IVECO BUS inaugurates E-BENCH testing facility

IVECO BUS officially inaugurated its new testing and validation facility, called E-BENCH, located in the R&D center in Vénissieux, the global headquarters of Iveco Group's bus and coach activities. Extremely versatile, E-BENCH allows testing of both individual components and complete vehicles in real driving conditions, simulating all types of missions... Read more →


According to registration data used as a proxy for sales, there were four counties in the United States with electric vehicle (EV) market penetration above 30% as of December 2022, and all were in California. Santa Clara County topped the list at 35%, followed by Marin County at 34%, and... Read more →


Lithium ion battery capacity is set to grow four-fold by the end of the decade, but the industry must overcome cost and quality issues as it expands outside of Asia, Benchmark’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller said at the Battery Gigafactories Asia Pacific 2023 conference in Tokyo. Global battery capacity... Read more →


More than other e-models, the Audi Q4 e-tron family has contributed to the strong growth in deliveries in the first half of 2023 (+51.2%). Audi is now comprehensively updating the Q4 e-tron for the 2024 model year with a newly tuned suspension, increased efficiency, characteristic sound, and enhanced standard equipment.... Read more →


Hyundai offers complimentary charger, installation assistance for EV customers

To help encourage EV-curious customers to go electric, Hyundai is now offering customers who purchase or lease select Hyundai EVs a complimentary ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charger and up to $600 off installation using the Hyundai Home Marketplace. This offer will not only save customers money, it will also... Read more →


Jaguar has signed an agreement with Tesla to provide drivers of its next-generation electric vehicles with access to Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network in the United States, Canada and Mexico. All new Jaguars sold in the region from 2025 will have full integration of North American Charging Standard (NACS) without the... Read more →


Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is launching an impermeable rectangular busbar overmold that seals reliably and helps prevent damage to an electric vehicle’s power electronics. The solution also reduces assembly complexity by combining the busbars, seal and guide in one complete package that is ready for installation on the vehicle assembly line.... Read more →


Siemens eMobility’s new electric vehicle charger, VersiCharge Blue, is currently in full production at the company’s Carrollton, Texas, manufacturing facility and is now going into commercial deployment. The Level 2 AC charger is designed for all AC EV charger applications including offices, hospitals, airports, school campuses, parking garages and lots,... Read more →


Rhythmos’ rapid deployment with Knoxville Utilities Board is a collaboration with Tennessee Valley Authority and EPRI via the Incubatenergy® Labs program. Rhythmos will tap into data from 250,000 Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters to provide KUB with energy network management to optimize EV charging capabilities. Rhythmos is one of just... Read more →


Ryder System, a leader in supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, has deployed its first BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric vans at four strategic Ryder facilities in California, Texas, and New York. The introduction of BrightDrop’s electric vans within Ryder’s rental fleet marks an important step in the company’s... Read more →


ZF’s latest version of its concept to electrify the trailer will be on show at the NUFAM commercial vehicles trade show in Karlsruhe (Germany). The ZF electrified trailer solution is made possible by integrating ZF’s AxTrax 2 electric axle with a modular battery system box for recuperation and traction support.... Read more →


Volvo Trucks North America customer Coke Canada Bottling Limited (Coke Canada Bottling) has unveiled its first Volvo VNR Electric trucks. The trucks are part of a six-truck pilot of electric vehicles to service the bottler’s Red Fleet customer delivery routes throughout the Greater Montreal Area. Coke Canada Bottling was the... Read more →


Battle Motors unveiled its California EV (Electric Vehicle) refuse truck, the 3-axle LET2 (Low Entry Tilt 2), featuring the Heil Rapid Rail Automated Side Loader Refuse Collection Vehicle (RCV). With an 8.67-ton legal payload capacity, Battle Motors’s truck reduces waste collection trips on a 3-axle configuration, reducing road congestion and... Read more →


Shell has opened its largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station globally in Shenzhen, China. The charging station is located about 2.5 kilometrers from the Shenzhen Airport Terminal and features 258 public fast-charging points. It is operated by Shenzhen Shell and BYD Electric Vehicle Investment Company Limited, a joint venture between... Read more →


Mercedes-Benz has signed an agreement with Steel Dynamics, Inc. (SDI) to source more than 50,000 tonnes of CO2-reduced steel annually for its plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. SDI steel will be made using an electric arc furnace (EAF) and will use electricity from 100% renewable sources. With EAFs powered by green... Read more →


The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI) recently surveyed electric vehicle (EV) owners to gauge their understanding of EVs and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), or EV charging stations and chargers. The goal of the survey was to identify safety gaps related to emerging technology to ensure consumers are safe while operating... Read more →


Germany to award up to €400M to support development of commercial fast charging infrastructure for cars and trucks

