Author: Shaun Williams

Renault Group has named Josep Maria Recasens as the new chief executive officer of its electric vehicle unit, Ampere, effective April 1, 2025. Recasens, who has served as Ampere’s chief operating officer, will succeed Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who had been managing the division in a dual role since its spin-off in 2023. “I am very pleased to hand over to Josep Maria as CEO, following on from his role as Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Ampere, to continue the deep and rapid transformation we have been driving with Ampere since its creation,” de Meo said in a statement.…

Pittsburgh Public Schools has introduced 16 new electric school buses into its fleet, marking a significant step toward cleaner and quieter student transportation. The deployment, made possible through first-round funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, aims to reduce emissions and enhance student health. The district, the largest in Allegheny County and the second-largest in Pennsylvania, serves nearly 20,000 students. Its new fleet consists of Blue Bird Micro Bird G5es buses, which offer a range of up to 100 miles per charge. See also: First Student and Con Edison Launch Solar-Powered V2X Hub with Electric…

Tesla announced plans to launch in Saudi Arabia next month, marking its entry into the Gulf region’s largest market. The event is scheduled for April 10 in Riyadh, according to a post on the company’s website. ​ The launch event will showcase Tesla’s electric vehicles and solar-powered products. Attendees will have the opportunity to “experience the future of autonomous driving with Cybercab, and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot, as we showcase what’s next in AI and robotics,” the company stated. ​ See also: Tesla Slashes Model Y Prices as U.S. Launch of Juniper Refresh Nears This expansion comes as Tesla…

Chinese automaker BYD has introduced the Sealion 05 EV, a compact electric SUV, at a starting price of RMB 117,800 ($16,230). This model is the latest addition to BYD’s Ocean series, following the recent launch of the Qin L EV sedan.​ The Sealion 05 EV is built on BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 Evo and measures 4,520 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width, and 1,630 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,720 mm. It features a rear-wheel-drive system powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor. See also: BYD Launches Qin L EV to Compete with Tesla Model 3 at Lower…

Audi plans to introduce an entry-level electric vehicle (EV) as early as next year, moving up its original 2027 timeline, CEO Gernot Döllner said in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung. The model, positioned in the Audi A3 segment, will be built at the company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. Döllner had previously stated in March 2024 that the company aimed for a three-year development cycle for a vehicle below the Q4 e-tron. The Q4 e-tron, currently produced at Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant, could be relocated by the early 2030s, according to industry speculation. See also: Audi Q4 e-tron Introduces New Base Version…

Waymo announced on Tuesday that it intends to introduce its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Washington, D.C., in 2026, expanding its commercial operations to the U.S. capital. The Alphabet-owned company began deploying vehicles in the city in January and plans to bring in more units in the coming weeks as it prepares for the launch. “We will also work closely with policymakers to formalize the legal framework needed to operate without a human behind the wheel, as Washington, D.C. does not currently allow for fully autonomous operations,” Waymo said. See also: Waymo Expands Robotaxi Service to More Areas in Silicon…

ZF has appointed Rolf Breidenbach as its new chairman, following the early departure of Heinrich Hiesinger, the company announced on Wednesday. Breidenbach, the former chief executive of automotive supplier Hella, takes over at a time when ZF is undergoing significant structural changes. Hiesinger, who had been in the role for three years, was originally contracted until 2028 but chose to step down early. “After careful consideration and in close consultation, the two ZF shareholders, the Zeppelin and Ulderup Foundation, have accepted the offer,” said Simon Blümcke, Mayor of Friedrichshafen and chairman of the Zeppelin Foundation, which holds a majority stake…

Volvo Trucks is expanding its ‘Volvo Open Charge’ service to include a booking function for electric truck charging, allowing hauliers to reserve charging slots in advance. The feature is being piloted by Swedish customers Arla and DFDS as the company aims to enhance the reliability of charging for heavy-duty electric vehicles. The service provides access to verified charging stations and integrates payment at partner locations. Volvo Trucks said the initiative is designed to support transport companies in managing their electric fleets more effectively. See also: Volvo Trucks Maintains Lead in European Heavy-Duty Electric Truck Market with 47% Share in 2024…

Stellantis has formed a strategic partnership with Swedish electric vehicle startup Luvly to evaluate its ‘IKEA-style’ flat-pack production method for quadricycles, the companies announced. Stockholm-based Luvly has developed the €10,000 (£8,800) Luvly 0, a lightweight quadricycle that can be shipped in panels and assembled close to customers. The company claims this approach can reduce transportation and energy consumption by up to 80% compared to traditional EVs. The 400kg vehicle features a sandwich composite chassis, two 15kg removable batteries, a top speed of 56 mph, and a range of 62 miles. See also: Iveco and Stellantis Partner to Launch Two New…

Altilium announced that the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has successfully manufactured the UK’s first electric vehicle (EV) battery cells using recycled active cathode materials (CAM), marking a significant step toward battery circularity in the country. The pouch cells were produced at UKBIC’s advanced facility in Coventry using Altilium’s EcoCathode NMC 811-2036 CAM, sourced from its recycling operations in Devon. The initiative aims to reduce the UK’s dependence on imported raw materials and lower the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, contributing to a more sustainable EV sector. See also: UK’s Altilium to Supply Talga with Recycled Graphite for Battery Anodes…

