Energy/Automotive News Dec. 26, 2023| WTI Crude $75.66/bbl, Brent $81.14/bbl, Natural Gas $2.51/cf
London, 26 December, 2023, (Oilandgaspress): – High-speed train company Hyperloop One shuts down The aim of Hyperloop One, based on an idea by Elon Musk, was to dramatically cut journey times.It has previously received backing from Virgin founder Richard Branson, but he pulled out last year. The firm will lay off its remaining staff by the end of the year, according to Bloomberg.
Vestas has received a 945 MW order to power an undisclosed wind project in the USA. The order consists of 210 V163-4.5 MW turbines, Vestas’ newest high-capacity wind turbine. The order includes supply, delivery, and commissioning of the turbines, as well as a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to ensure optimised performance of the asset. Turbine delivery is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 with commissioning scheduled in the second quarter of 2027. Read full article
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. has fulfilled its pledge of achieving the mechanical completion of rehabilitation work on Area 5 Plant of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC). Rehabilitation work has been ongoing at the Refinery for over two years and the NNPC Ltd. had pledged to complete Phase One of the project (mechanical completion and flare start-up) of Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5) by 31st December 2023.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the rehabilitation project, which also coincided with the 15th Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee Meeting, the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Mr. Mele Kyari, said as of December 15th, 2023, 84.4% of Area 5 Plant, a key component of the Refinery, and 77.4% of the entire rehabilitation project have been completed. “In our quest to ensure that this refinery is re-streamed to continue to deliver value to Nigerians, we made a promise that we will reach a mechanical completion of phase one of the rehabilitation project by the end of December and get the other plants running in 2024. Today, we have kept those commitments,” Kyari stated. The GCEO commended the NNPC Ltd.’s staff and the EPCIC contractors for doing a great job in ensuring that the refinery achieved that significant milestone. In his remarks, the Chairman of NNPC Ltd Board, Chief Pius Akinyelure described the milestone as “historic”, stressing that the board was proud of the staff and management of the refinery. “We are just starting. We want to be at the highest level of production so that we will keep the prices of petroleum prices in the country stable in order to give comfort to our people and generate more revenue for our country,” Akinyelure noted. Also speaking, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said the milestone is another landmark of the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He thanked Nigerians for their patience and the trust they have in NNPC Ltd.’s ability to deliver on this huge project. Read full article
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced that it participated in the IDEMITSU SUPER ENDURANCE SOUTHEAST ASIA TROPHY 2023 (Thailand 10-hour Endurance Race) held on December 22 and 23 at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit. It competed with a three-vehicle setup for ROOKIE Racing featuring the ORC ROOKIE GR86 CNF concept, a GR86 running on carbon-neutral fuel, the ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 concept, hydrogen-powered Corolla, and CP ROOKIE PRIUS CNF-HEV GR concept, a Prius HEV running on carbon-neutral fuel. All three vehicles completed the race.
Toyota used locally produced hydrogen from the Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), a partner working to achieve a carbon-neutral society in Thailand, for the Thailand 10-hour Endurance Race. Fan appreciation events were also held prior to the race for the people in Thailand who support Toyota on a daily basis, marking a major step toward achieving carbon neutrality and “Fun to Drive” cars through motorsports. Read full article
Stellantis has been committed to involving its employees in the Company’s success as part of the “Care” pillar outlined in its Dare Forward 2030 plan. In November, the Company launched ‘Shares to Win’, its first employee share purchase plan, an ambitious incentive program that enables employees to become shareholders in the Company on preferential terms.
Initially launched to 85,000 employees in France and Italy between November 13 and November 30, Shares to Win was met with great success, with a total investment of around €65 million, including €47 million from individual investment and €18 million matched by the Company, representing around 4.4 million additional shares held by employees. “The success of this step of Shares to Win in Italy and France demonstrates our employees’ confidence in the sustainable future of our Company supported by the execution of our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, which maps out the path to achieving carbon net zero by 2038 and creating value for all our stakeholders,” said Xavier Chéreau, Chief HR & Transformation Officer. “Initiated in France and Italy, our ambition is to ensure that as many of our valuable employees as possible can also become Stellantis shareholders in the near future. This demonstrates our commitment to collective success and the sharing of value creation, while fostering cohesion and pride in belonging to Stellantis.”
A total of 22% of eligible employees subscribed to Shares to Win this year, with an individual investment of around €2,470.
