GKN Automotive, a leading global supplier of electric drive, all-wheel drive and driveline technology and systems, and Delta Electronics Inc., a world-class provider of power and thermal management solutions, will collaborate on the joint development of next-generation integrated 3-in-1 (inverter, motor and transmission fully integrated) eDrive systems of power classes... Read more →

In the Bergedorf quarter of Hamburg, a container with a total capacity of approximately 500 kWh has been connected to the depot charging network at the Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) depot. There, MAN Truck & Bus and VHH want to work together to test how used batteries behave after initial use... Read more →

Meritor, a leading global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking and aftermarket solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets, has acquired all the outstanding common shares of Transportation Power (TransPower), a provider of electrification technologies for large commercial vehicles. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In 2017, Meritor made a... Read more →

Audi is working to electrify one in ten parking spaces at its German plants by mid-2022; most of these charging spaces will be accessible to the public. This independent concept is the largest charging infrastructure project carried out by a German employer. The ~€100-million investment provides Audi with a head... Read more →

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the New York State Department of Public Service issued a report recommending the establishment of a statewide utility-supported “Make-Ready” Program that would provide incentives to light-duty electric vehicle supply equipment and infrastructure (EVSE&I) for both Level 2 and Direct Current Fast Charger... Read more →

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation (S2252) that establishes goals and incentives for the increased use of plug-in electric vehicles (BEV and PHEV) and infrastructure in New Jersey. (Earlier post.) The bill also codifies the Murphy Administration’s goal of 330,000 registered light-duty electric vehicles by 2025 and directs state-owned... Read more →

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) confirmed that it is in discussions with Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. (Foxconn) regarding the potential creation of an equal joint venture to develop and manufacture in China new generation battery electric vehicles and engage in the IoV (Internet of Vehicles) business. The proposed... Read more →

Daimler Trucks is taking the next step in its electrification of trucks with the battery-electric low-floor heavy-duty truck Mercedes-Benz eEconic. Customer testing of the eEconic for municipal use will begin in 2021. Selected customers will test the vehicles for their everyday practicality in actual applications. The experience gained from customer... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation today made a strategic investment of €100 million (US $110 million) in a new partnership with Arrival, a UK-based electric vehicle startup (earlier post). Of the total investment, Hyundai will contribute €80 million; Kia €20 million. Through the partnership, Hyundai and Kia plan... Read more →

In cooperation with Poznań University of Technology, Solaris is developing an advanced driver assistance system for city buses, mostly electric ones. Devised jointly by engineers of Solaris and of the Poznań University of Technology, the system will facilitate the performance of simple and complex maneuvers, such as driving forward and... Read more →

Amazon has ordered 40 StreetScooter WORK Box electric vans which will be deployed at its distribution center in Munich Daglfing. Complementing the vehicle order, StreetScooter has also installed 60 charging stations at the Amazon site. Streetscooter WORK Box van Amazon has also taken delivery of 10 Mercedes-Benz battery-electric eVito vans... Read more →

Electrify America is investing $1.3 million in the Energy StorageShares program developed by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). The investment will help Electrify America reduce its overall energy-related costs and lower the company’s impact on Sacramento’s electrical grid. This first-of-a-kind program will help address peak energy demands, minimize impacts... Read more →

Kia Motors Corporation announced details of ‘Plan S’, its mid- to long-term strategy aimed at progressively establishing a leadership position in the future automotive industry, encompassing electrification and mobility services, as well as connectivity and autonomy. The Plan S strategy outlines Kia’s shift from a business system focused on internal... Read more →

Both houses of the New Jersey Legislature (Senate and Assembly) have passed a bill (S2252/A4819) that establishes goals and incentives for increased use of plug-in electric vehicles in NJ. The Governor is expected to sign it. Specifically, the bill sets a goal of at least 330,000 of the total number... Read more →

Ipsos, the global research and insights organization, says it has uncovered the thoughts of consumers regarding BEVs. These new findings are released in the second module of the Ipsos Global Mobility Navigator Syndicated Study, in which 20,000 consumers worldwide shared their opinions on alternative engines and what it would take... Read more →

Werner Enterprises, a premier transportation and logistics provider, is testing a 2019 Peterbilt 579 EV Class 8 electric truck for a year on a dedicated account in Southern California. Werner’s first electric-powered truck is the result of a partnership with Peterbilt, Meritor and TransPower. It is the first fully collision-mitigated... Read more →

