Teijin Limited signed a joint development agreement with Australian venture AEV Robotics (AEV). Teijin and AEV will use the first two years of this initiative to develop elemental technologies for future vehicles. The agreement is to create lightweight components and solutions for next-generation transportation to realize new forms for transportations... Read more →

The California Energy Commission approved nearly $70 million in funding to replace more than 200 old diesel school buses with all-electric buses that will reduce school children’s exposure to harmful emissions and help the state reach its climate and air quality goals. School buses are by far the safest way... Read more →

The operators SETA Modena and TEP Parma, both providing carrier services in the Emilia-Romagna region in the North of Italy, have placed orders for 18 modern Solaris Trollino 12 vehicles. Eight of the trolleybuses commissioned will join the fleet of SETA Modena, the other ten will go to TEP Parma.... Read more →

New battery company SVOLT Energy Technology Co. Ltd, whose precursor was the Battery Business Unit of Great Wall Motor Co. Ltd, introduced its cobalt-free lithium-ion battery cell (NMx) and four-element lithium-ion battery cell (NCMA). SVOLT product roadmap. In the product launch event, Yang Hongxin, General Manager of SVOLT, said that... Read more →

Enel X, the Enel Group’s advanced energy services business line, launched its new electric mobility unit in North America by integrating the company’s US-based electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions subsidiary, formerly known as eMotorWerks, into the Enel X brand. With the launch of this new unit, the company will add... Read more →

Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen AG are expanding their global alliance to include electric vehicles—and will collaborate with Argo AI to introduce autonomous vehicle technology in the US and Europe. Volkswagen is joining Ford in investing in Argo AI, the autonomous vehicle technology platform company. (Earlier post.) In 2017, Ford... Read more →

Lightning Systems, a global developer of zero-emissions drivetrains for commercial fleets, has had its longer-range, higher-speed, Generation 2 model of its Lightning Electric system for the Ford Transit (earlier post) named in an Executive Order from the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This step—which certifies the vehicle as a ZEV—is... Read more →

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (Trinity Metro) has awarded New Flyer a contract for four heavy-duty, thirty-five-foot Xcelsior CHARGE battery-electric buses. The zero-emission buses (ZEBs) support a new route called The Dash, a zero-emission service connecting Downtown Fort Worth with its Cultural District and utilizing Trinity Metro’s first all- electric... Read more →

Electrify America announced an agreement with Harley-Davidson to provide owners of its first all-electric motorcycle—the Harley-Davidson LiveWire (earlier post)—with the per minute equivalent of 500 kWh of complimentary charging over two years at Electrify America stations nationwide. LiveWire motorcycle customers who purchase models manufactured between August 2019 and July 2021... Read more →

Continental is presenting its third generation of electric powertrains at the IAA 2019, with the new, very high-performance, light and compact axle drive set to take to the roads in various electric models from several Chinese and European manufacturers later this year. Highly integrated means that the new high-voltage drive... Read more →

Pre-series production of the ID.3 EV has already begun at the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau. The core components for electric cars are developed and produced for the new electric vehicles at the Volkswagen Group Components plants: the electric drive comes from Kassel; the Salzgitter plant supplies its colleagues in Hessen... Read more →

To help electric vehicle batteries last longer, Bosch is developing new cloud services that supplement the individual vehicles’ battery-management systems. Bosch is connecting electric-vehicle batteries with the cloud. Its data-based services mean we can substantially improve batteries’ performance and extend their service life. —Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board... Read more →

MINI has introduced the new MINI Cooper SE electric vehicle. The power delivery of its 135 kW/(181 hp US) motor, the brand-specific front-wheel drive, and the innovative driving dynamics system with wheel slip limiting close to the actuator all contribute to a go-kart feeling. The model-specific lithium-ion battery enables a... Read more →

The Milan, Italy carrier ATM Milano intends to phase out diesel buses by 2030. An essential milestone on this path was the launch of a tender for the supply of up to 250 electric buses with a total value of up to €192 million. ATM Milano has selected Solaris as... Read more →

Three months since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in London, results of a year-long trial in the capital suggest that plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) commercial vehicles could present the most practical, readily available option for businesses trying to meet clean-air targets in cities. The trial—supported by a... Read more →

As of May 2019, there were more than 68,800 Level 2 and DC fast charging units throughout the United States. Of that total, 16%, or approximately 10,860 units, were DC fast chargers that make long-distance travel more practical for electric vehicles (EV). A DC fast charger adds 60 to 80... Read more →

