Dana Incorporated launched its newest direct-drive electric powertrain, the TM4 SUMO LD. The motor-inverter combination is designed for Class 2 through Class 6 vehicles. The new offering extends the comprehensive TM4 SUMO lineup, which is powering more than 12,000 electrified vehicles today. Designed primarily for today’s direct-drive architectures, the TM4... Read more →

Motiv Power Systems announced a five-vehicle purchase order from Bimbo Bakeries USA, the US business of Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo. The vehicles will feature Motiv’s all-electric EPIC 6 chassis (based on the popular Ford F-59 platform) with step van bodies built by Utilimaster Corporation. Bimbo Bakeries USA will be deploying... Read more →

For the same vehicle models with different powertrains, the carbon footprint of the battery-powered E variants is already better than those of the corresponding vehicles with internal combustion engines, according to a certified life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Volkswagen Golf, which compares the CO2 emissions of the different vehicle... Read more →

Electrify America announced collaborations with nine additional companies to host more than 30 ultra-fast electric vehicle charging stations across the US. The companies, ranging from popular grocery store chains to retail shopping centers, will help expand the availability of electric vehicle DC fast charging for customers who drive or are... Read more →

Dana Incorporated and Motiv Power Systems are collaborating to integrate Dana’s Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Ford F-550 chassis for use in commercial fleet applications. By replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, the e-Axle provides greater design flexibility for... Read more →

Allison Transmission introduced the new ABE Series, the first e-axle advanced ultra-low floor electric bus powertrain system in the market, at the Advanced Clean Technology Expo in Long Beach, CA. The ABE Series e-axles are one of the world’s most powerful and compact fully integrated electric axles for the transit... Read more →

Allison Transmission, a global leader in medium- and heavy-duty propulsion solutions for commercial vehicles, introduced the new AXE Series e-axle systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks at the Advanced Clean Technology (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, CA. A fully integrated electric powertrain system designed to fit inside a standard frame... Read more →

Ford Motor Company has made a $500-million minority equity investment in electric vehicle maker Rivian (earlier post). In addition to the investment, the companies have agreed to work together to develop an all-new, next-generation battery electric vehicle for Ford’s growing EV portfolio using Rivian’s skateboard platform. Rivian Skateboard Platform The... Read more →

Orange EV and Dot Transportation, Inc., a subsidiary of Dot Foods, Inc., the largest food industry redistributor in North America, announced the deployment of an Orange EV T-Series battery-electric terminal truck at Dot’s operation in Modesto, CA. The Modesto facility is one of eleven distribution centers operated by Dot Foods... Read more →

Allison Transmission Holdings Inc., the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, has purchased Vantage Power and AxleTech’s electric vehicle (EV) systems division. Allison’s electrification strategy leverages and extends current electric hybrid technologies, develops new electrified propulsion solutions, and expands system and integration level capabilities in alternative... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed smartphone-EV pairing-based performance adjustment technology which allows users to customize primary functions through a smartphone application—an industry-first innovation. Drivers can use this technology to adjust seven performance features including the maximum torque output of the motor, acceleration and deceleration abilities, regenerative braking capacity, maximum speed... Read more →

Last week at China’s Auto Shanghai motor show, Aston Martin Lagonda revealed the final production-ready iteration of its first all-electric production car, the Rapide E. The first car to be built at Aston Martin’s St Athan production facility—the brand’s Home of Electrification—Rapide E represents a first step towards achieving the... Read more →

According to a new study published by the ifo Institue Center for Economic Studies (CESifo) in Germany, EVs will barely help cut CO2 emissions in the country over the coming years, as the introduction of electric vehicles does not necessarily lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions from road traffic... Read more →

ZF is introducing a new electric central drive for buses and medium-duty trucks. Developed in China, with future production planned there, the new unit is designed to meet the particular conditions of the Chinese market and the requirements of vehicle manufacturers there. The new electric central drive was developed by... Read more →

At Auto Shanghai 2019, Mercedes-Benz is premiering the close-to-production show car Concept GLB and the Mercedes-AMG A 35 L 4MATIC developed exclusively for China. Alongside the Concept GLB are the battery-powered EQC (electricity consumption combined: 20.8 – 19.7 kWh/100 km) (earlier post) and the new GLE, both of which celebrate... Read more →

Buick has launched the VELITE 6 MAV electric vehicle in China. As Buick’s first global all-electric vehicle and SAIC-GM’s first electric vehicle for the mass market, the VELITE 6 MAV (which stands for Multi-Activity Vehicle) integrates GM and SAIC’s resources and advanced technology in new energy and connected vehicles. It... Read more →