PACCAR companies Kenworth and Peterbilt are collaborating on electric powertrain development for trucks. At CES 2020, Kenworth displayed a Kenworth K270E battery-electric vehicle—the initial result of the collaboration. Kenworth K270E cabover is equipped with Dana-designed e-Powertrain system that is fully integrated and upfitted to the Kenworth chassis. Kenworth K270E Configured... Read more →

In August 2019, CRU reported on the steady slide in prices that has occurred in the lithium market since the beginning of the year. Since then, prices have continued to fall, CRU notes. Lithium carbonate prices in China dropped between January and August 2019 by nearly 20% since the beginning... Read more →

The Capital District Transportation Authority’s (CDTA)i in Albany, New York, is rolling out four electric buses to test the technology and charging infrastructure. CDTA will put the electric buses it purchased from New Flyer of America into service as part of a pilot program. The transportation authority will monitor the... Read more →

Transmission technology specialist Xtrac is showcasing its new P1316 e-axle developed for the first electric-powered cars to compete in the 2021 to 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship at Autosport International in the UK. P1316 E-World Rally Cross Transmission Xtrac's P1316 e-axle, developed for cars competing in the FIA World Rallycross... Read more →

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco have found a significant increase in e-scooter injuries and hospital admissions between 2014 and 2018—particularly over the last year—with people aged 18 to 34 years becoming the most injured group. Nearly one-third of patients had a head injury, more than double the... Read more →

ABB has received an order for a further 324, 350 kW high-power electric vehicle (EV) chargers from IONITY. The chargers are to be rolled out in 24 countries by the end of 2020 as part of the second phase of the IONITY network expansion. Financial details of the order were... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz AG and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) have formally established the global joint venture “smart Automobile Co., Ltd.” for the smart brand after receiving the regulatory approvals. The total registered capital of the joint venture will be 5.4 billion RMB (US$778 million) to transform smart into a leading... Read more →

Nissan has developed new twin-motor all-wheel-control technology called e-4ORCE for electric vehicles. The technology provides instant torque to all four wheels to deliver balanced, predictable power and handling on par with many premium sports cars. Nissan’s newelectric concept Ariya features the new e-4ORCE system The e-4ORCE twin-motor all-wheel control technology... Read more →

Panasonic, in collaboration with electric utility vehicle maker Tropos Motors, revealed two multi-technology production-ready compact utility commercial vehicles at CES. These fleet truck concepts are powered by Panasonic’s proprietary software and cloud services platform OneConnect and represent a more accessible and a more agile fleet approach conceived to keep business... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board announced a new program that will fund a variety of projects promoting zero-emission transportation options for students, parents and staff members served by school districts in California. Grant winners for the new two-year Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project are: El Monte Union High School... Read more →

road In a letter sent in late December, 11 senior executives from the US commercial vehicle industry urged California Governor Newsom to make a strong statement in his 2020-21 budget by allocating more funds for zero- and near-zero emission trucks, buses, and non-road equipment. The letter notes that the demand... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled at CES 2020 its vision for urban mobility to help vitalize human-centered future cities. To realize the vision, Hyundai Motor showcased three mobility solutions, comprising Urban Air Mobility (UAM); Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV), and Hub, a place for mobility transfer and community activities. Based on these... Read more →

Uber and Hyundai Motor Company announced a new partnership to develop Uber Air Taxis for a future aerial ride share network and unveiled a new full-scale aircraft concept at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Hyundai is the first automotive company to join the Uber Elevate initiative, bringing automotive-scale manufacturing capability... Read more →

Aiqudo (pronounced: “eye-cue-doe”) announced ahead of CES 2020 a partnership with premium electric vehicle manufacturer BYTON, bringing Aiqudo’s Voice AI platform to BYTON cars. Aiqudo’s Voice AI platform will voice-enable actions in native apps within the BYTON ecosystem as well as intelligently launch app actions on personal mobile devices in... Read more →

Fisker is pricing its new Ocean electric SUV with an MSRP of US $37,499. After the US federal tax credit is applied, the cost of the Fisker Ocean drops to a starting price of US$29,999 (US). Reservations are now open through the Fisker mobile app on the App Store and... Read more →

A study by an international team of researchers warns that the global transition to global low-carbon energy technology could be at risk unless new international agreements and governance mechanisms are put in place to ensure a sustainable supply of rare minerals and metals. Their paper is published in Science. Climate... Read more →

Tesla Motors reported record production in Q4 of approximately 112,000 vehicles. In 2019, Tesla delivered approximately 367,500 vehicles, 50% more than the previous year and in line with its full-year guidance. Tesla Q4 production and deliveries Production (vehicles) Deliveries (vehicles) Subject to lease accounting (%) Model S/X 17,933 19,450 14... Read more →

