Author: Shaun Williams

The administration of Barcelona has launched a four-year subsidy program aimed at replacing combustion-engine mopeds with electric models, as part of broader efforts to reduce urban emissions and promote cleaner mobility. The initiative, backed by a budget of €15 million, is designed to support the introduction of up to 20,000 electric mopeds across the city while also expanding the infrastructure needed to support them. Since March 1, 2026, buyers of L1e-B category electric mopeds—vehicles with a maximum speed of up to 45 kilometers per hour—have been eligible for a one-time subsidy of €600. To qualify for the incentive, applicants must…

California-based solar electric vehicle developer Aptera Motors has produced the first vehicle from its validation assembly line, marking a key step toward regulatory certification and the planned start of initial customer deliveries. The company said the milestone follows the installation and commissioning of its validation vehicle assembly line at its factory in mid-November 2025. The line is intended to allow engineers and technicians to refine manufacturing systems, tools and processes before the transition to full-scale production. Unlike conventional vehicles built with steel bodies, Aptera’s solar EV uses a large carbon-fibre monocoque structure known as the Body-in-Carbon (BinC). The design requires…

Denmark registered 9,736 new battery-electric cars in February, representing an 81.6% share of the country’s total new passenger car registrations. According to data from Mobility Denmark, citing statistics from bilstatistik.dk, a total of 11,933 new passenger cars were registered in the country during the month. Of these, 2,197 vehicles were powered by other drivetrain types. Among private buyers, battery-electric vehicles dominated the market even more strongly, accounting for 94.4% of all new passenger car registrations. Mobility Denmark attributed the trend to increasing consumer demand for low-emission vehicles as well as government policies supporting the transition to electric mobility. “The popularity…

German automotive supplier Schaeffler has appointed Jochen Schröder to its Executive Board as Chief Operating Officer, where he will oversee production, supply chain management and procurement, as the company also considers a broader restructuring of its leadership structure. Schröder, 54, will assume the role on April 1, 2026, succeeding Andreas Schick, who will leave the company on March 31 at his own request. In his new position, Schröder will take responsibility for the Production, Supply Chain Management and Procurement divisions. See also: Schaeffler Expands EV Drivetrain Repair Kits for BMW, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen The company also indicated that the…

Volvo Buses has received orders for 15 units of its new BZR Electric coach from several transport operators in Norway. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery starting this autumn. The orders were placed by Jenssen Mobility, Schaus Buss, Charterbuss.no AS, Stjørdal Meråker Trafikkskole and Bussring. According to Volvo Buses, the electric coaches will be deployed in various roles including airport transfers, tourist and charter services, and passenger transport linked to cruise ship operations. See also: Volvo Buses Wins First Brazilian Order for Electric Articulated and Double-Articulated Buses Volvo described the contracts as an early commercial success for its long-range electric…

The European Council has adopted amendments to the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID), introducing updated requirements for measurement systems used in sectors including electric vehicle charging. The revised directive expands the scope of the rules to cover all charging devices for electric vehicles, including those used for rail vehicles, maritime transport and aviation. According to the Council, “the revised rules also prioritise digitalisation and smart metering and support the use of emerging gases such as hydrogen to help decarbonise industrial processes.” See also: EU Drafts ‘Buy European’ Rules Linking EV Subsidies to Local Production One of the changes addresses the growing…

Lyten said it has completed the acquisition of Northvolt Ett and Ett Expansion in Skellefteå, as well as Northvolt Labs in Västerås, marking a major expansion of its footprint in Europe. The deal, valued at nearly $5 billion, was finalised several months later than initially anticipated. When Lyten announced its intention in August 2025 to acquire selected assets of Northvolt, the move drew attention given the relative size difference between the two companies and their differing technology focus. Lyten, founded in 2015 in San Jose, California, specialises in lithium-sulphur battery cells, while Northvolt has concentrated on nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion technology.…

Stellantis reported a net loss of €22.3 billion for the 2025 financial year, following substantial write-downs linked primarily to its electric vehicle strategy. The results mark a sharp reversal from 2024, when the company posted an operating profit of nearly €3.7 billion. The downturn comes amid leadership changes and a broader reassessment of the group’s electrification plans. See also: Stellantis Reintroduces Diesel Options Across Several European Models Amid Demand Shift Antonio Filosa, who took over as chief executive in June 2025 after the departure of long-time CEO Carlos Tavares, initiated impairments of approximately €22.2 billion in early February. The write-downs…

Zimbabwe has announced an immediate ban on the export of raw minerals and lithium concentrate, as the government seeks to tighten oversight of the mining sector and encourage local processing. The measure was confirmed by Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura during a press briefing in Harare. “For now, the export ban applies to all minerals currently in transit,” he said, adding that the step would allow authorities “to improve transparency in the mineral sector.” The government has also said it aims to increase domestic value addition by promoting in-country processing of raw materials. Zimbabwe’s lithium sector has drawn…

African electric mobility company Spiro has secured $50 million in credit facilities to expand its electric motorcycle operations and battery-swapping infrastructure, just months after a previous funding round. The Dubai-based startup, which operates from Nairobi, said the financing comes from Afreximbank, Nithio and the Africa Go Green Fund, led by Cyngum Capital. The funds are structured as credit rather than equity and are intended to support the company’s capital-intensive model, including vehicle production, swap stations and ecosystem development. In October 2025, Spiro announced a separate $100 million funding round, though the breakdown between debt and equity was not disclosed. See…

BMW may seek to import China-built Mini electric vehicles into the European Union under a minimum price arrangement instead of paying additional tariffs, according to a report by German business daily Handelsblatt citing people familiar with the matter. The move would affect the Mini Aceman and Mini Cooper electric models produced in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, by Spotlight Automotive, a joint venture between BMW and Great Wall Motor. Under current rules, these vehicles face a 20.7% surcharge on top of the EU’s standard 10% import duty on cars. See also: Mini Extends Electric Countryman Range Beyond 500 Km With Efficiency Upgrade…

Public transport operator Azienda Trasporti Verona (ATV) has introduced 34 battery-electric buses from Chinese manufacturer BYD into service, expanding efforts to modernize and decarbonize public transport in the northern Italian city. Most of the new vehicles are 12-metre B12 buses, supplemented by several units of the similarly sized K9UD model. The deployment marks the first time the B12 has entered regular passenger service in Italy after its unveiling at Busworld 2023. The B12 uses BYD’s Blade Battery technology, based on lithium iron phosphate chemistry, with the battery integrated directly into the chassis as a structural element. This configuration improves torsional…