Lightning Systems introduced a longer-range, higher-speed, Generation 2 model of its Lightning Electric system for the Ford Transit. (Earlier post.) The Lightning Electric Ford Transit is a battery-electric drivetrain package for the Ford Transit 350HD, a product used extensively by commercial and government fleets. With new thermally-managed NMC battery chemistry,... Read more →

Southern California Edison (SCE) has launched Charge Ready Transport, a program that aims to add charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles at a minimum of 870 commercial sites within the utility’s 50,000 square-mile service area. This program is specifically tailored to Southern California, where the goods movement industry... Read more →

Low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) could reduce China’s demand for gasoline and, in turn, impact global oil prices, according to a new issue brief by an expert in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “Low-Speed Electric Vehicles: An Underappreciated Threat to Gasoline Demand in... Read more →

General Motors President Mark Reuss unveiled the company’s all-new electronic platform necessary for its next-generation of vehicles, EVs, active safety, infotainment and connectivity features, and the evolution of the Super Cruise driver assistance feature. The technology powers an electronic system, capable of managing up to 4.5 terabytes (TB) of data... Read more →

Einride’s T-pod—a cab-less, autonomous electric truck (earlier post)—has driven on a public road. The world premiere and inaugural run took place at DB Schenker’s facility in Jönköping, Sweden. The T-pod will transport goods between a warehouse and terminal at the facility, as part of a commercial flow. Einride’s T-pod has... Read more →

Panasonic will partner with Tropos Motors to advance hyper-efficient electric compact utility vehicles—the second largest class of fleet vehicles. ABLE XR Low-speed electric compact utility vehicles (eCUV) offers benefits to the fleet owner including lower cost of purchase with a reduced cost of operation and maintenance, which equates to a... Read more →

An experimental robot drone that flies like a typical quadcopter, drives on tough terrain and squeezes into tight spaces using the same motors, has been developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers. The hybrid FSTAR (flying sprawl-tuned autonomous robot) will be introduced at the International Conference on Robotics... Read more →

NASA will provide $6 million over the course of three years to support a University Leadership Initiative (ULI) project focused on the development of a fully electric aircraft platform that uses cryogenic liquid hydrogen as an energy storage method. The Center for Cryogenic High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft (CHEETA) project... Read more →

The SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) Board of Directors formally approved its Founding Membership in the California Mobility Center, including an initial investment of $5 million to establish the Center. An additional $10 million will be made available once matching funds are committed by other partners. The California Mobility Center... Read more →

Six new start-ups have been decided on for the founders program in the Future Mobility Incubator at the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden. The winners of the final pitch were: AVILOO from Vienna; Kopernikus from Berlin; NAVENTIK from Chemnitz; Visualix from Berlin; home-IX UG from Stuttgart; and LiGenium from Chemnitz. They... Read more →

Proterra launched Proterra Energy fleet solutions, a full suite of options that enable turnkey delivery of a complete energy ecosystem for heavy-duty electric fleets, including design, build, financing, operations, maintenance and energy optimization. With this comprehensive solution, operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets such as transit bus, school bus,... Read more →

BorgWarner introduced its Onboard Battery Charger (OBC), adding to the company’s impressive portfolio of technologies for plug-in hybrid and pure-electric vehicles. This technology uses silicon carbide technology and is best-in-class for power density, power conversion efficiency and safety compliance, the company says. The OBC is installed in hybrid or electric... Read more →

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the fatal March 2019 crash of a Tesla Model 3 with a semi-trailer in Delray Beach, Fla., stating that the Autopilot driver-assist system was active at the time of the crash. The 2018 Tesla Model 3 EV was southbound in... Read more →

BloombergNEF (BNEF) is out with an aggressive forecast that projects electric vehicles taking up 57% of the global passenger car sales by 2040—slightly higher than it forecast a year ago—and electric buses with 81% of municipal bus sales by the same date. Compared to other major organizations, BloombergNEF continues to... Read more →

Honda is conducting research with Ohio-based electric utility American Electric Power to develop a network of used electric vehicle (EV) batteries that could be integrated into AEP’s electricity system. The project seeks to address multiple challenges related to the expansion of EVs, including the repurposing of used EV batteries, the... Read more →

Electronic control units (ECUs) are playing an increasingly critical role in the automotive industry, driving the development of safer, smarter, cleaner and better-connected cars. As a result, IHS Markit expects global automotive ECU revenue to soar to $211 billion in 2030, rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of... Read more →

