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 →

VDL Bus & Coach has expanded its Citea Electric product range with the Citea XLE-145 Electric. With this 14.5-meter e-bus, VDL Bus & Coach adds a new length variant to the available electric Low Entry buses. VDL introduced 12- and 12.9-meter electric Low Entry length variants in September 2018. In... Read more →

In May, cumulated BMW Group electrified sales topped the 400,000 mark with a total of 406,756 fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models delivered to customers since the BMW i3 first went on sale in November 2013. Five and a half years after it was launched, demand for the iconic BMW i3... Read more →

Natron Energy, a developer of new battery cell technology based on Prussian Blue analogue electrodes and a sodium-ion electrolyte, has (earlier post), has been awarded a $3-million grant by the California Energy Commission (CEC) for “Advanced Energy Storage for Electric Vehicle Charging Support.” Natron will utilize the funds to manufacture... Read more →

Fresh off breaking the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (earlier post) the Volkswagen ID.R is set to defend its title at the “Goodwood Festival of Speed” (4 to 7 July). Last year, Romain Dumas, at the wheel of the fully-electric race car, set a new record for... Read more →

Facial and head injuries from riding electric scooters have tripled over the past decade, according to a Rutgers study. Electric scooter use has been increasing in popularity as a more environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to gasoline vehicles. However, state helmet laws vary, and the study found that many people... Read more →

German logistics service provider Pfenning Logistics will be using a Mercedes-Benz eActros battery-electric 25-tonne truck to supply the Mercedes-Benz Mannheim plant. In October 2018, Mercedes-Benz Trucks handed over an eActros in Mannheim to concrete producer TBS Transportbeton. Both vehicles are part of the eActros “Innovation Fleet” for testing the heavy,... Read more →

Electrify America and ChargePoint announced a roaming partnership that will further expand access to electric vehicle (EV) charging across the United States. The interoperability agreement will allow drivers seamlessly to charge their EVs on public chargers between both networks using their existing account credentials to start a session, without incurring... Read more →

Scania, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has developed a new modular battery-electric self-driving urban concept vehicle–NXT—designed with the flexibility to shift from ferrying commuters to and from work in mornings and evenings, delivering goods during the day and collecting refuse at night. In NXT, the front and rear drive... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has begun its EV offensive by introducing the Mii Electric city car in Oslo. Pre-sales of the SEAT Mii electric—touted by SEAT as one of the most affordable EVs offered—will start in September. The Mii electric’s motor, linked to a single speed transmission,... Read more →

Electrify America and Walmart announced that more than 120 plus ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are now operational and open to the public at Walmart stores across the US. Electrify America chargers at Walmart stores feature 150 kilowatt (kW) and 350kW DC Fast Chargers. Chargers at this power can... Read more →

Momentum Dynamics Corporation, the global leader in high-power wireless charging for electric vehicles, in partnership with BYD and IndyGo, will install three 300-kilowatt inductive charging points in Indianapolis, the highest capacity system of its kind implemented anywhere in the world. With the high-power system in place, IndyGo will be positioned... Read more →

Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation disclosed today that they have agreed jointly to develop a platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for midsize and large passenger vehicles and jointly to develop a C-segment-class BEV SUV model for sale under each company’s own brand. A BEV-dedicated platform Toyota and... Read more →

BYTON’s first M-Byte body-in-white (BIW) successfully rolled off the line at the company’s new factory in Nanjing, China, late last week. This event verifies the manufacturing equipment and processes that will be used on customer cars when production starts at the end of this year. The M-Byte electric SUV (earlier... Read more →

The BMW Group and Jaguar Land Rover are joining forces to develop next-generation electric drive units in a move that supports the advancement of electrification technologies necessary to transition to an ACES—autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and services—future. The BMW Group brings its experience of developing and producing several generations of... Read more →

Kyocera Corporation and BYD Japan Co., Ltd., the Japanese arm of China’s BYD Co. Ltd., announced a joint project to develop an integrated renewable supply-demand energy system for EVs. By combining renewable energy from Kyocera’s solar power generating systems and BYD’s electric buses, the collaboration will maximize the effectiveness of... Read more →

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), a subsidiary of Evergrande Health, has acquired Protean Electric, a leading developer of in-wheel motor technology. The acquisition is part of Evergrande’s strategy to become a major player in the global electric vehicle (EV) industry, and paves the way for NEVS to deploy Protean Electric’s... Read more →

Volkswagen’s ID.R, powered by two electric motors, lapped the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 6:05.336 minutes—faster than any electric vehicle before it. Romain Dumas (F) beat the previous record set by Peter Dumbreck (GB, NIO EP9) in 2017 by 40.564 seconds. With an average speed of 206.96 km/h (128.6 mph), the ID.R once... Read more →