FCA’s Jeep brand is utilizing CES to showcase three plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), the first step in the brand’s plan to offer electrification options on all models by 2022. All Jeep electrified vehicles will carry a new “Jeep 4xe badge.” Additional information about the Jeep Wrangler, Compass and Renegade... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) will invest more than KRW100 trillion (US$87 billion) over next 5 years—KRW20 trillion (~US$17.4 billion) annually to enhance its leadership in vehicle electrification, autonomous driving and mobility services, said Euisun Chung, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Group, at the company’s 2020 New Year ceremony at... Read more →

UK-based AFC Energy launched its H-Power electric vehicle (EV) charger based on alkaline hydrogen fuel cell technology. The self-contained charging system overcomes issues associated with poor grid coverage to provide rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging anywhere it is needed. In the UK, a recent study commissioned by Scottish Power found... Read more →

The BMW iFE.20 Formula E racer uses a cooling shaft manufactured from flax fibers—the first BMW race car fielded by a works team with parts made out of renewable textile fibers. Compared with carbon, flax has greater absorption and greater impact resistance, which can be advantageous on the street circuits... Read more →

Under the Volkswagen’s latest plans, the company expects to reach its original strategic target of one million electric cars by the end of 2023—two years earlier than previously predicted. The Volkswagen brand now expects to produce 1.5 million electric cars by 2025. In mid-December at the Autostadt, the Volkswagen brand... Read more →

Thomas Built Buses Inc (TBB) has been selected as the provider of all 50 electric school buses allocated for the initial phase of Dominion Energy’s electric school bus replacement program in Virginia. The program represents the largest deployment of electric school buses in the United States. After the initial 50,... Read more →

Copper use in automotive wire harness will continue to grow according to new research commissioned by the International Copper Association (ICA). The research, conducted by Martec Group, found that the average weight of copper use per vehicle in automotive wire harnesses globally increased from 11.0 kg in 2016 to 12.6... Read more →

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has aded two BYD battery-electric buses. The K9M 40-foot buses are part of the airport’s fleet of “terminal-to- terminal” shuttles used to transport passengers between the international and domestic terminals, and from the international terminal to the Rental Car Center. The vehicles carry 22 passengers... Read more →

Rivian has closed an investment round of $1.3 billion. The financing was led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. Amazon, Ford Motor Company and funds managed by BlackRock also participated in the round. The investment announcement is Rivian’s fourth of 2019. In February, Rivian announced... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will conduct a public meeting 23 January 2020 to consider policy recommendations to increase the use of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) per Senate Bill (SB) 498. CARB staff will present the policy recommendations identified in the draft report “Assessment of CARB’s Zero-Emission Vehicle... Read more →

The BMW Group has delivered half a million electrified cars to customers worldwide so far. The company aims to have one million electrified vehicles on the road within two years, said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. Next year, the BMW X3 will become the... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE), Israel’s Ministry of Energy (MoE) along with the Israel Innovation Authority have selected seven clean energy projects to receive $6.4 million under the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program. The total value of the projects is $15.4 million, which includes $9 million... Read more →

Germany’s Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Andreas Scheuer announced the founding of a new national control enter for charging infrastructure. The mission of the National Control Center is to ensure the swift and coordinated establishment of nationwide charging options in Germany. The automotive industry and the energy industry... Read more →

China-based Weichai Power Co., Ltd. has acquired Germany-based electric powertrain component manufacturer ARADEX AG as another component of its global strategy in the new energy power systems industry following its strategic investment in Ballard Power and Ceres Power. Weichai Power, a provider of traditional powertrains for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, is... Read more →

The battery-electric BMW iX3, the production of which will commence in 2020, will offer a range of more than 440 km (273 miles) (WLTP) with a net-battery size of 74 kWh. The first purely electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) is the trailblazer for the fifth-generation (Gen5) BMW eDrive technology, which,... Read more →

The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter (earlier post) is intended to cover the broadest possible range of use in urban logistics. It is initially being offered as a panel van and a permissible gross mass of 3500 kilograms. Its maximum loading volume is 10.5 m3, the same as for the Sprinter with... Read more →

Lightning Systems, a global developer of zero-emission drivetrains, delivered the first two units on an initial order of six Lightning Electric Ford Transit 350HD wheel-chair accessible passenger vans to Freebee, an operator of on-demand public transportation in the South Florida region. Freebee serves local communities through municipal transportation contracts, using... Read more →