by Michael Sivak. This analysis compares the costs of usable energy when we buy gasoline and electricity for driving and natural gas for keeping warm. The unifying approach in this comparison involves the use of Btu (British thermal units), coupled with the costs of gasoline, electricity, and natural gas, and... Read more →

Magna has been awarded a grant by the US Department of Energy to develop and ‘auto-qualify’ advanced electric motor technologies for next-generation vehicle propulsion systems. In partnership with the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin-Madison, Magna is applying its powertrain, electronics and full-vehicle expertise to deliver an automotive-grade,... Read more →

A study by Gentherm, a developer of innovative thermal management technologies, and General Motors has shown that Gentherm’s ClimateSense microclimate thermal comfort system significantly increases driving range and energy savings in electric vehicles. The results of the study were presented during the SAE Thermal Management Systems Symposium last week in... Read more →

With the high costs and operational complexities surrounding electric vehicle (EV) deployments within commercial fleets, EV manufacturer BYD announced a preferred partnership with charging infrastructure provider AMPLY Power. The partnership allows fleet operators such as transit agencies, shuttle bus operators, universities, school districts, and municipalities to transition more rapidly to... Read more →

Navistar, a leading maker of commercial vehicles, has launched a new business unit, NEXT eMobility Solutions, to deliver customized electrification solutions in the truck and school bus markets. Vehicles developed by NEXT will be offered under the International Truck and IC Bus nameplates and will be sold and supported by... Read more →

Prodrive is working with Volta Trucks to help engineer its 16-tonne electric heavy-duty truck. The Volta Trucks concept HGV positions its driver low down, centrally and forward of the front axle, to give uninterrupted vision at street level through 220 degrees. Prodrive will help develop the design into a drivable... Read more →

In a first for the African continent, the Volkswagen Brand has launched a pilot project in partnership with Siemens to test the feasibility of electric mobility in an African country. The pilot project, which will form part of Volkswagen’s operations in Rwanda, was officially announced today by Thomas Schäfer, CEO... Read more →

BMW i Ventures has made an investment in CelLink, a San Carlos, CA-based manufacturer of flexible circuit technology that delivers high-conductance, large-area, lightweight, and low-cost flexible circuits through a proprietary combination of manufacturing processes, designs, and materials. The new funding is aimed at ramping up production of large-area flexible circuits... Read more →

MINI USA announced that the 2020 MINI Cooper SE battery-electric vehicle (earlier post) will reach US showrooms in early March of 2020 with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $29,900 plus an additional $850 Destination & Handling fee. While the MINI Cooper SE has an MSRP of $29,900, federal... Read more →

On 22 October 2019, GSC Logistics was the first to haul a commercial cargo using an electric semi through the Altamont Pass, with their BYD 8TT heavy-duty electric truck. The Altamont Pass is a low mountain pass (1,009 feet or 308 meters) in the Diablo Range of Northern California between... Read more →

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), in consultation with the Energy Commission, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Natural Resources Agency, the Transportation Agency, and the California Air Resources Board, is contracting with the... Read more →

Researchers at Loughborough University have been awarded funding of £3.1 million (US$4 million) to help develop the next generation of electrified vehicle technologies by enhancing the virtual product development process. Currently, vehicle development involves significant prototyping and practical testing which can be very expensive, time-consuming and often leads to compromises... Read more →

Ford is extending its European plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) trial to Cologne. The study, which is also testing Ford PHEVs on the streets of London and Valencia, Spain, aims to better analyse and show the real-world benefits of such vehicles for the environment and for commercial vehicle owners and... Read more →

Daimler Trucks & Buses, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, aims to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation (“tank-to-wheel”) in the triad markets of Europe, Japan and NAFTA by 2039. The Mercedes-Benz eActros heavy-duty electric truck, with a range of up to 200 km,... Read more →

Hyundai, in collaboration with Pony.ai and Via, unveiled BotRide, a shared, on-demand, autonomous vehicle service operating on public roads. Starting on 4 November, a fleet of self-driving Hyundai KONA Electric SUVs will provide a free ride-sharing service to the local community of Irvine, California. The pilot introduces BotRide to several... Read more →

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), under the umbrella of Daimler Trucks Asia (DTA), unveiled the “Vision F-CELL”, a concept fuel-cell-powered light-duty truck, and the model year 2019 Super Great heavy-duty truck, Japan’s first series-produced commercial vehicle equipped with SAE(Society of Automotive Engineers) Level... Read more →

FCA will build a new battery assembly complex in Turin as part of its overall e-mobility strategy. The new “Battery Hub” will be located in the Mirafiori complex and preparations will begin in early 2020. The initial investment will be approximately €50 million. This strategy has been at the center... Read more →

