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Mercedes-Benz to boost stake in Aston Martin to 20%, lend it some tech

Daimler unit Mercedes-Benz is to lift its stake in Britain's Aston Martin to up to 20% by 2023, making it one of the struggling British carmaker's largest shareholders, Aston said on Tuesday. Aston Martin, popular for being James Bond's carmaker of choice, has suffered a torrid time since it went public two years ago, with its shares losing two-thirds of their value this year. The 107-year-old firm hired Tobias Moers, former CEO of Mercedes-AMG, as its new boss from August. Aston said the increase in Mercedes-Benz's stake, from 2.6% currently, would take place in several stages as part of a wider issue of 250 million shares at 50 pence each. The stock issued to the German group will have a maximum value of 286 million pounds ($372.7 million), it said. The deal will see an existing supply agreement between the two firms, in place since 2013, expanded to give Aston Martin access to key Mercedes' technology, including hybrid and electric drive systems. "We take another major step forward as our long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG moves to another level, with them becoming one of the company's largest shareholders," said Aston's chairman and biggest shareholder Lawrence Stroll. The German firm will get the right to nominate one non-executive director to Aston Martin's board after its first shareholding increase, the London-listed firm said. Aston, which has started deliveries of its first sport utility vehicle, the DBX, said on Tuesday it swung into an adjusted core loss of 29 million pounds in the third quarter, versus a profit of 43 million pounds last year. Revenue in the period nearly halved to 124 million pounds, it said. Aston Martin is targeting annual capex of 250 million pounds to 300 million pounds per year between 2021 and 2025. It envisages production volumes of about 10,000 units, revenues of about 2 billion pounds and adjusted core profit of 500 million pounds by financial years 2024 or 2025.

Recharge Wrap-up: Volvo's efficient truck concept, Tesla's updated mobile charger is cheaper

Mercedes-Benz plans to equip its gasoline-powered cars with particulate emissions filters, just like its diesel vehicles. Claiming to be the first automaker to apply the technology to gasoline motors, successful testing in the S500 led to the decision to expand the use of these filters. This announcement coincides with a $3.35 billion investment in clean diesel technology, including a new four-cylinder engine that adheres to strict emissions guidelines. It's not clear when Mercedes will begin including the filters on its gasoline vehicles, or if it intends to use them outside of Europe. Read more at Green Car Reports. Tesla has updated its mobile charger and given it a lower price. The 40-amp "Mobile Connector Bundle" – which used to sell for $650 – is now priced at $550 with two adapters and a storage bag, with an available $520 version offered without the adapters. Tesla's product description reads, "The Corded Mobile Connector has an integrated 240 volt 50 amp rated plug for high power output. A seamless design provides a low profile connection, allowing for use with covered outdoor outlets." Read more at Electrek. Volvo has developed a new truck concept that reduces fuel consumption by more than 30 percent. The modified Volvo FH 420 long-haul truck, simply called the Volvo Concept Truck, features 40 percent better aerodynamic efficiency, a weight reduction of about 4,400 pounds, and tires with lower rolling resistance. The truck's rear view mirrors have been replaced by cameras, which, in addition to reducing drag, also improve safety through better visibility. While the research vehicle won't reach market as-is, some of its aerodynamic features have already been included in real-world applications, with more to come as Volvo aims to improve the efficiency of its trucks by 50 percent. Read more at Green Car Congress, and in the press release below. Volvo Trucks' new concept truck cuts fuel consumption by more than 30% Almost one-third lower fuel consumption. Volvo Trucks' new concept vehicle shows how it is possible to drastically boost productivity in long-haul operations. Among the secrets behind these remarkable fuel savings are aerodynamic design and lower kerb weight. With support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Volvo Trucks has developed a new concept vehicle, the Volvo Concept Truck. It is the result of a five year long research project aimed at creating more energy-efficient vehicles.

Recharge Wrap-up: KillaJoule hits 270 mph; Mercedes B-Class ED gets PlugShare

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive will get its own version of the PlugShare charging-station locator app. Developed by Recargo with the help of Daimler, the vehicle-specific app will be integrated into the car's navigation system. The system maps the location of nearby charging stations from various networks. So far, Mercedes-Benz doesn't offer a universal pay service for the various charging networks, like those offered by BMW and Nissan. Read more at Green Car Reports. HyperSolar uses solar energy to make hydrogen from water. Without using electrolyzers, HyperSolar uses a photochemical process to separate and capture the hydrogen in the water, which can then be used for clean energy, such as automotive fuel cells. The solar devices are submerged in water inside a container, and sunlight powers the device to free the hydrogen. HyperSolar claims that its process is more efficient and cost effective than other methods used to produce hydrogen from water. See some demonstrations in the videos below and learn more at HyperSolar's website. Eva Hakansson drove the KillaJoule electric motorcycle to a top speed of 270.224 miles per hour. After a computer model showed a possibility of about 270 mph, the team took the motorcycle with sidecar out to the salt flats for Mike Cook's Shootout. Everything went smoothly, and Hakansson easily surpassed speeds of the 249.1-mph world record she set a few weeks ago. The team is calling it quits for the season, but will make some tweaks to the KillaJoule in hopes of getting 300 mph out of the red bullet next year. Read more at KillaCycle Racing, or at Business Insider. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.