The German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) will invest up to €400 million to support setting up fast charging infrastructure for cars and trucks. The funding program is targeting commercially used fast charging points with a charging power of at least 50 kW as well as the... Read more →


MINI USA is marking Climate Week NYC with the North American debut of the new all-MINI Countryman Electric, following the World Premiere earlier this month at IAA Mobility in Munich. (Earlier post.) Expected to arrive in the US for consumers in the fall of 2024, this evolution for the largest... Read more →


Adamas Intelligence: China’s battery manufacturing build out set to swamp global market

In over little more than a decade, China has come to dominate completely the EV market by taking control of all aspects of the mine-to-megawatt supply chain, says market research firm Adamas Intelligence. Data from the Adamas Intelligence EV Battery Capacity and Battery Metals Tracker show that the top 3... Read more →


In June 2023, total lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) deployment in full electric vehicles (BEVs) was up 35% compared to the same month last year, according to data from Adamas Intelligence. Month-on-month there was a 22% jump in June with just shy of 33,000 tonnes of LCE in EVs rolling out... Read more →


Exponential growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales is transforming the auto sector faster than currently predicted, with EVs set to dominate global car sales by the end of the decade, putting at risk nearly half of worldwide oil demand, according to new analysis by RMI in partnership with the Bezos... Read more →


Japan-based global automotive supplier AISIN said that it will invest ¥500 billion (US$3.4 billion) over the next three years to ramp up its product offerings for battery-electric vehicles and vehicle intelligence. The supplier intends to revamp its product portfolio, and will establish BEV products, safe and comfortable entry, and braking... Read more →


LCM partners with Ionic Technologies & Ford for REE magnet recycling in the UK

Ionic Technologies, Less Common Metals (LCM) and Ford will establish a demonstration circular supply chain for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in the UK, by utilizing innovative technologies to create high-specification magnets containing 100% recycled REEs for use in Electrical Vehicles (EVs). Ionic Technologies has demonstrated patented technology at the demonstration... Read more →


Nikola Corporation, a manufacturer of hydrogen-fuel-cell and battery-electric heavy-duty trucks, announced an expansion of its dealer network into Canada for its Class 8 truck sales and service coverage with the addition of ITD Industries Inc., a commercial trailer manufacturer and technology business headquartered in Toronto, ON. ITD has more than... Read more →


At the recent launch of its BEV Factory Toyota Motor revealed that its next-generation BEVs (battery electric vehicles) will start production in 2026. Not only will they be designed and built differently, they will also be powered by a range of new advanced batteries developed specifically to exceed Toyota customers’... Read more →


Volvo Trucks is ramping up electric truck volumes and is starting serial production of heavy battery electric trucks at the Ghent factory in Belgium. This means that electric Volvo trucks are now built in four factories: three in Europe and one in the US. Three different electric models will be... Read more →


Honda has introduced the Motocompacto e-Scooter, a fresh take on e-scooters that was inspired by the Honda Motocompo of the early ’80s. Sales will begin exclusively at Motocompacto.honda.com, and at Honda and Acura automobile dealers in November with an MSRP of just $995. The zero-emissions Motocompacto provides riders with an... Read more →


DOI interagency working group proposes overhaul of 151-year-old mining law; 4 - 8% royalties on hardrock mining

The US Department of the Interior-led Interagency Working Group on Mining Laws, Regulations, and Permitting (IWG) released its final report containing recommendations to reform and improve the way mining is conducted on US. public lands. The report will inform efforts to modernize the Mining Law of 1872 and related federal... Read more →


BYD | RIDE delivered two K7M 30' battery-electric buses to the City of Burlington in North Carolina to serve the passengers of its Link Transit Fleet. The zero-emission BYD | RIDE buses will be utilized in Burlington’s public transit system, Link, which has five routes covering Burlington, Gibsonville, Elon, and... Read more →


Peugeot unveiled the battery-electric E-3008—the brand’s first model based on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform. The current Peugeot 3008 has sold more than 1,320,000 units in 130 countries over the past 7 years. The new STLA Medium platform has been designed to offer best-in-class performance for the most important criteria... Read more →


Daimler Truck AG and its Japanese subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Bus and Truck Corporation announced the handover of the first FUSO Next Generation eCanter (earlier post) to Yamoto Transport Co, Ltd.. The all-electric truck is the first of around 900 Next Generation eCanters Yamoto Transport ordered from FUSO—the largest single order... Read more →


BMW, Ford and Honda to create new company focused on optimizing EV grid services: ChargeScape

BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers. Benefiting both EV customers and the electric utility industry in... Read more →


California Energy Commission launches $38M project for EV charging in low-income and disadvantaged communities

The California Energy Commission (CEC) is opening applications for $38 million in equity-focused incentives to fund publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in low-income and disadvantaged communities in 28 counties in northern and southern California. The rebates are part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), the nation’s... Read more →


