income levels, and a booming e-commerce industry all factor into this increase in demand.

The development of autonomous buses and roboshuttles is likely to continue somewhat slowly due to a lack of funding and regulatory challenges. However, IDTechEx highlights the next stages of developments within their report, and with the already commercialized examples of autonomous city buses and minibusses, success in the industry is increasingly likely.

Utilizing alternatives to helium where possible could allow for a greater conservation of helium, which could prove to be necessary for the market going forward. IDTechEx reports that since 2005, there have been 4 supply shortages of helium, each resulting in high price volatility, with the price of helium having almost doubled since 2021.

Thursday 5 December 2024 - Electric Light Commercial Vehicles: The Present and Future of Cargo; An overview of the global LCV industry; The role of regulation in LCV electrification; Key sales trends and manufacturers across global markets; Total costs of ownership (TCO) for eLCVs; Hydrogen fuel cell and plug-in hybrid LCVs

Electric vehicles (EVs) have seen tremendous growth historically, but growth has slowed somewhat in 2024. The goal of automakers is to reduce the cost of making EVs, both to improve their profit margins on existing vehicles and to make lower-cost models more feasible.

Autonomous driving technologies have seemingly been on the horizon for the last decade, maybe more. Over the past four years, level 3 technologies have been certified for consumer use on public roads, hands-off/eyes-on driving has solidified as a market segment, and commercial driverless robotaxi services have become available to the public.

The scale of the challenges faced by electric aviation, with weight, range, ownership costs, and even carbon footprint, all need consideration. Despite this, IDTechEx believes that current technical trends combined with achievable business use cases will generate significant electric plane uptake in the future.

How will thermal long-wave infrared (LWIR) cameras become a US$500m market for autonomous emergency braking (AEB)? Find out in this brief summary by IDTechEx Technology Analyst, John Li.

Over the past couple of years, IDTechEx has reported on the emergence of commercial robotaxi services but has always needed to caveat this with the fact that they have been heavily restricted. Well, in 2024, the shackles are coming off, and the industry is getting ready for take-off.

Communication between passengers and the vehicle is clearer with HUDs, which can make for a safer journey. Customization is also a highly desirable feature for drivers when choosing how they interact with their vehicle.

Thursday 21 November 2024 - Despite a Challenging Year, Regulations and Technologies Are Set to Transform the Electric Vehicle Market in 2025; Deep dive into global and regional sales figures up to H1 2024, including PHEV and BEV sales, and key OEMs; Overview of the Li-ion battery market by cathode and capacity (kWh); Breakdown of the EU CO2 regulations and positioning of OEMs in advance of 2025 rule changes; Growth of the electric pickup market in the US, and EPA/CARB regulation breakdown; Technology trends, 800V architectures, and evolving motor choices; Market outlook until 2045

The future of the automotive industry is heading towards the acceptance of automation and the enforcement of electrification. Despite the crossover of these two phenomena becoming increasingly present within the automotive industry, automation and electrification individually offer unique environmental and safety benefits to vehicles and their passengers.

Tuesday 19 November 2024 - Electric car sales and market growth analysis; Key charging trends, including cable-based conduction and other technologies; Charging beyond private cars, including MW charging for trucks and fleet charging, and DC fast charging; Market overview of the charging infrastructure industry, including key player performance; Off-grid charging solutions for rural, industrial, and grid constrained situations

On Tuesday, November 5th, millions of Americans went to the polls to vote for the 47th President of the United States. The results were emphatic: a second Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Senate. While this election will impact many aspects of the global economy, what do these results entail for one of the world's biggest automotive markets?

The Society of Automotive Engineers defines 6 levels (0 to 5) of autonomy available to vehicles, ranging from level 0 (no automation) to level 5 (full automation). To achieve level 4+, automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers are required to expand their sensor suites beyond conventional cameras and radar, accompanied by reliable software to perceive the vehicle's surroundings.

Hydrogen and its derivatives (e.g. ammonia, methanol) will be crucial in decarbonizing diverse sectors and serving as energy carriers for global renewable energy transport. As a result, the market is seeing increased commercial interest from technology providers, engineering services, and project developers eager to capitalize on this expanding opportunity.

As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to reshape the automotive landscape, the integration of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology offers transformative potential for both the energy grid and vehicle owners.

Decarbonizing aviation could be the next big step for the sustainable transportation industry, and with the popularity of both national and international travel, there is opportunity emerging for both electric and hydrogen-powered planes.

Wednesday 13 November 2024 - Enabling Emerging Industries Through Thermal Management in 2024 and Beyond; Thermal management fluids and greater component integration in EVs; EV power electronics and its emerging thermal management needs; Adoption of new thermal management systems in data centers; How the above trends impact thermal interface materials and their application

IDTechEx forecasts the global Li-ion market to reach over US$400 billion by 2035. This article explores the key material trends shaping the Li-ion battery market, particularly the rise of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and shifts in graphite material.