Author: Shaun Williams

Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech has been provisionally awarded 92 million euros ($104 million) under Spain’s PERTE VEC electric mobility funding programme to support two battery-related projects in Valladolid, according to details released on the initiative. The projects include plans for a battery cathode manufacturing facility and a battery recycling plant, forming part of the company’s broader strategy to strengthen its battery supply chain presence in Europe and North Africa. Spain’s PERTE VEC programme has previously provided funding support to major automotive groups including Seat, Stellantis and PowerCo, with grants amounting to hundreds of millions of euros aimed at accelerating…

Rompetrol plans to build a new fast-charging network for electric passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Romania, with 30 charging stations scheduled to enter operation by the end of 2027. The project is being implemented by Rompetrol Financial Group, Rompetrol Downstream and KMG Rompetrol Development, all part of KMG International. According to the company, the charging network will span 26 locations across Romania and include infrastructure for both passenger vehicles and heavy-duty electric trucks. Rompetrol said 13 of the planned stations will specifically target electric trucks. These heavy-duty charging locations will each feature one charging point delivering up to 350…

United Kingdom will remove several regulatory restrictions affecting larger electric vans from June 2026, aligning many zero-emission commercial vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes with the rules applied to diesel and petrol vans. The reforms are intended to reduce operational costs and administrative burdens for fleet operators transitioning to electric vehicles. Under the updated regulations, battery-electric vans within the 3.5-to-4.25-tonne category will no longer be subject to heavy goods vehicle testing requirements. Instead, the vehicles will move into the Class 7 MOT framework used for conventional light commercial vehicles. The changes also mean new electric vans will require their…

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has unveiled a battery-electric refuse truck concept designed to test how recycled and bio-based materials could be integrated into future commercial vehicle production across its lineup. The concept vehicle, named ReEconic and based on the Mercedes-Benz eEconic, was presented at the IFAT Munich environmental technology exhibition in Munich. The project brings together 33 industry partners and focuses on evaluating the practical use of recycled materials in areas such as the truck’s interior, body panels and glazing systems. Mercedes-Benz Trucks said the ReEconic will enter operational testing in the second half of 2026 at waste management company Remondis in…

Jeep said the fully electric Jeep Avenger now qualifies for the UK government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG), lowering the starting price of the compact electric SUV by £1,500. Following the incentive, the entry-level Jeep Avenger Full-Electric Longitude is now priced from £28,499 in the United Kingdom. The grant also applies to the Altitude and Summit trims, which are now available from £30,499 and £32,499 respectively, according to the company. Jeep said the Avenger Full-Electric offers a WLTP driving range of up to 248 miles and is equipped with an electric powertrain delivering 116 kW and 260 Nm of torque. The…

Driivz has partnered with Duracell E-Charge to support the rollout of an ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network across the United Kingdom. Under the agreement, Driivz will provide software services covering charging operations, billing, roaming, remote diagnostics and network management. The companies said the platform is intended to simplify operational management for charge point operators by providing session monitoring, billing systems and settlement services. According to Driivz, the software also includes real-time charger monitoring and automated fault management designed to improve charger uptime and availability. The company said its platform supports “advanced algorithms for self-healing capabilities” aimed at maximising charging network…

Iveco Bus has secured two contracts to supply battery-electric buses for the public transport network of Limoges Métropole in France, including articulated Bus Rapid Transit vehicles and standard electric buses. The company said deliveries will begin in 2028 and continue over a four-year period. Under the agreements, Iveco Bus will provide between 20 and 45 articulated GX 437 Elec Linium buses through its French subsidiary Heuliez. The associated charging infrastructure for the articulated bus fleet will be supplied, installed and maintained by Dalkia Electrotechnics. In a separate order, Iveco Bus also confirmed the supply of 13 GX 337 Elec standard…

Lotus has revised its earlier plan to become an all-electric vehicle manufacturer by 2028, outlining a new strategy that includes a larger role for plug-in hybrids and continued use of internal combustion engine technology. The British performance car brand, owned by Geely, said in its newly presented Focus 2030 strategy that it now expects plug-in hybrid vehicles to account for around 60% of its electrified portfolio by the end of the decade, while battery-electric vehicles would represent about 40%. The move marks a significant shift from the company’s 2021 announcement that it would transition exclusively to battery-electric vehicles from 2028…

Motor Fuel Group has introduced Plug & Charge capability across 95% of its MFG EV Power charging network in the UK through a partnership with Octopus Electroverse. The companies said the system enables drivers of compatible electric vehicles to begin charging automatically by simply connecting their vehicle to a charger, with authentication and payment processed through the customer’s Electroverse account. According to MFG, the initiative is intended to simplify the charging process and reduce operational friction for EV drivers. The company noted that Plug & Charge functionality is only available for vehicles meeting specific technical and certification standards required for…

Renault has opened UK order books for the Renault 4 E-Tech electric ‘Plein Sud’, a new version of its compact electric vehicle featuring an electrically operated canvas roof inspired by the original Renault 4. The automaker said prices for the new variant begin at £27,445 on-the-road after application of the UK government’s £3,750 Electric Car Grant. First customer deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of 2026. Renault said the retractable ‘Plein Sud’ roof draws inspiration from the fabric roof design used on the classic Renault 4 while adapting the concept for modern electric mobility. The company described the model…

The EU-funded MAXIMA project has announced the completion of its first development milestones as it works to create a cost-effective axial flux motor for electric vehicles with reduced reliance on permanent magnets. The project, formally known as Modular AXIal flux Motor for Automotive, was launched in 2023 with funding of 5.5 million euros from the European Union. MAXIMA aims to develop compact, high-performance electric motors while improving recyclability and reducing dependence on critical raw materials used in conventional motor designs. See also: Mercedes-Owned Yasa Develops Prototype In-Wheel Drive for High-Performance EVs Axial flux motors differ from traditional radial flux motors…

A research team at Fraunhofer IZM has developed a compact high-efficiency inverter for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that delivers 500 kilowatts of output while occupying a volume of just one litre. According to the researchers, the inverter achieves an efficiency of 99% and was designed to reduce both size and production costs compared with existing high-performance systems used in electric drivetrains. The project was led by Wiljan Vermeer and the Power Electronic Systems group at Fraunhofer IZM, which focuses on power electronics and microintegration technologies. See also: Fraunhofer-Led Difference Project Targets Improved Recycling of Cell-To-Pack Batteries Inverters are critical components in…