Author: Shaun Williams

Tesla has reported a record-breaking increase in energy storage deployments for 2022. In the company’s Q4 2022 and full-year financial report, it was revealed that energy storage deployments grew by a staggering 152% year-over-year. In 2021, the company delivered nearly 4 GWh of energy storage products, breaking the previous year’s record of 3 GWh. In 2022, Tesla was able to deploy 6.5 GWh of energy storage products, such as the Megapack and Powerwall. According to the report, demand for Tesla’s energy storage products continues to outpace production capacity, even with Giga Nevada producing more Powerwalls and Megapacks than ever before.…

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz has begun the year on a high note, having been named the overall winner and “Car of the Year” at the annual What Car? Awards. Additionally, it was also recognized as the “Large Electric Car of the Year.” The ID. Buzz was praised for its comfort, refinement, and highly competitive PCP finance rates. The judges also noted its practicality and low running costs. According to What Car? Editor, Steve Huntingford, the ID. Buzz is “a car that you can buy with your head and your heart.” The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are among…

The German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) has announced that Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y vehicles are now eligible for the maximum subsidy of €6,750 across all trim levels. This marks a change from the previous subsidy, which Tesla vehicles were disqualified from receiving due to price increases. Tesla has stated that the recent price adjustments, coupled with the maximum subsidy, make the vehicles more accessible for consumers and align with the company’s mission to promote sustainable mobility. This comes after recent price cuts in the United States led to an increase in demand for…

Nissan Motor Co.’s CEO, Makoto Uchida, recently acknowledged that the market for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States is growing faster than anticipated. To support this trend, the company plans to invest $250 million in its powertrain facility in Decherd, Tennessee. Although Uchida did not provide a timeline or specifics on how the investment will be used, he stated that it is part of Nissan’s increased efforts to promote EV adoption in the United States. Uchida attributes the growing popularity of EVs to increased competition and the availability of more electric cars on the market. He also highlighted the…

Jim Chen, Vice President of Public Policy at Rivian, is set to depart the electric truck maker at the end of February. Prior to joining Rivian in 2018, Chen held a similar role at Tesla, where he led the automaker’s efforts to secure direct-to-consumer sales in various states. As a proponent of direct sales, Chen was responsible for advocating for changes to laws requiring car companies to sell vehicles through franchised dealerships during his tenure at Rivian. He also oversaw the company’s federal lobbying and regulatory affairs. In a statement, a Rivian representative said that Chen’s departure was a mutual…

Amogy, a company that specializes in ammonia-based power solutions with high energy density and zero emissions, has successfully tested an ammonia-powered, zero-emission semi truck. This achievement follows the company’s previous successes with integrating its technology into a 5 kW drone in July 2021 and a 100kW John Deere tractor in May 2022. The company’s ammonia-to-power technology was scaled to 300 kW for the semi truck, which, after an eight-minute fueling, was tested for several hours on the campus of Stony Brook University in New York. The truck had 900 kWh of total stored net electric energy. The Amogy team will…

The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg have called on the European Union to set a date for when all new trucks and buses sold in Europe must have zero carbon dioxide emissions. The European Commission is expected to propose stricter CO2 standards for heavy goods vehicles next month in an effort to comply with the EU’s climate change goals. The EU has already set more ambitious targets for cars, including a deadline of 2035 for all new cars sold in Europe to have zero CO2 emissions. The four countries have urged the EU to set a 100% zero emissions target…

Honda and GS Yuasa have announced they have reached a basic agreement to collaborate on a high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion battery. The companies plan to establish a joint venture by the end of 2023, to address the growing demand for batteries in the global market. The joint venture will focus on the research and development of lithium-ion batteries and production methods that will be highly competitive in the global market, as well as the establishment of a supply chain for key raw materials and a highly-efficient battery production system. The companies will discuss collaborations including R&D of high-capacity, high-output lithium-ion battery,…

Arcimoto, a US-based electric vehicle manufacturer, has halted production of its three-wheeled vehicles and may seek bankruptcy protection if it cannot raise more funds to sustain operations. The company disclosed this in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 17th. Arcimoto is currently looking to sell new shares and warrants to raise funds, but this may not be enough as the company’s stock has dropped 60% to $2.52 per share. This decline in value follows a strong year for Arcimoto in 2021, during which the company acquired Tilting Motor Works and opened a new manufacturing site in…

The Canadian government has committed $350 million (240 million euros) to the city of Ottawa to purchase 350 electric buses and install the necessary charging infrastructure. The Ottawa City Council will consider the budget proposal on February 25th, and if approved, procurement of the zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure will begin. The plan includes building a new electric bus depot and equipping two existing depots with charging stations. The city aims to have 450 electric buses in operation by 2027 and to fully convert its public transportation fleet, operated by OC Transpo, to electric buses by 2036. “Any investment in…

Energica Motor has announced impressive 2022 turnover estimates, with unit sales up by approximately 52% and motorcycle revenues increasing by 67% compared to the same period in 2021. The company attributes this success to its fast-growing certified dealer network, which saw the addition of 15 certified dealers in the US and 33 new certified dealers across the rest of the world. One of the key drivers of Energica’s growth is its Energica Inside program, which partners with other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to solve fleet electrification challenges. The company has unique expertise in electric automotive engineering, allowing for all high-voltage…

The Tesla Model Y has been awarded the Safety Award by What Car? for its 2023 Car of the Year Awards. The judges took into account both active and passive safety features, as well as the purchase price, given the significant impact large volume sales have on overall road safety. Safety has always been a priority for Tesla, and the company’s vehicles have consistently received well-above-average collision ratings from agencies such as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, which awarded the Model Y a five-star rating for crash safety. Tesla has also collected numerous top safety awards and ratings since…