A consortium of battery scientists, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), will accelerate the commercialization of a new family of battery cathode materials called DRX or “disordered rock salt.” DRX cathodes could provide batteries with higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion battery cathodes made of nickel and cobalt,... Read more →


The BMW Group will invest more than £600 million (US$751 million) in the MINI factories at Oxford and Swindon for all-electric MINI production. With this new investment we will develop the Oxford plant for production of the new generation of electric MINIs and set the path for purely electric car... Read more →


Smartville Inc., an EV battery-repurposing company, is unveiling the Smartville 360 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) during the RE+ 2023 conference in Las Vegas. The Smartville 360 BESS is a fully integrated, turnkey energy storage system that combines high-quality repurposed automotive lithium-ion battery from multiple automotive makes and models that... Read more →


Transportation’s Future Is Hybrid – in More Ways Than One

by Alec Shkolnik, co-founder & CEO of LiquidPiston Months before stepping down as CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda zigged at a time when the rest of the automotive industry zagged: he argued for an electrified future powered by both EVs and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). I couldn’t agree more. New... Read more →


Recycling lithium-ion batteries is difficult. The recovery of lithium of a quality high enough to be used again is complicated and expensive. Most recycling processes are targeted at extracting the lithium from cathodes (where most of the lithium in discharged batteries is located). However, it then precipitates out together with... Read more →


Volkswagen is presenting its vision of an all-electric sports limousine in the upper mid-sized class at the ID. Treffen in Locarno on the Swiss side of Lago Maggiore from 8 to 9 September. The ID.X Performance show car features all-wheel drive, performance-oriented suspension, and an expressive appearance. Andreas Reckewerth, Head... Read more →


Ford is introducing the Mustang Mach-E Rally variant of its EV. It joins the Mustang Mach-E family and pushes electric vehicles in a different direction as the first rally-inspired EV from Ford. The machine features a tuned version of the Mustang Mach-E GT powertrain, with a two-motor layout targeting at... Read more →


Fisker Ocean production capacity ramping to 300 units per day in Q4; 3,123 customer vehicles built

Fisker is ramping up production capacity of the Fisker Ocean all-electric SUV in September, as well as expanding retail, delivery, and service operations across multiple markets in North America and Europe. The expected ramp will go from approximately 180 vehicles per day to approximately 300 per day in Q4 2023,... Read more →


Rimac Technology, a leading provider of high-performance automotive technology solutions to global OEMs, has partnered with battery maker EVE Energy. The collaboration will see the two companies join forces to manufacture battery cells in Europe from 2027 in an agreement that will address the pressing need for sustainable energy solutions... Read more →


Location data and technology company HERE Technologies, in conjunction with SBD Automotive, a global automotive research firm, published an interactive index that shows the developing state of electric vehicle (EV) demand and infrastructure readiness across the United States and Europe. The HERE-SBD Automotive EV Index highlights, since 2020, US state-level... Read more →


Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicle sales in the United States have increased in recent years as sales have decreased for non-hybrid gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles. In the second quarter of 2023 (2Q23), hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles collectively accounted for 16% of light-duty vehicle sales in the United... Read more →


Honda to adopt Tesla NACS for its EV models in North America

Honda Motor has reached an agreement with Tesla, Inc. to adopt Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) for the charging port of its EV models that will go on sale in North America starting from 2025. Honda is the latest automaker to announce the adoption of NACS, after Fisker, Ford,... Read more →


The EV Network and bp pulse unveil the UK’s largest public EV charging hub at the NEC Birmingham

bp pulse, The EV Network (EVN) and NEC Group, launched the UK’s largest public electric vehicle (EV) charging hub on the NEC Campus in the West Midlands. The Gigahub will help serve the seven million visitors attracted to the NEC Campus annually, along with a wide range of other road... Read more →


Accelera by Cummins, Daimler Truck, PACCAR form US JV for battery cell production; EVE Energy technology partner for LFP

Accelera by Cummins, the zero-emissions business unit of Cummins; Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding LLC [a Daimler Truck Group Company]; and PACCAR are partnering to accelerate and localize battery cell production and the battery supply chain in the United States. The planned joint venture will manufacture battery cells for... Read more →


Siemens Foundation launches $30M initiative to drive inclusive workforce development in the EV charging sector

The Siemens Foundation announced a $30-million, 10-year initiative to drive an inclusive workforce for the electric vehicle (EV) charging sector. The program, EVeryone Charging Forward, was created in response to the rapid growth of the EV charging sector due to both public and private investment, resulting in significant demand for... Read more →


Volvo has delivered three heavy-duty line-haul electric trucks to Danfoss. The e-trucks will operate in fixed routes between Danfoss sites in Denmark, and one of the trucks will operate 24 hours a day, five days per week, without significant charging downtime. The delivery of the three e-trucks is part of... Read more →