Norway’s TECO 2030 made the announcement last
night,10 Dec saying it was no longer
possible to raise sufficient capital to continue operations at the
five-year-old company.
Europe has found
itself struggling this year to remain competitive when it comes to fuel cell
technology and new forms of batteries for transport, hit hard by the immense
production capacity coming out of China. Last month, Northvolt, a Swedish maker
of battery cells for electric vehicles, also filed for bankruptcy protection.
Europe’s struggles to develop its own fuel cell
supply chains led Oliver Zipse, the CEO of German automotive giant BMW, to call
earlier this year for the European Union to ease its timeline for a ban on
sales of new cars with petrol and diesel engines to reduce reliance on China’s
battery supply chain.In Europe, sales of new fossil-fuelled cars are due to be outlawed in
2035, while in the UK they – except some hybrids – will be banned five years
earlier.