BYD debuted its E-SEED GT concept car and Song Pro SUV alongside its all-new e-series models at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition. The company also showcased its latest Dynasty series of vehicles, which were recently unveiled at the company’s spring product launch in Beijing. A total of 23 new... Read more →

Volkswagen is tackling the Nürburgring-Nordschleife this year instead of Pikes Peak with its electric ID. R racer. Because of this change in course—a race track instead of a hill climb, full-throttle sections instead of hair-pins—Volkswagen is focusing on the development of the aerodynamics. Volkswagen ID. R in the wind tunnel... Read more →

A white paper by AMPLY Power, a company providing fleet charging as a service, finds that 25 of America’s largest metropolitan areas could save an average of 37% on fuel costs by electrifying their bus and light-duty vehicle fleets. Additionally, well-managed electric fleets that optimize electricity charging for off-peak hours... Read more →

Genesis revealed the Mint Concept ahead of the opening of the 2019 New York International Auto Show. The Mint Concept is a battery-electric luxury car for the city, with a new vehicle typology featuring organic design and an innovative interior user experience. The Mint powertrain is capable of an estimated... Read more →

New Flyer of America Inc. congratulated the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) as it welcomed its first battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE transit bus. New Flyer previously reported the order for five forty-foot battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE transit buses in September 2017. TriMet partnered with Portland General Electric (PGE) to purchase,... Read more →

New Flyer of America Inc. announced that New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions (earlier post) has successfully deployed two rapid, OppCharge on-route chargers along New York City Transit Authority’s (NYCT) M42 route. This marks completion of the first on-route charging solution in the United States that uses a globally recognized system to... Read more →

Proterra is partnering with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to create a $200-million credit facility in support of a battery lease program. Mitsui, a leading Japanese investment and trading company, holds a diversified portfolio of businesses in various sectors, including mobility, infrastructure and renewable energy. The battery leasing credit facility, the... Read more →

The BYD second-generation 8Y battery electric yard tractor will make its world premiere at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach next week, showcasing a design that combines performance, reliability, improved driver comfort and operability, along with zero tailpipe emissions and quiet operation. The unveiling coincides with the... Read more →

Daimler AG has acquired a minority equity stake in US battery material specialist Sila Nanotechnologies Inc. (Sila Nano) (earlier post) as part of Daimler’s research and development activities in support of electromobility. Founded in 2011, Sila Nano is a developer of new battery materials which outperform existing lithium-ion technologies. Along... Read more →

Toyota premiered its C-HR and IZOA battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as part of its activities on the opening day of Auto Shanghai 2019. The C-HR and IZOA will be the first battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) to launch in China under the Toyota brand. Sales on the new models are slated to... Read more →

Volkswagen Group China aims to produce more than half (11.6 million) of the group’s global objective of 22 million battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2028. Initiatives with all three Chinese vehicle production joint ventures – FAW-Volkswagen, SAIC VOLKSWAGEN and JAC Volkswagen – will enable this target to be reached. To speed... Read more →

At Auto Shanghai 2019, Audi is introducing the Audi AI:ME, an electric showcar offering compact dimensions, a spacious, futuristic interior, and the ability to drive autonomously at level 4. The Audi AI:ME offers a broad range of high-tech features for communication, entertainment, or relaxation. Audi took a targeted approach to... Read more →

Researchers from Northwestern University and Princeton University have explored the impact on US air quality from an aggressive conversion of internal combustion vehicles to battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). In a paper published in the journal Atmospheric Environment, they report on the findings from a suite of scenarios designed to quantify... Read more →

According to a new survey MINI USA recently commissioned from market research and business intelligence firm Engine International, Inc, 63% of consumers said the best way to use an EV is for commuting or city driving, At the same time, 73% of consumers surveyed said that battery range of up... Read more →

Volkswagen is expanding its electric ID. product range with a multi-variable all-round model: the new ID. ROOMZZ—a zero-emission SUV in the five meter category. Volkswagen will present the concept car as part of a world première at Auto Shanghai (18 to 26 April) in an homage to China, currently the... Read more →

Power management company Eaton’s eMobility business was chosen by Nidec-PSA Emotors (Emotors), a joint venture between Nidec Leroy-Somer and Groupe PSA, to supply high-performance traction inverters for a battery-electric vehicle platform. Eaton will provide its power-dense inverters to Emotors, which will integrate it with the motor and ship the finished... Read more →

Workhorse Group has formed a strategic partnership with 40-year automotive industry veteran Prefix Corporation for the final design, development and production of the Workhorse NGEN series all-electric delivery van. This partnership signals a key step in moving forward following Workhorse’s change of leadership in February 2019. The two companies are... Read more →