In France, 31% of eligible Stellantis employees subscribed to Shares to Win. In Italy, the rate was 13%, a remarkable result given that this was the very first employee share purchase offered to ex-FCA employees in the country. Read full article
Citroën new ë-C3 has won the Ecobest award 2024, given by the Autobest jury. The prize which looks at environmentally friendly mobility, energy efficiency, and environmental impact reduction recognizes the ë-C3 as the most compelling electric car entering the market in 2024. The new ë-C3 is a game-changer: it is not only an affordable electric vehicle made in Europe, on sale from €23,300 but it is also easy to use and versatile, and boasts an attractive style, suitable equipment and a comfortable on-board experience.
Every year since 2002, Autobest has recognised the car receiving the highest number of votes per category. For the Ecobest one, the cars are assessed on the basis of environmentally friendly mobility and performance aspects such as range, battery or charging as well as criteria related to the cost of ownership. The new ë-C3 was then submitted to the votes of 31 motoring journalists from 31 European countries and has won the “Ecobest” 2024 award.
This acknowledgement for New ë-C3 by a professional jury is coming just after a first very positive feedback from customers since they have been more than 10,000 to book their “You” or “Max” version online.
The Ecobest recognition reinforces Citroën’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of mobility, offering customers an electric car that not only meets environmental standards but also addresses accessibility challenges in the most innovative ways.With its 83 kW (113hp) electric motor and its 44 kWh battery that offers a range up to 320 km in the WLTP cycle, the new ë-C3 delivers more than enough power and performance to satisfy the majority of customers who need an electric city car for urban and suburban travel. Longer travels turn out to be easier thanks to its 100 kW DC fast recharging from 20 to 80% capacity in just 26 minutes and its new e-Routes smart EV trip planner. Read full article
For Automobili Lamborghini, 2023 was the year of the 60th anniversary celebration. An array of events were organized for the occasion that allowed Lamborghini fans and customers to gather in different times and places around the world for unique and unrepeatable experiences driving some of the most iconic cars from the House of Sant’Agata Bolognese. Following a whole year of in-person celebrations, the festivities have also moved into the virtual world to engage the many followers who interact with Lamborghini daily on the various platforms. The House of Sant’Agata Bolognese therefore decided this time to directly engage the fanbase of its social media channels. Automobili Lamborghini is present on Instagram (34.8 M); Facebook (12.8 M); TikTok (3.3 M); X (2.3 M); YouTube (1.9 M); as well as on LinkedIn (980k); Discord (8k); Weibo and WeChat. It was in this spirit that the “60th Digital Parade” was held, a real parade within the gaming world to specifically involve the Esports community and further celebrate the anniversary of the carmaker from Sant’Agata Bolognese. The “60th Digital Parade” was held inside the Forza Horizon 5 racing video game, where the fans gathered to drive models that have made the brand’s history. Five experienced streamers led a convoy of gamers along a route outlined in the game map and embellished with iconic brand elements. The parade was chronicled on Automobili Lamborghini’s social media profiles and live on the channels of the streamers who captained the convoy of cars. It was a one-of-a-kind event that expanded the anniversary celebrations to the entire online community.
Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini remarked: “We felt that we could not fail to organize an event dedicated to our fans on digital platforms as well. After the various in-person events around the world, this initiative is the proper tribute to a fanbase made up of millions of people who show their appreciation and commitment to the brand on a daily basis. This is why we absolutely had to take these valuable numbers into consideration.”
Not just digital events for this important anniversary, but also physical events filled the celebration schedule. To be sure, Lamborghini organized a series of activities aimed at making 2023 a year to remember. One of the most successful initiatives was the Giro Experience, an actual driving tour to some of the most stunning places in the world to celebrate the uniqueness and history of the brand. This world tour touched on several locations, from the United States, where customers were able to speed along the spectacular roads of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, to India, with a tour of the Rajasthan region. Additional stops were made in the Southeast, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, and in China’s Sichuan province.
Another tour and another drive were dedicated to classic cars as part of the Giro Polo Storico, an event designed for owners of Lamborghinis that have made the company’s history. The tour passed through some of the most picturesque places in northern Italy, on the roads of Franciacorta, Alto Garda, and Valpolicella, then arriving at the headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese. The company brought together classic cars from various countries around the world and models of every generation, among them the 350 GT with the second chassis number, the oldest production Lamborghini still in existence, in perfect running condition.