Eaton’s eMobility business is expanding high-voltage circuit protection solutions for electrified vehicles (EVs) with the introduction of Breaktor, a new advanced circuit protection solution for EVs that combines the function of fuses, pyro switches and contactors into a single coordinated device. As electric vehicle power levels increase, Breaktor addresses the... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board approved a $533-million plan to fund clean car rebates, zero-emission transit and school buses, clean trucks, and other innovative, clean transportation and mobility pilot projects. The Fiscal Year 2019-20 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives, largely funded with cap-and-trade proceeds, is part of California’s strategy... Read more →

Valley Regional Transit (VRT) in Idaho has agreed to purchase eight Proterra Catalyst 35-foot E2 electric buses and eight Proterra 125 kW plug-in charging systems. VRT is Proterra’s first customer in Idaho and the first transit agency in Idaho to bring electric buses to its community. Proterra vehicles are now... Read more →

Eaton’s eMobility business is launching an all-new 4-speed transmission for heavy-duty electrified commercial vehicles to meet growing global demand in a number of segments, including pickup and delivery and port drayage in North America, China and Europe. The new transmission, designed for Class 7 and 8 commercial vehicles, is currently... Read more →

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced its guidance to implement Secretary’s Order 3376, Increasing Recreational Opportunities Through the Use of Electric Bikes, which will allow the use of low-speed electric bicycles (e-bikes) at national wildlife refuges and other DOI-managed public lands where traditional biking occurs. The National Park Service... Read more →

Ideanomics’ Mobile Energy Group (MEG) is expanding its activities with heavy-duty electric trucks as part of an ongoing effort to identify commercial vehicle activities where significant pollution reduction can be achieved by eliminating fossil fuels. In addition to the environmental considerations, heavy-duty electric trucks offer additional benefits such as reduced... Read more →

Honda is further accelerating its electrification plans for Europe by moving forward its goal for all of its European mainstream models to feature electrified powertrains by 2022. Announced during an Electric Vision event in Amsterdam, the new target is three years ahead of the previously announced 2025 goal. This acceleration... Read more →

Nissan unveiled the Ariya Concept, a crossover EV with twin electric motors, powerful acceleration, award-winning driver assistance technology and a look that signals a complete reinvention of the brand’s design. The new Nissan Ariya Concept, introduced at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show, signals a new era for Nissan as the... Read more →

Lexus unveiled its “Lexus Electrified” vision for an upcoming generation of electrified vehicles. Headlining this was the debut of the Lexus LF-30 Electrified Concept, which made its world premiere at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019. Since the launch of the RX 400h in 2005, Lexus has led in electrification... Read more →

Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled its first mass-production electric vehicle—the Mazda MX-30—at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The model adopts Mazda’s new e–Skyactiv system (motor, battery pack, inverter, and DC-DC converter), with a 35.5 kWh Li-ion battery pack. The motor, inverter, DC-DC converter and junction box are integrated into a single... Read more →

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) unveiled the MI-TECH CONCEPT electrified small SUV concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show 2019. The company is also showcasing the twin-motor, 4WD Engelberg Tourer, unveiled in March in Geneva (earlier post). We are dedicated to electrification technology, particularly plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). We will be expanding... Read more →

As auto manufacturers invest billions to bring self-driving vehicles to market and to increase consumer choice in battery-electric vehicles, many consumers still lack confidence in these technologies. According to the J.D. Power 2019 Q3 Mobility Confidence Index Study fueled by SurveyMonkey Audience, the Mobility Confidence Index is 36 (on a... Read more →

WiTricity, a pioneer in wireless power transfer over distance, has entered into licensing and technology transfer agreements with Green Power, a leading South Korea-based supplier of power electronics and high power wireless charging systems for various applications. The agreements allow Green Power to leverage WiTricity’s innovative technology and reference designs... Read more →

Eaton’s eMobility business has introduced a new Flex Power Distribution Unit (PDU) for high-voltage electrified commercial vehicles; the new unit is uniquely designed to handle multiple load requirements. Eaton has reached an agreement with Cummins Inc. to supply elements of the Flex PDU, which reliably distributes power and keeps the... Read more →

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 784 into law, thereby exempting zero-emissions transit buses from state sales tax until 2024. For the bill, the category “transit bus” includes: “Articulated bus”—a 54-foot to 60-foot bus with two connected passenger compartments. “Bus”—a rubber-tire vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating greater... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that the application period for the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Zero‑Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Bus program is now open. This solicitation is open to eligible bus owners throughout California, and funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The San Joaquin Valley Air... Read more →

Pierburg has been developing vacuum pumps for brake boosters for decades. With the current EVP40 model, the supplier is offering an electric option that operates on-demand and sets high standards in terms of robustness, temperature resistance and noise. The EVP40 can be used in hybrids and electric vehicles as well... Read more →