In a briefing in Tokyo last week, Honda Motor outlined its direction of technology development toward its 2030 Vision. A key element therein is the development of zero-carbon technologies. Honda said that because powertrain requirements differ from region to region and are becoming further diversified depending on infrastructure, regulations and... Read more →

Toyota outlined ambitious growth plans for its light commercial vehicle (LCV) business in Europe. This goal will be supported by a strengthened LCV model line-up and a new brand, Toyota Professional. The introduction of the new PROACE CITY will expand Toyota LCV presence to Compact Duty Vans (CDVs). Battery Electric... Read more →

UK new car registrations declined for a fourth consecutive month in June, with year-on-year demand falling by -4.9% to 223,421 units, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 1,269,245 new cars joined British roads in the first half of the year, down... Read more →

The Volkswagen ID.R has set a new all-time record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Romain Dumas completed the 1.86-kilometer track in the south of England in just 39.90 seconds. In doing so, the 500-kW (680-PS) electric race car broke the previous record, which had stood for 20 years, by... Read more →

Jaguar Land Rover plans to manufacture a range of new electrified vehicles at its manufacturing plant in Castle Bromwich, UK. The announcement is the next significant step in delivering on the company’s commitment to offer customers electrified options for all new Jaguar and Land Rover models from 2020. The future... Read more →

Japan’s NEDO, Sharp Corporation, and Toyota Motor Corporation plan to begin public road trials of electrified vehicles equipped with high-efficiency solar batteries from late July 2019. The trials aim to assess the effectiveness of improvements in cruising range and fuel efficiency of electrified vehicles equipped with high-efficiency solar batteries. To... Read more →

Honda has released more technical details about the upcoming Honda e urban EV. The Honda e is equipped with a high-power electric motor delivering up to approximately 150PS (110 kW) and torque in excess of 300 N·m. The 35.5 kWh battery in the Honda e is one of the most... Read more →

ZF is launching a product offensive for hybrid and electric vehicles, active chassis systems, integrated safety, and automated driving. The Group will showcase its next-generation mobility solutions at the forthcoming IAA. ZF is pursuing two directions in electromobility. It is laying the foundation for a new breed of battery-electric vehicles... Read more →

Volkswagen Group of America announced a new name and expanded role for the former Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL), and unveiled a vehicle concept that combines Volkswagen heritage with futuristic technology. Type 20 concept vehicle. The new Innovation and Engineering Center California (IECC) will be the largest Volkswagen vehicle research facility... Read more →

In a filing with the SEC, Tesla said that in Q2 2019, it achieved record production of 87,048 vehicles and record deliveries of approximately 95,200 vehicles. In addition, it made significant progress streamlining global logistics and delivery operations at higher volumes, enabling cost efficiencies and improvements to its working capital... Read more →

BMW Group sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles decreased 22.6% in June 2019 vs. June 2018. Model changeover has limited the current BMW Group electrified lineup to five models including the BMW i3, BMW i8 and i8 Roadster, BMW 530e, and MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Plug-in... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz has opened new testing facility for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and radio-frequency (RF) antenna systems. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a key prerequisite for connectivity, autonomous driving, shared vehicles, and electric drivetrains. EMC Chamber - Capacity expansion by means of two additional EMC chambers with multi-receiver technology and the possibility to... Read more →

Hyundai Group joined its partner Rimac Automobili in an event hosted by Rimac CEO Mate Rimac and attended by Croatian Prime Minister, ministers, and senior government officials to discuss the potential of the new auto industry in Croatia. In May, the Hyundai Group announced an investment of €80 million in... Read more →

The state of Virginia will allocate more than $12 million in state funding to deploy electric transit buses in three Virginia localities, using nearly $9 million from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (VW Trust) that the Commonwealth received as part of its settlement with Volkswagen. In total, 17 electric buses... Read more →

Volkswagen is entering the growing car sharing sector with the launch of WeShare in Berlin today. With 1,500 e-Golf vehicles, the Volkswagen brand is bringing onto the roads a 100% electric fleet; all the vehicles will be operated on green power. The e-Golfs will be followed by 500 additional e-up!... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) approved a rule that will require fixed route airport shuttles serving the state’s 13 largest airports to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035. The regulation applies to public and private fleets, including parking facilities, rental car agencies and hotels. With almost 1,000 airport... Read more →

At the second-annual Climate Mayors Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii, 127 cities and 15 counties from across 38 states joined the Climate Mayors Electric Vehicle Purchasing Collaborative, and committed to purchasing more than 2,100 electric vehicles by the end of 2020. The Collaborative also announced plans to place a competitive bid... Read more →