Nio will officially launch the first model under its Firefly brand on April 19, integrating the company’s own battery swap network rather than the infrastructure developed by CATL, Firefly President Daniel Jin announced. Jin stated on Firefly’s mobile app that future models under the brand will adopt CATL’s Choco-Swap battery swap standard. Earlier today, Nio and CATL announced a collaboration to build the world’s largest battery swap network, with CATL’s technology to be incorporated into Firefly’s upcoming models. See also: Nio Firefly: 42.1-kWh Battery, 420 km CLTC Range, 105 kW Motor, and Battery Swap Support Revealed in Filing In the…

Electric vehicle logistics firm Mober has inaugurated ‘Central Charge,’ the largest commercial EV charging hub in the Philippines, as part of efforts to reduce fleet downtime and support its growing operations. Located along D. Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City, about 10 km south of Manila, the 3,000 m² facility features 52 AC chargers (7 kW) and four DC fast chargers (60 kW). The hub is capable of charging up to 200 electric trucks per day and operates around the clock in three shifts to ensure uninterrupted charging for Mober’s fleet. See also: ADB Provides $100 Million Loan to Ayala Corporation…

General Motors and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) have launched a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) pilot program in Central and Northern California, offering participating customers up to $4,500 in rebates on GM Energy home products. The pilot aims to assess how bidirectional charging technology can benefit customers and improve grid stability. Participants must own a GM electric vehicle with bidirectional capabilities, including the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Cadillac Lyriq EV, GMC Sierra, and select 2025 models. See also: Trump Meets General Motors CEO as Automaker Plans $60 Billion Investment Amid Tariff Uncertainty “For Northern California customers looking to…

BYD is preparing to launch a new car carrier, BYD Changsha, as the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer continues expanding its dedicated shipping fleet, according to the semi-official Weibo account @小迪快报. Named after BYD’s production base in Changsha, Hunan province, the vessel will be the company’s second car carrier with a capacity of 9,200 vehicles. A video shared by the account provided a glimpse of the ship, though further details were not disclosed. See also: BYD Unveils Super e-Platform with 1,000-kW Charging, Adding 2 km of Range Per Second BYD’s marine fleet currently includes four vessels: BYD Explorer No.1,…

BYD has introduced its latest Super e-Platform, featuring ultra-fast charging blade batteries, high-performance electric motors, and advanced silicon carbide power chips. The flash-charge batteries support 1,000V charging voltage and 1,000A charging current, delivering up to 1,000 kW (1 MW) of charging power—a first in the industry. This allows a full charge in six minutes and enables 2 km of range per second when using BYD’s new 1,000-kW supercharger. High-Performance Motor and Charging Infrastructure BYD’s new high-revving motor, spinning at 30,511 RPM, is the fastest mass-produced motor globally. It generates 580 kW of peak power, surpassing V12 fuel engine performance. To…

Two senior members of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are preparing legislation to withdraw approximately $3 billion allocated for the electrification of the United States Postal Service (USPS), according to a report by Fox News. Republican Senator Joni Ernst and Congressman Michael Cloud are expected to introduce the “Return to Sender Act,” which seeks to reclaim funds designated under former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The bill aims to halt the USPS’s planned expansion of its electric vehicle fleet, a key initiative of the Biden administration’s climate agenda. The USPS has committed to purchasing 66,000 electric delivery…

Chinese battery maker Sunwoda has secured approval to invest in battery cell manufacturing facilities in Thailand, marking its first EV-related battery cell plant in the ASEAN region, the country’s Board of Investment (BOI) announced. The BOI said it has approved an investment exceeding $1 billion by a unit of Shenzhen-based Sunwoda Electronic to produce batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. “Today marks a milestone in the development of Thailand’s EV supply chain, as having EV battery cells produced locally will significantly reinforce our status as a manufacturing hub for EVs and hybrids, and increase the country’s competitiveness,”…

Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has filed for bankruptcy, citing financial pressures and operational hurdles that led to the decision. The company said it made an “exhaustive effort to explore all available means to secure a viable financial and operational future.” “Like many companies in the battery sector, Northvolt has experienced a series of compounding challenges in recent months that eroded its financial position, including rising capital costs, geopolitical instability, subsequent supply chain disruptions, and shifts in market demand,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday. Northvolt, a key player in Europe’s efforts to establish a domestic electric vehicle (EV)…

Maserati has scrapped plans to produce an all-electric version of its MC20 supercar, pointing to limited market interest in battery-powered high-performance sports cars. “The project was stopped due to the current forecast for insufficient demand in the super sports car market for a battery electric vehicle,” the company stated, according to a Mar. 6 report by Evo. The decision suggests a shift in Maserati’s previously announced timeline to phase out internal combustion engines. See also: Self-Driving Maserati Hits 197.7 mph, Breaking Autonomous Speed Record The automaker had pledged in 2022 to introduce electric variants of all its models by 2025…

Nearly one in four Tesla Model 3 vehicles tested in Denmark last year failed safety inspections, according to data from the Danish Road Traffic Authority. The 23% failure rate for 2020 Model 3s contrasts sharply with the 9% failure rate recorded among other electric vehicles, the Federation of Danish Motorists (FDM) reported. See also: Tesla Rolls Out Cabin Radar Update to Enhance Child Safety Of the 4,668 Model 3s inspected in 2024, 1,051 did not meet safety requirements, with inspectors identifying 1,392 defects—three times the number observed in comparable EVs. Common issues included faults with lighting, braking, steering, and suspension…