Ford has revealed the new Transit Smart Energy Concept—a one-of-a-kind 10-seater minibus that is helping the company explore solutions for maximizing the energy efficiency and driving range of electrified vehicles. While one survey showed that 40% of Europeans say the next vehicle they buy will likely be electric, the distance... Read more →

The ongoing development of Volkswagen’s ID. R electric racer (earlier post) is in full swing. The latest version of the prototype, powered by two electric motors with a 500 kW (680 PS) system performance, will this summer chase the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife with Romain Dumas... Read more →

Ford Motor Company is teaming up with Solid Power (earlier post) to develop all solid-state batteries (ASSB) for next-generation electric vehicles. The announced partnership will focus on further developing ASSBs toward automotive requirements. Solid Power’s solid-state technology combines a cathode, metallic lithium anode, and a safe, inorganic solid electrolyte layer.... Read more →

Atlis Motor Vehicles, a startup electric pickup truck manufacturer, has built their prototype platform, dubbed the XP. The XP is the next step on their way to a fully-functioning, full-size prototype pickup truck. Atlis had tested a fast-charging prototype battery pack last year that fully charged in under 15 minutes,... Read more →

US Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Susan Collins (R-ME) along with Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) introduced the Driving America Forward Act, bipartisan legislation to expand the electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell tax credits. Under current law, consumers may receive a tax credit of... Read more →

The public transport company ESWE Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH from Wiesbaden in Germany’s Hesse region has ordered 56 Mercedes‑Benz eCitaro electric urban buses. With this commission, the city of Wiesbaden is switching a fifth of its bus fleet to electromobility within a short period of time. As a provider of comprehensive electromobility... Read more →

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC (USCAR), and a collaborative organization of FCA US LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, awarded a $4.8-million technology development contract to Zenlabs Energy Inc. in Fremont, California for development of... Read more →

Paris transport operator RATP is splitting an order for nearly 800 electric buses into three identical batches, in their minimum and maximum amounts, with HeuliezBus, Bluebus/Bolloré and Alstom/Alstom Aptis. The up to €400-million order is the result of a consultation launched in January 2018, the aim of which was to... Read more →

According to tracking by Veloz, electric car sales in California in Q1 2019 continued their upward trend, with year-over-year increases each month and a 13% increase over Q1 2018. According to Veloz’ monthly “Sales Dashboard”, each month of Q1 saw greater electric car sales than the same month of the... Read more →

A rebate project to increase access to electric vehicle (EV) chargers throughout California’s Sacramento County is launching with up to $15.5 million in funds available for qualifying local businesses and nonprofit organizations. The rebates will be available through the Sacramento County Incentive Project to install both commercial-grade Level 2 chargers... Read more →

The Volkswagen Group and Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (GFL) registered in Jiangxi (China) have signed a memorandum of understanding on long-term lithium supplies for battery cells. Under the agreement, Ganfeng will supply lithium to the Volkswagen Group and its suppliers for the next ten years. Volkswagen is thus already securing... Read more →

The public transport company Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) in Germany has ordered 16 units of the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric city bus. The buses are expected to be delivered at the end of 2019. For the first time the buses features twelve battery packs with total capacity of 292 kWh. This results... Read more →

The University of Georgia has placed an order for twenty Proterra 40′ Catalyst E2 buses with DuoPower drivetrain technology and fourteen 125 kW Proterra PCS chargers. With the deployment of 20 Catalyst buses, the University of Georgia will have one of the largest fleets of electric buses in the US,... Read more →

BYD has produced its 300th bus at its Lancaster, Calif. manufacturing plant. BYD is celebrating the milestone with its highly valued customer and neighbor Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA). AVTA is closing in on a landmark of its own: 1 million miles of zero-emission bus operations. AVTA expects to make... Read more →

Volkswagen Group Research is testing automated vehicles in urban traffic in Hamburg. This is the first time Volkswagen has begun to test automated driving to Level 4 at real driving conditions in a major German city. A fleet of five specially equipped e-Golfs will drive on a three-kilometer section of... Read more →

Toyota announced that it will grant royalty-free licenses on nearly 24,000 patents it holds (including some pending applications) for vehicle electrification-related technologies. Also, Toyota will provide fee-based technical support to other manufacturers developing and selling electrified vehicles when they use Toyota’s motors, batteries, PCUs, control ECUs, and other vehicle electrification... Read more →

San Jose-based Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation’s (SAIC) Innovation Center is demonstrating its automated, all-electric shuttle around a defined loop of the solar-panel-lined West Village community as part of an agreement between the auto company and UC Davis. This arrangement provides researchers with the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis), and its... Read more →