The Anaheim Transportation Network has awarded an order for 40 battery-electric buses to BYD. The ATN fleet order will increase the number of BYD electric buses the agency can deploy to serve one of the nation’s busiest tourism and employment regions. The buses range in size from the 30-foot BYD... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group and Rimac Automobili (Rimac) announced a strategic partnership aimed to strengthen the Group’s efforts to lead the high-performance electrified vehicle market and enhance its status as a game changer in Clean Mobility. Under the new partnership, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation will each invest €64... Read more →

Cree, Inc., a leader in silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, has been selected as the exclusive silicon carbide partner for the Volkswagen Group’s “Future Automotive Supply Tracks” Initiative (FAST). The aim of FAST is to work together to implement technical innovations quicker than before and to realize global vehicle projects even... Read more →

Opel presented the new all-wheel drive PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) version of the Grandland X. Topping Opel’s SUV offer (that also comprises the Crossland X and the Mokka X), the Grandland X Hybrid4 combines the power of a 1.6 turbocharged gasoline engine and two electric motors for a system... Read more →

In collaboration with SGL Carbon, Chinese automotive manufacturer NIO has developed prototypes for battery enclosures made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) for its NIO high performance electric vehicles. The battery enclosure is extremely lightweight, stable and safe. The entire battery enclosure, including the batteries, can be changed at swapping stations... Read more →

Following the reveal of the Ami One Concept as a vision for urban electric mobility, Citroën is presenting the 19_19 Concept, expressing Citroën’s vision of ultra-comfort and extended mobility to escape from the cities. The 19_19 Concept is a full-electric concept car with a range of 800 km (497 miles),... Read more →

Daimler AG aims to have a carbon-neutral new passenger car fleet by 2039, said Ola Källenius, the future Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, and currently still responsible for Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development as a member of the Board of Management. Let’s be clear what... Read more →

Elaphe Propulsion Technologies will begin low-volume series manufacturing of L1500 gearless in-wheel powertrain system. The Elaphe L1500 in-wheel motor achieves the highest torque densities of electric motors on the market, generating 1500 N·m of torque without using any gears. A single in-wheel motor can achieve a power output of more... Read more →

The Mercedes-Benz battery-electric eActros will be put through its paces by Rigterink Logistikgruppe in regular operations primarily transporting foodstuffs in the inner-city traffic of Frankfurt am Main, Wiesbaden, Mainz and numerous other municipalities in the Rhine-Main area. The daily distance from the Rigterink logistics premises in Flörsheim am Main to... Read more →

Volkswagen plans to build one million electric vehicles a year by 2025; given this target, handling battery recycling internally is a priority for cost and environmental reasons. In the long term, Volkswagen wants to recycle about 97% of all raw materials in end-of-life EV battery packs. Today, the level is... Read more →

France-based Silicon Mobility announced the availability of OLEA APP INVERTER HE—a high efficiency inverter and electric motor control application. The new inverter is optimized for the OLEA FPCU (Field Programmable Control Unit) which increases the range of hybrid and electric vehicles up to 20% with the same battery capacity. The... Read more →

At a press event yesterday in Berlin, Volkswagen launched pre-booking in Europe for the first model in its new full-electric ID. model family, the ID.3. One day later, Volkswagen reports that customer interest in the initial special edition of the EV—the ID.3 1ST, which is limited to 30,000 vehicles—is significantly... Read more →

Orange EV, Firefly Transportation Services, and The Kraft Heinz Company have deployed three Orange EV T-Series Class 8 battery-electric terminal trucks to the Kraft Heinz distribution center in Groveport, Ohio. Firefly will operate three Orange EV pure electric terminal trucks to do the work formerly accomplished by five diesels. For... Read more →

Volkswagen started pre-booking in Europe for the first model in its new full-electric ID. family, now officially named the ID.3. With immediate effect, potential customers can register for an early production slot for the ID.3 at www.volkswagen.com/id-prebooking by paying a registration deposit of €1,000. The ID.3 1ST special edition, which... Read more →

Mack Trucks unveiled the Mack LR battery electric vehicle (BEV) at WasteExpo 2019. Combining the refuse industry-leading design of the Mack LR model with a fully electric Mack drivetrain, the demonstration model will begin real-world testing in 2020 in the demanding operations of the New York City Department of Sanitation... Read more →

Germany-based Voltabox AG, a provider of lithium-ion battery systems primarily used in buses for public transportation, forklifts, automated guided vehicles and mining vehicles, is expanding its customer base. The company has recently accelerated pilot projects in the automotive sector, some of which will be transferred to series production in the... Read more →

A team of Fraunhofer researchers has significantly enhanced the functionality of GaN power ICs for voltage converters: the researchers at Fraunhofer IAF integrated current and temperature sensors onto a GaN-based semiconductor chip, along with power transistors, freewheeling diodes and gate drivers. This development paves the way for more compact and... Read more →

