Author: Shaun Williams

South Korea’s Hyosung Advanced Materials, SK Chemicals Co., and Hankook Tire & Technology have announced the commercialization of a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) tire called “ion,” which is made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) materials. This marks the first finished product tire for EVs that utilizes recycled PET. The collaboration between the three companies spanned two years to develop and bring ion to market. SK Chemicals supplied the recycled PET, while Hyosung Advanced Materials developed high-strength tire cords from the material. These tire cords were then integrated into Hankook Tire’s EV tire brand. The product is notable for containing 45%…

DHL continues to lead the way in green transportation. The company, which made headlines in 2015 by being the first major company to put an all-electric class 8 yard truck into service, has now expanded its fleet to 50 electric yard trucks from Orange EV. This marks a significant step towards DHL’s goal of fully phasing out diesel trucks by 2025. These heavy-duty trucks, known by various names such as terminal trucks, yard dogs, or mules, are ideal candidates for electrification due to their low-speed, high-torque, short-distance operations. The quiet, vibration-free, and instant power operation of electric drive makes them…

California-based Karma Automotive has unveiled its latest creation, the Gyesera sedan, marking a significant expansion of its lineup as the company celebrates its 10th anniversary. This all-electric four-door model follows the footsteps of the 1,000-hp Kaveya super coupe GT, which made its debut in Las Vegas last year. Unlike the range-extended GS-6, one of the oldest cars still on sale in 2024, the Gyesera is purely electric. While it shares its platform with the GSe-6, Karma Automotive has reimagined most aspects of the car, making it an all-new model with distinct performance and styling. See also: Karma Automotive Unveils Kaveya Super…

Renault and Volkswagen are currently in “good discussions” about jointly developing a small and affordable electric vehicle (EV), aiming to counter the threat posed by cheaper Chinese cars in the European market, where a significant portion of their sales originate. Renault CEO Luca de Meo confirmed this week at the Geneva auto show that talks with VW are underway, along with discussions with other potential partners, although he did not disclose their names. “I am open to anybody who wants to jump in. I have production capacity. I have the platform. I know how to do it,” he stated. See…

A Tesla Cybertruck recently fetched an impressive $244,000 at auction, surpassing its retail value by more than double. Tesla had implemented measures to prevent early buyers from flipping the Cybertruck for profits before converting reservations into orders. However, enforcing such restrictions can be challenging, as consumers generally have the right to resell products they own for a profit. The auction sale, reportedly marked as sold to Porsche Orlando on Cox Automotive’s Manheim auction platform, raises questions about the buyer’s intentions. It remains unclear whether Porsche Orlando, a Porsche dealership, intends to resell the Cybertruck on its lot or purchased it…

Hyundai and Kia have joined forces with the country’s premier national research university to pioneer a next-generation autonomous driving sensor, in a move that underscores their commitment to advancing automotive technology despite recent challenges in the driverless vehicle sector. The collaboration sees Hyundai and Kia teaming up with KAIST, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, to establish a joint research center dedicated to developing on-chip light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology. See also: Aptiv to Trim Stake and Halt Funding for Self-Driving JV Motional Amid Losses With a team of 30 engineers from Hyundai, Kia, and KAIST’s School of…

BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu has doubled the proposed amount for the company’s share buyback on China’s A-share market, following an initial offer late last year that failed to halt a decline in the stock price. A new letter from Wang, received by BYD (SHE: 002594) on February 22, proposes increasing the share buyback to RMB 400 million ($55.6 million) from the previously announced RMB 200 million. The purpose is to reduce registered capital, according to the company’s exchange announcement. See also: BYD Unveils Updated Dolphin Electric Hatchback with Lower Starting Price Wang’s initial proposal on December 6, 2023, suggested…

Seattle is set to make transportation history as the first city in the United States to deploy double-decker electric buses equipped with inductive wireless charging technology. Sound Transit, Seattle’s public transit agency, has placed an order for 33 Alexander Dennis Enviro500EV double-decker electric buses and 15 60-foot articulated electric buses. These buses will be powered by 13 300 kW in-ground inductive chargers manufactured by InductEV, a wireless EV charging company based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. See also: Lothian Commits £24 Million Investment in 50 New Volvo Electric Double Decker Buses for Edinburgh Scheduled for delivery in 2026, the double-decker buses…

Aptera Motors, a pioneering electric vehicle manufacturer, has secured over $33 million in funding to propel the production of its innovative solar electric vehicle (EV). The company’s latest funding milestone comes as it prepares to launch its “first-of-its-kind solar electric vehicle,” designed to revolutionize sustainable transportation. The funding boost follows Aptera’s unveiling of the ‘Launch Edition’ of its three-wheeled solar electric car in January 2023. Despite the initial excitement, the company recognized the need for additional capital to commence production. In response, Aptera initiated a crowdfunding campaign, raising more than $2 million in just “the last few days.” Investors contributing…

BYD, a prominent Chinese automaker, announced its plans to launch a series of “high-end luxury” models starting this year, according to a filing with the Hong Kong stock market. The company, headquartered in Shenzhen, also stated its intention to develop a “reasonable and feasible” strategy for purchasing additional shares. In a filing made last Sunday, BYD revealed that Chairman Wang Chuanfu had proposed a buyback of 200 million yuan ($27.8 million) worth of its A-shares in December of the previous year. Following the Lunar New Year holidays, trading in BYD’s Shenzhen-listed shares resumed, closing up by 1.3% on Monday. However,…

Lacroix, the electronics specialist, has commenced manufacturing bidirectional chargers for the Renault Group, with the Mobilize PowerBox now in production at the company’s Beaupréau-en-Mauges plant southwest of Paris. “The Mobilize PowerBox is manufactured in four different versions: three function in the classic unidirectional way and one in a bidirectional way,” stated a spokesperson from Renault. “Renault wants to introduce bidirectional charging on the vehicle side with its announced electric 5 Series.” Initial production capacity for the Mobilize PowerBox stands at 65,000 units per year, with plans to introduce the charging station for all of the Renault Group’s electric vehicles, according…

DHL Freight has commenced a one-year pilot program utilizing a hydrogen truck developed by commercial vehicle manufacturer Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH. The vehicle, known as the Paul Hydrogen Power-Truck and based on the Mercedes-Benz Atego, will undertake distribution and line haul operations at the Cologne location, marking DHL Group’s second deployment of a hydrogen truck in Germany. The company, along with its divisions, is actively exploring various sustainable drive solutions as part of its sustainability strategy, with an interim target of reducing emissions to less than 29 million tons by 2030. See also: DHL Express and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Collaborate on…