The 2019.2 release of powertrain design and optimization software from Ricardo provides enhancements across the entire suite of products. In keeping with its strategy of combining upgrades into major releases and ensuring that all customers have the most up-to-date software at the earliest opportunity, the 2019.2 release from Ricardo Software... Read more →

Over the past five years, the number of electric buses in Europe has increased from around 200 to 2,200 vehicles, according to a report from Busworld. For 2019, Poland-based Solaris claims to have concluded the most contracts for the construction of electric buses. There are now some 800 electric-powered Solaris... Read more →

Volvo Buses is launching a new electrically-powered articulated bus that can carry up to 150 passengers and with 80% lower energy consumption compared to a corresponding diesel bus. With the Volvo 7900 Electric Articulated, Volvo Buses is making it attractive to electrify even high-frequency bus routes with large numbers of... Read more →

Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. has started mass production for its 800V compatible high-voltage and high-output electric vehicle (EV) inverter, which increases EV practicality and enables long-distance driving. The product contributes to both comfortable acceleration performance of the vehicle and faster charging times. For this inverter, the mounting technology of the... Read more →

UK electrification company Equipmake revealed the latest version of its electric bus powertrain at Busworld Europe; the new low-floor version of its EBus electric chassis (earlier post) is aimed at double-decker applications. Equipmake’s existing low-entry EBus powertrain—designed for single deckers—has been in testing for the last 12 months and enters... Read more →

Swindon Powertrain is developing a new compact 80kW “crate” electric powertrain that will make it easier for specialist OEMs to electrify their low volume sports cars, light commercial and recreational vehicles. Swindon Powertrain’s High Power Density (HPD) EV system will ease the transition for manufacturers currently frustrated by the lack... Read more →

Ford is offering its all-electric vehicle customers North America’s largest electric vehicle public charging network—the FordPass Charging Network—with more than 12,000 places to charge, including fast charging, and more than 35,000 charge plugs—more than any other automotive manufacturer. Ford is providing two years of complimentary access. The Ford all-electric vehicle... Read more →

Toyota Motor will display its new, production-ready Ultra-compact BEV (battery electric vehicle) at the FUTURE EXPO special exhibition of the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show ahead of the vehicle’s planned commercial launch in Japan in 2020. The next-generation mobility solution is designed to provide short-distance mobility while limiting impact on the... Read more →

Volvo Cars introduced the XC40 Recharge, the company’s first fully electric car and the first model to appear in its brand new Recharge car line concept. The XC40 Recharge, based on the multi-award-winning and best-selling XC40 small SUV, is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos. The EV... Read more →

New Flyer of America Inc. has successfully met and supported the launch of the San Francisco Green Zone requirement, using New Flyer Connect to execute GPS-triggered (geofencing) functionality with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and BAE Systems PLC (BAE). Green Zones support San Francisco’s approach to greenhouse gas... Read more →

Orange EV and Dependable Supply Chain Services announced the deployment of Orange EV pure electric terminal trucks (aka yard trucks, hostlers, spotters) as the first step in fulfilling the Dependable Highway Express (DHE) plan to transform its Ontario, California facility into a sustainable, energy-efficient, emission-free freight terminal. Launching their transition... Read more →

According to a new report from Navigant Research, although the business model is in question, analyses indicate public charger deployments are positively affecting PEV adoption. The report analyzes the relationship between public charger deployment and plug-in EV (PEV) demand, providing an overview of upcoming industry innovations and ways industry stakeholders... Read more →

Motiv Power Systems, a provider of all-electric medium-duty chassis for buses and trucks, has secured $60 million in equity funding. The Series B round of investment was led by investors GMAG Holdings Corp. and Winnebago. These funds will support the overall growth of Motiv, including opening a new engineering and... Read more →

Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (VWCO) announced its partners for its first mass-produced electric truck: the 14-tonne e-Delivery. Partners are Bosch, CATL, Moura, Semcon, Siemens, Weg, Meritor and Eletra. All are part of the e-Consortium in VWCO’s development and production complex in Resende (RJ). VWCO announced the formation of the e-Consortium... Read more →

From 14 October to 8 November 2019, throughout the Paris-Saclay urban campus, a panel of some 100 people will use Groupe Renault’s on-demand car service as part of the ‘Paris-Saclay Autonomous Lab’ project. The objective of this experiment is to test the technical aspects of this on-demand mobility service, and... Read more →

Buick launched the VELITE 6 PLUS MAV (multi-activity vehicle) electric vehicle in China. The newest member of the VELITE 6 family, the VELITE 6 PLUS has a constant-speed range of up to 410 kilometers (255 miles) under New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) conditions on a single charge. This enables it... Read more →