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the New Jersey Partnership to Plug-In, a statewide partnership to build out the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicle ownership. The partnership, which will be co-led by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the New Jersey... Read more →

Electrify America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America that is investing $2 billion over 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access, has launched its first mobile app; a new pricing structure; and two new membership plans to help increase electric vehicle adoption. The company’s... Read more →

In the US, Audi sold 856 e-tron mid-size electric SUVs in May, the first full month of sales for the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle. That represented 4.5% of the total 18,892 new vehicle sales in the month. Year-to-date, Audi has delivered 1,109 e-trons in the US. Overall, Audi sales in... Read more →

BMW Group sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles decreased 29.7 percent in May 2019 vs. May 2018. Model changeover has limited the current BMW Group electrified lineup in the US to five models including the BMW i3, BMW i8 and i8 Roadster, BMW 530e, and MINI Countryman plug-in... Read more →

British Columbia’s Zero-Emission Vehicles Act (ZEVA), passed on 29 May, will require all new light-duty vehicles sold in the province to be zero-emission vehicles by 2040. This target will be met using a phased-in approach: 10% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2025, 30% by 2030 and 100% by 2040.... Read more →

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group’s (GCV) subsidiary brand, Yuan Cheng, launched two new zero-emission buses at a ceremony in Beijing: the F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 battery-electric bus. The F12 is Geely’s first commercial vehicle which utilizes hydrogen fuel cell technology and after a 10-minute refueling can... Read more →

Three Norwegian operators have ordered another 7 Solaris electric buses. Four Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses will be included in the Norgesbuss operator fleet from Oslo. These buses will join two Urbino 12 electric delivered to the carrier last year. The four new buses will be equipped with 145 kWh... Read more →

North America-based bus manufacturer NFI Group Inc. has acquired UK-based bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) for a total transaction value of £320 million (US$405 million) on a cash-free, debt-free basis, subject to certain adjustments. The combined business creates an independent global bus OEM with market-leading positions in the United... Read more →

In Seoul, Hyundai Motor unveiled an electric double-decker bus—a first of its kind for Hyundai, and part of the company’s effort to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. The all-new electric double-decker bus is being shown at the ‘Land, Infrastructure and Transport Technology Fair’ held in Korea, co-hosted by... Read more →

Honda has confirmed that the Side Camera Mirror System seen on the prototype version of the new Honda e urban electric vehicle will be standard when the car enters production. The technology, a first in the compact segment, brings significant benefits for styling, safety, aerodynamics and refinement. The Side Camera... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group is further expanding its business in its most important market, China, with the entry of SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, and the Smart City Project. Volkswagen Group China, SEAT and the Chinese auto manufacturer JAC, which together form the joint venture JAC Volkswagen, continue to... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed a system that estimates the gross vehicle weight of a light duty commercial electric vehicle and optimizes performance accordingly. The development of the system is a first for the industry, utilizing acceleration sensors to optimize the vehicle’s settings based on current gross weight estimate. This... Read more →

ŠKODA, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has introduced the SUPERB iV—a plug-in hybrid version of its flagship SUPERB— and the CITIGOe iV, the company’s first production battery-electric vehicle. The ŠKODA iV sub-brand covers both the development of the brand’s own family of electrified products as well as a special... Read more →

With the all-new, sixth generation Corsa, Opel is offering for the first time a battery-electric version of the bestseller with a range of 330 kilometers (WLTP, provisional figure) (205 miles): the Corsa-e. Opel chose the brand’s most popular model to bring electric mobility out of its niche-existence. More than 13.6... Read more →

DHL Express and electric vehicle maker StreetScooter are collaborating on a new electric delivery vehicle. The new H2 Panel Van will become the first 4.25-tonne electric vehicle with an added fuel cell, which will provide additional power and enable a range up to 500 kilometers. In a first step, DHL... Read more →

Audi has opened Germany’s largest multi-use battery energy storage unit on the EUREF Campus in Berlin. The 13.6-acre EUREF campus serves as a site for pilot projects for the transition to sustainable energy and networked mobility. The Audi storage unit has a capacity of 1.9 MWh and uses used lithium-ion... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered an eActros battery-electric 18-tonne truck to international logistics provider Dachser. Dachser will test the truck in regular operations in and around Stuttgart. The eActros is part of the “innovation fleet” from Mercedes-Benz Trucks for practical testing of the heavy-duty electric truck. Dachser will use the eActros... Read more →

Paris-based Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) has signed a contract with Solaris Bus & Coach for the supply of the Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE 8.9-meter electric bus to Paris. Under the contract option, the public transport operator reserved the option to extend the contract to a value of €10... Read more →

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 →