Boeing and start-up Kitty Hawk Corporation have entered a strategic partnership to collaborate on future efforts to advance safe urban air mobility. The strategic partnership will bring together the innovation of Kitty Hawk’s Cora air taxi division with Boeing’s scale and aerospace expertise. Cora is an electric, autonomous fully fledged... Read more →

Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and the Chair of the California Air Resources Board, Mary Nichols, today signed a new cooperation agreement to advance cleaner vehicles and fuels. The transportation sector is the source of nearly a quarter of Canada’s carbon emissions and more than 40%... Read more →

The BMW Group is accelerating its electromobility expansion program, with the 25 electrified models to be introduced by 2023, two years earlier than the initial 2025 target. With flexible vehicle architectures for fully-electric, plug-in hybrid and combustion engine drive trains, the company is able to respond quickly to changing conditions.... Read more →

Registrations of pure electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid cars totalled 94,000 units in 18 European markets in May 2019, counting for 7.1% of the total volume, up from 5.3% in May 2018, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. The majority of registrations came from hybrid vehicles, but the growth was... Read more →

UK Natural History Museum Head of Earth Sciences Prof Richard Herrington and fellow expert members of SoS MinErals (an interdisciplinary program of NERC-EPSRC-Newton-FAPESP funded research) recently wrote a letter to the UK Committee on Climate Change pointing out that meeting UK electric car targets for 2050 would require production of... Read more →

Airbus, Groupe ADP and the RATP Group, along with the Paris Ile-de-France region and the French civil aviation authority (DGAC), have launched a feasibility study to demonstrate an urban system of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This collaboration, encompassing all components of... Read more →

Despite weak EV sales growth in April 2019 versus the same month the year prior (up just 19.6%), total battery capacity deployed in newly-sold EVs (in GWh) increased markedly over the same period, according to Adamas Intelligence’s “EV Battery Capacity Monthly”. In April 2019, a total of 6.7 GWh of... Read more →

Shortly before the market launch of its full-electric car sharing service WeShare in Berlin at the end of June, Volkswagen has entered a strategic partnership with the Lidl and Kaufland supermarket chains, which are owned by the Schwarz Group. The food retailers are to install 140 public charging stations for... Read more →

GKN Automotive, Drive System Design and the University of Nottingham are collaborating on an £8-million (US$10 million) project to design and develop a world-leading electric vehicle powertrain for the global market. ACeDrive (Advanced Cooling and Control of High Speed e-Drive) is backed by match-funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).... Read more →

Rockwell Automation, a leading solutions and services provider to the automotive industry, opened a new 8,000 square-foot electric vehicle (EV) Innovation Center at 111 North Market Street in San Jose, California, within its Information Solutions development facility. The center will provide live manufacturing demonstrations, hands-on trials utilizing new technology and... Read more →

Emissions Analytics, a leading independent specialist for the scientific measurement of real-world emissions, suggests that mass adoption of hybrid vehicles, rather than low-volume take-up of full BEVs, is the most effective solution to cutting CO2 now and also in meeting 2030 emission targets. Of all electrification strategies, full BEVs currently... Read more →

Renault has launched the third-generation of its ZOE electric vehicle, featuring a 52 kWh battery pack that will deliver up to 390 kilometers (242 miles) in the WLTP—an increase of more than 20% from the prior generation. The growth in energy capacity uses the same sized-battery, maintaining the vehicle’s comfortable... Read more →

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) has agreed to purchase five 35-foot Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses and five 125 kW Proterra plug-in charging systems. CLT, which serves approximately 46 million passengers each year, becomes the ninth airport to purchase Proterra electric buses for ground transportation and joins a growing list... Read more →

For every year except 2011, the United States has produced the majority of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) sold in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). In 2018, the United States produced 75%, Japan 9%, and Germany 5%, while the remaining eight countries listed produced a... Read more →

The Chilean Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Gloria Hutt, recently announced a new order for 183 BYD electric buses for the Chilean capital of Santiago, due to arrive in August of this year. The 183 BYD electric buses will join the 100 electric buses that BYD and local partner Enel... Read more →

NIO has updated the NIO Pilot advanced driving assistant system (ADAS), adding seven features. At the same time, the company announced the NIO OS smart operating system was upgraded to NIO OS 2.0, and unveiled a new user experience (UX) vehicle interaction and user interface (UI) design. The NIO Pilot... Read more →

Honda’s new compact electric vehicle, the Honda e, is the first Honda to be built on a dedicated EV platform, designed from the ground up to deliver excellent Honda driving dynamics. The Honda e platform has been developed with a focus on urban environments to offer a rewarding, responsive driving... Read more →