New Flyer of America Inc. and New Flyer Industries Canada ULC, subsidiaries of NFI Group Inc. (NFI), the largest bus manufacturer in North America, have launched of their Autonomous Technology Program. This program includes development and deployment of technology for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Vehicles (AV), with a... Read more →

Mineta San José International Airport’s (SJC) has deployed a fleet of 10 Proterra battery-electric buses that will transport passengers and their luggage between SJC’s parking lots, rental car center, and terminals. SJC’s deployment is a first for a California airport and among the largest deployments for a US airport. The... Read more →

The amount of electricity consumed by plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) in the United States has nearly doubled in the last two years—from 1.44 terawatt-hours in 2016 to 2.85 terawatt-hours in 2018, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). The share of electricity consumption from all-electric vehicles (EV) increased compared... Read more →

In March 2019, 9.76 GWh of passenger EV battery capacity was deployed globally, an increase of 94% year-over-year according to Adamas Intelligence’s “EV Battery Capacity Monthly”. Adamas said that this increase in battery capacity deployed is especially remarkable when considering that global EV sales increased by a mere 25% over... Read more →

Electrify America launched a mobile app, available for both Android and iPhone. The company’s first app allows users to manage the entire charging session on their phone, increasing convenience for electric vehicle (EV) owners. The company also is introducing two charging membership plans called Electrify America Pass and Electrify America... Read more →

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that Maid of the Mist, which has been navigating the waters of the Lower Niagara River since 1846, will launch later this year two new all-electric, zero-emission passenger vessels constructed in the United States. Rendering of the new electric Maid of the Mist... Read more →

Irizar has signed a contract for 15 zero emissions electric buses and charging infrastructure for Schaffhausen in Switzerland. The energy needed for the charging stations will be generated by the Rhine River as it passes through Schaffhausen. Irizar was awarded the supply contract for the first line of electric buses... Read more →

Hyundai Motor is introducing connectivity and design enhancements for the new IONIQ in Europe. As of its launch in 2016, IONIQ was the world’s first car planned from the start to offer three electrified powertrains: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric. New Hyundai IONIQ Electric The new IONIQ features advanced Blue... Read more →

ABB signed a formal agreement with SAIC Volkswagen to provide robotics painting solutions for the first New Energy Vehicle (NEV) factory of the Volkswagen Group based on the Modular Electric Driver Kit (MEB), an automotive platform specifically designed for the mass production of electric vehicles. Financial details were not disclosed.... Read more →

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWGoA) launched the Inclusive Mobility initiative, an industry-first effort to engage directly with disability groups early in the design of vehicle technologies, user experience and mobility services. Much of the public discussion around automated vehicle technologies has focused on safety, comfort, and convenience. However, for... Read more →

Agility Fuel Solutions, a leading global provider of clean fuel solutions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, introduced high-performance battery packs and complete electric vehicle drivetrain integrations for medium-and heavy-duty trucks. Agility’s battery packs are being delivered to multiple truck OEM electric vehicle programs. These lightweight, liquid-cooled lithium ion (NMC)... Read more →

Novelis Inc. has developed the first aluminum sheet battery enclosure solution to address customers’ needs in the rapidly growing electric vehicle and battery markets. Available globally, this design for next-generation automobiles provides a more sustainable mobility solution in battery electric vehicles, a market that is expected to more than triple... Read more →

On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti released his version of a Green New Deal (LAGND). The LA Green New Deal seeks to “zero out” Los Angeles’ main sources of harmful emissions: buildings, transportation, electricity, and trash. The ambitious plans includes accelerated goals and new targets such as: Building a... Read more →

Lightning Systems, a global developer of zero-emission drivetrains for commercial fleets, announced new battery-electric powertrain options for the Ford F-59 Model to support its customers with delivery and food truck applications. The new Lightning Electric powertrain for the Ford F-59 chassis is available for all F-59 variants, which range from... Read more →

The European car market registered its seventh consecutive month of decline in March 2019, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. Ongoing political and economic uncertainty, including lack of clarity around Brexit, alongside consumer preoccupation with diesel bans in cities, meant that overall demand continued to decline. Last month, 19 of... Read more →

The combined total of light-duty all-electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) sold in China in 2018 was more than 1 million, or 8.1% of the light-duty vehicle market there, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). This compared to 386,000 plug-in vehicles sold in Europe and... Read more →

The BMW Group’s worldwide spare parts logistics center in Dingolfing has recently started piloting autonomous transport platforms. The electrically powered AutoBox helps to move incoming spare parts efficiently from the freight dock to the warehouse. With a deck space of almost 20 square meters, the AutoBox can transport 20 lattice... Read more →