Representatives of the Lamborghini Clubs, comprising a total of 192 members and 14 official clubs globally, also participated enthusiastically in the 60th anniversary celebrations. From June through October, the different clubs organized tours worldwide, in the places where they are present, to celebrate the brand’s 60th anniversary behind the wheels of their cars. From digital to physical, it was a year to remember for Automobili Lamborghini and for all fans of the brand. Read full article
The magical Omani culture and landscapes coupled with five-star luxury and unique experiences shaped the Lamborghini Esperienza Avventura in Oman, which welcomed an exclusive group of guests from across Europe. Each of the four-day tours started with guests arriving in Muscat and a stay at the first of three venues, starting with the renowned beach resort The Chedi. Commencing with a welcome dinner on the seaside at the celebrated five-star coastal venue, guests departed the Chedi next morning in one of eight Urus S[1] reserved for them, accompanied by three Lamborghini professional drivers and support vehicles to cover more than 330 km during the first day. After a coffee break on a cliff facing the white sands of Fins beach, the Urus S tackled challenging rugged areas away from the roads heading up the Hajar mountains, with a lunch break at the 1500m-high Salmah Plateau with its traditional villages, underground caves and tombs. The tour then headed onwards to the endless dunes of Wahiba Sands for a night of exclusive desert glamping, where guests were welcomed by a local Omani Bedouin band and experienced a traditional dinner under the stars of the desert. The second day of driving saw the tour pause for a mid-morning sojourn at Wadi Indam Natural Park, considered one of the biggest rivers in the entire Sultanate, before heading to the 17th century town of Nizwa, an important stronghold in Omani history, where participants could visit the ancient fort and the Imam’s castle. The Super SUV proved its unrivalled abilities to all as it chewed up road miles and tackled sand and rough terrains, arriving for lunch in the ruined village of Birkat Al Mouz amidst its date and banana plantations. The last stage of 280 km’s driving through captivating landscapes led guests to the exclusive Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel, perched on a clifftop over 2000 meters above sea level. The dinner took place on a deck with a breathtaking vista over the surrounding canyon accompanied by the sound of a local oud player. On their final day clients departed to drive 200 km-plus back towards The Chedi, Muscat and they waded the river Wadi Dabaun in the Urus S, that had so capably taken them in versatile luxury across 821 km of varied terrains. Authentic and exclusive experiences combined with insights into Omani culture, characterized by a great hospitality, the Lamborghini guests left Oman full of memories of such a diverse country and of Urus S that had delivered so many unique and memorable driving emotions and experiences. [1] Fuel consumption and emission values of Urus S; Fuel consumption combined: 14,1 l/100km (WLTP); CO₂-emissions combined: 320 g/km (WLTP) Read More
Christmas provided the perfect backdrop for Bugatti to pay a special visit to Semeurs d’Étoiles. Founded by Père Denis Ledogar and based at the Hautepierre hospital in Strasbourg, the association dedicates itself to the wellbeing and welfare of children and their parents that rely on the medical services and specialist teams located at the hospital, helping them with travel and accommodation costs as well as making their stay as comfortable as possible.
On Wednesday December 20, Bugatti President, Christophe Piochon, and Personal Assistant to the Managing Director, Isabelle Wabnitz, devoted some time to the association and the hospital, engaging with the young patients and medical staff as well as delivering a selection of carefully curated Christmas gifts. As the children opened their gifts – which were carefully prepared by Bugatti teams in Molsheim – the entire medical service was filled with smiles, laughter and festive joy.
Bugatti’s unwavering support to the association and the hospital extended beyond the gifts, as the marque presented a generous donation to Père Ledogar and Semeurs d’Étoiles – represented by its President Nicole Martin-Spittler – that will help fund the fantastic work the charity undertakes. Read More
Will 2024 be the year commercial drones take flight in the UAE?
The concept of drones flying around neighbourhoods delivering packages, messages and even people to their destinations is no longer the stuff of science fiction.
Earlier this year, Emirates Post Group (EPG) and aerial logistics provider SkyGo signed an agreement to implement drone-powered delivery services for last-mile logistics between designated locations in Abu Dhabi. Zawya examines the commercial drone usage trials in the UAE over the past year and considers what 2024 could hold for UAVs in the emirates Read full article
SkyGo, Abu Dhabi-based drone technology provider, is partnering with Easy Lease, a leading company in motorcycle rentals, to implement the first-of-its-kind unmanned drone food delivery service in the region. Read full article
Ethmar Holdings subsidiary SkyGo, Signed an agreement with Easy Lease to introduce next-generation drone delivery technologies in the UAE. Read full article
Saudi Investment Minister Khaled Al Falih expected investments of up to $600 billion in the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector by 2030.
Speaking at the Saudi-Japanese Investment Forum hosted in Riyadh on Monday, the minister announced the signing of 14 agreements and memorandums of understanding between Saudi and Japanese entities during the forum.
These agreements span various sectors, including water, telecommunications, information technology, energy, financial services, and healthcare. Read full article
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